{"product_id":"9781743518175","title":"Khaki Crims and Desperadoes","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen Australia entered World War I, volunteers swarmed to enlistment centres in their thousands.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut among the recruits were criminals with extensive police records. Some had assumed false names to start lives afresh; others made no secret of their criminal histories.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey were hardened criminals, fresh out of jail or on the run from the law, or fleeing family responsibilities or debts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnce in uniform, some became persistent deserters, fleeing the training depots before embarkation. Those who did make it overseas spent much of the time going AWL to avoid being sent to the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere were some who showed great courage and endeavour while under fire, and were awarded medals and citations. In most cases, however, the encouragement failed to distract them from their misbehaviour.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers used their military training to expand their unlawful enterprises overseas, joining gangs of like-minded desperate diggers. And then there were those who saw the war as a chance to hone their skills for use in the criminal underworld on their return.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey were Australia's khaki crims and desperadoes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pan Macmillan Australia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47172946526448,"sku":"9781743518175","price":20.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781743518175_p0.jpg?v=1763706555","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781743518175","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}