Harry’s War

The 1st Australian Imperial Force played a crucial role in the Allied victory in Europe in 1918. Over 313,814 Australians were deployed into that theatre of the war, and over the period March 1916 to November 1918 they participated in thirty major battles. In many of these battles the Australians achieved remarkable victories, but at a grievous cost. By 1918, 46,000 Australians had lost their lives, and around 132,000 had been wounded. The Australian achievements were made all the more remarkable by the fact that every member of the AIF was a volunteer. One of these was Harry Francis Withers, of Chiltern Valley, a small rural community. Harry could have in all honour chosen to remain at home, as a pre-existing head injury should have precluded his enlistment. However, his strong sense of duty and personal courage, led him to concealing his condition from the recruiting officers, and in October 1916 he enlisted as a private soldier. This book follows the events leading to Harry Wither’s enlistment, his training for war, and the battles he took part in in France and Belgium. His thoughts, feelings and frustrations regarding frustrations regarding the army, his firm religious beliefs, his observations of life in England and Europe and a desire to return to Australia and his home in Chiltern Valley, are illustrated in numerous letters he sent to home his family. Those letters chronicle Harry’s journey through the Army’s rigorous training system and his experiences of battle, test Harry’s faith and sense of duty. However in spite of everything that befalls him, he remained faithful to the end, to his mates, his family, and his country.