Neville Browning. The 52nd Battalion AIF, The history of the 52nd Battalion AIF 1916-1918.

Neville Browning. The 52nd Battalion AIF, The history of the 52nd Battalion AIF 1916-1918, 2005, hardback, 352 p., ISBN 0958067430, Available from Neville Browning, 8 Clune Court, Huntingdale WA 6110, [e-mail], $60 plus $10 p&p

In February 1916, the battalions of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Australian Infantry Brigades were split down the middle to form battalions for the newly formed 14th, 15th, 13th and 12th Brigades respectively. On 17 February the 12th Battalion of the 3rd Brigade was split in two and the 52nd Battalion of the 13th Brigade was formed and was allotted to the 4th Australian Division. Just over two and a quarter years later the battalion was a victim of the AIF lack of reinforcements and was one of the first three AIF Battalions disbanded in May 1918. The other disbanded battalions were the 36th and the 47th.

The 52nd Battalion was a multi-state battalion with men from all over the country. This fact combined with its short life means that the battalion has not had a until history until now. Neville Browning who has previously written unit history for the 28th, 44th and 51 st Battalions has now completed a history of the 52nd Battalion. It is a comprehensive history describing in detail all the main actions of the battalion and many minor operations. Major battles were Mouquet Farm, Noreuil, Messines, Third Battle of Ypres, Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux. Highlights of the battalion service included companies of the 13th Canadian Battalion serving under command of the 52nd with individual Canadians and Australians fighting together at Mouquet Farm and the spectacular bayonet charge at Villers-Bretonneux. It includes a number of excellent photos and portraits of men of the battalion and the detailed appendices include Nominal Rolls, Honour Roll, awards, citations and recommendations.

This modern history of the 52nd Battalion is well researched and well written containing information from contemporary diaries, letters, reports and journals of the Battalion men. It would be particularly informative to those whose fathers and grandfathers and great grandfathers served in this distinguished unit. It is Available in a strictly limited 200 copies only--individually numbered and signed. them, so this one is 'one for posterity.' It retails for $60.00, but apart from Ebay, my sales are negligible. Regardless of that, the 52nd was an incredible battalion and deserves a decent history, which is what I hope I have produced. Time will tell, no doubt.