A Welshman goes To War - Softcover

Inhaltsangabe

The book is based on the experiences of a young Welsh coal miner, Cyril, who at the declaration of war with Germany in September 1939 volunteers to join the Royal Marines. As a coal miner, he could have claimed exemption from war service, but he was determined to serve his King and country and equally determined to do so as a Royal Marine, for whom he had had great admiration since his school days.On completion of training he is drafted to HMS Repulse,and served in the Norwegian campaign. In 1941 HMS's Repulse and Prince of Wales form part of Task Force Z, and are deployed to the Far East to prevent the Japanese invasion of Malaya. On December 10, 1941, disaster strikes when both ships are sunk by Japanese torpedo bombers in the South China Sea, with terrible loss of life. Cyril floating unconscious is left for dead, but regains consciousness amid the horrific debris of torn and mangled bodies. Initially, Cyril believes he is the only survivor, but as he searches for others, he finds two more, Alf and Doc. He and Alf manage to right a life boat and utilising Alf's seamanship skills set sail for Malaya. Alf, their stalwart leader, sacrifices himself in a hurricane to save the other two; and after ten days at the mercy of the sea, Cyril and Doc are rescued and taken to a Christian mission on the East Malayan coast. Here the priest and nuns' nurse them back to health and make plans to repatriate them. Unknown to them, the Japanese have invaded East Malaya, when word reaches the village the white men are rapidly moved to a village deeper in the jungle for safety. The priest and nuns' believing they will be in no danger as the Japanese are an ancient civilised race. When they hear of the bestial rape and murder of the missionaries, Cyril and Doc swear vengeance, and are determined to destroy the Japanese.In the days and weeks that follow, they are aided by numerous people, white and brown; and eventually reach Rangoon. There they are to board a ship to England, but in the Japanese air attack on Rangoon, Doc is killed and Cyril critically injured. Through providence, Cyril is airlifted to a hospital in India, where he is in a coma for weeks. On awakening he is more than ever determined to exact vengeance on the hated Japanese. Over weeks of recuperation his fitness returns, and he is deemed fit to return to service. He turns down a repatriation flight to England, and instead volunteers to join Major (later Brigadier) Orde Wingate’s new guerrilla force ‘The Chindits,’ which was being formed, for Long Range Penetration Patrols(LRPP)behind enemy lines. Four weeks of intensive jungle training, during the monsoon season, whittles out some thirty five percent of the volunteers. The remainder are presented with the elite Chindit badge, worn on the shoulder, and the characteristic Australian slouch hat, to which Cyril proudly attaches his Royal Marines cap badge.There follows two weeks of demolition training, medical training, weapon training - every Chindit was trained to fire every weapon; and for the chosen few mule handling. Mules were vital for the effectiveness of the LRPP; they carried the heavy support weapons, Vickers and mortars, plus ammunition, rations, radio and spares. In an extreme scenario they were also a source of food!Finally, Bravo Company comprising army soldiers plus one Royal Marine, plus other Chindit forces, crossed the Chindwin River into Burma, to take the war to the Japanese. The book follows Bravo Company and Cyril’s exploits over the six weeks they were active behind enemy lines; the destruction of vital Japanese war materials, roads, railways, bridges, not to mention the hundreds of enemy slain; and the effect these guerrilla attacks had on Japanese morale.On completion of this first Chindit operation, Prime Minister Churchill personally informed the British people of their courage and heroism; consequently Chindit became a household name.This is their story!

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