Southern Thailand, 1941. This is the story of Operation Cleeves. A daring and long forgotten SOE Far East mission, where a handful of tin miners risked their lives fighting against the onslaught of Japan on the eve of World War Two in Southeast Asia. Using declassified documents, previously undiscovered records and extensive original research, Kate Reid-Smith provides an intimate yet harrowing look into a most secret and turbulent operation shrouded in mystery. Where vivid and powerful accounts of tremendous courage in the face of resilience and redemption, uncovers how an eclectic mix of European civilians and Indian soldiers all marooned amid danger, violence and bloodshed, were suddenly confronted by unspeakable survival choices, as the circumstances of war catapulted them into an unimaginable world of horrific atrocities. Some of their stories are told for the very first time in this revelatory book, uncovering perilous undertakings requiring daring and sang-froid bravery, and how using only their wits for survival, all bore the full brunt of Japan's initial invasion. AUTHOR: Kate Reid-Smith is a military historian focusing on covert operations in World War Two Southeast Asia. A former military intelligence officer and polymath graduate, some of her areas of expertise include International Relations, Politics and History across British Malaya and Thailand from 1941 onwards. Having spent decades living, working and travelling extensively across the region, Kate combines her first hand knowledge, experience and cross-cultural expertise with her specialist language speaking skills, such as Mandarin Chinese and Malay, in providing valuable insight into and uncovering wider perspectives of shared clandestine wartime experiences. 20 b/w illustrations
