Historian Doug Wyatt has been researching Tasmania's military history for more than 35 years, resulting in an Order of Australia Medal in 2008 for his research.
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His interest in the state's military history began in the early 1980s when he served in the Army Reserve with 44 Transport Squadron at Devonport.
"Little was known or recorded about the history of 44 Transport Squadron or the militia that preceded it.
"Following many months of research in the Devonport library, the past was slowly revealed and in 1986 I published my first book," he said.
"Resulting from this research, as the Officer Commanding 44 Transport Squadron, I celebrated the centenary of military forces on the North-West of Tasmania at Devonport on May 31, 1986."
He has since written 17 books, published a number of papers and a photographic collection on the state's military history.
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His first in 1986 was titled With the Volunteers - A Historical Diary of the Volunteers Military Forces of the North West and West Coasts of Tasmania, 1886-1986.
Mr Wyatt's other works include research on Tasmanian Artillery, the Derwent Regiment, Tasmanian Rangers and the Tasmanian Light Horse.
Through his extensive research Mr Wyatt has discovered the names and images of Tasmania's 50 forgotten heroes who were awarded foreign military decorations during World War I.
He discovered the appointment and termination of Lieutenant Colonel G. A. D Youl as the Commanding Officer of the 2/40th Battalion during 1940-41.
He unveiled some of Australia's military firsts in the Launceston Regiment from 1860 to 1960 including the first: military funeral for a volunteer soldier, poem to a military unit and example of volunteer military discipline.
Before he transferred to the Army Reserve in Devonport, he first enlisted in the Citizen Military Forces at Deloraine in 1966.
He also helped to restart Tasmania's Defence Reserves Association, and was chairperson for almost 10 years, and is the state's president of the Royal Australian Corps of Transport Association.
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