with naturalist Harry Butler, a long-time friend. He was also involved in exploring several kilometres of extensions to Easter Cave in the south-west of Western Australia. Many scenes in Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War, and subsequent volumes, are set in caves and caverns, reflecting his knowledge of the subject. Hobbies included sailing, war-gaming and underwater photography, especially at the reefs around Rottnest Island. He spent much of 1973, 1983–84 and 1997–98 in Britain, the Middle East and Europe. He also worked for the Australian Institute for Public Policy, the "dry" think-tank established by John Hyde, former MHR for Moore; and engineering tycoon Harold Clough; Debrett's publications (as managing editor) and on the staff of two federal ministers – the Hon. Sir Victor Garland and Senator the Hon. Chris Ellison. He ran his own law practice after completing articles with Stone James in Perth. Colebatch tutored in creative writing at Curtin University, political science at the University of Western Australia, torts and contract law at Curtin University, and lectured in international law at Edith Cowan University and University of Notre Dame Australia. He was also a co-author of a book on traffic law in Western Australia, published in 2007 with Barrister Patrick Mugliston and former police sergeant Stewart Ainsworth. He had a volume of short stories accepted for publication by Acashic, and wrote a short film, Fiddler's Green. His book Australia's Secret War won the 2014 Prime Minister's Literary Award for history, attracting significant controversy due to accusations of political bias. Among the judges for the award were Gerard Henderson and Peter Coleman. The book details strikes and purported sabotage by left-wing unions during World War II, although many of his examples were criticised for inaccuracy or for relying on unsubstantiated statements by individual servicemen. Death Colebatch died unexpectedly in September 2019 during a stay in a Perth hospital. Bibliography Fiction "The Colonel's Tiger" in Man-Kzin Wars VII, Baen, 1995. Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War, Baen, 2003. Counterstrike, Acashic, 2011. Time Machine Troopers, Acashic, 2011. Freedom: A Man-Kzin Novel (2020, with Jessica Q. Fox) Poetry Collections The Light River, Connor Court, 2007. List of poems Non-fiction Claude de Bernales: The Magnificent Miner: A Biography, Carlisle, W.A. : Hesperian Press, 1996. Steadfast Knight: A Life of Sir Hal Colebatch with a foreword by Geoffrey Blainey. Fremantle, W.A. : Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2004. (biography of his father) Return of the