Kiama author Ryan Butta will officially launch on Tuesday July 30 The Bravest Scout at Gallipoli at Bouquiniste Cafe, where he spends time writing, reading and drinking coffee with owner, good friend and fellow author Clayton Comber.

The Bravest Scout at Gallipoli is based on the life of Harry Freame, the first Australian soldier to win the distinguished conduct medal at Gallipoli. Telling Harry’s story is right up there as one of Ryan’s proudest achievements, not just because it was the second of his non-fiction books to be picked up by a commercial publisher. 

“I always wanted to be commercially published. That's like a validation thing for a writer for some reason,” explains Ryan.

His pride is linked to the fact Ryan was able to give Harry Freame the recognition he deserves as one of Australia’s most decorated soldiers. Renowned war correspondent and historian Charles Bean called Freame the “finest scout at Gallipoli” and “the most ubiquitous soldier on the peninsula”. But Harry doesn’t feature in your typical ANZAC histories. 

Freame was born in Japan and had an Australian father and Japanese mother. He was raised as a Samurai, under the Bushido code - the seven principles of righteousness, loyalty, honour, respect, honesty, courage and consistency which samurai warriors live by. 

“Harry was loved by the troops he fought alongside,” says Ryan. “Men rallied behind him, he was a leader of men. When it came down to it, our troops relied on his intelligence to launch attacks. Harry would crawl around on his belly and map the Turkish trenches, their defences, the number of machine guns they had. He was captured in the trenches at one point and managed to escape. He was wounded so many times his body was covered in scars.”

Harry, who died in 1940 just before WWII broke out, was buried in an unmarked grave in Sydney. But thanks to Ryan, and his meticulous research, people are now able to hear Harry’s story and understand that the ANZAC legend is much richer and more nuanced than the historical snapshots we often hear about.

“It was tragic and very emotional to read about what these young men went through when I was researching this book,” says Ryan. “They had no idea about the horrors they would face. And it wasn’t just young British Australians out there on the battlefields of Gallipoli. There were Africans from the French colony fighting alongside ANZACs, there were Indigenous soldiers, Maori soldiers, Sikh soldiers, there was the Zionist mule regiment doing all the transport. So it was a very multicultural fighting force, I’m not sure that comes through when we talk about the ANZAC legend.”

Ryan was not only able to tell Harry’s story in The Bravest Scout at Gallipoli but he was also able to ensure that Harry received the recognition and burial that he deserved as a decorated war hero.

Ryan wrote several emails to the Australian government, including petitioning the Prime Minister, to push for Harry’s service to be recognised. Last month his long fight to honour Harry came to fruition. Thanks to Ryan, Harry now has a plaque honouring his sacrifices on his gravesite. 

“I hope I have done his story justice,” says Ryan.

You can hear Ryan speak about The Bravest Scout at Gallipoli from 5.30pm at Bouquiniste for a Q&A with Clay. Stay tuned to hear more about how Ryan “amplified” the Anzac legend in the next print edition of The Bugle on August 9.