The author, William Carne was an officer with the Battalion from its inception. Thus, he was a first-hand witness to many the operations of the Battalion until the 30th August 1918, during the Battle of St Quentin when he was captured and become a POW. He was released within a few months at wars end returned to Australia where he was an accountant, he died in 1969 aged 84 years.
The company was formed in Egypt in 1916 from Machine Gun Sections of 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th Australian Infantry Battalions. It moved to France and was an element of 2nd Australian Division until the end of the war. Armed with the Vickers gun, it took part in numerous actions in the "sustained" fire role. Many members are named in the text, both as casualties and as award winners. The appendix pages include a named Honour Roll and Nominal Roll which includes temporary members. This book is a facsimile reprint of the original book first printed back in 1937.. 434 pages with 13 maps & diagrams + 14 photographs. According to the 'Bibliography of Australian Army Unit Histories', this is the only history ever written about an Australian Machine Gun Company - thus it forms a valuable resource for life and times of the men of an Australian Machine Gun Company.