Annual Booklist 2024 : Dr Richard Farrimond
Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Dr Richard Farrimond had two working careers. He served with the Royal Signals in Germany, England, Northern Ireland and Canada. Between commanding an independent squadron in Londonderry and a regiment in Germany, he trained as a back-up NASA Payload Specialist to launch a Skynet 4 military communications satellite from the Space Shuttle – cancelled following the 1986 Challenger disaster. This led him to work in the British space industry where he spent much time in Australia. Following final retirement, he undertook a Master’s degree in World History and Cultures and then a History PhD, both part-time at King’s College London. He translated the PhD into his recent book, Birdie: More than “Soul of Anzac” – Field Marshal Lord Birdwood of Anzac & Totnes which was awarded the Chapple Prize for 2023.
One of my most cherished books is Anzac Treasures: The Gallipoli Collection of the Australian War Memorial by Peter Pedersen (Murdoch Books, 2014). It is the Memorial’s commemorative Anzac centenary book written by a retired infantry officer who became its Head of Research Centre. He has written a comprehensive overview of Gallipoli with detailed annotations to his selection of the Memorial's unique collection of Gallipoli-related objects: photographs, artworks, diaries, letters, maps and personal memorabilia. The reproductions of George Lambert’s paintings are beautifully reproduced on a large scale. It is a stunning book.
My second book is also related to Gallipoli and written by another distinguished Australian historian: Die in Battle, Do Not Despair - The Indians on Gallipoli, 1915 by Peter Stanley (Helion, 2015). It is an amazingly detailed and well-researched book, written in such a comprehensible way that the reader connects with anonymous sepoys and gunners, as well as named Indian and British personalities. Its publication ensures that the significant contribution by the old Indian Army at Gallipoli will forever be registered along with British, French, Australian, New Zealand and Turkish feats of arms.
This year I could not resist buying A Brilliant Little Victory by Derek Plews (Helion, 2024). It is a new history of the 48th (South Midland) Division with which my grandfather fought and died in Mash Valley the evening before the attack of the 1st Australian Division on Pozières. It follows the Division through Third Ypres to Italy, where the title is derived from the Division’s defence on the Asiago Plateau which amazingly resulted, to the dismay of the division’s officers and men, in the sacking of its commander Major General Sir Robert Fanshawe. Plews analyses the battle in detail, discusses all the relevant personalities, and presents a comprehensive set of possible factors for the dismissal. It is forensically thorough and he finishes with a reasoned opinion about the sacking.
Justification for my fourth book is rather thin but it was written by a retired British Army officer: Space by Tim Peake (Century, 2023). Tim served in the Army Air Corps and became a test pilot, before becoming an astronaut. He describes, with the insight only possible from an insider, the story of human spaceflight to date, interwoven with personal vignettes and extraordinary experiences from an international cast known directly by him. He finishes with a glance to the future and Mars. It is a riveting read.
My fifth and final book is an old friend of both my father’s and mine: Salute the Soldier edited by Captain Eric Bush Royal Navy (George Allan & Unwin, 1966). It is a deeply fascinating anthology of quotations, poetry and prose about the British Army from early writings to the end of the Second World War, including by Bush himself describing his exploits as a midshipman commanding a picket boat at Anzac Cove. He would later be awarded three DSOs and a DSC. It is a real joy to delve into and frequently find oneself side-tracked to something unexpectedly fascinating. Thankfully it is still available on eBay and Amazon.
As for a book as yet unwritten, the period from 1945 to 2021 – the declared end to the war in Afghanistan – would be a fascinating second epoch for a similar anthology to that above. Perhaps a publisher could identify and persuade a suitable author.