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Mutiny on the Western Front: 1918
On 21 September 1918, with retreating German forces on their
last legs, the 1st Battalion of the AIF was ordered to return to the
front just as they were being relieved and preparing for a wellearnt
rest. It wasn’t just the Germans who were on their last legs;
the Australians were depleted and exhausted. In what was the
largest such instance of mass ‘combat refusal’ in the AIF’s history,
the men of one company in the 1st Battalion defied the order.
The ‘mutiny’ spread to other companies, and when the battalion
did eventually comply with the order, over 100 men were absent.
The circumstances surrounding this mutiny have long been
a matter of embarrassment for the AIF, and of fascination for
military historians. While historians have approached the issue
in purely military terms – the men as soldiers, over-extended
service, rates of wounding, promotions, and so on – this book
approaches these 100 plus men as human beings. Mutiny on
the Western Front traces how these events played out in the
context of the exhausting demands placed upon a unit that had
seen practically continuous front-line action for weeks, if not
months, in the war’s final, decisive stages.
Author Greg Raffin considers what happens to men’s hearts and
minds in the course of a prolonged conflict like the Great War.
This story, which will surprise readers – is not just about a group
of exhausted and war weary Australian soldiers in 1918, it is a
story about humanity in about what men do in war, and
what war does to men.
last legs, the 1st Battalion of the AIF was ordered to return to the
front just as they were being relieved and preparing for a wellearnt
rest. It wasn’t just the Germans who were on their last legs;
the Australians were depleted and exhausted. In what was the
largest such instance of mass ‘combat refusal’ in the AIF’s history,
the men of one company in the 1st Battalion defied the order.
The ‘mutiny’ spread to other companies, and when the battalion
did eventually comply with the order, over 100 men were absent.
The circumstances surrounding this mutiny have long been
a matter of embarrassment for the AIF, and of fascination for
military historians. While historians have approached the issue
in purely military terms – the men as soldiers, over-extended
service, rates of wounding, promotions, and so on – this book
approaches these 100 plus men as human beings. Mutiny on
the Western Front traces how these events played out in the
context of the exhausting demands placed upon a unit that had
seen practically continuous front-line action for weeks, if not
months, in the war’s final, decisive stages.
Author Greg Raffin considers what happens to men’s hearts and
minds in the course of a prolonged conflict like the Great War.
This story, which will surprise readers – is not just about a group
of exhausted and war weary Australian soldiers in 1918, it is a
story about humanity in about what men do in war, and
what war does to men.
- GenresNonfictionWar
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 21, 2020
Purchase Mutiny on the Western Front here for just $10!
A lot of effort and information has gone into this book by Greg Raffin, which focuses on Ausralian soldiers in 1918. It fills in so many blanks that we are not taught, it should be required reading.
Elisa, Book Grocer
A lot of effort and information has gone into this book by Greg Raffin, which focuses on Ausralian soldiers in 1918. It fills in so many blanks that we are not taught, it should be required reading.
Elisa, Book Grocer
August 1, 2021
An amazingly well researched book on an event of which I had no knowledge at all.
Rather than just being a set of statistics, Raffin made it more personal by including backgrounds of the participants - such as age, pre war careers, previous battles, injuries, bravery awards etc.
On 21 September 1918, with retreating German forces on their last legs, the 1st Battalion of the AIF was ordered to return to the front just as they were being relieved and preparing for a well earnt
rest. It wasn’t just the Germans who were on their last legs; the Australians were depleted and exhausted. In what was the largest such instance of mass ‘combat refusal’ in the AIF’s history,
the men of one company in the 1st Battalion defied the order.
The ‘mutiny’ spread to other companies, and when the battalion did eventually comply with the order, over 100 men were absent.
The circumstances surrounding this mutiny have long been a matter of embarrassment for the AIF, and of fascination for military historians. While historians have approached the issue in purely military terms – the men as soldiers, over-extended service, rates of wounding, promotions, and so on – this book approaches these 100 plus men as human beings. Mutiny on the Western Front traces how these events played out in the context of the exhausting demands placed upon a unit that had seen practically continuous front-line action for weeks, if not months, in the war’s final, decisive stages.
Author Greg Raffin considers what happens to men’s hearts and minds in the course of a prolonged conflict like the Great War. This story, which will surprise readers – is not just about a group
of exhausted and war weary Australian soldiers in 1918, it is a story about humanity in war: about what men do in war, and what war does to men.
Rather than just being a set of statistics, Raffin made it more personal by including backgrounds of the participants - such as age, pre war careers, previous battles, injuries, bravery awards etc.
On 21 September 1918, with retreating German forces on their last legs, the 1st Battalion of the AIF was ordered to return to the front just as they were being relieved and preparing for a well earnt
rest. It wasn’t just the Germans who were on their last legs; the Australians were depleted and exhausted. In what was the largest such instance of mass ‘combat refusal’ in the AIF’s history,
the men of one company in the 1st Battalion defied the order.
The ‘mutiny’ spread to other companies, and when the battalion did eventually comply with the order, over 100 men were absent.
The circumstances surrounding this mutiny have long been a matter of embarrassment for the AIF, and of fascination for military historians. While historians have approached the issue in purely military terms – the men as soldiers, over-extended service, rates of wounding, promotions, and so on – this book approaches these 100 plus men as human beings. Mutiny on the Western Front traces how these events played out in the context of the exhausting demands placed upon a unit that had seen practically continuous front-line action for weeks, if not months, in the war’s final, decisive stages.
Author Greg Raffin considers what happens to men’s hearts and minds in the course of a prolonged conflict like the Great War. This story, which will surprise readers – is not just about a group
of exhausted and war weary Australian soldiers in 1918, it is a story about humanity in war: about what men do in war, and what war does to men.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews