During the First World War, in Melbourne and communitiesthroughout Victoria, schoolchildren knitted socks for the troops serving inGallipoli, the Middle East and on the Western Front. Their familiesset up Red Cross branches to support the 91,000 Victorian servicemen and womenoverseas.

Victoria at War records the achievements of the state's soldiers,nurses and their families including the Whitelaws from Gippsland with sixsons enlisting, 'Bert' Jacka, the first Australian to be awarded the VictoriaCross in the First World War, and commander Sir John Monash. Bestsellingmilitary historian Michael McKernan commemorates the generosity, devotion,sacrifice and spirit of a community pushed towards breaking point throughstories from the home front and battlefront.