frederick mulae

From the jungles of war to the beautiful Italian countryside, follow five young men on a wild and humorous ride as they dodge the bullets of war, love, and friendship.

Marsh, Al, Matt, Bruno, and Dudley are five cheeky mates who return home from the horrors of the Vietnam War, believing they are invincible.

But is their self-assurance short-lived?

Are their battle scars too deep for them to find real happiness?

What are their chances of fitting back into society, finding jobs, and falling in love?

Does amputee Matt still have what it takes to find the woman of his dreams?

Can Marshall re-connect with his Italian heritage?

’The story focuses on Italian-Australian soldier Marshall Della Casa as he leaves to fight in South-East Asia, where he joins a tight-knit group of young men. After the war, these soldiers find themselves attempting to acclimate to life back home with sex and drugs as they face both depression and withdrawal. When their paths diverge, the focus returns to Marshall as he sojourns to his homeland in Italy. Finally, the story brings all the men back together to determine their fates.

Ribald humour and antics aside, this is largely a story about how most returned soldiers were different men to the boys they had been before the conflict. An honest tale about friendship among veterans.’ - Kirkus Reviews.