Author Event: Long Journey Home by Katrina Kittel

Join us for an afternoon in conversation with local Historian author Katrina Kittel discussing her recently published book Long Journey Home: The perilous escapes of Anzac POWs from fascists in wartime Italy.

📍 The Press Book House
📅 Saturday, 4th July
⏰ 3pm

Captured at Alamein, used as forced labour on farms in northern Italy, thousands of Australian and New Zealand diggers escaped their captors when Italy signed an armistice in September 1943, including the author's father.

Could they make it over the Alps to freedom in Switzerland before winter set in?

'An enthralling read. Kittel's book sheds new light on a little-known aspect of the war.' Tom Gilling

'Captures the rawness, the resilience and the humanity of this little-known theatre of war.' Susan Jacobs

'Astonishing stories of courage and survival under the most extreme circumstances—giving voice at last to the forgotten men behind the uniforms.' Paul Livingston

'Deeply affecting and profoundly important.' Tony Albert

'Rich in personal stories and deeply researched' Karl James

Katrina has been writing about POWs since 2012 including articles for Sabretache (the journal of Military Historical Society of Australia), the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Our Mob Serving Country website as well as websites and print publications by military unit associations.

On 30 June 2026, Long Journey Home: The perilous escapes of Anzac POWs from fascists in wartime Italy, will be released by Allen & Unwin.

Katrina Kittel attended The University of Newcastle where she completed a degree in history and a Master degree. During her 25-year career at The University of Newcastle, she was employed in administrative, research assistant and librarian roles. At Charles Sturt University, Katrina undertook postgraduate studies in Library Science. Katrina is a member of the Professional Historians Australia.