He escaped from Singapore's Changi prisoner of war camp to become one of Australia's great World War II guerrilla fighters.
Tom Gilling Books
The Sooterkin
- 212 pages
- 8 hours of reading
On a squally afternoon in the winter of 1821, Sarah Dyer gives birth to the strangest child ever seen in Hobart, a creature more seal then human. When a well-dressed stranger arrives, proposing a profitable future for the seal-child, no-one forsees the trouble that lies ahead.
Project Rainfall: The Secret History of Pine Gap
- 320 pages
- 12 hours of reading
Set during the Cold War, the narrative explores the covert operations of Australia's Pine Gap facility, a CIA listening station disguised as a research center. Initially focused on monitoring Soviet missile tests, it reveals the stark contrast between public denial of nuclear threats and secret government preparations for potential disaster. The book uncovers the evolution of Pine Gap into a pivotal asset in the Pentagon's war on terror, highlighting the involvement of Australians in critical roles. Drawing from declassified documents, it presents an uncensored account of this secretive site.
The narrative centers on the valiant struggle of 2000 Australian soldiers stranded in Java during World War II, who faced overwhelming odds against the Imperial Japanese Army. Led by Brigadier Arthur Blackburn VC, these soldiers, alongside support personnel, managed to resist until surrendering under orders from Dutch allies. The book highlights their resilience, with many later suffering as POWs on the Thai-Burma Railway and in harsh conditions in Taiwan and Japan. Utilizing personal diaries and survivor interviews, it captures their remarkable fortitude and spirit.
