Jeff Hatwell. No Ordinary Determination: The Story of Percy Black and Harry Murray of the 1st AIF.

Jeff Hatwell. No ordinary determination: The story of Percy Black &Harry Murray of the 1st AIF, F.A.C.P, 2005, ISBN 1920731415, paperback, 368 pages, $29.95

The genesis of this book goes back 25 years or more when the author, who served as a national servicemen in 1970-1971, commenced reading C E W Bean's official history of Australia the War of 1914-1918. He was particularly struck by the Bean's description of Percy Black and Harry Murray as two "men of no ordinary determination" a phase he has used as the title for this excellent publication.

Jeff Hatwell waited for many years for someone to write a book about Percy Black and Harry Murray who made an enormous contribution to the Anzac tradition. Eventually he decided to write the book himself and was halfway through the first draft when Mad Harry, George Franki and Clyde Slatyer's biography of Harry Murray was published. Jeff Hatwell decided to continue with his project since he was taking a different approach to the authors of Mad Harry although the three authors shared same attitude to their subjects. I note that Jeff Hatwell thanks George Franki and Clyde Slatyer in the acknowledgements.

Percy Black and Harry Murray were in their mid thirties and working in the Western Australians outback when war was declared in 1914. They quickly enlisted and were placed in the same machine gun section of the newly formed 16th Battalion. Landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915 their courage and natural ability quickly saw both awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. In all they received six gallantry awards, four to Harry Murray and two to Percy Black with both have the rare DSO DCM combination. They shared nine mentions in despatches including French Cross de Guerres. Murray was awarded the CMG and was the highest but not the most decorated Australian soldier of the First World War.

More details are known of Harry Murray's exploits in action than those of Percy Black, since Murray survived the war and was able to record some of his experiences. Although he tended to downplay his own deeds, his writings encouraged other people to fill in some of the details in their own writings. The 13th Battalion history focused on many of Murray's personal exploits where he was a key figure in all the unit's battles up to March 1918.

Murray and Black were natural leaders but had difference temperaments and Different leadership styles in battle. Jeff Hatwell says that Black had a calming effect on everyone while Murray fired everyone up. This is a well researched and well written story of two extraordinary Australians who fought together and whose names will be forever associated in Australian military history. It is a great story and I am most pleased that the publication of Mad Harry did not deter Jeff Hatwell from publishing this study.

Anthony Staunton