Heroism and tragedy are always intertwined with war, and the conflict that British forces fought against the Japanese in the Far East is no different. Whether it be the tragedy of the fall of Singapore or the heroic resistance by British and Indian forces at the Battle of Kohima (often referred to as 'the Stalingrad of the East'), the British war effort in the Far East makes for intriguing reading, and in the eyes of many, doesn't get the recognition it deserves.
With this in mind, please take a look at the books listed below. Each offers you a chance to discover more about this fascinating theatre of the Second World War.
In Chapter Four of our book, From Orphan to High-Flyer, Denis talks about how a story went around RAF Kumalo, the Southern Rhodesia where he learnt to fly the Airspeed Oxford, about the fates of two cadets who were both stationed at Kumalo. While aboard the same Oxford on a navigation exercise, they force-landed on a salt flat in Bechuanaland (now known as the Republic of Botswana) and were subsequently murdered by Bushmen. The Kalahari Killings tells the story of the two cadets, their tragic murders and the events that followed. Its author, Jonathan Laverick, kindly explained to Denis and me the truth regarding their horrific deaths. With all this in mind, The Kalahari Killings has also been included among the recommended books.
159 Squadron – with whom Denis flew a full tour of Liberator combat operations in late 1944 and early 1945 – is the main focus of the book RAF Liberators over Burma, listed below. Furthermore, 159 Squadron flying is a component of the book B-24 Bridge Busters, also listed.
