As Jackie says in her Afterword: ‘the Gallipoli spirit implies someone who doesn’t give in, even against appalling odds, sacrificing for others, not themselves, mateship, not selfishness.’ p186. Their courage and perseverance as well as their laconic humour have been justly celebrated. Each chapter is prefaced by a short extract for a contemporary source, usually diaries, letters, oral histories and memories, often with a humourous take on life in the trenches, but one that showcases the truly appalling conditions the soldiers endured. As always this novel is based on extensive research. Young readers will enjoy the visceral immersion, the meticulously described sounds, smells, taste, and touch that defines each incident as the details of the escape gradually unfold. The two boys enjoy a moment of connection as they share their dreams of life after the war is over just before Joey is killed by a stray bullet.
Apparently Churchill promised that every Borstal Boy who volunteered to fight would have his conviction records torn up when they got back to England. There is a touching incident when Nipper goes down to the beach and meets Joey, a twelve-year old boy, one of Mr Churchill’s boys.
Jackie is a realist – she doesn’t sugar coat the conditions or the varying moods of the men. Meanwhile they cope with the dirt, flies, rain, snow, cold, the truly terrible food and the primitive sleeping arrangements as well as enemy fire and hope to survive.
The word comes to Nipper and his mates, Lanky, Spud, Bluey and Wallaby that they are leaving but it all has to happen in secret as those in charge don’t want to alert the enemy. This is how Jackie French, a veteran author of gripping historical novels opens her account of how 150,000 men were secretly moved to waiting ships without a single life being lost. He and his mates are in Gallipoli having a cricket match with the Turks during a brief ceasefire before the grim struggle to hold on to hard won territory begins again. The Great Gallipoli Escape By Jackie French Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Nipper lies about his age to join the army and do his bit for King and Country.
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