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.