I have always been fascinated by Australia's involvement in the Great War - not so much the political aspects, but the life and times of the common soldier. This momentous event was a turning point for our new country, and for the 400,000 Australian men and women who took part.

Australia's army was one of the few that remained a volunteer force for the entire duration of the war, and this fact is reflected in the huge number of memorials that record the names of local volunteers in every town across Australia. The memorial in my own home town, West Wyalong, NSW, pays tribute to more than 100 local men who joined up. No true Australian can cast a gaze over one of these memorials without feeling a tug at the patriotic heartstrings.

For most of my life I have been an amateur student of the First World War, particularly the action on the Western Front. This passion has grown over time, and enabled me to discover more about this most horrific of wars, and Australia’s important role in it. I have also visited the battlefields of France and Belgium, and  explored those places where Australians sacrificed so much, and the cemeteries where many of them now lie.

This site is not intended to glorify war – it simply exists to remind us all of the deeds of earlier generations, deeds that should never be forgotten.

I must thank my wife, Merryn, who not only puts up with this unusual interest of mine but willingly endures long days traipsing across the French countryside, as I search for old trench lines and pillboxes.

I welcome feedback from visitors to this site. Please feel free to contact me.

Mat McLachlan