In early 1942, the Japanese forces were rapidly advancing across the Pacific, conquering island after island and defeating the Allied troops at every step. It became so bad that primary resistance fell to the locals, and Australian forces were sent to the small island of Timor to provide support and defend the territory.
The battalion tasked with protecting the island was given the code-name Sparrow Force, and was made up of 70 officers and 1,330 men.
When Sparrow Force saw a massive shipment arriving at the island, they thought they would be reinforcements, but to their dismay, they turned out to be the invading Japanese. The Australians were outnumbered, surrounded, and heavily engaged, so they retreated to the mountains while suffering many casualties.
The military command in mainland Australia and the Japanese forces thought that Sparrow Force had been eradicated, but to their astonishment, the remaining soldiers in Timor had actually built a headquarters deep in the jungle.
A 10-month guerrilla operation against the occupying Japanese ensued as the battalion sniped patrols, destroyed bridges, liberated towns, and disrupted communications, becoming much more than a headache for the invaders.
However, there was no way to reach the Australian command, and with little ammunition and resources left, time was running out for the renegades. It would take remarkable wits and unparalleled endurance to make it out of the island alive…
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