What’s happening?
An epic Toowoomba story will finally come home with the launch of the book War Spoils: A Childhood Painting, My Grandfather, His Sons and a Stunning Revelation at the Cobb+Co Museum next Monday, 10 November.
Brisbane author Paul Dobbyn said the book narrates an Anderson Street family’s trauma, tragedy and triumph through two world wars in a tale spanning 60 years.
Why it matters
The book connects the Dobbyn family’s personal experiences with significant moments in world history, combining firsthand accounts and reflections passed down through generations.
Local impact
Held at one of Toowoomba’s most iconic cultural venues, the Cobb+Co Museum, the event brings a deeply personal and historical story home to the city where the Dobbyn family legacy began.
By the numbers
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The story spans 60 years and two world wars.
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Three Dobbyn family members are featured: Henry, Robert and Denis.
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The launch will begin at 10am on Monday, 10 November, at the Cobb+Co Museum.
Zoom in
The book comprises the author’s poem War Spoils; a war journal written by Paul’s grandfather, Captain Henry Dobbyn of the Royal Munsters Fusiliers; and a blog by a British blogger recreating the fatal flight of Paul’s uncle, Pilot Officer Robert Dobbyn, with the Pathfinder Force leading up to D-Day in France in 1944.
War Spoils also explores the challenging experiences of Paul’s father, Lieutenant Denis Dobbyn, as a member of the Australian Intelligence Corps in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, in 1945 and 1946. The foreword is written by recently retired RSL National President Major General Greg Melick.
Zoom out
Paul explained more about the book’s title, saying,
“As a child I was always fascinated by a mysterious painting on the wall of my Dublin-born grandfather’s home.” “In later years I would come to know this painting as The Last Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois.
“However, it was not until Anzac Day in 2023, re-reading my grandfather’s journal, that I made a startling discovery about my grandfather’s link to the painting.”
When asked about the link, Paul said, “You’ll have to come to the launch to find out.”
What to look for next
The War Spoils launch will start at 10am on Monday, November 10, at the Cobb+Co Museum. The author will be signing first edition books.
For more details, contact Paul Dobbyn at 0409 872 635 or warspoils2025@gmail.com.
