Nabbing Ned Kelly: the extraordinary true story of the men who brought Australia's nortorious outlaw to justice

Historian David Dufty has meticulously trawled through police and other government records to try and discover what really did happen during the two year police hunt for the outlaw, Ned Kelly, and his gang, who operated in central northern Victoria and southern New South Wales. The result of the research is the book, Nabbing Ned Kelly, which unmasks many of the myths surrounding the Kelly Gang and their supporters.

It is true that some members of the Victorian police force in the nineteenth century were incompetent but there were members of the police force who were dedicated to bringing the bush rangers to justice. Unfortunately the gang had many supporters who were prepared to supply false information to the police and / or intimidate anyone who did not support the Kellys.

Stealing horses, bushranging, removing railway tracks to derail a train carrying police, taking hostages, robbing banks and murdering three policemen were some of the activities undertaken by this group. Yet there are many people who still believe and propagate the myths that have grown up about the Kelly Gang and their so called persecution by the police. 

Novels and poems have been written and films and television programs made about Ned Kelly and his followers. Some newspaper reports at the time and subsequent articles over the years have clouded the true story.  Dufty's book takes a critical look at the reign of the Kelly family in the region and systematically provides facts from the police records to unravel the Kelly myths.

Another historian, Grantlee Kieza, has written the book, The Kelly Hunters: the desperate manhunt to bring down Australia's most nortorious outlaw, also published this year, on the same theme.

The secret code-breakers of Central Bureau

I recently came across the Central Bureau and the codebreakers who worked there when reading The Codebreakers by Alli Sinclair. The Central Bureau was a secret organisation established to monitor and decode Japanese messages during World War II. Established in Melbourne sections were later set up in Brisbane, then in northern Australia and islands further north as the Allies moved closer to defeating the Japanese invasion.

David Dufty has written a detailed account of what is known of the chronological history of the Central Bureau. Although this was a secret organisation and much of the documentation was destroyed at the end of the war, the author has still managed to compile an informative and comprhensive account not only of the the work of the codebreakers and other signals-intelligence workers at the Central Bureau but also a history of the War in the Pacific. The book also discusses the reluctance of governments and military services in the deployment of women, regardless of their competence and expertise.There is also discussion about tensions at times between Australian and American oersonnel.

One of the chapters in The Secret Code-breakers of Central Bureau refers  to the work of Florence McKenzie who trained many women and men in the use of morse code, an important tool for intelligence workers. David Dufty has written another book, Radio Girl, on this topic. 

At the end of the book there is a detailed notes section, a comprehensive bibliography and a dictionary of names of people mentioned in the book. The Secret Code-breakers of Central Bureau is essential reading for anyone interested in Australia's involvement in the Pacific War.

Radio Girl

The subtitle of Radio Girl by David Dufty is 'The story of the extraordinary Mrs Mac, pioneering engineer and wartime legend'. This is truely the story of an incredible woman.

Florence Violet Granville was born in Melbourne in1890 and known as Violet though later in her life she was always referred to as Mrs Mac. The author records not only the story of Mrs Mac's life but also her importance in promoting equal rights for women when choosing the career they want. The book also provides valuable information about the role of signaling systems during the Second World War, particularly the use of Morse code.

Violet was initially a maths teacher but she wanted to be an electrical engineer which was an unacceptable career for a woman. She eventually managed to enrol in a course at Sydney Technical College obtaining her diploma in 1923. Meanwhile she managed a radio sales and repair shop where customers introduced her to crystal sets and amateur radio. She also increased her interest in Morse code. This led to her becoming the first female certificated radio telegraphist in Australia, the first woman in Australia to hold an amateur wireless licence and the first female member of the Wireless Institute of Australia.

In the 1930s Mrs Mac set up The Electrical Association for Women (Australia) where women could safely learn to use electrical appliances. She wrote a cookbook containing basic recipes for cooking on electric appliances as well as articles and a children's book promoting safety around electricity.

With the onset of war Mrs Mac established the Women's Emergency Signalling Corps to train women to become telegraphists. Much resistance was encountered in the acceptance of these women in military service but Mrs Mac persisted and eventually the WRANS was established allowing trained female telegraphists to assist in the war effort. The WESC also trained many servicemen, particularly potential airmen, to use Morse code and other signaling methods. Some American servicemen also attended her course. After the war she concentrated on teaching merchant seamen signaling systems.

The work done by Mrs Mac and her team during the Second World War was voluntary. Eventually the value of her work was recognised when she received an OBE in 1950. Mrs Mac died in 1982.

Until this book was published earlier this year the value of Mrs Mac's contribution to the Australian services during the war and her pioneering work in promoting safe use of electricity in this country was largely forgotten. Hopefully this book will help promote the legacy of a remarkable and determined woman.

Extensive notes, bibliography and index.

Australian Dictionary of Biography article