by Kathryn Spurling | Jan 23, 2021 | Blogs - Kathryn Spurling
Invariably the history of war is presented from the perspective of campaigns, strategic and tactical delineations and, generals. The story of war, however, is about the people and the ongoing legacy suffered by families, communities, and the nation. They fell in...
by Kathryn Spurling | Jan 22, 2021 | Blogs - Kathryn Spurling
When I climbed into the bus it was near full. Onboard were the most amazing survivors – crew of the first HMAS Perth. I knew these men well by now after many interviews for my book Cruel Conflict: the triumphs and tragedies of HMAS Perth 1. I had delighted in their...
by Kathryn Spurling | Jan 20, 2021 | Blogs - Kathryn Spurling
My 2007 trip to Washington DC was for a Women’s Research Institute two-day conference organized admirably by Captain Lory Manning (USN Rtd). It wasn’t the first or last time Lory invited me to be a keynote speaker and it was always an honour, I was there in 1999 and...
by Kathryn Spurling | Jan 18, 2021 | Blogs - Kathryn Spurling
I first met Midshipman Megan Anne Pelly (RAN) during her final year at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), Canberra in 1997. I was teaching history at the UNSW campus and doing research on women in the military. Megan offered to be interviewed for that...
by Kathryn Spurling | Jan 16, 2021 | Blogs - Kathryn Spurling
It was a journey which took me from the Sydney harbourside to a quiet and distant Dutch church ground. I stood and listened to John Skarrett. His front yard was small but what a magnificent view. A cruise ship, something which became rare in 2020, reversed carefully...
