Odyssey of the Unknown Anzac

by David Hastings

Ten years after the end of World War I, the Sydney Sun reported that an unknown Anzac still lay in a Sydney psychiatric hospital. 'This man . . . was found wandering in a London street during the war, ' reported the paper. 'He said he was an Australian soldier. Beyond his first statement that he was a Digger, he has not given any information about himself.'Thousands of people in Australia and New Zealand responded to this story and an international campaign to find the man's family followed. The story tapped into deep wells of sorrow and uncertainty which had been covered over by commemorations of Anzac heroism and honourable national sacrifice. More than a quarter of the Anzac dead had no known resting place. Might this be someone's missing son?David Hastings follows this one unknown Anzac, George McQuay, from rural New Zealand through Gallipoli and the Western Front, through desertions and hospitals, and finally home to New Zealand. By doing so, he takes us deep inside the Great War and the human mind.

208 pages, ebook

First published April 1, 2018

Reviews

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning I'm thinking just like all the officials and his war comrades.... that hes a bit of a malingerer. Then as you get more into the narrative it becomes more apparent that this poor fella was struggling against some almighty mental health issues. makes me glad to live in a time when these are recognized. my heart goes out to him and all the other soldiers like him....what a bloody mess war makes ☹

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad

What a terribly sad story. The aftermath of war goes on . I sometimes despair of the human race. When will we ever learn that war has no winners.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written. An impeccably researched account of one man’s war, and his battalion’s, but still manages to be engaging and personal rather than dry.
Very sad for George, the Anzac, but definitely worth reading.

[Jennifer Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reminder of the effects of war, the human imperfections, botched paperwork and the reuniting of a deserved soul. I enjoyed this read.