Media: BOOK - paperback, 132 pages
Author: H. Kahan
Year: (1969) 2007
ISBN: 0859053911
Other: b&w photos, nominal roll
Publisher: Hesperian Press

The late Colonel H.B. Collett, CMG, DSO, VD commanded the 28th Battalion AIF from 23 April 1915 (7 days after its formation) until he was evacuated from the unit, severely wounded on 29 July 1916. He rejoined the battalion on 13 October 1917 and again commanded it until 22 March 1918.

In 1922 he compiled what was planned to be the first of a two-volume record of the battalion's service. It covered the period which ended when the unit arrived at Marseilles. Because of his long absences from the unit he felt that he was unable to record effectively its European service, and he hoped that another would undertake the work.

Soon after Armistice the late Lieutenant John T. Blair spent some time at the AIF Records Section in London examining the official records of the battalion, its War Diary, and other sources. From the notes he then made Blair produced a very brief narrative of the battalion's service. In the 1930s it was examined by the Management Committee of the Battalion Association, who felt it was too sketchy to form a companion volume to Collett's work and the Association decided not to proceed with its publication.

In 1966 the Battallion Association accepted the offer by Henry Kahan to write the battalion history.

This work has been devised in order to record in reasonable detail, the battalion's movements and engagements. It will give readers an idea of the conditions under which the battalion lived, laboured, and fought.

It is not intended as a sequel to Collett's work, the qualities of which so much transcend it. Therefore at the risk of repetition and because Collett's work is out of print this record covers again the period traversed in his book. 

Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgements
Thanks
1. Genesis
2. On active service
3. Egypt (1)
4. To the unknown
5. Anzac
6. In action - The apex
7. Resting (?) - Exodus
8. Lemnos - Egypt (2)
9. "Allons Enfants ..." billets
10. The front line
11. Armentieres - In and out of the line
12. The first raid
13. The Somme offensive
14. The first Pozieres 'stunt'
15. The second Pozieres 'stunt'
16. Resting - to the north and back
17. Flers
18. The Hindenburg Line
19. Bapaume - Lagnicourt - Noreuil
20. Bullecourt
21. Rest and recreation
22. The Minin Road - Westhoek
23. Broodseinde - Passchendaele
24. Gas - Aldershot Camp
25. Red Lodge - The Australian Army Corps
26. Le Wast
27. Back to Somme - Corbie
28. Monash - Morlancourt - Hamel 'peaceful penetration'' - Monument Wood
29. Villers Bretonneux
30. Peronne - Mont St Quentin
31. The last actions
32. Berteaucourt and rest - The Armistice
33. The move to the Rhine
34. Marcinelle - Going home
35. Finis
Addendum: Notes on the author's close associations in the battalion
Appendix A. Nominal roll of those other than officers who service with the battalion in the field
Appendix B. Nominal roll of those who served as officers with the battalion in the field
Appendix C. Honours and distinctions conferred upon members of the battalion
Appendix D. The battalion's battle honours
Appendix E. Statistics

Maps