HMAS Canberra: Casualty of Circumstance

About Kathryn Spurling

Dr Kathryn Spurling served with the Womens Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS). Her late father FO Maxwell Norris (RAAF) served with RAF Bomber Command during WWII.After securing her PhD in military history Dr Spurling tutored history and strategic studies and guest lectured in history at the University of New South Wales Australian Defence Force Academy Canberra.In 2012 she was appointed a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University Canberra and in 2014 became an Adjunct Visiting Research Associate with Flinders University. She has lectured extensively overseas on military issues.Most significant: First Australian invited to speak at NATO HQ Brussels on women in the military; First Australian Summer Military History Fellow United States Military Academy West Point; Guest lecturer at the Dutch Defence College Amsterdam the Netherlands. Keynote speaker at the Womens Research and Education Institute Women in Uniform Conference Washington DC four times. Keynote speaker Australian Women of the Year National Congress Canberra. Keynote speaker Women in the Australian Defence Force Chief of Defence Force Conference on Women in Security and the ADF. Speaker at Crime and Justice Challenges for the Contemporary Military Conference Onati School of Sociology Spain. Commemorative address RAN Centenary Ceremony for the Loss of AE1 and crew Rabaul New Guinea. Dr Spurling's media appearances have included features on ABC's The Drum; 4 Corners and Insight.  She has written ten books including for New Holland Publishers: Cruel Conflict: the triumph and tragedy of HMAS Perth I New Holland 2008. Launched by Minister for Defence onboard HMAS Perth III.  A Grave too Far Away: A Tribute to Australians in Bomber Command Europe New Holland 2012. HMAS Canberra: casualty of circumstance New Holland 2016. Abandoned and Sacrificed: Rabaul Lark Force and the Montevideo Maru New Holland 2017. Upcoming - Fury To Hell New Holland 2022.