In World War I, 35 relatives of the Collins family aged between 18 and
57 volunteered for service - 15 came from the Collins side while 20 were
from the Byrne side. Some never passed the enlistment process. Of those
who served overseas, many were injured and a saddening percentage died.
With interest in the war high due to its centenary, this book honours
those who answered the call by detailing their service and lives using
primary documents and the vast amount of resources available for
researchers. It is hard to say whether these veterans cover the full
range of Australia's involvement during the Great War, from being
enlisted for a few weeks at the end of the war to dying, but there is no
denying the 34 men and one woman whose lives are recorded here encompass
a broad range of the Australian experience during the conflict.