This blogging project has had many points of origin, some of them related to my professional background, some of them related to my pastime of fiction writing.
Over time, researching the lives of Western Australia's First World War soldiers has become a central passion in my life, and it's been frustrating to have it sitting on the sidelines, awaiting the rare moments I have time to work on it around my day job and family commitments. As an illustration of that, I have no less than *five* draft blog posts lined up, just waiting for final words to complete them.
I decided earlier this year that I wanted to give this work the importance it deserved, and take my own skills to the next level while I was at it. So, I proposed the Landscape of Loss project as a PhD thesis, and applied for the scholarship I would need to make that possible.
I've been lucky enough to succeed in my application, so beginning in March next year, this work will become my full-time job until 2018, with a particular focus on the social impact on the home front in the Perth suburb of Subiaco. I'm so excited to have this opportunity, and I can't wait to share the journey here.
A particular thanks to anyone reading along. This year I've been very privileged to hear from many descendants of the men I've researched, and I appreciate that hugely- please do leave a comment or drop me a line at the listed email address if you have any thoughts to share.
