As Good As Any

The Australian Militia Battalions of the Second World War remain one of the most underexplored and misunderstood aspects of Australia's wartime history. Following the only Australian wartime fighting organisation of conscripted men at the time, As Good As Any: The Australian Militia Battalions, 1939–1945 brings together the political, social, and operational dimensions of the Militia with the lived experiences of its individuals. Structured chronologically, this seminal work traces the Militia's evolution throughout the war, from early years on the home front, to Port Moresby and Kokoda, the Beachheads Battles, Salamaua and the Huon Peninsula, culminating in the final campaigns in Bougainville, New Britain and Aitape-Wewak. Drawing on war diaries, personal letters, and parliamentary records, the book reveals the tensions between the Militia and the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). As Good As Any provides readers with fresh insights and a nuanced understanding of a force that shaped Australia's wartime identity.

James Morrison is a former full-time Army officer. He holds a bachelor of arts with First Class Honours from the University of New South Wales, where he examined Australian Army mechanisation between the world wars. He also holds a master of arts (International Relations) from Deakin University and a master of arts (Defence Studies) from King's College London, where he received the Sir Michael Howard Prize for best overall academic performance on the Advanced Command and Staff Course in 2014–15. In 2021 he was awarded a Chief of Army Scholarship and completed his Ph.D. on the Australian Army Militia during the Second World War in 2022, upon which this book is based. He currently works for the University of New South Wales, supporting defence research.