Alistair Urquhart - The Forgotten Highlander

review by Maggie Perkovic on show 20th Jan
THIS IS AN INSPIRING AND UNFORGETTABLE BOOK.
THE HIGHLANDER IS A YOUNG MAN LIVING IN SCOTLAND AND WORKING HARD IN A FACTORY WHERE HE WAS FOUND DOING UNPAID OVERTIME TO BE ON TOP OF HIS JOB ON THE MONDAY, HE WAS AN APPRENTICE IN A FACTORY WHERE HE WAS MAKING UP LOADS FOR EXPORT. HIS BOSS WAS AMAZED TO FIND HIM THERE AND TOLD HIM TO GET “OFF HOME LADDIE, WAR HAS BEEN
DECLARED, THEY’LL BE NEEDING YOU’A FEW MONTHS LATER HE WAS CALLED UP AND SO
BEGAN AN INCREDIBLE STORY, WHICH HE HAS FINALLY TOLD AT THE AGE OF 90 PLUS.
SHIPPED TO SINGAPORE WITH THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, HIS WAR BEGAN AGAINST AN EXOTIC
BACKGROUND OF PLANTATIONS, COCKTAILS AND DANCES, HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE COLONIAL
ENGLISH IN SITU QUITE CUTTING, THEY LOOKED DOWN ON THE MILITARY PRESENCE THERE, WHO WERE SENT TO DEFEND THEM!!!
SADLY WHEN THE JAPANESE INVADED, THEY WERE UNPREPARED, TWO NAW VESSELS WERE SUNK AT
THEIR MOORINGS, MANY WERE KILLED, AFTER THE SURRENDER THE YOUNG SOLDIER WAS SENT TO
WORK ON THE DEATH RAILWAY, A 415 KILOMETRES OF TRACK THROUGH THE JUNGLE, THIS WOULD CLAIM THE LIFE OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND MEN, AND THE NOTORIOUS BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI (HE SAYS, NOT LIKE THE FILM). HE SURVIVES STARVATION, CHOLERA, DYSyntry
TORTURE AND BRUTALITY, ONLY TO BE PACKED IN THE HOLD OF A RUSTING ‘hell ship” BOUND FOR JAPAN.
SUNK BY AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE HE DRIFTED FOR DAYS, CLOSE TO DEATH.WHEN HE WAS RECAPTURED HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A PRISON CAMP ELEVEN MILES FROM A PLACE CALLED NAGASKI, WHERE HE BORE WITNESS TO ONE OF THE MOST MOMENTOUS AND TERRIBLE ACTIONS
OF HUMAN HISTORY.
INTERESTING FACTS.
BEFORE THE BOMBS WERE DROPPED THE EMPEROR WAS GIVING ORDERS THAT ALL P.O.W. WERE TO BE KILLED. THEY TOOK AGES RETURNING THE PRISONERS TO BRITAIN, THE GOVERMENT HOPING THAT THE SHEER SHOCK OF THEIR TREATMENT WOULD BE ALLEVIATED IN BRITAIN BY THEN, HOPING FOR TRADE WITH JAPAN ONE DAY. THE GOVERNMENT MADE THEM SIGN A CONFIDENTALITY AGREEMENT THAT THEY WOULD NOT SPEAK OF THEIR IMPRISONMENT.
THEY WERE PAID BACK WAGES FROM THE WAR OFFICE LESS THEIR SUSTENACE ALLOWANCE, AS HE
SAYS” A CUP OF MAGGOTY WEEVILS EACH DAY’ THEY CHARGED US FOR THIS. ONLY NOW CAN ALISTAIR SPEAK OF HIS SUFFERING A FIT YOUNG MAN ON JOINING UP, HIS HEALTH NEVER recovered.
HE ROSE TO BECOME MANAGING DIRECTOR, MARRIED AND HAD TWO CHILDREN, BUT HAD
TO SPEND MANY NIGHTS AWAY FROM HIS WIFE DUE TO HIS ONGOING NIGHTMARES. HE FEARED HURTING HER IN HIS SLEEP.
A WONDERFUL BOOK, ENOUGH TO BREAK YOUR HEARTI!!

REVIEW BY MAGS