4 replies to this topic

[RIPJack1945]

A shameless plug for my good friend and historian at the Australian War Memorial, Aaron Pegram's newest book "Both Sides of the Wire, The memoir of an Australian officer captured during the Great War".

"As a young infantry officer on the Western Front, Cull frequently led patrols out into No Man's Land and raids on the German trenches. He fought on Gallipoli and on the Somme, but in February 1917 Cull was severely wounded during an attack on the German positions near Warlencourt and taken prisoner of war. Having survived the ordeal of battle, Cull spent the remainder of the war recovering in hospitals and prisoner of war camps in Germany. The first half of Both Sides of the Wire an account of Cull's war on the Western Front in the months leading up to his capture. The rest is a candid portrayal of his experiences as a prisoner of war in the hands of the Germans. Cull endured many months of agony as he recovered in prison camps in occupied France and Germany- surviving in spite of early predictions he would not live through his first night in captivity. This book is based on the memoir 'At All Costs' that Cull wrote in the months after his repatriation to Australia in October 1918.

Aaron Pegram is a historian at the Australian War Memorial. He has written the introduction, epilogue and notes for Cull's memoir, which remains one of the very few published accounts of captivity in Germany during the First World War. "


Both Sides of the Wire by drakegoodman, on Flickr

[Robert Dunlop]

It might be better to post a link to this, or perhaps ask an Administrator to move the thread, in the Book Review section.

Robert

[RIPJack1945]

Robert Dunlop, on 19 May 2011 - 03:03 PM, said:

It might be better to post a link to this, or perhaps ask an Administrator to move the thread, in the Book Review section.

Robert

A good idea Robert but an exercise in futility I think. I've been trying to touch base with an admin for a name change for months.

- Brett

[casa]

RIPJack1945, on 19 May 2011 - 11:50 AM, said:

A shameless plug for my good friend and historian at the Australian War Memorial, Aaron Pegram's newest book "Both Sides of the Wire, The memoir of an Australian officer captured during the Great War".

"As a young infantry officer on the Western Front, Cull frequently led patrols out into No Man's Land and raids on the German trenches. He fought on Gallipoli and on the Somme, but in February 1917 Cull was severely wounded during an attack on the German positions near Warlencourt and taken prisoner of war. Having survived the ordeal of battle, Cull spent the remainder of the war recovering in hospitals and prisoner of war camps in Germany. The first half of Both Sides of the Wire an account of Cull's war on the Western Front in the months leading up to his capture. The rest is a candid portrayal of his experiences as a prisoner of war in the hands of the Germans. Cull endured many months of agony as he recovered in prison camps in occupied France and Germany- surviving in spite of early predictions he would not live through his first night in captivity. This book is based on the memoir 'At All Costs' that Cull wrote in the months after his repatriation to Australia in October 1918.

Aaron Pegram is a historian at the Australian War Memorial. He has written the introduction, epilogue and notes for Cull's memoir, which remains one of the very few published accounts of captivity in Germany during the First World War. "


Both Sides of the Wire by drakegoodman, on Flickr

[casa]

Below are the entries in my grandfathers diaries from 1917.........my grandfather was Harry Black (H.G. Black) 6th Machine Gun Company - and had served with Cpt Cull in the 23rd. A soldier worth writing about and as I am lucky enough to have a copy of "At All Costs" I look forward to getting a copy of "Both Sides of the Wire".

26^th  February 1917 Cpt Cull killed in action. One of the bravest men that ever walked, & a soldier & a man, he was know by us as “The good soldier.”



May 1917

This diary you will find rather dry & uninteresting. But it was the best I could manage. I want you to keep it for me.

Capt Cull whose name you will see in this book. We have since heard officially is wounded & a prisoner in Germany.