Before ANZAC, Beyond Armistice is a new approach to the First World War. Using the soldiers' service files - a valuable source so far largely ignored by historians - Keith Scott presents a keyhole study of the character, background, fortunes and fate of the men from Central Otago who went to war together. Woven through the research are personal stories of, and encounters with, war told by the soldiers themselves: shared experiences of fun, endurance, death and, most importantly of all, mateship. This is also a story of the home from which these soldiers came: before, during and after war. It is a community that is determined yet divided. Scott reveals the fear behind the flag waving and the anger that followed the anguish.

About the Author

Keith Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts First Class Honours in History and German from The University of Otago. He has a family association with Otago going back to 1848, and he is passionate about its history and its heritage. Before ANZAC, Beyond Armistice is his first published work. He has written a drama script for the theatre, One Shall Be Taken, and is currently working on a novel set in Central Otago and on The Western Front entitled Until the Day Dawns.