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Bully Beef and Balderdash. Some myths of the AIF examined and debunked
Was Beersheba the last great cavalry charge in history? Did the AIF storm the red light district of Cairo and burn it to the ground while fighting running battles with the military police? Was the AIF the only all-volunteer army of World War I? Graham Wilson’s Bully Beef and Balderdash shines a critical light on these and other well-known myths of the AIF in World War I, arguing that these spectacular legends simply serve to diminish the hard-won reputation of the AIF as a fighting force.
Wilson asserts that the story of the AIF is extraordinary in its own right, its fighting record so well established that there has never been a need to embellish that story. However, as Bully Beef and Balderdash demonstrates, the history of the AIF has become so shrouded in misinformation that what is now generally accepted as ‘history’ is often little more than myth and legend. Did the men of the Light Horse shoot their horses rather than see them sold off to the hated ‘Gippos’? Was Alfred Gaby VC’s eerie studio portrait actually taken after his death? Did the AIF fight the war on an unrelieved diet of bully beef and biscuits? Wilson painstakingly examines a number of myths associated with the AIF, some cherished and well seasoned others obscure and even whimsical. With meticulous, at times forensic analysis, he sets out to debunk these myths, using a range of first-hand accounts and official records to unravel the facts and set the historical record straight.
Were Catholics in the AIF denied the VC because of their religion? Was Gallipoli an intelligence failure? Graham Wilson mounts his own campaign to rehabilitate the historical reputation of the force free from hyperbole and jingoism to demonstrate that misleading and inaccurate embellishment does nothing but hide the true story of Australia’s World War I fighting army.
Bully Beef and Balderdash deliberately targets some revered legends and, for those who cherish the mythical story of the AIF, this will be uncomfortable but essential reading. Yet, given the extraordinary truth of the AIF’s history, it is certainly compelling reading.
Wilson asserts that the story of the AIF is extraordinary in its own right, its fighting record so well established that there has never been a need to embellish that story. However, as Bully Beef and Balderdash demonstrates, the history of the AIF has become so shrouded in misinformation that what is now generally accepted as ‘history’ is often little more than myth and legend. Did the men of the Light Horse shoot their horses rather than see them sold off to the hated ‘Gippos’? Was Alfred Gaby VC’s eerie studio portrait actually taken after his death? Did the AIF fight the war on an unrelieved diet of bully beef and biscuits? Wilson painstakingly examines a number of myths associated with the AIF, some cherished and well seasoned others obscure and even whimsical. With meticulous, at times forensic analysis, he sets out to debunk these myths, using a range of first-hand accounts and official records to unravel the facts and set the historical record straight.
Were Catholics in the AIF denied the VC because of their religion? Was Gallipoli an intelligence failure? Graham Wilson mounts his own campaign to rehabilitate the historical reputation of the force free from hyperbole and jingoism to demonstrate that misleading and inaccurate embellishment does nothing but hide the true story of Australia’s World War I fighting army.
Bully Beef and Balderdash deliberately targets some revered legends and, for those who cherish the mythical story of the AIF, this will be uncomfortable but essential reading. Yet, given the extraordinary truth of the AIF’s history, it is certainly compelling reading.
- GenresWorld War I
601 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
2 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Graham Wilson
4 booksGraham Wilson served 26 years in the Australian Regular Army, retiring in 1996 as a Warrant Officer Intelligence Analyst. Following five years as a civilian intelligence officer in the Department of Defence, he transferred to the Defence Department’s Directorate of Honours and Awards where he worked for 10 years in the support and policy areas; the latter as Staff Officer Historical Research. Graham retired from the Public Service in February 2011 and worked as a historian.
Publisher's obituary:
Graham Wilson was passionate about myth-busting. While the author of Bully Beef & Balderdash and Dust, Delusions & Donkeys passed away on 17 April 2016, his last work, the second volume of Bully Beef & Balderdash, has been published posthumously and, in true Wilson style, launches itself bodily at another collection of famous myths of the AIF.
A childhood spent reading his grandfather’s books on World War I produced a love of military history that gradually shaped Graham Wilson’s life. He never boasted lofty qualifications in military history, asserting instead that his extraordinary knowledge and determination to correct historical inaccuracies were the result of an ability to think critically and question assumptions developed during his lengthy military career. He combined these with an inherent curiosity and a mania for the truth.
The business of debunking myths was a source of obvious satisfaction to Graham Wilson and his delight is clearly evident in his last hurrah, his second volume of Bully Beef & Balderdash. However he emphasises from the outset that his aim is not to disparage the AIF. Quite the reverse, in fact, and among the last words he penned was a final salute to the AIF of which he was undoubtedly proud: ‘Finally, I acknowledge with the most profound respect the men and women of the AIF who, from a chaotic beginning, built one of the finest fighting machines of the twentieth century and whose story does not need and never has needed myth to bolster it.’ Vale Graham Wilson to whom Australians owe an enormous debt in returning the men of the AIF from the realms of lesser gods to the ranks of ordinary humans who lived and died in the service of their country.
Publisher's obituary:
Graham Wilson was passionate about myth-busting. While the author of Bully Beef & Balderdash and Dust, Delusions & Donkeys passed away on 17 April 2016, his last work, the second volume of Bully Beef & Balderdash, has been published posthumously and, in true Wilson style, launches itself bodily at another collection of famous myths of the AIF.
A childhood spent reading his grandfather’s books on World War I produced a love of military history that gradually shaped Graham Wilson’s life. He never boasted lofty qualifications in military history, asserting instead that his extraordinary knowledge and determination to correct historical inaccuracies were the result of an ability to think critically and question assumptions developed during his lengthy military career. He combined these with an inherent curiosity and a mania for the truth.
The business of debunking myths was a source of obvious satisfaction to Graham Wilson and his delight is clearly evident in his last hurrah, his second volume of Bully Beef & Balderdash. However he emphasises from the outset that his aim is not to disparage the AIF. Quite the reverse, in fact, and among the last words he penned was a final salute to the AIF of which he was undoubtedly proud: ‘Finally, I acknowledge with the most profound respect the men and women of the AIF who, from a chaotic beginning, built one of the finest fighting machines of the twentieth century and whose story does not need and never has needed myth to bolster it.’ Vale Graham Wilson to whom Australians owe an enormous debt in returning the men of the AIF from the realms of lesser gods to the ranks of ordinary humans who lived and died in the service of their country.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 17, 2015
Superb book examining the legends that have grown up around the Anzacs and which, through constant repetition, have achieved the status of fact.
The lists seem unending at times and, while they make the point, I felt that perhaps they would have been better left to a footnote (or even redirected to a website) since they often interrupted the flow of the narrative. It was almost as if the book couldn't make up its mind about its target audience: military historians or the general public.
The sections I particularly liked were debunking the myths of 'No military intelligence', 'All Teeth and No Tail', 'No Catholic VCs because of their religion' and the chapter on chaplains. I did, however, think the last chapter on Beersheba stepped a little beyond the bounds of straight history into campaign analysis. Pity it was the final chapter because it undermined some of what had gone before.
The lists seem unending at times and, while they make the point, I felt that perhaps they would have been better left to a footnote (or even redirected to a website) since they often interrupted the flow of the narrative. It was almost as if the book couldn't make up its mind about its target audience: military historians or the general public.
The sections I particularly liked were debunking the myths of 'No military intelligence', 'All Teeth and No Tail', 'No Catholic VCs because of their religion' and the chapter on chaplains. I did, however, think the last chapter on Beersheba stepped a little beyond the bounds of straight history into campaign analysis. Pity it was the final chapter because it undermined some of what had gone before.
August 25, 2021
I saw this book on display at my local library and was intrigued by the sub title. Wilson does indeed debunk some myths however some more convincingly than others.
It should be noted that this is more of an enthusiasts book rather than a scholarly undertaking. Whilst Wilson does source his reference material I feel like he often uses poor sources to make his point about myths being entrenched. For example he often refers to websites as making statements which he claims to be myths, however the websites referred to are often hobbyists, individuals or small business without wide readership. If he was was making the point of how widespread a myth is he does this poorly as it is not a comprehensive study of the media landscape nor is it a literary analysis.
Wilson does make some excellent points particularly regarding the myth of the AIF being largely made up of men from the country, however his statistical breakdown of occupations would have been better presented in a table.
Some myths though I found not to be debunked. For example Wilson goes to painstaking effort to illustrate all the food supplies that the AIF had in order to show that they didn't survive on bully beef and tea. However the first hand accounts I've read always talk about how the men survived on bully beef and tea on the frontline or in the trenches. Wilson concedes this however holds firm to his belief that it is a myth because they had access to fresh food at other times when they were being rested away from the front line or during stable periods in the trenches when food and supplies could be brought in.
I found the book sometimes hard to read as Wilson does provide a lot of information in the text, much of which could have been included as tables or footnotes. The illustrations and photos used are of excellent quality though.
It should be noted that this is more of an enthusiasts book rather than a scholarly undertaking. Whilst Wilson does source his reference material I feel like he often uses poor sources to make his point about myths being entrenched. For example he often refers to websites as making statements which he claims to be myths, however the websites referred to are often hobbyists, individuals or small business without wide readership. If he was was making the point of how widespread a myth is he does this poorly as it is not a comprehensive study of the media landscape nor is it a literary analysis.
Wilson does make some excellent points particularly regarding the myth of the AIF being largely made up of men from the country, however his statistical breakdown of occupations would have been better presented in a table.
Some myths though I found not to be debunked. For example Wilson goes to painstaking effort to illustrate all the food supplies that the AIF had in order to show that they didn't survive on bully beef and tea. However the first hand accounts I've read always talk about how the men survived on bully beef and tea on the frontline or in the trenches. Wilson concedes this however holds firm to his belief that it is a myth because they had access to fresh food at other times when they were being rested away from the front line or during stable periods in the trenches when food and supplies could be brought in.
I found the book sometimes hard to read as Wilson does provide a lot of information in the text, much of which could have been included as tables or footnotes. The illustrations and photos used are of excellent quality though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2017
A very good and well researched book. Went on the overkill several times when he had already proved his point to me. Amazingly I have read several of the sources he uses and agreed wholeheartedly with what he says, but I still think of the myths as being true even when I know they are not. Great book that really needs to be read to convince people of these events and there mythical status. Highly recommend.
November 25, 2013
Interesting book marred by very poor editing. Among other things, the interminable tables and lists interrupted the flow of the argument. One consequence of this was considerable repetition as the author struggled to re-establish the thread of the broken narrative. The tables and lists were interesting in themselves and provide useful source material but would have been better included as appendices than in the body of the book.
September 11, 2012
A must for the military buff.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews