War in the shadows: Bougainville 1944-45 [Paperback]

Peter Medcalf (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1986

A UQP World War II Classic - a special release for ANZAC Day. Takes place in the jungles of Bougainville, in a similar theatre to Peter Pinney's great trilogy Signaller Johnston's Secret War (ISBN 0702229938). Lightening-quick gun battles and jungle ambushes; a young soldier's journey told in a gripping style with a signature Australian humour. Contains scenes reminiscent of the recent successful film Thin Red Line about the Pacific War. Originally published in a very modest edition in 1983 by the War Memorial. Now revised and updated with striking new illustrations.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 115 pages
• Publisher: Collins (1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0642994862
• ISBN-13: 978-0642994868
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,549,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping and Real, January 9, 2000

By 

Andrew Pyke (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: War in the shadows: Bougainville 1944-45 (Paperback)

This is unequivocably a supurb book. It is written from first-hand experience and is one of the best insights of the actions of everyday Australian soldiers in the Pacific, in the 2nd World War.

Written from the perspective of the soldier, it is funny, tragic and humbling. I was struck by how devastating they were against the Japanese in Bougainville and - at the end - how unexpected their reaction was to the dropping of the atomic bombs and the ceasation of fighting.

It is so valuable to have this perspective written-up, as so much of that history has been written with a Macarther/US perspective. As the 'main game' of island hopping progressed northward to Japan, this is a precious insight into the difficult fighting that continued near to Australia.