non-fictionThis book is about the life and times of Doug McLaggan starting with the vanished era of the 1920s and 1930s, which led up to the Second World War in which so many youngsters eagerly enlisted. McLaggan among them, saw action only briefly before becoming a POW after the fall of Singapore. It shows the young private soldier's viewpoint of the POW experience; of the mateship, humour and above all the courage and determination and willpower to live under circumstances ranking among the the most appalling of the 20th century. Even during the most trying periods, McLaggan risked his own security by keeping a meticulous diary. From these diaries emerges an extraordinary account of one man's will to survive when men unfit to work on the railway were so cruelly treated by the Japanese engineers in charge of its construction. The story of the POWs under the Japanese has been told before, but McLaggan's account, simply and honestly told, combined with his often forthright views makes this a fascinating and moving story of an ordinary man faced with an extraordinary test of body and mind. (Back cover)doug mclaggan, world war 1939-1945, prisoners of war

Index, ill, maps, p.715.non-fictionStory of the 8th Division in the campaigns in Malaya, Singapore, Rabaul, Ambon and Timor where most of the Division was captured by the Japanese in 1942. Also the story of the Australian Prisoners of the Japanese, including Changi and the Burma-Thailand Railway.world war 1939-1945 - australian involvement, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - south west pacific

Lieutenant Albert Sargent VX15290 was born on the 3rd of November, 1918 at Wangaratta in Victoria. He was a member of Z Special Unit and involved in Operation RIMAU. when he was captured and executed by the Japanese in Malaya on the 7th of July, 1945 during WW2. Operation RIMAU - In September, 1944, 23 British and Australian members of Z Special Unit travelled from Australia by submarine to the outskirts of Singapore Harbour then under Japanese occupation. Their mission was to attack and destroy enemy shipping from small submersible boats using magnetic limpet mines. Official Japanese records state that the ten men of the contingent captured were beheaded at Pasir Panjang on 7 July 1945, approximately one month before World War II in the Pacific came to an end.Brown timber frame and green mount containing a copy of photograph of soldier and map showing RIMAU battles and listing RIMAU personnel.Lt Albert Sargent Operation RIMAUoperation rimau, albert sargent, z special unit, vx15290, wangaratta, ww2