Mud over Blood Revisited

For a month, troops of the 39th Battalion although only partly trained, found themselves standing alone against an overwhelming force of the best jungle troops in the world. From the 21st of July until the 26th of August, the 39th Battalion fought alone and isolated in stopping and delaying the enemy advance, inflicting heavy casualties and suffering heavy casualties themselves. On the point of annihilation, they were joined by the veterans of the Middle East for the deadly battle of Isurava. By the time the battalion was finally relieved on September 5th, after seven weeks of non‑stop fighting and marching, the fate of the invading Japanese force was sealed.

“Sometimes a book comes along which reflects the highest possible publishing values. With Mud Over Blood, the book has become a memorial to the men of the 39th Battalion who lost their lives in the New Guinea highlands during World War 11. It is also a celebration of what these men achieved … Apart from telling, what is one of the great stories of Australian military heroism, the book has over 500 photographs. These enable readers to see the soldiers on the Track, many of them little more than boys, and for the survivors, now as men … .”
One special and poignant feature of the book is the Nominal Roll. Here portraits of the men and their listing-of names is a reminder of the costs of war and the importance of remembering. This is simply an outstanding book which does the soldiers of the 39th great honour.   From a book review of the first edition by Christopher Bantick.