Private Bill : in love and war / Barrie Cassidy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cassidy, Barrie, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, Australian--Biography.

World War, 1939-1945.

World War, 1939-1945--Australia--Biography.

Cassidy, William E.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (139 pages) : illustrations, maps

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Carlton, Victoria : Melbourne University Press, 2014.

Summary:

Barrie Cassidy's dad Bill survived more than four years as a prisoner of war in World War II. He first saw conflict on Crete in May 1941, during the only large-scale parachute invasion in wartime history. Just four days later, Bill was wounded and eventually captured. Twice he tried to escape his internment—with horrific consequences. He suffered greatly but found courageous support from his fellow prisoners. His new wife Myra and his large family thought he was dead until news of his capture finally reached them. Back home, Myra too was a prisoner of sorts, with her own secrets. Then, fifty years after the war, unhealed wounds unexpectedly opened for Bill and Myra, testing them once again. Private Bill is a classic heart-warming story—as told by their son—of how a loving couple prevailed over the adversities of war to live an extraordinarily ordinary, happy life.

Contents:

Intro

Title

Copyright

Contents

Map of Crete

1. A Regrettable Decision

2. Awkward Questions

3. The Other Side of the World

4. Operation Mercury

5. A Prime Target

6. A Distant Roar

7. Hill 107

8. Precious Lives Lost

9. Prisoners of War

10. Trying to Be Brave

11. In an Odious Place

12. The Cattle Train

13. Unbearable Reminders

14. The Not-so-great Escape

15. Lighter Hearts

16. Dangerous Defiance

17. The Best Camp in Austria

18. Badly Knocked About

19. 'Get up You Lazy Bastards!'

20. Time to Themselves

21. Going with the Flow

22. Myra's Secret

23. All that Anyone Needs

Postscript

Further Reading.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9780522866148

052286614X

OCLC:

958506639