{"title":"Craig Collie","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCraig Collie\u003c\/strong\u003e offers gripping narratives that delve deep into historical and military themes, blending meticulous research with compelling storytelling. His works, such as \u003cem\u003eMajor Hashida's Notebook\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eWhere the Flaming Hell Are We?\u003c\/em\u003e, provide vivid insights into wartime experiences and the complexities of conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect a rich exploration of history marked by sharp observations and evocative prose, making his books essential for those fascinated by military history and the human stories woven within it.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"where-the-flaming-hell-are-we","title":"Where the Flaming Hell Are We?","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWe used our knees and our rifle butts and our blades. For a while we stopped being ordinary blokes and became blood-lusted creatures.\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMarch, 1941: 40,000 Australian and New Zealand troops are rushed to Greece in a desperate attempt to stop the Wehrmacht overrunning the country. Most of them overseas for the first time in their lives, they seek excitement and adventure. What they get are experiences they could never have imagined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe operation is doomed to fail, but not before the Aussies and Kiwis succeed in holding up the German advance and evacuating thousands, mainly to Crete, where Hitler next sets his sights. As the Nazis assault the island, they deploy a devastating new weapon of invasion—paratroopers—for the very first time, meeting desperate resistance as the Allies fight for their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCraig Collie, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Path of Infinite Sorrow\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eNagasaki\u003c\/i\u003e, delves into the experiences of the soldiers who fought in the mountains and villages of Greece, and faced entrapment and death on Crete. We all know of Gallipoli and the Fall of Singapore, but Greece and Crete are also major events in our countries' shared history, and as with those two great military disasters, British leadership has much to answer for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough first-hand accounts, \u003ci\u003eWhere the Flaming Hell Are We?\u003c\/i\u003e brings to life the gripping story of the fight for Greece and Crete in World War II. The soldiers' experiences, many told here for the very first time, are a testament to the human spirit and the unbreakable bonds formed in war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Wonderfully woven, this is the fight for the Aegean in World War II come to life. A great read.' - Peter FitzSimons, author of \u003ci\u003eKokoda\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Master storyteller Craig Collie recounts an untold history of a little remembered series of desperate actions in the Mediterranean spring of 1941. The well-researched narrative lives; populated with typical Anzac men and women, a story I'm sorry I didn't think to write myself.' - Will Davies, author of \u003ci\u003eBeneath Hill 60\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVividly created . . . Using first-hand testimonies, this is dramatic popular history.' - \u003ci\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e. . . brings to life two major events during Australia's involvement in World War II. - \u003ci\u003eCanberra Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCollie delves into the experiences of the soldiers who fought in the mountains and villages of Greece, and faced entrapment and death on Crete. He uses a variety of sources to enhance the story of unworldly young men who viewed war as a big adventure. A highly readable account of a campaign of which little is known or understood in the wider Australian public.' - \u003ci\u003eAustralian Defence Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUsing a range of firsthand accounts, Collie tells an engaging story of the battles and the aftermath of evacuation, and capture for some.' - \u003ci\u003eCanberra Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45706017734892,"sku":"9781760879198","price":37.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781760879198.jpg?v=1725881369"},{"product_id":"major-hashidas-notebook-by-craig-collie-9781761471421","title":"Major Hashida's Notebook","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An ingenious piece of historical reconstruction. It reads like a spy thriller.' Tom Gilling, author of \u003ci\u003eStart Digging, You Bastards!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn January 1941, the dapper, slightly built Major Hashida arrived at Circular Quay carrying only a small suitcase. It was eleven months before Pearl Harbor and a year before the attack on Sydney Harbour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJapan was claiming to be neutral in the war. Believing there were no grounds to prevent Hashida from landing, the Army consulted its intelligence section, which proposed that he be 'closely shepherded' with a strict watch on his movements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe was met by Japanese businessmen and consular officials and made his way around the country, stopping at each major city and gathering pieces of intelligence on everything from Australia's fortifications to its car industry. But what was the true purpose of his mission?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eMajor Hashida's Notebook\u003c\/i\u003e, acclaimed author Craig Collie has used Hashida's own diaries, along with military and police archives, to tell the long-buried story of one of the most intriguing espionage operations ever conducted on our shores.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A brilliant, page-turning read. In one volume, Craig Collie has given us a spy story, a thriller, and a fascinating insight into the complexities of Japan's wartime thinking, and a vivid snapshot of Australian society during the Second World War' - Michael Veitch, author of \u003ci\u003eAustralia's Secret Army\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47932300919020,"sku":"9781761471421","price":37.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781761471421-major-hashida-s-notebook.jpg?v=1783859275"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/craig-collie.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}