Melbourne Indexers: Military and Wartime History

In recent times there has been a resurgence of interest in the history and commemoration of twentieth-century wars and those who served in them, especially in the lead-up to the 100th anniversaries of the Gallipoli campaign and the ending of World War I. This interest has been was accompanied by the publication of numerous books on wartime and military history ranging from biographies of major military figures, detailed analyses of military strategy, reports of archaeological digs on battlefields, to battlefield tourism guidebooks. There have also been many publications on the actions of the military in more contemporary conflicts and peacekeeping missions.

In this session we will explore, as a group, how military history is indexed in such works. In particular, we’ll be considering such questions as How are defence forces and military units arranged in the index? Are ranks added to the names of people? How do you index battles, campaigns, and locations? How do you index ordnance (i.e. military materiel)?

Spend some time browsing indexes to wartime and military histories and bring something to share to the session.

Parking is available down the side of the building. If you are travelling by public transport there is a tram stop nearby, and Glenferrie Station is just a couple of tram stops away.

After the meeting, we will go to a local restaurant for a meal (at own expense).