Cirrus@Austlit

'"Robert's War is an autobiographical account of a Queensland lad who lied about his age to join the army, to wear the uniform, to attract the girls and to emulate his two older brothers who were on active service 'somewhere'.
'But no sooner had he become the youngest soldier in the Australian Army than he volunteered for anti-malaria experiments being carried out by the Army, and spent considerable time in hospitals and convalescence establishments recovering from bouts of malaria and the results of over-stressing his weakened body showing off his swimming and diving prowess in competitions and in front of (mainly disinterested) girls. He spent much time at home on leave, visiting cinemas and dance halls in search of girls and in trailing an older, wilder brother and finding himself in trouble with the military police.
'At last, towards the end of the war, he was finally cleared for service. He tricked the officials into permitting him to join the unit of the other brother (who had been discharged on medical grounds) and was sent up to 'the islands' where he saw some active service, especially, while on patrol duty, as an Owen gunner and a forward scout. He lost a boxing match that he should have won and was involved in the withdrawal of the Army back to Australia. He spent quite some time on post-war duty with the Army but was finally discharged, ready for his next adventure."'  (Publication summary)

'The central character to the novel is Robert, who grew up in a small country town in north Queensland. It covers two years in his life from age fourteen to sixteen in years 1939/40. Robert's teen age years were far from ordinary. He had many exciting adventures and plenty of close relationships with several different girls. However he had really strong feelings for only one. A liaison which has a sad conclusion with an air of mystery. He was unusually shy in the presence of girls yet seemed to acquire many of them as his friends. His sexual urges were strong so that his friendship with girls had but one objective in mind - Sex! It took him a long time to learn that not all girls who were friendly towards him were necessarily promiscuous easy conquests.

'The first year of the narrative covers his year at High School in Cairns, his interaction with fellow students, and his difficulty in combining his academic interests with his liking for the company of girls. At the end of the academic year he returns home to further adventures in an environment he loves. Year two of the tale has Robert quitting High School and entering employment in various jobs in which he was always striving for recognition as someone older than he really was. He considered himself to be mature enough to be classified as an adult, although many of his actions belied this assessment. The novel ends with Robert aged sixteen entering an induction centre at an army base. Here in spite of his small stature and his obvious youth he finally achieves what he has been striving for, acceptance into an adult world. (Publication summary)