The Private War of the Spotters
Australian History Young Adult Non-Fiction Biography & Memoir Aviation History World War II Military History Pacific War Signals Intelligence
The Private War of the Spotters is a scarce 1990 first-edition hardcover that puts readers inside one of World War II’s least-known but most critical arenas: the secret wireless-ranging duels fought by Australia’s 1st Wireless Air Observer School. In 296 fast-moving pages, Alex E. Perrin—who served as a “spotter” himself—turns de-classified signals, flight logs and personal diaries into a white-knuckle narrative that shows how young Australian airmen, armed only with radios and trig tables, stalked Japanese transmitters across the South-West Pacific. The result is not just another Pacific War memoir; it is the only full-length account of the radar war told from the Australian side, making it indispensable for collectors of Anzac military history.
What makes this copy especially appealing is its vintage 1990 status—published in a tiny print-run by the author and never reprinted—ensuring it remains the true first and still the most complete source on the topic. The hardback is solid, the pages are clean and unmarked, and the original dust jacket, lightly scuffed only at the edges, still showcases the striking spotting-tower artwork that has become iconic among radar-history enthusiasts. A neat gift inscription on the front end-paper hints at the book’s provenance without detracting from its collectibility, and the absence of any ex-library stamps or dog-eared leaves means it presents beautifully on a shelf or in a display of Australian military firsts.
For students, modellers, genealogists or general readers hunting for a gripping, youth-friendly introduction to signals intelligence, The Private War of the Spotters delivers the perfect mix of technical detail and human drama. Perrin explains RDF (radio direction finding) in plain English, follows individual spotters from enlistment in 1941 to the surrender in Tokyo Bay, and peppers the text with 70 period photographs and diagrams that illustrate everything the reader needs to know about the secret war of radio beams. Because the wireless company’s records were largely destroyed after V-J Day, this book is often the only place families can trace the service of a relative who “listened for a living.”
Searchers looking for “rare Australian WWII books,” “first edition Pacific War memoirs,” or “collectible military radar histories” will find this copy ticks every box: first printing, hardcover with jacket, 33-year-old vintage, and written by the unit’s own commanding officer. It is an ideal gift for Anzac Day, a unique addition to any Second World War library, and a tangible piece of Australia’s scientific contribution to Allied victory.
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