March in the Guilty Bastard

Military history in Australia has been about the great battles and about the gallant deeds of Australian soldiers. So many Australians grew up believing only the best about the ANZAC men and women. While the idealised Anzac soldier has been immortalised in the collective psyche of Australians, knowledge about military criminality was suppressed, ignored or believed to be historically of no consequence. There is a strong argument that it is of great consequence. There were about 20,000 court martials held. Why were there so many military criminals?

March In The Guilty Bastard, with its combination of fascinating case studies and the rigorous analysis that puts them in context, will be an inspiration and a valuable resource for future research by family historians and academics alike.
Babette Smith

These court martialled men deserve to have their stories told. There should be no intergenerational guilt, embarrassment felt, or apology necessary in the telling of their lives for much the same reason that we now tell the stories of our convict ancestors. Such historical facts ought to be told with pride and awe.