PublishedHachette Australia, July 2011 |
ISBN9780733628184 |
FormatSoftcover, 400 pages |
Dimensions19.6cm × 12.8cm × 3cm |
These Australians were the men of the 2/2nd Australian Independent Company - a special commando unit. Initially stranded without radio contact to Australia, the Japanese declared these bearded warriors outlaws and warned they would be executed immediately if captured.
The Australians drawn mainly from the bush, were chosen for their ability to operate independently and survive in hostile territory. As film-maker Damien Parer said after visiting in Timor in late 1942, these men are writing an epic of guerrilla warfare .
Expertly researched by Paul Cleary, who is fluent in Tetum, the main language of the indigenous group of East Timor, it also contains insightful black and white photos.