The Chipilly Six Unsung heroes of the Great War

On 9 August 1918, on high ground overlooking the Somme River, an entire British Army Corps is held up by German machine gunners. The battle has raged for 30 hours and more than 2000 Englishmen have fallen, for no gain. Meanwhile, two Australian sergeants, Jack Hayes and Harold Andrews, go absent without leave and cross the Somme ahead of the British lines. Gathering weapons and four of their best mates, Hayes and Andrews return to take on the Germans. The extraordinary feats of the Chipilly Six have been overlooked and the personal stories of these diggers never before celebrated. Yet this story doesn’ t end when the war does. Historian Lucas Jordan weaves a compelling tale of the lives of these soldiers, chronicling their return home and years after service, through a pandemic, the Great Depression, another world war and the very first Anzac Day dawn service.

Lucas Jordan grew up in Burekup in Western Australia, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts. He completed a Diploma of Education at the University of Queensland, followed by a Masters in Aboriginal Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and he completed his PhD at the Australian National University. Lucas has taught history to undergraduate students at Deakin and Monash universities and is currently a teacher at Western English Language School, a secondary school for new arrivals and refugees in Melbourne. He is the author of Stealth Raiders: A few daring men in 1918.

Introduction Part One: The Six Chapter 1: Jack Hayes Chapter 2: Harold Andrews Chapter 3: George Stevens Chapter 4: Jerry Fuller Chapter 5: Billy Kane Chapter 6: Dick Turpin Part Two: Chipilly Chapter 7: ‘ Some worthwhile souvenirs’ Chapter 8: The six ‘ cut loose’ Part Three: Foissy Chapter 9: The Chipilly Six’ s last battle Chapter 10: Jack’ s wounding Chapter 11: Dick Turpin’ s redemption Chapter 12: The war is over Part Four: Home Chapter 13: A changed Australia Chapter 14: The return of Private Jerry Fuller MM Chapter 15: Private Billy Kane MM returns to Congarinni Chapter 16: The return of Company Quartermaster Sergeant Jack Hayes DCM Chapter 17: The return of Private George Stevens MM Chapter 18: The homecoming of Lieutenant Harold Andrews DCM Chapter 19: The return of Lance Corporal Dick Turpin MSM Chapter 20: Soldiers’ clubs vs the league Chapter 21: Jack meets May Chapter 22: The first Anzac Day dawn service Part Five: The 1930s Chapter 23: The Great Depression Chapter 24: The brotherhood of the trenches Chapter 25: President Jack Chapter 26: Dick Turpin and the Styx Part Six: Old war horses Chapter 27: Jerry Fuller goes to the Second World War Chapter 28: Bill Kane enlists again Chapter 29: Sons of Anzacs Chapter 30: At the going down of the sun