Cruiser: The life and loss of HMAS Perth and her crew by Mike Carlton
William Heinemann, $55 hb, 706 pp
ABR receives a commission on items purchased through this link. All ABR reviews are fully independent.
Australian war historians usually find their theme in the army. Mike Carlton, a well-known journalist, thinks it is time to praise the Australian warship Perth and its men: ‘They were the flower of Australia’s greatest generation. No other has been so tested.’
It is fair to suggest that the Perth is virtually unknown to the typical Australian today, and certainly less familiar than her sister ship, the HMAS Sydney. It is curious that a nation surrounded by sea and so reliant on the sea lanes tends to be more conscious of its racing yachts than of its warships; but that is what happens during a long period of relative peace.
Continue reading for only $10 per month. Subscribe and gain full access to Australian Book Review.
Already a subscriber? Sign in. If you need assistance, feel free to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
If you are an ABR subscriber, you will need to sign in to post a comment.
If you have forgotten your sign in details, or if you receive an error message when trying to submit your comment, please email your comment (and the name of the article to which it relates) to ABR Comments. We will review your comment and, subject to approval, we will post it under your name.
Please note that all comments must be approved by ABR and comply with our Terms & Conditions.
Sign In
Support the magazine that supports Australian writers | Subscribe or Donate
If you are an ABR subscriber, you will need to sign in to post a comment.
If you have forgotten your sign in details, or if you receive an error message when trying to submit your comment, please email your comment (and the name of the article to which it relates) to ABR Comments. We will review your comment and, subject to approval, we will post it under your name.
Please note that all comments must be approved by ABR and comply with our Terms & Conditions.