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Anzac Sniper: The Extraordinary Story of Stan Savige, One of Australia's Greatest Soldiers
The extraordinary story of Stan Savige - from Gallipoli marksman to WWII General and the founder of Legacy 'Stan Savige had been on Gallipoli for just two weeks, in the trenches firing at Turks less than 20 metres away. But Sniper's Ridge was a different proposition. Killing took on another dimension. In the flurry of trench warfare, a soldier would rarely be certain he had hit an enemy. On this ridge of death, however, Savige's job was to make sure he struck as many of the opposition as possible.'
The son of a country butcher, Stan Savige left school at twelve to become a blacksmith's striker. But in 1915, a passage in the bible inspired the devout scout leader and Sunday school teacher to enlist. Soon his abilities as a crack marksman attracted the attention of the officers and he was put in charge of Sniper's Ridge, his job to eliminate the enemy assassins in Anzac Cove. Savige succeeded and survived Gallipoli, only to be sent to the Western Front then Iran as part of the crack squad Dunsterforce. It was the beginning of a long, dangerous and distinguished military career spanning both world wars, with Savige commanding and fighting in Europe, Iran, North Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific in World War II, initially as Major-General then Lieutenant General.
In this gripping biography, Roland Perry paints a fascinating and complex portrait of Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED, a man of character and compassion, a quiet outsider who founded the war veterans' support charity Legacy, who still has few peers in courage, skill and achievement and whose record is second to none in Australian military history, in the scope of his combat over two world wars.
The son of a country butcher, Stan Savige left school at twelve to become a blacksmith's striker. But in 1915, a passage in the bible inspired the devout scout leader and Sunday school teacher to enlist. Soon his abilities as a crack marksman attracted the attention of the officers and he was put in charge of Sniper's Ridge, his job to eliminate the enemy assassins in Anzac Cove. Savige succeeded and survived Gallipoli, only to be sent to the Western Front then Iran as part of the crack squad Dunsterforce. It was the beginning of a long, dangerous and distinguished military career spanning both world wars, with Savige commanding and fighting in Europe, Iran, North Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific in World War II, initially as Major-General then Lieutenant General.
In this gripping biography, Roland Perry paints a fascinating and complex portrait of Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED, a man of character and compassion, a quiet outsider who founded the war veterans' support charity Legacy, who still has few peers in courage, skill and achievement and whose record is second to none in Australian military history, in the scope of his combat over two world wars.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2018
88 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Roland Perry
62 books45 followersProfessor Roland Perry (born 11 October 1946) is a Melbourne-based author best known for his books on history, especially Australia in the two world wars. His Monash: The Outsider Who Won The War, won the Fellowship of Australian Writers' 'Melbourne University Publishing Award' in 2004. The judges described it as 'a model of the biographer's art. In the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 2011, Perry was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia 'for services to literature as an author.In October 2011, Monash University awarded Perry a Fellowship for 'high achievement as a writer, author, film producer and journalist.His sports books include biographies of Sir Donald Bradman, Steve Waugh, Keith Miller and Shane Warne. Perry has written on espionage, specialising in the British Cambridge Ring of Russian agents. He has also published three works of fiction and produced more than 20 documentary films. Perry has been a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council since 2006.
In late 2012 Perry accepted an adjunct appointment at Monash University as a Professor, with the title ‘Writer-in-Residence’ in the University’s Arts Faculty.
In late 2012 Perry accepted an adjunct appointment at Monash University as a Professor, with the title ‘Writer-in-Residence’ in the University’s Arts Faculty.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 12, 2018
I had read a few book in the past that Stan Savige was mentioned in and this book helped me to understand more about a man that fought in the two world war's, working his way up from the rank at Gallipoli to a general fighting the Japanese in Papua New Guinea. His skill and leadership of men was describe well in this book and gave a in-depth look at a man who fought against, Turks, Germans, Turks and Kurds in the Great War to again fighting the Italians, Germans, Vichy French and the Japanese. I agree with the Roland Perry that his greatest Legacy was his humanity its self in deliberately trying to lessen the loses on the Battlefield to setting up "Legacy" the organisation that has done so much for the families of the soldiers since the end of the Great War to now. This book was a compelling read that was well researched that flowed into a well written and informative book. It covers a lot but I found the action and sequence of event easy to follow. A great read! 5 Stars!
February 15, 2019
Anzac Sniper is about forgotten Australian hero Stan Savige who served in two world wars. Due to Stan Savige having no formal education he was rejected for officer's training to achieve his dream he took on the dangerous task that no one else well during the Anzac Campaign with his friend Private Mick Sunderland. The readers of Anzac Sniper will continue to learn about an extraordinary man who served in WWI and WWII.
I loved reading Anzac Sniper. I like that Roland Perry adds maps that allow me to understand the area that he wrote about throughout this book. Anzac Sniper was well written and researched by Roland Perry. The readers of Anzac Sniper will learn about the extraordinary story of Lieutenant General Sir Stan Savige, and his charity works for veterans and their families.
I recommend this book.
I loved reading Anzac Sniper. I like that Roland Perry adds maps that allow me to understand the area that he wrote about throughout this book. Anzac Sniper was well written and researched by Roland Perry. The readers of Anzac Sniper will learn about the extraordinary story of Lieutenant General Sir Stan Savige, and his charity works for veterans and their families.
I recommend this book.
September 7, 2020
I found this book very disappointing and can’t recommend it. I have known of Stan Savige for some years. My grandfather served with him in Persia and later during peace time. Savige deserves an authoritative biography by a seasoned historian. It is unfortunate that he has ended up now with two mediocre biographies full of short cuts. The author writing seems lazy and more like a journalist than a historian The footnotes reveal a superficial use of primary sources and the a lazy scam of second sources. On many occasions the author appears to have made up conversations or thought processes the subject may or may not have experienced. Then you need to deal with annoying and distracting errors . For example on page 22, it is early May 1915 and Savige hears of less than successful success at Gallipoli so decides to finally sign up; yet page 26 talks about after months of training he gets promoted and transferred on 15th April 1915! Surely time did not reverse. The marketing boasts how many books the author has churned out. Here lies the issue. Perhaps less superficial outputs and more research and forensic writing will avoid debacles like this one.
December 1, 2018
Informative
Empathetic
Conversational tone
Empathetic
Conversational tone
October 10, 2020
What an awe-inspiring man. Despite all his achievements, I was not familiar with the name Stan Savige.
Stan was religious, and never smoked, drank or swore - until he joined the army and faced the horrors of war. He was frustrated and angered by the ineptitude and cruel strategies employed by the British who were in charge during World War One at Gallipoli and France.
When he went to Persia as a volunteer, he was able to plan attack and defence strategies for his Brigade. He always ensured that any confrontation was planned to achieve the goal with the least human loss. This skill was noted and he received many awards for bravery.
Between the wars he was instrumental in setting up Legacy to help the families of those who had fought for their country.
He volunteered for fighting in the Second World War and was accepted for his experience and skills of leadership. He fought in many different locations and progressed up the ranks to become General, always maintaining his humane approach of considering the least loss of lives.
The extraordinary story of Stan Savige - from Gallipoli marksman to WWII General and the founder of Legacy 'Stan Savige had been on Gallipoli for just two weeks, in the trenches firing at Turks less than 20 metres away. But Sniper's Ridge was a different proposition. Killing took on another dimension. In the flurry of trench warfare, a soldier would rarely be certain he had hit an enemy. On this ridge of death, however, Savige's job was to make sure he struck as many of the opposition as possible.' The son of a country butcher, Stan Savige left school at twelve to become a blacksmith's striker. But in 1915, a passage in the bible inspired the devout scout leader and Sunday school teacher to enlist. Soon his abilities as a crack marksman attracted the attention of the officers and he was put in charge of Sniper's Ridge, his job to eliminate the enemy assassins in Anzac Cove. Savige succeeded and survived Gallipoli, only to be sent to the Western Front then Iran as part of the crack squad Dunsterforce. It was the beginning of a long, dangerous and distinguished military career spanning both world wars, with Savige commanding and fighting in Europe, Iran, North Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific in World War II, initially as Major-General then Lieutenant General. In this gripping biography, Roland Perry paints a fascinating and complex portrait of Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED, a man of character and compassion, a quiet outsider who founded the war veterans' support charity Legacy, who still has few peers in courage, skill and achievement and whose record is second to none in Australian military history, in the scope of his combat over two world wars.
Stan was religious, and never smoked, drank or swore - until he joined the army and faced the horrors of war. He was frustrated and angered by the ineptitude and cruel strategies employed by the British who were in charge during World War One at Gallipoli and France.
When he went to Persia as a volunteer, he was able to plan attack and defence strategies for his Brigade. He always ensured that any confrontation was planned to achieve the goal with the least human loss. This skill was noted and he received many awards for bravery.
Between the wars he was instrumental in setting up Legacy to help the families of those who had fought for their country.
He volunteered for fighting in the Second World War and was accepted for his experience and skills of leadership. He fought in many different locations and progressed up the ranks to become General, always maintaining his humane approach of considering the least loss of lives.
The extraordinary story of Stan Savige - from Gallipoli marksman to WWII General and the founder of Legacy 'Stan Savige had been on Gallipoli for just two weeks, in the trenches firing at Turks less than 20 metres away. But Sniper's Ridge was a different proposition. Killing took on another dimension. In the flurry of trench warfare, a soldier would rarely be certain he had hit an enemy. On this ridge of death, however, Savige's job was to make sure he struck as many of the opposition as possible.' The son of a country butcher, Stan Savige left school at twelve to become a blacksmith's striker. But in 1915, a passage in the bible inspired the devout scout leader and Sunday school teacher to enlist. Soon his abilities as a crack marksman attracted the attention of the officers and he was put in charge of Sniper's Ridge, his job to eliminate the enemy assassins in Anzac Cove. Savige succeeded and survived Gallipoli, only to be sent to the Western Front then Iran as part of the crack squad Dunsterforce. It was the beginning of a long, dangerous and distinguished military career spanning both world wars, with Savige commanding and fighting in Europe, Iran, North Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific in World War II, initially as Major-General then Lieutenant General. In this gripping biography, Roland Perry paints a fascinating and complex portrait of Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED, a man of character and compassion, a quiet outsider who founded the war veterans' support charity Legacy, who still has few peers in courage, skill and achievement and whose record is second to none in Australian military history, in the scope of his combat over two world wars.
July 20, 2024
This was an inspiring biography about an exceptional Australian man - talented, brave, principled and caring. What he and hundreds of thousands of other brave Anzacs went through was very sad indeed and in a way what they went through was unnecessary. In the First World War the soldiers were often hampered by poor British leadership who were willing to use their troops as cannon fodder.
What trauma they all went through, especially those on the Western front. It was no wonder that Stan Savige had a crisis of faith and came back home from WWI with PTSD and some habits his wife did not approve of. Back then the medical profession did not recognise post traumatic stress disorder in the same way they do today and have drugs to treat it.
Stan Savige was a power horse who came into the Australian Army as an uneducated but brilliant minded youth and earned his way up the army ranks to become an outstanding Major General.
This book is well worth reading.
What trauma they all went through, especially those on the Western front. It was no wonder that Stan Savige had a crisis of faith and came back home from WWI with PTSD and some habits his wife did not approve of. Back then the medical profession did not recognise post traumatic stress disorder in the same way they do today and have drugs to treat it.
Stan Savige was a power horse who came into the Australian Army as an uneducated but brilliant minded youth and earned his way up the army ranks to become an outstanding Major General.
This book is well worth reading.
April 3, 2019
This is not a book I would normally pick up, but as it was given to me I thought I would see what it was about. I almost choked on the first chapter, which tells in graphic detail what happened in Gallipoli, and put the tome down in disgust.
However, over a few weeks I keep picking the book back up again and reading a bit more and soon became engrossed by the back stories of political, social and current events happening in Australia and the world. This, to me, was the book's strength, but there is no denying that Sir Stan Savige was a particularly outstanding person, whose achievements were well worth recording.
It didn't make Savige, our protagonist if you like, out to be a hero in the first instance, but the author almost waxes lyrical toward the end, and it may be that he was just that, a dead-set hero.
However, over a few weeks I keep picking the book back up again and reading a bit more and soon became engrossed by the back stories of political, social and current events happening in Australia and the world. This, to me, was the book's strength, but there is no denying that Sir Stan Savige was a particularly outstanding person, whose achievements were well worth recording.
It didn't make Savige, our protagonist if you like, out to be a hero in the first instance, but the author almost waxes lyrical toward the end, and it may be that he was just that, a dead-set hero.
July 30, 2019
Three stars is probably a bit harsh a review for this book, probably belongs closer to 4. Stan Savige served Australia at two world wars, rising through the ranks to leadership on the back of his considerable talent, grit and example. He was a man of great compassion as evidenced by his establishment of Legacy.
An Australian military hero whose contributions should be taught in schools as part of Australian history.
Available free on audiobook using BorrowBox app with Brisbane City library card. David Tredinnick is a great narrator even at 1.2x playback speed. 13 hours
An Australian military hero whose contributions should be taught in schools as part of Australian history.
Available free on audiobook using BorrowBox app with Brisbane City library card. David Tredinnick is a great narrator even at 1.2x playback speed. 13 hours
February 8, 2023
Anzac sniper
A wonderful biography of an Australian soldier who's name has been lost to history for most Australians. It is particularly poignant for me as my father fought in both Africa and New Guinea. A story about a man driven to succeed whilst sacrificing so much in the service of others. A highly readable account of a grand life containing hundreds of anecdotes and other tiny details that give a complete picture of an astonishing human being that makes you wish that you could invite him home for dinner and a yarn about past achievements and future plans.
A wonderful biography of an Australian soldier who's name has been lost to history for most Australians. It is particularly poignant for me as my father fought in both Africa and New Guinea. A story about a man driven to succeed whilst sacrificing so much in the service of others. A highly readable account of a grand life containing hundreds of anecdotes and other tiny details that give a complete picture of an astonishing human being that makes you wish that you could invite him home for dinner and a yarn about past achievements and future plans.
December 20, 2019
A Man From the People
I think this is an excellent book and reminds us of the people we are and the heights of achievement we can reach under great adversity and adversaries around them as well as opposite. A story of great humanity and great advancement.
How can you not love a people within which such talent can be "thrown up".
No doubt there are unstated darker sides of people in detail, yet in the end however reluctantly, even Blamey's warts may receive acceptance.
I think this is an excellent book and reminds us of the people we are and the heights of achievement we can reach under great adversity and adversaries around them as well as opposite. A story of great humanity and great advancement.
How can you not love a people within which such talent can be "thrown up".
No doubt there are unstated darker sides of people in detail, yet in the end however reluctantly, even Blamey's warts may receive acceptance.
June 9, 2021
All military persons are human. Simplistic but true. This book and it's character prove that not all who put on a uniform and handle a weapon are war mongers. The protagonist went on to form an organisation whose goals are so far apart from what the soldier was asked to do in the fire fights. A wonderful story of a great Australian.
June 10, 2025
Stan Savige left school at twelve . But in 1915, a passage in the bible inspired him to enlist.
Specifically: Psalm 91:7 states: "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you."
Naturally the religious always ignore (Exodus 20:13) You shall not kill. And Matthew 5:21, so jesus says.
Oh but. They say....
Specifically: Psalm 91:7 states: "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you."
Naturally the religious always ignore (Exodus 20:13) You shall not kill. And Matthew 5:21, so jesus says.
Oh but. They say....
February 18, 2019
An really interesting read about a war hero many would know very little about, myself included. Did find that the author held a slight bias to Savige however the mans pros far outweighed his cons. 4/5
June 2, 2019
Someone killing ten times less people back home is reason to increase the murder penalty and start a witch hunt, because anybody can be the killer. This one killed foreigners abroad, so it's extraordinary and he's a manly man, a great man, protecting his children from... speaking Turkish at home?!?
December 27, 2019
The book was a good read, however it swung between an in depth analysis and a superficial account of his life. His war record was covered quite well but I was left with the feeling that portions were left out. Despite this it was an enjoyable read.
July 27, 2022
Excellent story of an incredible man.
This book is very well written and highlights a generation that should be treasured in Australian folklore as a generation that fought for our freedoms. In Sir Stanley Savige’s case two wars. Highly recommended.
This book is very well written and highlights a generation that should be treasured in Australian folklore as a generation that fought for our freedoms. In Sir Stanley Savige’s case two wars. Highly recommended.
June 3, 2021
One of better written biographies of an Australian War Legend. Have no hesitation in recommending it.
January 7, 2022
Excellent piece of Australian history, should be taught in schools.
October 31, 2023
Every Australian should read this mans history.
November 20, 2023
Excellent book about a Soldier I had never heard of. The chapters on the Interwar period was really interesting.
September 13, 2023
It was interesting learning about what our diggers had to go through as also some of my family members had to fight there
May 18, 2020
Stan Savige has an interesting story. A clear and undeniable legend of Australia and a hero of an ANZAC. I particularly loved the style of Perry's writing in this biography. The dramatized descriptions of the events Savige took part in made me want to continue reading, even though I usually find biographies a bit of a slog.
I read this during my first week of college. My girlfriend stayed during this time at my house and I remember we spent a week without parents together - we even watched The Terminal starring Tom Hanks, which was in fact a bit of a slog (because I am hyper-critical of films).
Riveting journey. This is a memorable biography of an ANZAC legend.
I read this during my first week of college. My girlfriend stayed during this time at my house and I remember we spent a week without parents together - we even watched The Terminal starring Tom Hanks, which was in fact a bit of a slog (because I am hyper-critical of films).
Riveting journey. This is a memorable biography of an ANZAC legend.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews