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Monash and Chauvel: How Australia's two greatest generals changed the course of world history
Monash and Chauvel is a gripping narrative history that follows the extraordinary campaigns of the two most outstanding battlefield commanders of the First World War across all the Allied armies: John Monash and Harry Chauvel.
John Monash commanded the Australian forces on the Western Front at the most critical time of the war, 1918. With his German Jewish heritage, Monash was an outsider who had risen to his position through his ground-breaking military achievements. Almost uniquely among Allied generals on the Western Front, he learned the lessons of past failures and devised the tactics that allowed his Australian troops to break through the stalemate of trench warfare, masterminding crucial battles, including Amiens, Mont St Quentin, Peronne, and at the Hindenburg Line that broke the German Army in France.
In the war against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East, Harry Chauvel led the 34,000-strong Desert Mounted Column. Chauvel was an Empire man, who considered himself as British first, Australian second. His attitude changed in the course of the war, when he realised he would have to ignore the directives of his British superiors and take the initiative in planning battle tactics himself if he was to defeat the Turks. He did this at Romani in the Sinai in August 1916; at Beersheba on 31 October 1917; and in the final 1918 drive to push the Turks right out of the Middle East after 400 years of brutal rule over the Arab tribes.
By the end of the war Monash and Chauvel had brought a distinctly Australian sensibility to their areas of operation, involving flexibility, innovation and a deep respect for the troops they led, which was in turn reciprocated by their men. Their impact on the war was immense and, in this fascinating and compelling account, bestselling author Roland Perry does full justice to their extraordinary careers and the soldiers under their command.
John Monash commanded the Australian forces on the Western Front at the most critical time of the war, 1918. With his German Jewish heritage, Monash was an outsider who had risen to his position through his ground-breaking military achievements. Almost uniquely among Allied generals on the Western Front, he learned the lessons of past failures and devised the tactics that allowed his Australian troops to break through the stalemate of trench warfare, masterminding crucial battles, including Amiens, Mont St Quentin, Peronne, and at the Hindenburg Line that broke the German Army in France.
In the war against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East, Harry Chauvel led the 34,000-strong Desert Mounted Column. Chauvel was an Empire man, who considered himself as British first, Australian second. His attitude changed in the course of the war, when he realised he would have to ignore the directives of his British superiors and take the initiative in planning battle tactics himself if he was to defeat the Turks. He did this at Romani in the Sinai in August 1916; at Beersheba on 31 October 1917; and in the final 1918 drive to push the Turks right out of the Middle East after 400 years of brutal rule over the Arab tribes.
By the end of the war Monash and Chauvel had brought a distinctly Australian sensibility to their areas of operation, involving flexibility, innovation and a deep respect for the troops they led, which was in turn reciprocated by their men. Their impact on the war was immense and, in this fascinating and compelling account, bestselling author Roland Perry does full justice to their extraordinary careers and the soldiers under their command.
567 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2017
15 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Roland Perry
62 books45 followersProfessor Roland Perry (born 11 October 1946) is a Melbourne-based author best known for his books on history, especially Australia in the two world wars. His Monash: The Outsider Who Won The War, won the Fellowship of Australian Writers' 'Melbourne University Publishing Award' in 2004. The judges described it as 'a model of the biographer's art. In the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 2011, Perry was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia 'for services to literature as an author.In October 2011, Monash University awarded Perry a Fellowship for 'high achievement as a writer, author, film producer and journalist.His sports books include biographies of Sir Donald Bradman, Steve Waugh, Keith Miller and Shane Warne. Perry has written on espionage, specialising in the British Cambridge Ring of Russian agents. He has also published three works of fiction and produced more than 20 documentary films. Perry has been a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council since 2006.
In late 2012 Perry accepted an adjunct appointment at Monash University as a Professor, with the title ‘Writer-in-Residence’ in the University’s Arts Faculty.
In late 2012 Perry accepted an adjunct appointment at Monash University as a Professor, with the title ‘Writer-in-Residence’ in the University’s Arts Faculty.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 24, 2018
Just like those smart kids that were in every classroom.
You know when you were at school, there were those kids that didn't seem to study, breezed through every exam and got straight A's...they appeared to have an innate understanding of every subject. They were just brilliant, smart kids. Well John Monash (the prime focus of my reading of this book) was one of those.
He started his career as a barrister and won 99.9% of his cases. He then studied engineering and designed some of Melbourne's most famous bridges. In his spare time, he was in the army reserves (militia) and had a great passion for the study of battle tactics and weaponry. The perfect recipe for a great general. Then came WW1 and Monash, after some setbacks at Gallipoli, went on to become the greatest field commander of WW1. In fact, it was Monash who saved the reputation of the stupid-ass, incompetent British generals (Haig for example) in British High Command. Haig believed his soldiers were nothing more than cannon fodder. He just threw hundreds of thousands of lives away. Monash thought differently.
Why haven't you heard of this guy before? The most astonishing thing about this great man is, he had to fight against his own Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, the famous war reporter Charles Bean and that toad Keith Murdoch (yes, THAT Murdoch family) who persistently plotted to have him replaced. The reason? Because Monash was a Jew, and of German heritage. They undertook to supress any knowledge of Monash's successes. Monash took all that in his stride and succeeded anyway.
This is a great, and inspiring story of the true role the Australian Imperial Force (together with Pershing and his American Force, the Canadians and the French) played in The Great War and the role that their leader, John Monash undertook.
Look, it doesn't matter which country you're from, this is worthwhile reading. I couldn't put it down.
You know when you were at school, there were those kids that didn't seem to study, breezed through every exam and got straight A's...they appeared to have an innate understanding of every subject. They were just brilliant, smart kids. Well John Monash (the prime focus of my reading of this book) was one of those.
He started his career as a barrister and won 99.9% of his cases. He then studied engineering and designed some of Melbourne's most famous bridges. In his spare time, he was in the army reserves (militia) and had a great passion for the study of battle tactics and weaponry. The perfect recipe for a great general. Then came WW1 and Monash, after some setbacks at Gallipoli, went on to become the greatest field commander of WW1. In fact, it was Monash who saved the reputation of the stupid-ass, incompetent British generals (Haig for example) in British High Command. Haig believed his soldiers were nothing more than cannon fodder. He just threw hundreds of thousands of lives away. Monash thought differently.
Why haven't you heard of this guy before? The most astonishing thing about this great man is, he had to fight against his own Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, the famous war reporter Charles Bean and that toad Keith Murdoch (yes, THAT Murdoch family) who persistently plotted to have him replaced. The reason? Because Monash was a Jew, and of German heritage. They undertook to supress any knowledge of Monash's successes. Monash took all that in his stride and succeeded anyway.
This is a great, and inspiring story of the true role the Australian Imperial Force (together with Pershing and his American Force, the Canadians and the French) played in The Great War and the role that their leader, John Monash undertook.
Look, it doesn't matter which country you're from, this is worthwhile reading. I couldn't put it down.
May 30, 2018
I have had an interest in John Monash since when reading AJP Taylor at university I saw the statement, “ (Monash) … the only general of creative originality produced by the First World War.” In 1985 I read Geoffrey Serle’s biography of the great man. In 2015 I read Perry’s account of Monash. I am not sure why Perry did not go on and just publish an account of Harry Chauvel and his WW1 achievements in the Middle East. I guess coupling it with Monash would be more popular.
This publication is a worthwhile read and although Perry does cover similar ground in his discussion of Monash there are new aspects brought to life. Monash’s relationship with Bean and Murdoch is discussed at greater length. Both these journalist did not like Monash and in fact tried to have him removed. My own prejudices against anyone with the moniker Murdoch are strengthened by the descriptions his attitude to Monash.
Perry deals at length with Monash’s military planning and actions on the Western front in 1918. The Battle of Hamel was a turning point in the war. The German losses were sizeable and their morale was near breaking point.
Undoubtedly the Australian soldiers played an important part in the defeat of the Germans, however, there are times when Perry’s writing becomes somewhat hagiographic. Because of our size and colonial status playing the role of the underdog came easily to us. Secondly, the contempt the English ruling class and, as such, their generals and historians had for Australia and Australians was measurable. Perry does play on this in his book.
The role of Chauvel in winning the war in the Middle East and in defeating the Turks was illuminating. The mythical role of Laurence of Arabia has over shadowed the achievements of the Australian horsemen and their leaders.
Monash was a complex man. Of German/Jewish heritage he rose above the petty prejudices to achieve greatness in WW1 and then played an honourable role in Australian life after 1918.
This book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in this period of history and the effects that it has on the Middle East 100 years after.
This publication is a worthwhile read and although Perry does cover similar ground in his discussion of Monash there are new aspects brought to life. Monash’s relationship with Bean and Murdoch is discussed at greater length. Both these journalist did not like Monash and in fact tried to have him removed. My own prejudices against anyone with the moniker Murdoch are strengthened by the descriptions his attitude to Monash.
Perry deals at length with Monash’s military planning and actions on the Western front in 1918. The Battle of Hamel was a turning point in the war. The German losses were sizeable and their morale was near breaking point.
Undoubtedly the Australian soldiers played an important part in the defeat of the Germans, however, there are times when Perry’s writing becomes somewhat hagiographic. Because of our size and colonial status playing the role of the underdog came easily to us. Secondly, the contempt the English ruling class and, as such, their generals and historians had for Australia and Australians was measurable. Perry does play on this in his book.
The role of Chauvel in winning the war in the Middle East and in defeating the Turks was illuminating. The mythical role of Laurence of Arabia has over shadowed the achievements of the Australian horsemen and their leaders.
Monash was a complex man. Of German/Jewish heritage he rose above the petty prejudices to achieve greatness in WW1 and then played an honourable role in Australian life after 1918.
This book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in this period of history and the effects that it has on the Middle East 100 years after.
June 26, 2018
I listened to the Bolinda Audio audiobook version of this book, narrated by David Tredinnick.
This was a thoroughly engrossing account of Monash’s and Chauvel’s leadership on the Eastern and Western fronts during the latter stages of WW1.
Recommended!
This was a thoroughly engrossing account of Monash’s and Chauvel’s leadership on the Eastern and Western fronts during the latter stages of WW1.
Recommended!
December 30, 2018
This is an outstanding, fast paced, yet well detailed, account of the two greatest fighting generals of the First World War. Roland Perry makes the complex battlefield and strategic scenarios accessible in an incredibly engaging way doing justice to the contribution the Australian Army made in defeating the German and Turkish aggressors who plunged the world into unspeakable horror in the early years of the twentieth century.
November 19, 2017
I loved it. An absolutely fantastic read. I thought I had read everything that there was to read about Monash but Roland Perry has surprised me with new information in this fascinating book that links the World War 1 stories of two of Australia's best ever generals. I noted that eh referred to a move to have them both raised to the rank of Field Marshall, honours they should have received in their lifetimes and I will try and find out how I can get on board such a move. I thoroughly recommend this book to an red-blooded Australian.
January 23, 2018
A Very Well Written Book on the Campaigns of Two of the Most Outstanding Generals of WWI
In this very well written book, the author of this book makes a compelling case as why John Monash and Harry Chauvel were the two of the best performing generals in the first world war. These men and the armies they led have largely been written out of history by the self-serving English professional officer class in the case of Monash and the Arabists of the British foreign services in the case of Chauvel. The author believes it is time to right this wrong and that both these men should be promoted to Field Marshal in recognition of the impact they and their armies had on the war’s outcome.
I have always been against Australia getting involved in the current Middle Eastern wars. What has anything there, got to do with Australia. Well, after reading this book, it seems that it was the heavily outnumbered Australian Light Horse mounted infantry led by Chauvel that drove the Otterman Turks out of the middle east. This was done by a serious of well brilliantly executed flanking movements. This allowed the victors to set up the artificial nations that are the source of much of the conflict in the Middle East today. So Australia can not really walk away from a mess that we were a part of creating. But that is not taking anything away from the brilliant work of Harry Chauvel and the troops he led.
But my pick for the best of the best general of WWI is Monash. In 1918 the four Australian divisions were placed together in one army corps commanded by an John Monash, the Australian son of a German Jewish immigrant family. This resulted in Monash being a widely respected public figure in Australia, and I have always been a fan of his, but I knew nothing of his military achievements. My admiration was because he put the Australia’s growing band of fascist pretenders in their place during the great depression of the 1930s with the statement: “Depend upon it, the only hope for Australia is the ballot box and an educated electorate.” This stopped a potential coup d’état dead in its tracks and meant that Australia remained one of the ever-shrinking number of democratic nations during this troubled period of world history.
I was aware that newly formed Australian corps he led performed well but I just accepted the view put by British historians that they were the only decent solders left standing by 1918 and that John Monash was good at planning set piece battles and little else. Having read this well researched book I have come to the view that these people are mainly spreading bovine manure. John Monash was a brilliant all round general. Probably, the best all round general in war.
This book details his planning and politicking the resulted in the Battle of Amiens of August 8th. This decisive battle that was the start of the end for the Germans. The thing I found most astounding was that the German general Guderian, studied this battle and used Monash’s tactics as the basis for his blitzkrieg battle plans that were devastatingly effective in the Second World War.
The book then documents the battles that follow where the Australian army was forced to switch to what Monash called “open warfare”. Ground was taken by using fire and movement tactics because the Australians had run out of tanks. Plus, the heavy artillery could not keep up with their rate of advance. Here, Monash pioneered the use of heavy and light machine guns as offensive weapons which he keep supplied with ammunition by drops from planes with parachutes. Revolutionary tactics at the time but extremely effective in that it allowed the Australians to punch through last line of German defence, the supposedly impenetrable Hindenburg line, on the 5th October. This defeat immediately caused the Germans to sue for peace and thus end the war. According to author the four half strength divisions of John Monash’s Australian Army Corps had achieved the following:
“Over the past six months they had taken 29,144 prisoners, and liberated 116 towns and villages over 660 square kilometres. No one knows precisely how many enemy soldiers were killed but 60,000 wold have been a conservative figure. In the same period, Australia lost 5500 soldiers and had 24,000 casualties. They had taken on 39 enemy divisions and defeated every one of them, from crack Prussian Guards, to cobbled-together forces that ran when attached”
And unlike other allied general Monash did not treat his men as cannon fodder. He did everything in his power to reduce the risk of a casualty occurring. The author notes that Monash is proud that:
“The period of the last thrust from 8th August to 5th October, (the period that the Australian Army Corps was under his command), was the least ‘costly’ period of active duty for the AIF despite it providing the shock troops and spear heading the campaign”
If you want to read an excellent book about the outstanding contribution of two great leaders and their armies to the winning of WWI I recommend you read this one.
January 13, 2019
A book telling the parallel stories of Monash’s European war and Chauvel’s Middle Eastern war.
I’m pretty fresh when it comes to the world wars (which was one of the reasons this book caught my eye) and for a least half the book I was cynical of the praise being heaped on Monash - I mean if he was so awesome why is he not more widely known in my generation? And we’re the rest of the Allies’ leaders really so useless?? However by its end, I was a believer. Or at least I am super impressed by Monash’s achievements and am keen to read a broader description of the war in Europe to understand the fuller context. Unfortunately Chauvel plays second fiddle in this book but the parallels were clear.
I would have liked to understand what Monash’s battle planning involved. We find out that it was key to his success but we don’t know what it actually was, apart from poring over maps.
I couldn’t stop listening to this book! I thought the reader was a perfect fit.
I’m pretty fresh when it comes to the world wars (which was one of the reasons this book caught my eye) and for a least half the book I was cynical of the praise being heaped on Monash - I mean if he was so awesome why is he not more widely known in my generation? And we’re the rest of the Allies’ leaders really so useless?? However by its end, I was a believer. Or at least I am super impressed by Monash’s achievements and am keen to read a broader description of the war in Europe to understand the fuller context. Unfortunately Chauvel plays second fiddle in this book but the parallels were clear.
I would have liked to understand what Monash’s battle planning involved. We find out that it was key to his success but we don’t know what it actually was, apart from poring over maps.
I couldn’t stop listening to this book! I thought the reader was a perfect fit.
February 1, 2018
This book not only educated me into the amazing contribution of Australian diggers in WW1, but introduced me to two remarkable leaders in the military in Monash and Chauvel.
I strongly recommend this well researched record of the blow by blow ordeals of the war in Gallipoli, the Middle East and the Western Front, to any serious reader who prefers truth in history rather than bias or distortion of facts for ulterior motives.
I say no more except well done Roland Perry. I am so glad to have discovered your richness of expounding history.
I strongly recommend this well researched record of the blow by blow ordeals of the war in Gallipoli, the Middle East and the Western Front, to any serious reader who prefers truth in history rather than bias or distortion of facts for ulterior motives.
I say no more except well done Roland Perry. I am so glad to have discovered your richness of expounding history.
April 3, 2018
Perry has created a great a great case for Monash to be promoted posthumously to Field Marshal. WWI saw Australian forces come under the rule of the British who also controlled who received what major accolades. In the case of Monash, he couldn't be promoted as it may have shown up the British as being less than adequate commanders and military strategists.
A great read.
A great read.
November 1, 2018
Essential reading if you want to know the facts about WW1 and who won the vital engagements. It was these two gentlemen and the armies they led. A most fascinating read and the loss of life before Monash and Chauvel was colossal - hard to comprehend the bad decisions by the British and the Cannon Fodder strategy.
February 2, 2019
Fascinating and engrossing presentation of the place in history which should be afforded to Monash and Chauvel. Easy to read and moves with pace. The themes are a bit repetitive and some external references would improve its veracity. Nonetheless a great read for any person interested in WWI or Australia history.
November 1, 2024
A thoroughly entertaining and educational audiobook. Didn't know much about these two men save for a few battles. We clearly as Australian punched above our weight and they do deserve being postumously awarded Field Marshall status.
February 28, 2019
Worth reading about two of best allied generals of world war 1
October 19, 2019
Every Australian should read this book.
January 26, 2022
Didn't do much for me
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews