author
G. P. (George Percival) Cuttriss
1883–1974
A New Zealand-born minister and wartime chaplain, he wrote from close to the front and captured the spirit of Australian soldiers in World War I. His best-known book, Over the Top With the Third Australian Division, blends observation, memory, and admiration for the men he served alongside.
1 Audiobook
Over the Top With the Third Australian Division
by G. P. (George Percival) Cuttriss
About the author
Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on September 1, 1883, George Percival Cuttriss later became a minister in the Churches of Christ. Before and during the First World War, his life crossed New Zealand and Australia, and records connected with his military service describe him as a chaplain who embarked from Adelaide for overseas service in 1916.
Cuttriss is remembered chiefly for Over the Top With the Third Australian Division, a 1918 work introduced by Sir John Monash. The book grew out of his wartime experience and offers a vivid, personal view of the Third Australian Division rather than a dry official history, which helps explain why it still attracts readers interested in soldiers' everyday courage and comradeship.
He died on July 13, 1974. Although not a widely known literary figure, his writing remains a valuable firsthand contribution to World War I literature, especially for readers drawn to chaplains' perspectives and to the lived experience of Australian troops.