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Wooden Ships and Iron Men

  • ISBN-13: 9781923105928
  • Publisher: HAWKEYE BOOKS
    Imprint: HAWKEYE BOOKS
  • By Peter Long
  • Price: AUD $33.99
  • Stock: 0 in stock
  • Availability: Book will be despatched upon release.
  • Local release date: 01/09/2026
  • Format: Paperback (228.00mm X 152.00mm) 327 pages Weight: 0g
  • Categories: Regional & national history [HBJ]
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The Coastwatchers risked everything for victory. This is one of their stories. Will Red, a boxer turned novice sailor aboard two small Allied Intelligence boats during World War II, survive the dangers that lurk behind enemy lines? Tasked with spying and supporting the secretive Coastwatchers deep in Japanese-occupied territory, he faces betrayals, relentless enemy pursuit, aerial bombardment, and the constant threat of disease in the tropical wilderness. Inspired by true events, Wooden Ships and Iron Men is a gripping tale of adventure, courage, and endurance – a story of family, passion, and the indomitable Aussie spirit, laced with moments of humour amid the horror of war. 

Peter Long is a Brisbane writer with an interest in regional and historical fiction and any other topic that attracts his fancy. He attempts all forms but appreciates short stories for their variety, discipline, subtlety and colour, and novels for their ability to provide a platform for extended ideas. Peter Long was a QWC committee member 2021-23 where he focused on support for regional writers.

  • Awards: Highly commended in the 1980 and 1981 McGregor Literary Competition. Long-listed in The Stringybark and Sydney Hammond Short Story Competitions. Collection of short stories long-listed in the 2020 Hawkeye Manuscript Development Prize. Placed second in the 2023 Fellowship of Australian Writers, QLD, Maureen Freer, Short Story Competition, and third in the Stringybark Erotic Fiction Competition.
  • Protagonist inspired by the author’s father, grounding the narrative in personal history and emotional authenticity
  • Author contributed as a researcher to a Prime Ministerial study on suicide and self-harm among serving and ex-serving ADF members and their families, adding depth and credibility to themes of trauma and service.
  • Member of the Returned Services League (RSL), reinforcing the author’s connection to veteran communities.
  • Engages with historical tensions between Korea and Japan, including the legacy of ‘comfort women’, adding geopolitical and historical weight.
  • Writing style compared to Joseph Conrad, with a similarly immersive and atmospheric tone
  • Evocative historical realism likened to Hilary Mantel, highlighting the author’s strength in bringing the past to life.
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