Lisa Cooper, journalist from the north of the state, found a war diary from a mystery soldier. After much detective work she was eventually able to prove it was written by erstwhile Phillip Island resident Bill Cummins, who was a POW under the Japanese and was responsible for inflicting considerable grief on his captors and their equipment, such was his bravery. His diary features a poem about Phillip Island's Nip West, and his courage. Lisa was down earler in June, hosted for the day by PIDHS c/ee member Julie Box, as they spoke to locals who remembered Bill and visited places of significance to him. Lisa is writing a book based on the journals and her experience of tracing the author, and has already written 35,000 words. We look forward to the finished product and congratulate her on her amazing tenacity. Photo shows Lisa with PIDHS member Clive Dickson.
