Bastard Behind the Lines cover art

Bastard Behind the Lines

The Extraordinary Story of Jock McLaren's Escape from Sandakan and His Guerrilla War Against the Japanese

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Bastard Behind the Lines

By: Tom Gilling
Narrated by: David Tredinnick
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About this listen

He escaped from Singapore's Changi prisoner of war camp to become one of Australia's great World War II guerrilla fighters. 'The way I look at it is this...when you're behind the line and get yourself into trouble, you've got to get your bloody self out irrespective of anybody else. That's why I like it.'

Scottish-born but a Queenslander to the bone, Jock McLaren was a true Australian hero. As a prisoner, he escaped twice, first from Changi and later from the infamous Sandakan POW camp in Borneo. After paddling a dugout canoe across open sea, he fought for two years with American-led Filipino guerrillas, his exploits so audacious the Japanese put a price on his head.

At the helm of his 26-foot whaleboat, the Bastard, McLaren sailed brazenly into enemy-held harbours, wreaking havoc with his mortar and machine guns before heading back out to sea. In early 1945, he joined Australia's secretive Z Special Unit, parachuting into Borneo to carry out reconnaissance and organise anti-Japanese resistance ahead of Allied landings. He cheated death on numerous occasions and saved his own life by removing his appendix without anaesthetic, using 'two large dessert spoons' and a razor blade.

©2021 Tom Gilling (P)2021 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd Armed Forces Military Military & War Special & Elite Forces World War II War Imperial Japan Singapore
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it was a very hard story to listen to what these poor men went through and endured were subjected to being forced to observe what happened to their mates and comrades the horrors that humanity can inflict upon itself and others the petty power politics that can tragically affect the lives of others but also balanced by what can be achieved by good people under horrific conditions.
worth listening to but some parts are very difficult to hear especially when you know some of the back story already

hard to hear yet inspirational

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I really enjoyed this book and found it informative. exciting to listen to and would highly recommend it to anyone.

a great story about or Heroes during World war II in the Pacific

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I was hoping for an entertaining blow by account of adventure and survival behind the lines.
unfortunately this was more like a text book which questioned a number of different accounts of what happened.
not as entertaining as I'd hoped.

text book rather than a story

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Wow,
So slow to talk about Jock.
2 hours to go and still waiting to hear more about Jock.
What a let down.
Forget the background rubbish and tell the tale.
Too slow and sorry to say boring, and I know the Jock Mclaren storey.
Another $17 wasted.

Mention Jock more

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.