author
Herbert Brayley Collett
1877–1947
A soldier, librarian, and senator, he brought a rare mix of battlefield experience and public service to his writing. His best-known book offers a detailed firsthand-informed record of the 28th Battalion in the First World War.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Guernsey in 1877 and raised in Western Australia, Herbert Brayley Collett built an unusually varied career as a librarian, soldier, politician, and author. He worked for many years in the Victoria Public Library in Perth, while also serving in colonial and later Australian military forces.
Collett is best remembered by readers for The 28th: A Record of War Service in the Australian Imperial Force, 1915–19, a substantial history of the 28th Battalion. The book reflects both careful research and personal military knowledge, giving it the solid, practical tone of someone writing close to the events and people involved.
Beyond his writing, he served as a senator for Western Australia from 1933 until his death in 1947 and was widely known for his public service. That combination of librarian's discipline, soldier's experience, and historian's eye helps explain why his work still appeals to readers interested in Australia's wartime past.