British bestselling author Damien Lewis is an award-winning journalist who has spent twenty years reporting from war; disaster; and conflict zones. Now Lewis brings his first-rate narrative skills to bear on the inspiriting tale of Judy--an English pointer who perhaps was the only canine prisoner of war. After being bombed and shipwrecked repeatedly while serving for several wild and war-torn years as a mascot of the World War II Royal Navy Yangtze river gunboats the Gnat and the Grasshopper; Judy ended up in Japanese prisoner of war camps in North Sumatra. Along with locals as slave labor; the American; Australian; and British POWs were forced to build a 1;200-mile single-track railroad through the most horrifying jungles and treacherous mountain passes. Like the one immortalized in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai; this was the other death-railroad building project where POWs slaved under subhuman conditions. In the midst of this living hell was a beautiful and regal-looking liver and white English pointer named Judy. Whether she was scavenging food to help feed the starving inmates of a hellish Japanese POW camp; or by her presence alone bringing inspiration and hope to men; she was cherished and adored by the Allied servicemen who fought to survive alongside her. Judy's uncanny ability to sense danger; matched with her quick thinking and impossible daring saved countless lives. More than a close companion she shared in both the men's tragedies and joys. It was in recognition of the extraordinary friendship and protection she offered amidst the unforgiving and savage environment of a Japanese prison camp in Indonesia that she gained her formal status as a POW. From the author of The Dog Who Could Fly and the co-author of Sergeant Rex and It's All About Treo comes one of the most heartwarming and inspiring tales you will ever read.
#62336 in Books 2013-02-01Format: FacsimileOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 6.10 x 6.00l; .75 #File Name: 1620871017192 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. May We Never Forget What These Men DidBy Robert BeasleyI have read many books on the battles of WWII and this one ranks near the top. Highly recommended.One caveat. Be prepared to put up with hundreds of typos and other errors that a 9th grade English student could have corrected in a matter of hours. The Typo Police should arrest some lazy proofreader!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Servicemen on this detail were marvelousBy MarsThe title of the book says it all.I have so much admiration for those young men I can't even begin to say.Anyone interested in WWII history should read it; anyone interested in Marine History should read it; anyone who is a patriot should read it!!!Thanks Robert Sherrod for remembering to write it all down!4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The greatest generationBy patriceMy Father in Law; Joseph G Bevan was a Marine on Tarawa. He is listed in the back of the book because he was awarded the Purple Heart. It is incredible that these every day normal kids were heros during World War II. As a baby boomer we all were fortunate to have the Greatest Generation as our parents. They naver talked about their service; but they saw and did things that were beyond our imagination. They saved the planet and we are all in debt to the Greatest Generation forever.
