Across The Bar: The Story Of 'simpson', The Man With The Donkey: Australia And Tyneside's Great Military Hero
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Condition: Very Good. Jacket: faded, no tears. Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings. Binding condition: Tight and secure.
One of the most enduring legends of the Gallipoli campaign, John Simpson Kirkpatrick — known simply as Simpson — carried wounded soldiers to safety under relentless fire, using nothing but a donkey and an iron will. Across the Bar chronicles the remarkable life of this unlikely hero, tracing his origins in Tyneside, England, his emigration to Australia, and his selfless service with the Australian Imperial Force during one of history's most brutal amphibious campaigns. Tom Curran presents a meticulously researched biography that cuts through the mythology to reveal the man behind the legend, restoring both his British and Australian heritage to the historical record. Curran's narrative is as much a study of national identity as it is a war story, examining how Simpson was adopted as an icon by two nations — Australia and Tyneside — each claiming him as their own great military hero. Written with clarity and deep historical empathy, the work challenges readers to reconsider how nations construct their heroes and what that process reveals about collective memory and sacrifice. For anyone drawn to the human stories behind the Anzac tradition, Across the Bar is an essential and quietly revelatory read.
Author: Tom Curran
Format: Hardback
Published: 1994, Ogmios Publications Brisbane
Genre: Australian history
Condition remarks:
Condition: Very Good. Jacket: faded, no tears. Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings. Binding condition: Tight and secure.
One of the most enduring legends of the Gallipoli campaign, John Simpson Kirkpatrick — known simply as Simpson — carried wounded soldiers to safety under relentless fire, using nothing but a donkey and an iron will. Across the Bar chronicles the remarkable life of this unlikely hero, tracing his origins in Tyneside, England, his emigration to Australia, and his selfless service with the Australian Imperial Force during one of history's most brutal amphibious campaigns. Tom Curran presents a meticulously researched biography that cuts through the mythology to reveal the man behind the legend, restoring both his British and Australian heritage to the historical record. Curran's narrative is as much a study of national identity as it is a war story, examining how Simpson was adopted as an icon by two nations — Australia and Tyneside — each claiming him as their own great military hero. Written with clarity and deep historical empathy, the work challenges readers to reconsider how nations construct their heroes and what that process reveals about collective memory and sacrifice. For anyone drawn to the human stories behind the Anzac tradition, Across the Bar is an essential and quietly revelatory read.