The Wallabies at War

Book excerpt: Aussie heroes who have proved themselves on the battlefield as well as on the sporting field. Members of the Wallabies, the national rugby union team, have fought in virtually every major conflict Australia has been involved in, including the Sudan, Boer War, Boxer Rebellion, both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and East Timor. Among them are some of Australia's most illustrious footballers. In this book, a veteran sports journalist tells their extraordinary stories of bravery, hardship, courage and human endeavour. The strengths that made these young men sporting heroes are as important on the battlefield as on the sports field: teamwork, athleticism, tenacity, humour and courage. The Wallabies at War includes untold stories from Aussie military and sporting history - not just on the battlefield but from POW camps and even the Burma Railway - and a wealth of experiences from humour to tragedy, and from the depths of torture, injury and deprivation to achieving stunning post-war sporting comebacks. For anyone who loves their sport and their military history.