Tobruk to Labuan - The Life and Letters of Brigadier Colin 'Hugh' Boyd Norman

Longueville Media, 2018. New book, 215 pages. Tobruk to Labuan is an account of Brigadier Colin ‘Hugh’ Boyd Norman’s life told through selected letters from his years of service during the Second World War. They present to the reader a soldier with a clear vision of his responsibilities to his men, and a man of compassion and unswerving integrity. Reading these letters, we can see clearly why he was much loved by family and those with whom he served. As Captain of the 24th Anti-tank company at the siege of Tobruk against German troops led by General Erwin Rommel, he was awarded the Military Cross. Then in 1943 as Lt Colonel of the West Australia 2/28th battalion, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for the battalion’s courageous crossing of the Busu River in New Guinea and its surprise attack on the Japanese, which contributed to the capture of Lae. In this moving account of Hugh Norman’s wartime experiences he attributes his courage to the deep love from his wife, Ethel: ‘... your letters are always there, always sought for, always loved, just as you in your dear precious constant self are ...’ In his post-war days, Brig. Norman was State Controller of Demobilisation in Western Australia, served two periods as Deputy Director War Service Land Settlement program, and was the longest serving Administrator of Norfolk Island. Included is a selection of never before seen photos by Frank Hurley of Brig. Norman. . Soft Cover. As New. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.