I’ve had two titles come onto my review bookshelf recently from small Australian publisher Boolarong Press. These are:

Hospital Ships
Manunda, Wanganella, Centaur, Oranje
By Rupert Goodman
Published by Boolarong Press
http://www.boolarongpress.com.au
RRP $29.99 in paperback
ISBN 9781925236491

This book was first published in 1992. It tells the story of hospital ships which saved the lives of many casualties of battle but also cost the lives of the men and women who went down with their ships while performing their humanitarian role of caring for the sick and wounded. There are four ships of World War II which Goodman covers in some detail: Manunda, Centaur, Wanganella and Oranje.

A Civilian Surgeon in Vietnam 1961-1968
By Vicki R H Holman
Published by Boolarong Press
http://www.boolarongpress.com.au
RRP $29.99 in paperback
ISBN 9781925236293

Having first written her mother Vicki Sale’s story in A Glorious Adventure, Vicki Holman then turned her attention to her father’s story in her latest book, which is a remarkable account of the trials and tribulations of the Australian Surgical Team, sent from Queensland to Bien Hoa, Vietnam, from September 1967 to September 1968. These dedicated doctors and nurses used their skills to alleviate the suffering of the war-weary Vietnamese civilians.

Vicki Holman’s father, Dr Tom Sale OBE, MB,ChB, FRCS (Edinburgh), AM (Singapore), FRCAS, FRACMA, FACRM, Medical Superintendent of the Rockhampton General Hospital, was appointed Leader of the team. While in Bien Hoa, as well as fulfilling his duties as leader, he also found time to write a monthly report that was sent back to Australia.

The story of how Vicki came to write the book appeared recently in the local newspaper, The Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, linked here.