An astonishing true story of survival and brutality in WW2, this book is a narrative of how terrifyingly low humanity can sink.
Having recently read a few tales of suffering during the war (Boys At War, In Harm’s Way, The Escape Artist) I felt I’d had an insight into the worst excesses. But along came Alistair Urquhart sharing his experiences in the far east.
It’s a series of nightmares and seemingly unsurvivable scenarios. Captured by the Japanese in the fall of Singapore. Trapped on a terrible train journey and jungle march north. Working in a prison camp building the bridge over the River Kwai. Disease, torture, punishment, starvation, sadism. Another horrendous train journey south.
Locked in the bowels of a prison ship for days with no food or water. Torpedoed and sunk by your own allies who mistakenly thought they were targeting munitions transport. Drifting for days at sea going slowly mad with thirst, hunger, and sun stroke.
Picked up by the Japanese and sent to a prison camp on the outskirts of Nagasaki. Being physically blown off your feet by the atomic wind.
Just mind-bending levels of fortitude, grit, and a compulsion to survive. But then to cap it all, disdainful treatment by the British army and government on his return home. Hence a clear sense of anger throughout the entire book; anger at the UK authorities, anger at the Japanese, anger at the senselessness of the war, anger that his promising life was ruined just as he was getting started.
