ABDA-CBI-SEAC. Book thread.

Two wonderful little novels that wrap around our subject matter nicely are:

'Burma Road Calling' by Secombe Griffin. And

'The Jacaranda Tree' by H.E. Bates.

The first book takes in espionage on the construction and maintaining of the great Burma Road.

Bates's book is a gentle narrative about the retreat from Burma of the men and women of the British hierarchy. Taking in all the class differences and the pecking order of social etiquette. Complicated, frustrating, sometimes unbelievable, it was a compelling read.

What these type of books can do for us, is to give great insights into attitudes and prejudices around at the time, as well as furnish us with fantastic descriptions of the country where all this took place.

 

From the POW side of things:

'Surviving the Sword', by Brian MacArthur. This is a very good general overview of the POW experience. It covers all aspects of being a prisoner in a Japanese internment camp, over all areas, from Burma all the way to Japan itself.

'Knights of Bushido', Lord Russell of Liverpool. A book that holds no punches in its description of the War Criminal trials held after the war. Harrowing reading, but led me to investigate the psyche of the Japanese soldier, from which I learnt a lot.
I have both books but have yet to read Surviving the sword, Knights of Bushido is as Steve, says is harrowing but needed to be written and does indeed give a insight into the Japanes psyche. As does in another way this book which I got one Christmas when I was about 13-14 and it truely gave me a idea of the Japanese and their relatioship with the POW.

 

P.O.H. a very good read and account of Calvert's 77th Brigade and their grueling time on the second Chindit operation.

For anyone with a bit of cash and the interest a possible bargain could be had:

SIGNED Mad Mike Calvert CHINDIT Guerilla Warfare BURMA on eBay (end time 07-Nov-10 19:46:04 GMT)

Well, someone really wanted that copy of Prisoner's of Hope, sold tonight for £82!!

 

Well, someone really wanted that copy of Prisoner's of Hope, sold tonight for £82!!
I gave up all hope when it reached £50, I also missed out on this last night someone snipped me at about 10 secs cheapest copy on ABE is £100! ACTION IN BURMA 1942-45 by COL. J.B. CHAPLIN 1984 1st on eBay (end time 06-Nov-10 21:39:51 GMT)

 

I gave up all hope when it reached £50, I also missed out on this last night someone snipped me at about 10 secs cheapest copy on ABE is £100! ACTION IN BURMA 1942-45 by COL. J.B. CHAPLIN 1984 1st on eBay (end time 06-Nov-10 21:39:51 GMT)

Hi Jason,

I was drawn to POH because of the inscription and signature, but not paying that for a book I already have!! Looks like Trevelyan visited Chindit 1 training in Saugor. He thus qualifies for my 'Longcloth' Roll.

 

A few more books I have but as yet have not read any opinions gratefully received.

 

Anyonr heard of this book? "The story of a fantastic chain of incidents that led to a young Chindit officer from Wingate's forces being accepted by the Japanese and the Indian National Army as one of their agents in Burma, and of the dangerous game of double bluff that ensued. "

 

A few more books I have but as yet have not read any opinions gratefully received.

Lowry's "Fighting through to Kohima" is wonderful book. He joined 1st Queens in 1939, and served with battalion on the North West Frontier, in Arakan and finally at Kohima from where he was evacuated because of illness. He also wrote "An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima", which is his war diary, "Fighting through to Kohima" is basically the same but it's written more like memoir.

"An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima" is available online:

An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima

 

Lowry's "Fighting through to Kohima" is wonderful book. He joined 1st Queens in 1939, and served with battalion on the North West Frontier, in Arakan and finally at Kohima from where he was evacuated because of illness. He also wrote "An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima", which is his war diary, "Fighting through to Kohima" is basically the same but it's written more like memoir.

"An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima" is available online:

An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima
Thanks for the input on the first book Enes, but i might give the second one a miss this is the cheapest I could find on ABE An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima: Lowry, M. A. - AbeBooks - Rainy Day Books

 

Thanks for the input on the first book Enes, but i might give the second one a miss this is the cheapest I could find on ABE An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima: Lowry, M. A. - AbeBooks - Rainy Day Books

It still much cheaper than this one

An infantry company in Arakan and Kohima- Lowry- (B15) on eBay (end time 22-Nov-10 14:21:09 GMT)

There are two more books you can find online on the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment

Malaya

The Queen's in Burma

 

Anyone heard of this book? "The story of a fantastic chain of incidents that led to a young Chindit officer from Wingate's forces being accepted by the Japanese and the Indian National Army as one of their agents in Burma, and of the dangerous game of double bluff that ensued. "

I purchased this title last year, a bit fanciful, but well written and once again helps to deliver that all round Burma experience.

 

'Helen of Burma', by Helen Roderiguez.

A fabulous little book all about the wartime adventures of a very brave nurse. Living almost all her life in Burma, she refuses to leave her town or family as the Japanese advance across the country.

Tending the sick and wounded, interrogated by the Kempai-tai and eventually finding herself in a POW concentration camp, this is a truly astounding story of bravery and selflessness.

Awarded the George Medal for her outstanding bravery, Helen eventually moved over to England, where she died just down the road from where I live in 1983.

 

"An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima" is available online:

An Infantry Company in Arakan and Kohima

There are two more books you can find online on the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment

Malaya

The Queen's in Burma

This is what I call research! Thanks, mate, on behalf of the shallow-pocketed breed...

 

By the way, can anyone rate three books by Norman Franks, "Hurricanes over the Arakan", "Spitfires over the Arakan", and "Air Battle of Imphal"?

Titles sound utterly interesting, but are rather expensive at 23 quid the cheaper one .

Guess I'll have to do with Osprey's "Spitfire Aces of Burma and the Pacific" for the time being...

 

That's an interesting point I have always wanted to ask someone: 'why are RAF books generally always so expensive?'

After all they were just a bunch of flyers!!!

 

That's an interesting point I have always wanted to ask someone: 'why are RAF books generally always so expensive?'

After all they were just a bunch of flyers!!!

I've been after a couple of jobs by Cull / Shores for ages:

Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, 1940-41
and
Dust Clouds in the Middle East: The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Madagascar, 1940-42

Quest has been a bl**dy frustration, at 28 quid the cheapest! (plus S & H)

 

Warlord,

I have picked up a few from places like EBay, where the seller has no idea of the market value of the book on offer. But these a few and far between. I have an interest in the Air supply and Air liaison for the first Chindit operation, but some books would only have a small mention or a couple of pages on this.

A good example is 'Hurricanes over the Jungle', it has some info on Denis Sharp (I have the info thanks to other wonderful forum members) who was Air liaison from my Grandad's column in 1943. Now, can I find a sensibly priced copy? No chance.

 

A good example is 'Hurricanes over the Jungle', it has some info on Denis Sharp (I have the info thanks to other wonderful forum members) who was Air liaison from my Grandad's column in 1943. Now, can I find a sensibly priced copy? No chance.

If you talking about Terence Kelly's 'Hurricanes over the Jungle' you can find this book quite cheaply on Abebooks or Amazon

Hurricane Over the Jungle: 120 Days Fighting the Japanese Onslaught in 1942: Amazon.co.uk: Terence Kelly: Books

Hurricane over the jungle - AbeBooks

 

If you talking about Terence Kelly's 'Hurricanes over the Jungle' you can find this book quite cheaply on Abebooks or Amazon

Hurricane Over the Jungle: 120 Days Fighting the Japanese Onslaught in 1942: Amazon.co.uk: Terence Kelly: Books

Hurricane over the jungle - AbeBooks

Thanks sol,

I knew I could rely on you!!

 

I have had this one on ye olde wish-list for a while, but several reviews rate it as a bit too narrowly focused (personal), to be a worth-your-quid job on Burma warfare. Can you rate it?
Warlord, I have finished reading this earlier today and would agree in part with what you say but I enjoyed it! Nunnely, really goes into detail historically early in the book while explaining background to Africas past and in a way this could spoil the book but he does it in such a way that that is not the case, he covers very well the nature of the African soldier who served in the KAR, and in particular his Servant Tomasi.The coverage of Burma, is only just over 80 pages and again it is covered with some intresting stories which the link below touches on, is this a ideal book on Burma..........no, is it a revealing picture of a British officers wartime experience with the KAR yes hope this link helps. Nunneley Edit.Dont know if this covers more of what you may be after. Tales from the Burma Campaign 1942 - 1945: Nunneley, John (ed) - AbeBooks - 9780953213818: Compass Books Nunneley, also pops up in one of Steves posts see post 58.