page_title: Lionel Wigmore
section_title: Official History
hierarchical_section_title: Lionel Wigmore / Official History
caption_attribution_description: English: AWM Caption: CANBERRA, ACT. C. 1954. MEETING OF OFFICIAL WAR HISTORIANS AT ACTON OFFICES THERE TO ATTEND A MEETING OF WRITERS. LEFT TO RIGHT: BACK ROW: MR DOUGLAS GILLISON MR LIONEL WIGMORE MR. GEORGE HERMON GILL DR ALLAN S. WALKER MR CHESTER WILMOT CENTRE: MR PAUL HASLUCK PROFESSOR S.J. BUTLIN MR GEORGE ODGERS SQUADRON LEADER JOHN HERINGTON MR DAVID DEXTER FRONT: MR JOHN BALFOUR DR D.P. MELLOR MR GAVIN LONG MR DUDLEY MCCARTHY
context_page_description: Lionel Gage Wigmore was an Australian journalist and military historian. He was an author of a number of books on aspects of Australian history, including one of the volumes of the official history series Australia in the War of 1939–1945.
context_section_description: In 1943, the Australian Government selected Gavin Long as general editor of the Australia in the War of 1939–1945. This was to be a 22-volume official history of Australia's involvement in the Second World War. He progressed the project for the next several years, planning various volumes and identifying potential authors. In 1948, Long selected Wigmore as the author of the volume concerning the Australian Army's effort in British Malaya after his original choice had dropped out.
  The volume, titled The Japanese Thrust, would prove to be a difficult work to write. There were disagreements with Stanley Kirby, the author of the British official history on the war with Japan about the analysis of events in Singapore. Wigmore also had to deal with attempts by a member of the Australian Government, Wilfrid Kent Hughes, who was a prominent former officer in the 8th Division, to influence his treatment of Gordon Bennett's leadership of the division in Singapore. Bennett himself tried to sway the coverage of his command. Wigmore already had an acrimonious relationship with Bennett from his own time in Singapore and this worsened with allegations from Bennett of bias and inaccuracy. By request of the British Government, publication of the book was delayed until 1957, by which time Malayan independence had been granted. The public reception to The Japanese Thrust was favourable and it reviewed well.
caption: A group photo of the authors of Australia in the War of 1939–1945 in 1954. Wigmore stands second left in the back row
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