A man, a woman, and the war to end all wars.
As a lad in the high country of eastern Victoria, Tag Wardell shows an extraordinary gift with animals: he is followed to school by his pets; his rapport with his horse, Dimble, becomes the talk of the district; and he even manages to befriend a mob of brumbies during an adventure with his schoolmates in the Dargo high plains.
Later, when he becomes a blacksmith, locals come to watch him at work, amazed at his ability to calm the meanest of nags. But 1914 brings war, and the government’s patriotic fervour entices Tag and his mates to join the Light Horse Brigade.
On the convoy to Egypt, Tag is quickly singled out to help the distressed horses. Then, while on leave in Cairo, he meets Jill, a nurse, but their brief romance is cut short as Gallipoli looms. Tag’s life spirals into one of survival in the day-to-day madness of the trenches.
In the years that follow, Tag comes up against conditions that are terrible for man and beast, and he discovers the hardship and joy that come with wartime love. In the face of it all, his unique abilities bring about essential changes in the handling of horses under fire — and expose him to death and disaster.
Barry Heard, author of the bestselling Vietnam War memoir Well Done, Those Men, has here produced a deeply moving, fiercely anti-war novel that blazes with authenticity. Based on the experiences of a World War I veteran whom the author knew, it brings new insights to the Gallipoli legend and Australia’s battles on the Western Front.
'This is a poignant, anti-war story which pulls no punches, describing the shellshock and depression which was the legacy of many World War I veterans, including the valiant nurses.'
Courier Mail
'Heard made me forget that Tag was a novel. With all its mayhem, madness, appalling carnage and war time love, I felt like I was in the trenches of Gallipoli and the Western Front with Tag, Tiger, Bucket and Golly. Heard brings the reader to a deeper level of understanding of the exceptional work our diggers did under a great deal of stress, both physically and emotionally.'
Gordon Trail, Peacekeepers Association
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Praise for Well Done, Those Men:
‘This is a powerful, beautifully written book that should be read by everyone who wants to understand the evil, senseless personal damage done by war.’
The Sydney Morning Herald
Praise for Well Done, Those Men:
‘Heard gives meaning and sense to overused cliches such as "stolen youth", "buried horrors" and even "mateship".’
Lorien Kaye, The Age
Praise for The View from Connor's Hill:
‘It is a simple story told with artless humility and great humanity.’
The Sydney Morning Herald
