Anzac Sniper

The extraordinary story of Stan Savige, one of Australia's greatest soldiers

By: Roland Perry

Narrated by: David Tredinnick

The extraordinary story of Stan Savige - from Gallipoli marksman to Pacific War General and the founder of Legacy.

‘Stan Savige had been on Gallipoli for just two weeks, in the trenches firing at Turks less than 20 metres away. But Sniper’s Ridge was a different proposition. Killing took on another dimension. In the flurry of trench warfare, a soldier would rarely be certain he had hit an enemy. On this ridge of death, however, Savige’s job was to make sure he struck as many of the opposition as possible.’

The son of a struggling country butcher, Stan Savige left school at 12 to become a blacksmith’s striker. But in 1915, a passage in the Bible inspired the devout scout leader and Sunday school teacher to enlist. Soon, his abilities as a crack marksman attracted the attention of officers, and he was put in charge of the sniper’s post, his job to eliminate enemy assassins at Anzac Cove. Savige succeeded and survived Gallipoli, only to be sent to the Western Front, then to Persia as part of the elite squad Dunsterforce. It was the beginning of a long, dangerous and distinguished military career spanning both world wars, with Savige fighting and commanding in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific in World War II.

In this gripping biography, Roland Perry paints a fascinating and complex portrait of Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige, KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED. Savige was a man of character and compassion, a quiet outsider who founded war veterans’ support charity Legacy, who still has few peers in courage, skill and achievement. His record is second to none in Australian military history, in the scope of his combat over two world wars.

©2018 Roland Perry (P)2018 Bolinda Publishing

Extraordinary character and a great story!

Extremely interesting biography that covers two world wars! You will have a greater appreciation of both this man and the contributions of the ANZACs. Fair warning: the title is a little misleading. The sniper stuff is pretty limited, but it’s still a great story.

Man of Upmost Valor

Stan Savige's story is one of the richest, and complex stories out there. It's not the normal military biography. Before the Great War, Savige's Christian faith in a benevolent God was unquestioning. What is so interesting about this book is Perry shows how the Great War changed Savige in a way that no one, other than those who fought, could understand. The reader cannot comprehend what the men went through who fought in this war, and World War II. It would be enough to completely shake an ordinary man's faith to the core. Perry does not shy away from any area of Savige's life. That's what makes it interesting. Savige was the consummate soldier, and it showed in every aspect of his life. Right or wrong this was his life. And David Tredinnick's narration is exceptional as always.

An Australian Hero

I very much enjoyed this book, because here in the United States, we don’t get a whole lot of history of Anzac soldiers. I felt it was very well written, and I loved the narrator doing his job in an Australian accent. It made it a lot more authentic to me.