Pioneers of Australian Armour

[Mike Cecil]

Ok, Ok, I know this is a WW2 thread, but there isn't one for WW1 history.....

New book to be released in August this year.

It has taken David and me several years of detailed research for this book, which details the history of the 1st Armoured Car Battery (two custom-built armoured cars), 1st Australian Light Car Patrol (stripped & armed Model T Fords) and the Special Tank Unit (one Mark IV Female tank). The book details the history of the units concerned and provides extensive biographical details (birth to grave) of every member of each of the units mentioned.

The exploits of the first two units mentioned are very ably told by reproducing 'The Motor Patrol', a previously unpublished manuscript written by E H James, the units' Officer Commanding. The original manuscript, which is held by the Australian War Memorial, is being published within this book with the permission of the Army History Unit (AHU). The book is being published by Big Sky Publishing as part of the AHU Military History Series.

Release is scheduled for August 2015, with an official launch at the School of Armour, Puckapunyal, Victoria.


Mike

[lynx42]

Hi Mike,

Looking forward to it. Do you have a pre-release purchase price for a signed copy?

Regards Rick.

[Ryan]

^^^

[gjamo]

Hi Mike,
Is Pucka still inaccessible to members of the public for security reasons or has that now been lifted?

Graeme

[Mike Cecil]

As far as I am aware, public access to the base is still a no-go.

Rick: no idea of price, but judging from previous Bigsky/AHU publications, it will be modest. As I won't be able to come to Australia for the launch, I think the only way to get David's and my signature is to post a copy to me in the USA, with enough for return postage. David's signature should be easy: he's local.

Mike

[lynx42]

Thanks Mike. That is a possibility.
Regards Rick.

[Mike Cecil]

Gents,

Proud to say that the book by me and my co-author, David Finlayson, has been picked up by Pen & Sword in the UK and is to be released later this year into the UK, Europe and USA.

Quite elated about that. I think it is the first time that a military history book from the BigSky Publishing stable has been picked up by a prominent overseas publisher for release overseas.

https://www.bookdepository.com/Pione...ef=bd_recs_1_1

Mike

[Private_collector]

Already have a copy! Had it for many months now.
A good read, and not heavy going or 'dry' like some historical books tend to be.
Well done, that man!

[Wayne Hingley]

Congratulations Mike! Glad to see this history being researched and documented for all to see (now and in the future). Great work!

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks Wayne.

The book was originally published by BigSky/Army History Unit in 2015 under the name 'Pioneers of Australian Armour In the Great War', but Pen & Sword have opted to drop the Australian reference, which is unfortunate as far as I'm concerned. Still, nice to be picked up by a European publisher, and they are not changing any of the contents, apparently.

Mike