THE THREE BOOKS before me on the table share certain qualities: all are concerned with war; all bear that most authentically Australian imprint of Scribe Publications. Two are fresh editions of books which have already won substantial successes. One work is new. Ross McMullin’s Pompey Elliott appeared first in 2002, to such acclaim that fresh printings were required again in that year, and then in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Gavan Daws’ Prisoners of the Japanese has enjoyed international acclaim since it was first published in America in 1994. Scribe issued an Australian edition in 2004, and today a further printing…