The Men Who Came Out of the Ground

Author(s): Paul Cleary

Young Adult

'Breathtaking in its scope and riveting in its research.'
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD


It was early 1942, Australia was in dire straits. The seemingly all-conquering Japanese military forces had rolled over south-east Asia. Singapore had Fallen. Only a few hundred men remained in Timor. These
soldiers, the 2/2 Australian Independent Company - Sparrow Force - were all that stood between Japanese forces and Papua New Guinea.


A Special Forces unit set up to fight a different kind of war, many were bushmen and crack shots, and all were trained to fight behind enemy lines. Mobilising the support of the locals, they adapted their bush skills to become the masters of this new kind of commando warfare.


Always greatly outnumbered but relentless in their harassing campaign of skirmishes and ambushes, Sparrow Force tied down thousands of Japanese in a fierce guerrilla war - not just matching them but beating them. The Timor campaign became a defining moment Australia's military history.


Expertly researched by Paul Cleary, THE MEN WHO CAME OUT OF THE GROUND is now part of the HACHETTE MILITARY COLLECTION.

$16.99 AUD

Stock: 0


Add to Wishlist


Product Information

Stranded in Timor in 1942, without radio contact with Australia, this special commando unit of men drawn mainly from the Australian bush- because of their knowledge of how to survive in hostile environments and their resilience- waged guerilla warfare against the Japanese. These men, deemed outlaws by the enemy, were to be executed upon capture. Author Paul Cleary is a respected Australian journalist and also served as advisor to the East Timor government. This thrilling account of Australians fighting in Timor during WWII is a must read for anyone interested in Military History and Australian History in general.

Nick The Book Grocer

Paul Cleary is an Australian journalist and the author of five books. Shortly after East Timor gained independence, he served as an adviser to the first prime minister and developed a strong interest in the country's history. To research this book he travelled extensively around East Timor during two field trips and interviewed the last-surviving veterans in every Australian state.

General Fields

  • : 9780733636608
  • : Hachette Australia
  • : Hachette Australia
  • : 0.3
  • : August 2016
  • : 3.6 Centimeters X 13.6 Centimeters X 19.9 Centimeters
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Paul Cleary
  • : Paperback
  • : 1
  • : 940.5425987
  • : 416