Inferno

Australians on the Western Front

Phillip Bradley

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English

Allen & Unwin
04 November 2025

History; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; First World War; Military life & institutions

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'I love Phillip Bradley's stuff, and this is a very fine book, about one of the most extraordinary times in Australian military history.' - Peter FitzSimons

'We sprang to our feet with one mighty yell and ran and jumped into the German trench and got to work with bayonets and bombs. We were in there no more than half an hour when the German artillery found out and turned their big guns on us. He gave us 7 hours of perfect inferno.'

August 1914: German troops cross the border and advance into Belgium and France. Two days later, Britain and Australia declare war on Germany. Three-hundred thousand young Australians will depart to face the Western Front; forty-six thousand will not return.

Inferno is the story of Australians fighting in France and Belgium from 1916 to 1918 on the greatest battlefront in history, told through the eyes of the Diggers and the Germans. Each of the major Australian battles is recounted from the soldiers' viewpoints in rich historical detail, much of which has been uncovered for the first time.

Written by bestselling military historian Phillip Bradley, Inferno is an epic of our wartime history, a comprehensive account of Australians on the Western Front. Amid the largest tragedy in Australian history, this is the legend of the Diggers, brought to life.

PRAISE FOR PHILLIP BRADLEY

'... Phillip Bradley's book on the little-known battle for Wau in 1942-43 is a standout. Bradley has emerged as one of the finest chroniclers of the Australian Army's role in the New Guinea campaign. His previous book On Shaggy Ridge - the story of the 1943-44 Ramu Valley campaign - is a minor classic ... Bradley combines an engrossing telling of the story from the tactical level based on extensive interviews with veterans with a fine appreciation of strategy at the command level. As with his book On Shaggy Ridge, The Battle for Wau is based on thorough research of primary sources, as well as deep personal knowledge of the terrain in which the Australians fought.' - The Australian

'... this book will appeal to those seeking to deepen their understanding of the events through an on-the-ground account from veterans who took part ... The Battle for Shaggy Ridge helps pierce the veil of mythology surrounding Australia's involvement in the PNG theatre of operations.' - Australian Army Research Centre

'The difficulty of this campaign is recorded in detail and the description of combat has an immediacy that is compelling. As with his other recent titles, The Battle for Shaggy Ridge is solid narrative history that will appeal to a wide audience.' - Sabretache

'Bradley's finely detailed account of Operation Postern ... will no doubt remain the most authoritative source on the campaign for many years to come.' - Military History and Heritage Victoria on D-Day New Guinea

'Australian Light Horse is well written and a fascinating read ... The book fills a need in telling the story of our ancestors' deeds of a hundred years ago; any Australian with any connection to those heroes can feel justly proud of their history, so ably told by Phillip Bradley.' - Queensland Reviewers Collective

By: Phillip Bradley
Imprint: Allen & Unwin
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm,
Weight: 611g
ISBN: 9781761069086
ISBN 10: 176106908X
Pages: 480
Publication Date: 04 November 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Phillip Bradley is a leading Australian military historian and has had a lifetime interest in the field. His extensive research on the battlefield, in the archives and with veterans has given him an intimate knowledge of Australia's military past. Eight of his books, On Shaggy Ridge, The Battle for Wau, To Salamaua, Wau 1942-43, Hell's Battlefield, D-Day New Guinea, The Battle for Shaggy Ridge and Salamaua 1943, are groundbreaking works on the Australian role in Papua New Guinea in World War II, all characterised by extensive battlefield research and unique interviews with battlefield veterans. His other books, Charles Bean's Gallipoli Illustrated and Australian Light Horse, combine extracts from World War I diaries with unique collections of photographs to illustrate these classic campaigns. Bradley's latest book, Inferno, completes his trilogy of World War I volumes.