Australian Legend

It's been a while since I last shared what I'm currently reading so here I am with my latest book, something I only started a few days ago, about the first Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross, ("the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, bestowed upon members of the Commonwealth and British armed forces,") for his actions in the First World War in the Gallipoli (Turkey) and Western Front (France) theatres of war; Albert Jacka.

I have been reading about and researching war history for almost forty years and fifty percent of that has revolved around wars and conflicts Australians have been involved with; I've come across this fellow many times and know a great deal about his exploits but I've never read a book dedicated specifically to him before so I'm keen to get into it.

Albert Jacka survived the war which is surprising considering the action he saw and his own, usually extremely risky, actions. He possessed a level of bravery and selflessness that has become legendary in Australia, to those who know, and he earned his ticket home from France after being hit by a sniper and later gassed at Villers-Bretonneux. He saved lives and on the battlefield, for those whose lives were saved, that means everything. It's been said by those he fought beside that he deserved four VC's and far more than the one Military Cross he was awarded; he'd probably say he was just doing what needed to be done.

All of this will mean nothing to you and you'll never read the book or know anything about Lance Corporal Albert Jacka of the 14th Battalion D Company, I understand. In fact, sadly, most Australians won't know his name these days which I find shameful and disgusting; it's a sad indictment of the education system and the government's immigration policy which allows so many people to pour into the country, none of who know the sacrifices made to make it what it is and are too ignorant, ungrateful and arrogant to find out; Australian's by name only I guess. That's another post though, one I'll probably never write as my ideas wouldn't be well-received.

I'm about a quarter way through this book and can hardly put it down. It makes me think of the past where men were men, not dress-and-makeup-wearing fuck heads, and people had respect and manners, worked hard and did what was required no matter the cost to themselves. They were different times. Better times.