Hector Dinning’s By-ways on Service is a collection of personal notes and sketches from his time as an Australian Army Service Corps driver during the First World War. Instead of focusing on the Western Front, his story takes us to the often-overlooked campaigns in Egypt and Palestine.

The Story

There isn't a single, driving plot. Think of it as a series of vivid postcards from the edge of a war zone. Dinning drives his truck across deserts, sets up camp in ancient lands, and interacts with locals in bustling cities like Cairo. He describes the relentless dust, the struggle to find decent supplies, and the makeshift routines soldiers created to pass the time. We see the war from the perspective of the men who kept the machine running—the drivers, cooks, and clerks. There are moments of quiet beauty in the landscape, flashes of humor in the face of army bureaucracy, and sharp observations about the cultures they encountered. It’s the daily reality of service, stripped of glory, full of grit and small revelations.

Why You Should Read It

This book is special because it feels so honest. Dinning isn’t trying to be a hero; he’s just a guy trying to do his job and make sense of a strange situation. His writing has a quiet, thoughtful quality that’s very engaging. You get a real sense of the Australian character—practical, irreverent, and resilient. He notices things others might miss: the expression on a local merchant's face, the peculiar taste of army-issue jam, the strange silence of the desert at night. Reading this, you understand that for most soldiers, war was 5% sheer terror and 95% managing boredom, discomfort, and odd moments of connection. It adds a crucial layer of understanding to the history we think we know.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history buffs who are tired of battle maps and want to know what soldiers ate and talked about. It’s also great for anyone who enjoys firsthand accounts and personal diaries. If you liked the grounded perspective of books like All Quiet on the Western Front but want to see a completely different theatre of war, this is a fascinating companion piece. It’s a short, insightful read that proves sometimes the most powerful stories are found not on the main road, but in the 'by-ways.'