Butler expertly holds our attention throughout the book as she pokes, prods, and teases a formidable body of research, all the while focusing on Kit and what we can learn through her. One of Butler’s missions is to foster understanding of the traditional protocols of women’s diaries and the ways in which they can show us the changes wrought by war, both on individuals and on societies. Using Kit’s war diary as a springboard, but knowing (and showing) that at face value it only tells part of her story, Butler seeks to explain and fill Kit’s silences, to question her stoicism and to draw out her emotions. Of course, it is not always possible to find the truth, especially at such a distance, but Butler’s analysis is plausible and often illuminating. Kitty’s War is a valuable addition to our understanding of the experiences of Australian nurses close to the action at Gallipoli and the Western Front. In the shadow of the prevailing Anzac legend, these extraordinary pioneering women have not had a privileged voice.

One quibble with the text (except in the first chapter, where it is very effective) is the use of present tense throughout. It soon wears thin and is too often clumsy, confusing, and subject to grammatical error. Otherwise, Kitty’s War is a fine accomplishment.