Jeffrey Connolly

Shattered but not Broken Jeffrey Connolly

Coming from football fields in the Adelaide Hills Allan James, and his mates, volunteer for army service in the First World War. In Egypt hard training during the day across desert sands in the burning heat was hard work. However, at night, Allan and his friends find a bar where they can relax with cold beer and pretty, Egyptian women. The owner of the bar is a shady character who employs the lads to undertake shady dealings. But soon the troops moved off to war trenches in Gallipoli and then further afield to Belgium and Northern France. Allan James suffers mentally as his mates, and his first love, are taken from him by the bombs and bullets of the enemy. Participating in deadly fighting, having bombs fall all around, and seeing what happens to men's bodies affects his mind and he cracks. He finishes the war driving a lorry and goes home but his memories stay with him. He returns to Cairo, where he was happy, only to find more death and disappointment. Drowning his sorrows in alcohol Allan staggers down the coast of Africa. He wakes up one day to find himself in an unknown town with no money. He gets a job with a local criminal and during his duties he finds out about the possibility of getting his hands on some rough diamonds. He leaves town in search of a minister but when canoeing up a river he is bowled over by a large wave and stranded in the jungle. A large gorilla, which he names Poo-ah, seems to guide him to a jungle village where he finds an English girl who tends to his wounds. They are married in a native ceremony but forced from the village by superstition. Allan finds his wife's dowry before they find their way back to a settlement Allan passed when canoeing. Poo-ah and the couple help to free the gorilla's mate and two infants and return to the jungle. However, the criminals take chase and recapture Poo-ah's family so once again the Allan and his wife come to the rescue. Wary of the criminals who illegally captured the gorillas, Allan and his wife trek through southern Africa. They come across a native who rows them to a town where Allan buys a small car. Can the small vehicle get them to the nearest train depot for trains down to Kimberley?