WWII

A Man Does What He Must

“A man does what he must,” begins a quote by Winston Churchill. Remembering my father’s stories, those six words seem to sum up his life. He lived much of his younger days hemmed in by rules and regulations, mostly unwritten, but always inflexible. He was brought up by his father

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Seize every Opportunity

Last year, around Anzac Day, I discovered this article written by Minna Muhlen. As I read it I felt such relief, relief at finding someone else in Australia who is potentially struggling with the same emotions as I am. I debated with myself for quite a while, should I contact

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Dark Secrets

When researching your family history, there is always a chance you will find a dark secret, or a skeleton in the closet, or the random tyrant or warlord. There is more of a chance you will discover your ancestors were honest hard-working people who got up in the morning, slogged

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The importance of research

As I pack for a family trip to Europe, part of me is planning how to fit some research for my book into the trip. On my last visit, I went to some of the towns and cities my father had lived in or visited. This visit, I would like

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