The lives of these men as civilians were often fraught with difficulty due to the attitudes and policies of the time. Despite legislative barriers to exclude people not of 'substantial European descent' from serving, 135 Aboriginal men with ties to Western Australia are known to have volunteered in World War I, including 83 who actively served, 50 who were rejected and three who contributed in an unofficial capacity - one of whom had previously been rejected. The motivations for volunteering were varied. We can assume that many who signed up saw it as an opportunity not to be missed, rallied on by the press that portrayed war service as fulfilling a sense of duty and patriotism. Some were caught up in the excitement of the moment, or attracted by the thought of a regular wage, while others simply followed their mates - light-hearted, confident and curious. There were also those who may have seen it as a chance to unshackle the inequalities experienced in their lives. This publication provides a snapshot of volunteers who were prepared to sacrifice their lives for their country and their stories.

fifty-year-old architect-soldier J.J. Talbot Hobbs would in 1914 voyage to the First World War, where he survived the horrors of Gallipoli and the Western Front. Hobbs' powerful organisational skills positioned him as Australia's highest ranking soldier in Europe after the Great War. Organiser of Australian war memorials in France and Belgium, his stellar designs both there and throughout Western Australia are now largely forgotten. Who was J.J. Talbot Hobbs that he was considered to be of such importance at the time of his death that a memorial was built in one of the most prominent places in the state's capital city of Perth? Between Duty and Design is a meticulous biography of the man: soldier and architect, highlighting his place as a citizen of national importance.

who has never recovered from the loss of his younger brother. Years later, she follows a quest to answer her family’s questions about him. Where was Charlie Snell and what was he doing when he met his end?

She seeks also to understand the deep sense of community that infused those letters and the flood of condolences the family received after Charlie’s death.