'The Taste of Courage' the book that stopped a bullet
'The Taste of Courage' the book that stopped a bullet
This book was carried by Second Lieutenant Graham Spinkston while he was a platoon commander in Vietnam. On patrol on September 21,1971, Spinkston was critically injured when his unit became involved in a major contact battle with North Vietnamese companies, resulting in the loss of Private Jimmy Duffy.
On release from hospital, Spinkston found his book, ‘The Taste of Courage’, in his left hand basic pouch. Lodged in its pages was a bullet which prevented critical injury to his leg. From then, Spinkston deemed it his ‘lucky bullet’. See this object, and the rest of the National Collection, in Canberra.
Paperback book edition of the 'The Taste of Courage: The War, 1939-1945' edited by Desmond Flower and James Reeves. The book is open to pages 174 and 175. A bullet has pierced the book from the rear and lodged in the pages. Damage continues until page 30. The spine is broken and separated at the open pages.
The book that stopped a bullet
It was the book that stopped a bullet, but Graham Spinkston never actually got around to reading it. Decades later, Spinkston still laughs when he’s asked about the book that caught the bullet meant for him.
View the National Collection Item
Spinkston was actually wounded by a shrapnel fragment in his right leg, but remained in command until he was air evacuated to Vung Tau.
In Canberra
In Canberra is a project celebrating the cultural holdings of Australia. It is about unearthing, object by object, the vast collection held in Canberra on Australia’s behalf.
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