JOHNNY ENZED
The New Zealand Soldier in the First World War 1914–1918
Glyn Harper
The New Zealand soldiers who left these shores to fight in the First World War represented one of the greatest collective endeavours in the nation’s history. Over 100,000 men and women would embark for overseas service and almost 60,000 of them became casualties. For a small nation like New Zealand this was a tragedy on an unimagined scale.
Using their personal testimony, this book reveals what these men experienced – the truth of their lives in battle, at rest, at their best and their worst. Through a comprehensive and sympathetic scrutiny of New Zealand soldiers’ correspondence, diaries and memoirs, a compelling picture of the New Zealand soldier’s war from general to private is revealed. This is not a campaign history of dry facts and detail. Rather, it examines minutely the everyday experience of trench life in all its shapes and forms. Diverse topics such as barbed wire, the use of the bayonet, gas attacks, rats, horses, food, communal singing, infectious diseases and much more feature in this riveting account of the New Zealand soldier in the First World War. It is the story of ordinary men thrust into the most extraordinary circumstances imaginable.
Written in an accessible style aimed at the interested general reader, the book is the product of a substantial amount of research. The text is complemented by a range of maps, illustrations, graphs and diagrams.
AUTHOR: Glyn Harper is Professor of War Studies at Massey University and is General Editor of the Centenary History series. A former teacher, he joined the Australian Army in 1988 and after eight years transferred to the New Zealand Army, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He is now one of NZ’s best-known military historians and the author of nineteen books, including six books for children. Many of these books are on aspects of the First World War and have achieved best-seller status.
SPECIFICATIONS
Format: Hardback (cased with jacket), 720 pages
Measurements (height x width mm): 240 x 160 mm
Illustrations (N/A, B&W, Colour): B&W (150 photographs, 9 maps, plus diagrams)
MEDIA:
New Zealand Listener, December 2015
An adapted extract in the Listener from JOHNNY ENZED:THE NEW
ZEALAND SOLDIER IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914-1918, by Glyn Harper
Highlighted quote "We were, in fact, a suicide squad and no one ever expected us to get off.”
Coast and Country, October 2015
"Liberally illustrated with photographs, Johnny ENZED is very affordably priced for an extensive 720-page volume."
Sunday Star Times, September 2015
“They went to war, Harper writes, for the travel, glamour and glory, but by the end of the Gallipoli campaign what had seemed like a great adventure had instead robbed them of such innocence as they had possessed when they set sail from New Zealand.”
Otago Daily Times, September 2015
"The key question is how good is Johnny Enzed? Very.
The high quality paper does justice to the numerous maps and photographs… if you want to read just one book on our army’s World War 1 experiences, this one’s got your number on it."
Radio New Zealand - Nine to Noon, August 2015
"a miraculous achievement" and "thoroughly recommended"
Listen to the full review here!
New Zealand Listener, August 2015
“There were few able-bodied men of military age who did not serve. This effort had a profound effect on society, especially when the men returned home… Not all could adjust either."
Manawatu Standard, August 2015
"About 200 people attended the launch of Massey University Professor Glyn Harper’s new book, Johnny Enzed… photographer Warwick Smith took a look.”
The Tribune, August 2015
"A week in winter…outings and activities… Ian Watt, from Exisle Publishing with author and war historian professor Glyn Harper…"
Newstalk ZB, August 2015
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/andrew-dickens-sunday-cafe/audio/the-final-interview-glyn-harpers-johnny-enzed/
TV3 News - Saturday 8 August
Chunuk Bair: Rewriting the ANZAC story - as shown on TV3 News Saturday 8 August:
http://www.3news.co.nz/world/chunuk-bair-rewriting-the-anzac-story-2015080818#axzz3iH5GwOau
Extended Interviews online:
Glyn Harper:
Dr Peter Pedersen, one of Australia's leading military historians:
http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/video-dr-peter-pedersen---extended-interview-2015080819#axzz3iH5GwOau
Chief Lieutenant General Tim Keating:
Niell Atkinson, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage's chief historian:
Weekend Herald, August 2015
"Military historian Glyn Harper… talks to Andrew Stone about life at the front, and back home."
“I think what they did fighting in this war, sticking it out till the end, is a considerable achievement,” says Glyn Harper. We need to acknowledge that."
Army News NZ, August 2015
"Some years ago, one of Glyn Harper's books was acclaimed by the then Prime Minister Helen Clark as being the "book of the year". I wouldn't be surprised if this, his latest book, 'Johnny Enzed' is not given the same accolade. It's just so good... Johnny Enzed leaves very few 'stones unturned' ... be warned, it is such an exciting and well written book, well support by photographs that have remained 'hidden' for one hundred years, that once the reader gets through the first few pages, there will be a desire to keep on reading - and learning about those magnificent warriors of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. This is a "10 out of 10" publication!" ~ Col Ray Seymour is the Honorary Colonel, First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, and Patron of the New Zealand Military Historical Society (Inc)
New Zealand Herald, August 2015
"For his new war study, author Harper has created a composite New Zealand soldier from the conflict, called him Johnny Enzed, and used the device to explore soldiers' lives as they served King and country. His approach draws together military and social history to give readers a sense of war not so much from the horizon of the military command, but from New Zealand soldiers in their trenches and tents, on the training ground and even with the tarts they chased in Cairo, Paris and Piccadilly. ... Much of the raw material for Johnny Enzed was drawn from soldiers' diaries, letters home, and unpublished material which families of servicemen sent to Harper when they learned of project, one of studies in the World War I Centenary History series. He pored over hundreds of documents, many written in the spidery, copperplate style of the time. ..."
Scoop Independent News NZ, August 2015
Testimonies from more than 2000 letters, diaries and journal entries of New Zealand soldiers who served in the Great War (1914-1918) provide vivid, moving and horrifying written accounts in a new book by Massey University Professor of War Studies Glyn Harper."
Click here to read the full article!
Radio New Zealand National, August 2015
"Professor Harper said he had tried to tell the story of the New Zealand soldier in their own words as much as possible.It has taken him four years to compile and he is very grateful that the standard of literacy of the men at the time was so high. 'They were remarkable letter writers and diary keepers so I was spoilt for choice.' Professor Harper said some of the diaries and letters were remarkably candid in what they portrayed."
Click here to read more and listen to an interview with Professor Glyn Harper
New Zealand Titles
