IT'S not often a rare piece of Australian military history is placed in your hands - just ask the volunteers from the Ulladulla Milton Lions Club's pre-loved bookshop.
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A volunteer was doing a shift recently when two people came in and made a stunning donation.
The volunteer was left with a copy of a 1916 edition of 'The Anzac Book' which was 'written and illustrated in Gallipoli by the men of Anzac in his hands.
So stunned was the volunteer that he did not take down the contact details of the people who made the donation.
The volunteer, who took the book, said he believed a mother and daughter made the donation.
Given the book's age, it looks and smells a bit musty, however, it is in fairly good condition.
"We would like to know who owned that book," volunteer treasurer Margaret Reeves said.
They also want to "properly" thank the people who donated the book.
Mrs Reeves can be contacted on 0417 454 344 if people have any information about it, like who owned it.
They plan to either donate the book to the Milton Ulladulla RSL Sub-Branch or the Australian War Memorial.
Mrs Reeves said it was the type of book that needed to be kept behind glass.
"It would be nice to have that soldier's name with it," she said.
"Goodness me yes," she said when asked if they felt fortunate about getting the book.
Mrs Reeves said each Gallipoli division contributed to the book.
She said the book was "priceless" given its historical value.
There is even a map of Anzac Cove in it, along with pictures and stories.
Two Second World War books - 'Soldiering On' and 'As You Were' were also donated by the same people.
Similar WWII books had been donated in the past but never anything like The Anzac Book'.
Meanwhile, one of the pages explains the book was "for the benefit of patriotic funds connected with the A.& N.Z.A.C and printed by the Cassell and Company, Ltd, London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne 1916".
Lieutenant General Sir W. R. Birdwood wrote the introduction.
"No words of mine could ever convey to readers at their firesides in Australia, New Zealand and the Old Country, on half of what all their boys have been through, nor is my poor pen capable of telling them of the never-failing courage, determination and cheerfulness of those who have so willingly fought and given their lives for the King and country's sake," Sir Birdwood wrote in the introduction
"Their deeds are known to the Empire and can never be forgotten, while if any copy of this little book should happen to survive and fall into the hand of our children, or our children's children, it will serve to show them to some extent what their fathers have done for the Empire, and indeed for civilisation in days gone by."
Sir Birdwood wished that every one of his old comrades meet with good fortune and lived to a ripe old age full of happiness.
