Australian Hawk Over the Western Front

Frank_Olynyk · 6 March 2005, 08:55 PM

This title is now shown on the Grub Street web site, without, at present, a dust jacket illustration. It is a biography of RS Dallas, by one Adrian Hellwig. Anyone we know??? 192 pages, scheduled for an October release. It claims 50 victories for him, and I for one will be extremely interested in their documentation. http://www.grubstreet.co.uk/australi...tern_front.htm

The only other book of WW1 aviation interest is a hardback reprint of An Airman's Wife, by Aimee McHardy, wife of William Bond (5 decisive combats), plus a trade paperback reprint of

The Red Baron's Last Flight, from several years ago. But there may be more books to be announced.

Frank.

Vin · 6 March 2005, 11:39 PM

Start here, Frank

Roderick Stanley Dallas

Adrian Hellwig was the main interviewee in a recent current affairs program on the career of Dallas on Australian Television. He is careful to describe the 50 as "victories" and argues that the Dallas tally should be 50 using the criteria of the day.

There was a short thread devoted to discussion of the television program. I recall posting to it but cannot locate it, now.

Breguet · 13 March 2005, 07:44 PM

Hi Frank et al,

It is probably good to get in early. What I hope comes out in the book is a "victory" table that includes what the "victory" is based on (oh how Stan Dallas disliked the concept as a guide to a pilot's caliber) be it Combat Report, Official Service Record, Squadron Record book, logbook, German records (which I've tended to put in the too hard basket and anyway I look more at what was considered claimable at the time),contemporary accounts, claims made by other researchers, or combitations of those.

I think "victory lists" should stay at what they are. A good book like

ATT puts him at 32 - I know that some records I had access to the authors of ATT didn't know the location of, so what do we do? Change it every time something new comes out? It's fun to find out new info but let us not kid ourselves that we can ever be anyway near definitive about what this or that Ace got.

Most important though this isn't a book about victories or trying to claim he should now be recognised as Australia's greatest Ace. I want to tell the story of Stan as I came to know him - though his letters home, his logbbok, what his contemporaries had to say about him, etc.

He was a great bloke and would probably be as embarrassed as all heck about me getting him more widely know - but what the hell!

Pips · 14 March 2005, 03:32 PM

I'll be waiting with great interest for this book to come out. Both Dallas and Little have been largely ignored by Australian writers, so this book is marvellous.

I wonder if I can pre-order it?

Pips · 18 March 2005, 01:48 PM

I guess Breguet that you are Adrian? If so Rick McQualter from Canberra asked me to say hi! And that he is very glad that both the letters on Dallas he provided to you were of use, and that you have managed to get your book published.

He too will definitely be buying a copy of your book - in fact several as he owns a bookstore.

Breguet · 20 March 2005, 05:19 PM

Thanks "Cobby" ,

I know that this is a book that Rick himself would have loved to be able to find the time to write. My aim has always been to get Stan more widely known. Regardless of what criticism may come out about the book, if I can achieve a greater awareness of this "dickum hero" I will feel it has all been worth the effort!!

Frank_Olynyk · 20 March 2005, 06:06 PM

Adrian,
I will be at the PRO in the July/August period, with a side trip to Glasgow in there sometime. Would it be possible for you to supply the PRO reference to this new material you found, so I can get copies of it during my trip?

Frank.