This is a poignant biography of Jack Huggins, an Indigenous Australian who served in WWII as a young man. Written by his daughters, the story is personal, moving and warm.
At the core of Jack of Hearts: QX11594 is family. Through the life of their father – who like his own WWI veteran father gave so much for his country while receiving mostly discrimination in return – Jack’s daughters have used diligent research to explore the broader topic of Indigenous service in the military. Their perspective exists at the intersection of personal and political history, tracing Jack’s steps through the River Kwai’s Burma-Thailand railway, which he worked to build as a prisoner of war.
This biography is a touching account of one man’s struggles in wartime and an important reminder of the underappreciated contribution made by Indigenous Australians not only to Australian society, but to the freedom of the modern world.