A look at the role of Australia in the Second World War. While the focus is on Australian troops, many of these battles also included cooperation with British and New Zealand troops. Where possible, the author has based this work on formation reports and formation and unit war diaries with their appended documents and maps. However, some such records were hard to come by so this volume also depends on interviews and correspondence with participants. -- Paraphrased from the preface.

Britain and Greece -- The German attack opens -- The rearguard actions in the Florina Valley -- The Olympus-Aliakmon Line -- The critical days -- The Thermopylae Line -- The embarkation from Greece -- Escapes to Crete and Turkey -- Retrospect -- The problem of Crete -- The loss of Maleme Airfield -- Defence of Retimo -- Heraklion : defence and embarkation -- Retreat and embarkation -- Political decisions -- The Syrian plan -- The first day -- Across the Litani -- Pressing on : to Sidon, Merdjayoun and Jezzine -- The French counter-attack -- Damascus falls -- More attacks around Merdjayoun -- Hard fighting at Jezzine -- Preparing a final blw -- The Battle of Damour -- Administering the Armistice -- Debits and credits -- On the northern flank -- The end of a period.