Animal Heroes by Anthony Hill

Following on from the success of historical narratives like Soldier Boy and Young Digger that explore untold stories from Australia’s fighting past, Anthony Hill’s Animal Heroes collates and presents the important role animals have played in conflicts from the World War I to the present day. Hill’s text clearly conveys the love and admiration these animals were afforded by their handlers, comrades or adopted owners. Whether they were an intuitive kitten smuggled aboard HMAS Perth, a Doberman who defected for a tin of bully beef, or one of the 11 tracking dogs who served so valiantly in Vietnam, each animal’s story is lovingly retold through surviving memory of family members, or official documents.

Following on from the success of historical narratives like Soldier Boy and Young Digger that explore untold stories from Australia’s fighting past, Anthony Hill’s Animal Heroes collates and presents the important role animals have played in conflicts from the World War I to the present day. Hill’s text clearly conveys the love and admiration these animals were afforded by their handlers, comrades or adopted owners. Whether they were an intuitive kitten smuggled aboard HMAS Perth, a Doberman who defected for a tin of bully beef, or one of the 11 tracking dogs who served so valiantly in Vietnam, each animal’s story is lovingly retold through surviving memory of family members, or official documents.