RED AND WHITE DIAMONDAuthorised History of the Twenty-fourth Battalion AIF

For Australia the First World War remains the most costly conflict in terms of deaths and casualties. From a population of fewer than five million 416809 men enlisted of which over 60000 were killed and 156000 wounded gassed or taken prisoner. In general terms with Australian unit histories the quality of authorship is very good most of them share the common strength of making plentiful mention of the individual officers and men who served fought died was wounded or taken prisoner or who came safely home at the end of it all. They are a prime source for genealogists and military historians.