The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredible Story of Survival During the War in the Far East is an autobiography of Alistair Urquhart describing his six and a half years spent as a Japanese prisoner of war during his service in the Gordon Highlanders infantry regiment during the Second World War.[1][2]
| Author | Alistair Urquhart |
|---|---|
| Genre | War Non-Fiction |
| Publisher | Little, Brown & Company, Abacus |
Publication date | February 25, 2010 |
| Media type | Paperback Ebook Audiobook |
| Pages | 320 |
| Awards | Short-listed for Independent Booksellers Award 2011 (UK). |
| ISBN | 0-349-12257-1 |
The book was first published on 25 February 2010.[3] His story garnered national attention, with many publications writing about Urquhart and his story.[4][5]
He was 92 when he wrote the book in 2010, having been silent for more than 60 years, saying he didn't want people to forget humanity's inhumanities.[6]
The book was exclusively sold in The Gordon Highlanders Museum,[6] but soon grew in popularity for its honest account of his experience as a Japanese POW. The book went on to be a Sundays Times Best Seller in 2011. The proceeds from the book were donated to the Gordon Highlanders Museum.[7]
In 2011, the book was shortlisted for the Independent Booksellers Award (UK)[8]
Summary
editAlistair Urquhart was conscripted into the British Army at nineteen. His Father was a veteran of The Battle of the Somme.
Alistair Urquhart was a soldier in the Gordon Highlanders captured by the Japanese while stationed in Singapore. He survived the labour of the Bridge on the River Kwai , and was eventually taken on one of the Japanese ‘hellships’ which was torpedoed enroute to Japan. Almost everyone on board died and Alistair Urquhart spent 5 days alone on a raft in the South China Sea. He was eventually rescued by a whaling ship and was taken to Japan, and forced to work in a mine close to Nagasaki. Two months after his arrival a nuclear bomb was dropped just ten miles away by the United States.[9]
Reception
editIn 2016, GQ magazine released an article in which Bear Grylls told of his favourite books, The Forgotten Highlander was included.[10]
References
edit- ^ Royle, Trevor (2010-03-14). "The Forgotten Highlander by Alistair Urquhart". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ Linklater, Andro (2010-04-10). "Triumph of the will". The Spectator. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ "The man who refused to die". 2010-02-25. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ aburchyski (2010-07-30). "A Survivor's Horrific Story of Life as a POW in the Pacific". HistoryNet. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ Bayer, Kurt (2011-03-14). "War hero Alistair Urquhart, 91, finally wins veteran's medical pension thanks to Prince Charles". Daily Record. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ a b Drysdale, Neil (2021-08-06). "Remembering The Forgotten Highlander: Alistair Urquhart survived the death camps, a shipwreck and an atomic bomb". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ Telegraph, The (October 24, 2016). "Man whose incredible story of surviving as Japanese prisoner of war became bestseller, dies at 97". The Telegraph. p. 1. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
- ^ "Independent Booksellers' Book Prize | Shortlist | Awards and Honors | LibraryThing". LibraryThing.com. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ Urquhart, Alistair (April 11, 2011). The Forgotten Highlander (1 ed.). Abacus. ISBN 978-0349122571.
- ^ Grylls, Bear (2016-06-21). "Bear Grylls picks his favourite books". British GQ. Retrieved 2024-08-27.