Description

Book Synopsis

When the Japanese invade in 1942, the men and women stationed at the New Guinea port of Rabaul flee into the jungle.

Written off by their government as ‘hostages to fortune’, the little-known garrison on Australia’s tropic frontier has been left with no modern equipment, no lifeline to the outside, and no means of escape. Most are captured and killed in the sinking of the prison ship Montevideo Maru, which remains Australia’s worst sea disaster. But the surviving soldiers and nurses carry on, to fight the Japanese on other fronts, or to witness the collapse of the Japanese Empire from the inside. Having borne the brunt of defeat, their letters and diaries also record the turning point of the war and the march to victory.

Rich in detail drawn from first person accounts, Should We Fall To Ruin illuminates this untold period in military history. It is a compelling tale of bravery and resilience in the face of a seemingly unstoppable enemy.

PRAISE FOR SHOULD WE FALL TO RUIN
‘an important addition to the Australian wartime canon’ – The Saturday Paper

Should We Fall to Ruin

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    A Paperback by Harrison Christian

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      Book details

      Publisher Ultimo Press
      Published 1 September 2025
      ISBN-13 9781761153938
      978-1761153938
      ISBN-10 1761153935
      Also in:
      True war and combat stories

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      When the Japanese invade in 1942, the men and women stationed at the New Guinea port of Rabaul flee into the jungle.

      Written off by their government as ‘hostages to fortune’, the little-known garrison on Australia’s tropic frontier has been left with no modern equipment, no lifeline to the outside, and no means of escape. Most are captured and killed in the sinking of the prison ship Montevideo Maru, which remains Australia’s worst sea disaster. But the surviving soldiers and nurses carry on, to fight the Japanese on other fronts, or to witness the collapse of the Japanese Empire from the inside. Having borne the brunt of defeat, their letters and diaries also record the turning point of the war and the march to victory.

      Rich in detail drawn from first person accounts, Should We Fall To Ruin illuminates this untold period in military history. It is a compelling tale of bravery and resilience in the face of a seemingly unstoppable enemy.

      PRAISE FOR SHOULD WE FALL TO RUIN
      ‘an important addition to the Australian wartime canon’ – The Saturday Paper

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