By Jed Lanyon
Healesville resident Tony Jones has released a book, The Infamy That Is War, which details World War I and its enduring legacy.
The former Healesville Rotary member said he was inspired to write the book after looking into an anomaly in his family history between two of his ancestors who shared the same name and both enlisted in the war in September 1914.
One of those ancestors, Walter Edward Shiells, landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, the date that is now recognised as Anzac Day.
He was wounded 10 days later and sent to a hospital in Malta. Shiells then fled before being picked up by the military police and spent time incarcerated in Alexandria.
“Because of attrition, they had lost a lot of officers, NCOs (non-commissioned officer) and men, so he was promoted to corporal, then to sergeant a company quartermaster sergeant,” Mr Jones said.
“He must have shown a bit of promise even though he had been a jailbird.”
His 58th Battalion were then shipped to France in 1916 and took part in the battle of Fromelles, an event in which Mr Jones describes as an ‘absolute disaster’ for Australia.
“There were over 5000 Australian casualties in one night … It never should have happened.”
Shiells went on to be awarded with a Military Cross.
“He’s gone from being a baggy-arsed private to be a decorated officer. He’s been through the whole show right until the Armistice Day on 11 November 1918,” Mr Jones said.
“As an ex-teacher, coming from an educational point of view, I think it’s absolutely essential for people to understand WWI because it gives you a good understanding of the century that you’ve grown up in… It changed the world.”
The book is available for download in PDF format from the Rotary Club of Healesville website for $5.
All proceeds from The Infamy That Is War will be put towards Phoenix Australia, Centre for Post Traumatic Mental Health at the University of Melbourne.
“Phoenix Australia is an organisation that runs programs and does research into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s a big deal here in Australia now with so many soldiers who have committed suicide,” Mr Jones said.
“Not long ago, four (soldiers) committed suicide in one week. This is a serious issue. To lose four in one week is an enormous loss. If that had happened on the battlefield, there would have been cries to bring them all home.”
Mr Jones said that Phoenix Australia’s research and programs don’t just focus on ex-service personnel, but includes the general community including women suffering from PTSD after childbirth.
For more information about The Infamy That Is War, visit https://bit.ly/36ZNJlN.
