Hurrah for the Next Man
By Phil Davenport
The story of author Phil Davenport and his two brothers, Jack and Keith, RAAF pilots in Coastal Command flying from the UK in WWII, who between them flew over 200 operational sorties.
In April 1945 Phil and navigator Ron Day were shot down; their Mosquito crashed on a frozen lake in Telemark, Norway. Phil and Ron, after being rescued by Norwegian farmers, were captured by German soldiers and became POWs at Fornebu, an airport near Oslo, where they spent the last month of the War.
‘In the two World Wars we, who enlisted for an active role in the fighting, had the privilege of believing we were morally in the right as true defenders, allied in action against aggressive, ruthless dictators. But in later wars . . . young men did not have this privilege.’
After WWII, Phil joined UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) to work in China and found himself once more caught up in war; this time a civil war between Communist and Nationalist forces.
Phil’s first book, The Voyage of Waltzing Matilda, is an account of sailing Phil’s yacht from Australia to England via South America. It was published by Hutchison & Co. Ltd in the UK in 1953.
Hurrah for the Next Man RRP $32.00 plus postage from Beachcomber Press
Reviews
Hurrah for the Next Man
A Crack In The Ice
By Stevie Davenport
‘Man dies naked in Antarctic crevasse’.
Until the Australian Federal Police receive news of an expeditioner’s death at Mawson Station in the early 1990s, there had been no murders in Australian Antarctica. None that were known. Aspects of Jason Webb’s death are suspicious – was it murder, suicide or an accident?
Because of the remoteness of the site, it takes weeks for Detective Senior Sergeant Sam Connell and his colleagues Detective Constable Nina Caporelli and forensic pathologist Dr Phil Sharp, to reach the scene where Jason died. On arrival in Antarctica, the investigators land in a highly-charged social environment where twenty-three people have emerged from a dark, tension-ridden winter. They battle the elements and human inconsistencies to uncover the circumstances around Jason’s death.
This a story about a journey – a physical journey, an emotional journey for Sam, who is ‘a little on the spectrum’, and his team. One of the main players is the magnificent continent of Antarctica.
Shortlisted for the Qld Writers Centre 2019/2020 Adaptable Program.
‘Rug up to read this book’ Two Ladies
A Crack in the Ice RRP $25.00 is available in Tasmania from Fullers Bookshop, Hobart Book Shop, Petrarch’s Bookshop and Beachcomber Press (plus postage).
Reviews
A Crack in the Ice
Readers’ words about A Crack in the Ice:
Taroona Book Club Number 2, Tasmania, Australia: ‘Five stars to Stevie Davenport’s book, A Crack in the Ice. The book describes a trip to Antarctica and back by police officers Sam Connell and Nina Caporelli and forensic pathologist Phil Sharp. Their task is to investigate the sudden death of expeditioner Jason Webb. Was it a tragic accident, was it suicide or was it a more sinister murder? The novel takes us through a series of twists and turns that keep us guessing right to the end.
Stevie divides up the investigations undertaken by Sam, Nina and Phil using the aid of a series of diverse geographical locations. She takes the reader on a journey from the team’s familiar turf in Canberra to pre-expedition training in the Tasmanian highlands, then on to the open ocean, the pack ice, the Australian Antarctic base, the wilds of Antarctica itself and finally back home again. Stevie’s vivid descriptions give a sense of place to each of the locales. The way she describes the impact of these different environments on the main characters gives us a real feel for their experiences.
The novel provides the reader with deep insight into the unique experiences of travelling and staying on an Australian Antarctic base. Evocative and informative, the narrative overlays the lives of a diverse range of individuals tackling the physical and mental challenges encountered in such a harsh environment. No doubt Stevie is able to bring such an air of authenticity to her story telling because of her long experience of working in Antarctica.
The novel crosses genres – it’s part adventure, part mystery, with a touch of romance. This makes for an entertaining read. We look forward to reading about the next investigation that Sam, Nina and Phil are tasked with – will it be the Great Barrier Reef or the Outback?’
SJ: ‘Started reading your book last night and I can’t put it down!!! Loving it.’
RB: ‘I enjoyed reading your novel, especially the descriptions of life on the Aurora Australia and on the Antarctic continent. Your experiences there made the book authentic and of course your experience with medical matters.’
GR: ‘I loved your novel. The Antarctic is the star of the novel and you make it feel as if the reader’s been there. True mastery.’ ‘It’s an intelligent, accessible, vicarious visit to an unvisited world.’