Operation Kingfisher: The Cancelled Rescue Mission That Sacrificed Sandakan POWs to the Death Marches by Gary Followill

Book Description

Secondhand. Fine condition.

Finally, the true story of why the Sandakan POWs of World War II were not rescued despite a thoroughly planned and resourced operation, including men, aircraft and naval vessels, all equipped to carry out the rescue mission.

There have been several published theories on Operation Kingfisher, which explore whether the plan really existed, why it was cancelled, and who was to blame for its cancellation. For the first time, Operation Kingfisher analyses the effects of government policy and the relationships between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Curtin on the mission and its final outcome.

Using recently released archival documents, the author uncovers the mistakes made by Allied governments and special forces in Borneo that triggered the Death Marches Number 2 and Number 3. It reveals the mistaken intelligence that caused the cancellation of the rescue mission of the POWs at the Sandakan POW camp – a decision that ultimately resulted in their deaths. (back cover)