Sparrow: A Chronicle of Defiance
- Grant McLachlan
- Nov 11, 2012
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11 November 2012
Sparrow: A Chronicle of Defiance
New book delivers epic true story of WWII’s most defiant force lands after decade-long journey.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Today marks the launch of Sparrow: A Chronicle of Defiance, a sweeping chronicle of The Sparrows—Battle of Britain gunners who defended Timor as part of the legendary Sparrow Force in 1942. Author Grant McLachlan delivers the untold story of his grandfather Charlie McLachlan’s war: a triumph of stubborn Scottish defiance and laconic Aussie genius over four years of unimaginable violence.
Winston Churchill said it best:
“They alone did not surrender.”
From the Rudolph Hess crash-landing to the atom bomb, from history’s last bayonet charge to the war’s greatest aerial bombardment, Charlie McLachlan survived and bore witness to landmark days of World War II. At various points in his four-year ordeal, he was fired upon by nearly every major military force—Germany, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the United States. He defied tropical ulcers, gangrene, cholera, malaria, beriberi, crocodiles, sharks, Japanese hellships, and more.
A decade in the making
Born on the 30th anniversary of his grandfather’s liberation, Grant McLachlan began this extraordinary research journey in September 2003 with the purchase of a Sony Handycam. Over the next decade, he interviewed more than 100 war veterans and travelled throughout twelve countries, slowly unraveling the story his grandparents wanted told.
The force that defied the odds
Sparrow Force was unique. They were the first Allied force to defeat Japan in battle. They were the last to be captured. Cut off from Australia, equipped with WWI weapons, they destroyed Japan’s most elite special forces and waged a guerrilla campaign that held off an entire Japanese division for nearly a year. When they built an improvised radio called “Winnie the War Winner” and sent the message—”Force intact. Still fighting. Badly need boots, quinine, money, and Tommy-gun ammunition”—it was the first good news of the war for the Allies.
New book delivers epic true story of WWII’s most defiant force lands after decade-long journey.
Brad Manera, Executive Manager of Sydney’s ANZAC Memorial, calls it:
“Finally, a no punches pulled behind the scenes account of one of military history’s most defiant forces.”
Readers are comparing it to Band of Brothers, calling it “an action thriller, come mini-series” and “an utterly gripping and amazing true story.”
More than a book
Sparrow includes the first complete nominal roll of each Sparrow Force unit, unit photographs, profiles of prisoners and guards, War Crimes Tribunal analyses, over 100 pages of historiographical analysis, and a comprehensive bibliography. The companion website (www.sparrowbook.net) features interactive maps, film footage, interview clips, and extensive research archives.
About the author
Grant McLachlan is a former barrister, solicitor, and hearings commissioner who has worked in Parliament as a researcher and advisor. Published by Klaut Limited, Sparrow: A Chronicle of Defiance represents his life-changing journey to honour the veterans who endured the unendurable.
Available now at all major retailers and online booksellers Visit: www.sparrowbook.net
Media Contact: Grant McLachlan Klaut Limited www.klaut.media
