Lynette Ramsay Silver, (born 1945) is an Australian historian and author. She has written a number of books dealing with Australian and military history.

Career

Silver's first book, published in 1986, ''A Fool's Gold?'', deals with the first discoveries of payable gold in Australia and was written after she discovered archival documents "lost" for 134 years. Her next book, ''The Battle of Vinegar Hill'', first published in 1989, is the first (and only) full account of the Irish insurrection

Castle Hill convict rebellion The Castle Hill convict rebellion was a Convicts in Australia, convict rebellion in Castle Hill, New South Wales, Castle Hill, Sydney, then part of the British colony of New South Wales. Led by veterans of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, the poorly ...

of 1804. ''Sandakan – A Conspiracy of Silence'', published in 1998, uncovered the fate of 2428 Australian and British prisoners of war who died at the Sandakan POW Camp in Borneo or on one of the death marches, and investigated the coverup of a failed rescue mission Operation Kingfisher (World War II). 2004's ''The Bridge at Parit Sulong'' is an investigation into the massacre of allied prisoners by Japanese soldiers in Malaya in 1942. Further books, mainly related to military history, followed. Silver was awarded an honorary

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of then ...

(OAM) in 2004 for "service to veterans and their families, particularly as an organiser of battlefield tours and commemorative services". She was advanced to

Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AM) in the

2019 Australia Day Honours The 2019 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2019 by the Governor General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove. The Au ...

for "significant service to the community through historical battlefield tours and commemorative services", and appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(MBE) in the

2024 New Year Honours The 2024 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Hono ...

for services to British families of Second World War personnel.

Personal life

Silver is married and has two children and three grandchildren.

Books

* ''A Fool's Gold?'' (1986) * ''The Battle of Vinegar Hill'' (1989) * ''The Heroes of Rimau: Unravelling the Mystery of One of World War II's Most Daring Raids'' (1990) * ''Krait; The fishing boat that went to war'' (1992) * ''Pot Pourri and other Secrets from the Garden'' (1992) * ''My Ballet Book'' (1992) * ''Making...Friendship Bands'' (1994) * ''Flowercraft'' (1995) * ''Papercraft: Paper-Making & Paper-Mache'' (1995) * ''Playing Skipping and Elastic Games'' (1995) * ''Fabulous furphies; Ten great myths from Australia's past'' (1997) * ''Sandakan: A Conspiracy of Silence'' (1998) * ''On This Rock: The Church of St Peter Hornsby 1898–1998'' (1998) * ''Great Kids' Games'' (1999) * ''The Bridge at Parit Sulong'' (2004) * ''Marcel Caux – A Life Unravelled'' (2005) * ''Deadly Secrets: The Singapore Raids 1943–45'' (2010) * ''Blood Brothers'' (2010) * ''In The Mouth Of The Tiger'' (2014) * ''Billy: My Life as a Teenage POW'' (2016)

References

External links

Article: Jack Sue did not fabricate his wartime heroics, says his son

Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silver, Lynette Living people Australian historians Australian women historians 1945 births Women military writers Members of the Order of Australia Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire Australian non-fiction writers