The Sequel: What the Great War will mean to Australia

In Short

Written in early 1915 as a speculative war memoir, this futuristic narrative follows Lieutenant Jefson, an Australian aviator navigating aerial dogfights, captivity, and political collapse during World War I. Escaping German soil and witnessing the fall of the Kaiser, Jefson charts the rise of a global "Humanist" movement that disarms traditional powers. As Europe falls into economic stagnation and brief conflict, Australia embraces corporate efficiency and infrastructure syndicates. Blending tech-prophecy, military adventure, and conservative political commentary, it stands as an intriguing early 20th-century Australian vision of post-war society and mechanical progress.

The Story

The narrative begins amidst the aerial battlefields of Western Europe during the Great War. Lieutenant Jefson, an Australian aviator serving with the Allied forces alongside his companion Nap, conducts reconnaissance missions over France. Equipped with aerial guns and "cough-drop" bombs, Jefson flies above Rheims and the Yser, engaging German Taube aircraft. Mechanical trouble and enemy fire force him down behind enemy lines, leading to his capture and imprisonment in Cologne.

During his captivity and subsequent travels across German territory, Jefson observes the inner workings of the German war machine and its culture. He engages in lengthy discussions with locals and fellow travelers, reflecting on Germany's rapid industrial growth, the legacy of Bismarck, and the rigid training that turned citizens into mechanical components. Upon escaping, Jefson travels disguised along the Rhine, where he meets Brother Wilbrid, a Christian Brother and former artisan who harbors radical ideas about industrial automation. Wilbrid reveals the dark undercurrents of technological advancement, including the conspiracy surrounding the death of Rudolf Diesel, whose labor-saving engine threatened to disrupt global labor markets.

Jefson eventually rejoins the advancing Allied forces as they launch a decisive offensive through the Argonne Forest and the Ardennes, pressing rapidly toward Liege. Russia breaks German resistance in the east, bringing the war to an abrupt conclusion after fifteen months of combat. Discipline breaks down into widespread fraternization between opposing troops, while a political transformation sweeps through Germany. The deposed Kaiser gives way to the "Humanists," a political movement advocating total disarmament, state-provided social welfare, and universal brotherhood.

The Allies sign the Treaty of Berlin in December 1915, imposing heavy indemnities on Germany and redistributing European territories. However, the Humanists fund these obligations through steep taxes on capital, causing European wealth to flee. Meanwhile, in Australia, state-owned socialist initiatives collapse financially under the weight of debt and loan restrictions. A powerful capitalistic entity known as the "Syndicate" steps into the vacuum, taking over public works, absorbing waves of European immigrants, and developing tax-free agricultural lands.

In Europe, the Humanist nations disarm completely, leaving themselves vulnerable when trade disputes arise with an emerging Asiatic federation. Belgium alone retains its industrial vigor, private enterprise, and defense capabilities, developing advanced "Heliocoptre" aircraft armed with thermit shells. Led by a patriotic figure known as Madame, Belgian forces swiftly seize control of the defenseless Humanist governments and restore constitutional monarchies. After Madame falls ill from the strain of directing operations, Jefson and his new wife Helen accompany her to Australia to recover. Settling near Sydney Harbor by 1916, Jefson reflects on how the war cured Australia of utopian social experiments, steering the nation toward military discipline, industrial efficiency, and private enterprise.

How It Unfolds

Battles in the upper air Lieutenant Jefson and his partner Nap fly reconnaissance missions over the Marne-Vesle Ridge, engaging enemy Taube scout planes while dodging German anti-aircraft fire over Rheims.

Captured behind enemy lines Engine failure drops Jefson’s plane into German territory, resulting in his capture, imprisonment in Cologne, and subsequent escape into the countryside along the Rhine.

Secrets on the road Disguised as a traveler, Jefson meets Brother Wilbrid, who shares radical insights into industrial automation and confesses to his involvement in the mysterious death of inventor Rudolf Diesel.

The spear-head offensive Rejoining Allied lines, Jefson participates in a rapid advance through the Argonne Forest into Liege, shattering German defenses until Russia breaks the enemy's eastern power.

The rise of Humanism Following an abrupt armistice, fraternization breaks out between opposing armies, and a new political movement called Humanism deposes the Kaiser, disarms Germany, and institutes radical social programs.

The Treaty of Berlin Signed in late 1915, the peace treaty imposes massive financial indemnities and territorial shifts, which Humanist politicians fund by heavily taxing wealthy capitalists.

Australia's financial shift Faced with empty treasuries and mounting debt, Australian state governments hand over public works and vast tracts of Crown land to a private corporate "Syndicate."

The helicopter campaign Belgian forces, armed with advanced rotary-wing "Heliocoptres" and thermit shells, execute a swift one-week campaign to overthrow the defenseless Humanist governments across Europe.

A peaceful evening in Sydney Recovering in Australia alongside Helen and Madame, Jefson observes a prosperous Sydney dominated by commercial aviation and organized corporate enterprise.

The People

• Lieutenant Jefson: The narrator, an Australian military aviator who views the European conflict through the lens of technological innovation, national development, and mechanical progress. He survives captivity, travels across war-torn Europe, marries Helen, and ultimately returns to Sydney.
• Nap: Jefson's flying companion and mechanic, who assists with aerial reconnaissance and equipment maintenance. After the war, he transitions into civilian enterprise, taking charge of a Syndicate business concern in Australia.
• Brother Wilbrid: A grey-haired Christian Brother and former artisan born in Lorraine. He travels disguised along the Rhine, espousing radical ideas about industrial automation, machine-driven unemployment, and global labor structures.
• Madame: A patriotic Belgian activist—referred to as a Belgian "Joan of Arc"—who defends free enterprise, organizes financial relief for her country, and helps direct the swift military campaign that overthrows the Humanist governments in Europe.
• Helen: Jefson's companion and eventual wife, who shares a quiet home with him overlooking the Meuse at Dinant before relocating with him to Sydney.

In Its Own Voice

"The easy-going of the dirigible little appealed to him. The risk, the speed, the adventure of the aeroplane touched his soul, which explained why France had 2032 military aviators, whilst Germany had only 300 qualified military pilots."

— Jefson contrasts national temperaments and their approach to military aviation while observing aerial tactics over Western Europe.

"We could see wonderful engines, put together by the hands of the workers in the factories, pushing out the useless laborer, pushing him out into the crowded avenues of unemployed."

— Brother Wilbrid explains the social panic surrounding rapid automation and the displacement of human labor by efficient machinery.

"The great German War was worth while to Australia."

— Jefson concludes his reflections on how the geopolitical crisis ultimately forced Australia to abandon utopian theories in favor of industrial organization.

What It's Really About

The narrative explores the friction between rapid technological advancement and social stability. Written at the dawn of modern aviation, it examines how industrial inventions—from Diesel engines to armed aircraft—alter both warfare and daily economic life. Beneath its wartime plot lies a argument against state socialism and utopian disarmament. The text posits that human nature retains an underlying aggressiveness that paper treaties cannot erase. It contends that nations which abandon military preparedness or private initiative inevitably surrender control to organized enterprise or foreign power. Ultimately, the book argues that true national progress relies on structured organization, technological adaptation, and corporate cooperation rather than political idealism.

Why Read It Today

This work offers a fascinating snapshot of early 20th-century speculative fiction written from an Australian perspective. Readers interested in alternate history, aviation heritage, and early techno-thrillers will find value in its early predictions—including thermit munitions, rotary-wing aircraft, and widespread commercial flight. The prose reflects the journalistic style of its era, combining military action with extended philosophical debates on economics, labor, and national policy.

Modern readers should anticipate the distinct racial, national, and political biases of 1915. The text relies heavily on national stereotypes, presents stark anti-socialist critiques, and reflects period attitudes regarding imperial trade and global geopolitics. Its narrative structure shifts frequently from aerial dogfights and escape adventures to long expository dialogues about state finance and industrial management. Despite these period-specific elements, the book remains a compelling historical document showing how early aviation and the trauma of World War I sparked grand visions of future global order.