Tojo's Fate - Australia's Secret War by Cyrus C. McFarlane

During WW2 many Australian operatives inserted behind Japanese lines by submarine, parachute or boat fell into the hands of the enemy who were waiting for them as they landed. Tokyo Rose taunted troops by precise descriptions of their units, numbers, and where they were going.

It became obvious a mole was in Australian high command. To counter this, secret squadrons were formed. Crews were ordered to tell no one including their families about their work.

Airfield air controllers did not know when they were to arrive or depart. This was extremely stressful on their loved ones when they received the dreadful telegram notifying of death, not knowing where they died or how.

The crews were segregated from other crewmembers before a mission. When inserting operatives they were given cyanide capsules as an option. The crews did not know what the operatives carried or details of their work; on the basis that what you don't know you can't tell.

This book is dedicated to the men and women of the Catalina Squadrons for their sacrifice and courage in one of the most difficult and dangerous tropical terrains to be encountered in the world.

"Tojo's Fate" is not only packed with interesting anecdotes and historical facts, it is also an important historical document bringing to light events that, as the author explains, because of their covert nature have perhaps been overlooked or even forgotten about in Australian military history. The importance of this book lies in its giving the opportunity of those involved in these events and operations a chance to share their experience. The end result is an intimate, human account combining hard facts and statistics with personal anecdotes and stories, laying down on paper a slice of history that might otherwise not have been told.

"Tojo's Fate" helps to fill in gaps and colour some missing pages from Australian military history. It comes across as a genuine tribute and statement of gratitude to the men and women of the Catalina squadrons, and I can well imagine the heirs of these men and women being grateful for the opportunity to read and learn more about the experiences and undertakings of their predecessors.

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