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Jungle Commandos

The Battle for Arakan, Burma 1945

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Jungle Commandos

By: Lucy Betteridge-Dyson
Narrated by: Catrin Walker-Booth
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Bloomsbury presents Jungle Commandos: The Battle for Arakan, Burma 1945 by Lucy Betteridge-Dyson, read by Catrin Walker-Booth.

Drawing on unpublished first-hand accounts, this is a gripping history of the experiences of the Commandos and their unsung allies in one of the bloodiest battles of the Burma Campaign.

Following the battles of Kohima and Imphal in mid-1944, the tide was turning against the Imperial Japanese Army. By the end of that fateful year, the Allies were preparing to launch an offensive in the Arakan region of Burma, to deliver a knockout blow to the increasingly desperate Japanese 28th Army. This fascinating new history details the actions of 3 Commando Brigade, who would spearhead this attack in a series of daring amphibious landings into the depths of the Burmese jungle, culminating in the brutal fight for Hill 170.

They would be the only Commando Brigade to serve in the Far East, yet their story has never before been told in detail. With access to previously unseen primary sources, this book is the story of the men who volunteered for a fight against a fearless enemy, 5000 miles away from home in one of the most unforgiving environments in the world. Thrown into combat with limited jungle training and scant resources, it would be a baptism of fire, but the Commandos, alongside the brave men of the Indian and West African Divisions of XV Corps, would inflict a terrible defeat on an enemy once thought to be unbeatable.

Written by a granddaughter of a Commando veteran who fought at Arakan, this new book shines a light on a largely forgotten yet crucial battle of World War II.©2025 Lucy Betteridge-Dyson (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Armed Forces Asia Japan Military Special & Elite Forces
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Critic reviews

This is a much needed account of a largely forgotten campaign.
Betteridge-Dyson's expert eye picks out strategy, operational brilliance and all the extraordinary drama and detail of the war on the ground, at sea and in the air. This is a brilliant debut for a talented historian.
Jungle Commandos is a haunting and beautifully written account of a complex theatre – a crucial contribution to our understanding of Burma in the Second World War. This is the sort of book that in the best possible way, you are not the same after reading.
This book is a superb balance of theatre-level strategic and operational thinking, tactical detail, and the personal accounts that bring any history to life.
With the passion of a descendant and the objectivity of a scholar, Lucy Betteridge-Dyson has shed badly needed new light on the 1945 struggle for Burma, a campaign that did much to decide the future course of British involvement in Asia. Well written, absorbing, and highly readable.
Debut author Lucy Betteridge-Dyson has forged a vivid, scholarly tale of this unsung campaign that did much to decide the future of the war.
All stars
Most relevant
These are stories that need to be told. As the author implies, they may not be popular actions like Normandy or Stalingrad, but these chaps served and fought bravely, very bravely. Great detail and mix of strategic/personal stories. You will grimace and grin in equal measure.

I feel bad saying this, but the narrator is so nice (I’m a bit in love), but her voice is almost incongruous compared to the brutal violence she’s describing.

Superb

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I would definitely recommend this book, the narrator was very good and the epilogue was very moving and brought a tear to my eye or more.

A fantastic read

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