The Western Front as seen through the eyes of Australian soldiers

THE WESTERN FRONT 1916 – 1918
by Peter Cochrane
Reviewed by Paul Harrison

ABC Books, 138 page, A4 (landscape). Illustrated B/W. RRP $55.00

The horrors of the wasteland that was the Western Front in Belgium and France 1916 – 1918, as seen through the eyes of Australian soldiers is graphically illustrated in this excellent work by Peter Cochrane.

The carefully researched photographs, with some captions presented as “handwritten notes” bring home the brutality of war. The illustrations clearly give the reader an appreciation of everyday life in the mud of the trenches, in the rest areas, and how the troops attempted some humour to get them through the insanity of their situation.

A must for the modern generations, to remind them of the sacrifices made so long ago.