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Originally Posted by Davidelgy
The above mentioned book about the experiences of Alistair Urquhart is an excellent read especially his nightmare time on the hell ships.A documentary about him is regularly shown on the Yesterday channel called `WW2s luckiest soldier'.
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Alistair's book The Forgotten Highlander is brilliant I agree. He had a hell of a war by the sounds of it. Burma Railway , Japanese hell ship (which got sunk with him on it) and then to cap it all he witnessed the bomb dropping on Nagasaki from a prisoner of war camp where he believed he was due to be executed imminently. Truely amazing guy to have survived it all. The tv documentary is good too.
I also read a book by a guy called Reg Twig (Survivor on The River Kwai) you would love that too if you get the chance to read it.
I can't believe that all the survivors were prohibited from even talking about their experiences after the war. There were quite a few from our area. I remember my granda went on holiday in the late 90's with a group of friends from Amble which included John Shotton who used to live along Wellwood Street. Apparently, they were on the ferry to Holland and for some reason John just opened up and everything came out about his experiences. I think they all just sat in tears and listened while he talked. Even his wife did not know most of it. I can't imagine the horrors they must have faced to make them keep it bottled up for the best part of 50 years.