Alistair Urquhart is finally able to tell his story, seventy years after it began, in his memoirs The Forgotten Highlander.
Working as a conscripted soldier in the Gordon Highlanders, Urquhart was captured by the Japanese in Singapore. He survived working on the notorious Bridge of the River Kwai, the torpedoed Japanese 'hellships', and a close encounter with the atomic bomb at Nagasaki.
Urquhart's incredible story of unspeakable horrors and unlikely survival is available on 4 March.
Read Urquhart's amazing Sunday Times interview.
UPDATE: Alistair has written a thank you note to his readers for all of their heartfelt comments. You can read his note here.
The Forgotten Highlander by Alistair Urquhart Available 4 March 2010
Posted 26/02/2010 17:06:29 by Emily Rowland with 53 comments.
I am a documentary film maker specializing in films about Japan. I have a degree in Japanese and lived and worked there as a journalist. I would be very interested to make a film with Alistair about his experience during the war. I would be grateful if you could put us in touch with each other
4/3/2010 10:52
This book has had the most profound effect on me. I am so glad Alistar survived to tell of his and fellow men the atrocities they suffered. Harrowing it was to read but compulsory to enlighten us mere mortals of what heroes they are. I am saddend and ashamed, of what then was the British Goverment, did to show their disregard, lack of respect and acceptance of all men that were prisoners. Thank you Alistar for sharing your experiences, a true heroe never forgotten. I want all adults children to read this book and learn. Mine children are!
Regards
Gillian Rhodes
20/3/2010 18:30
I wanted to e-mail Alistair Urquhart himself but have been unable to find his e-mail address. Please pass on my comments.
I bought the book formy husband to read, but picked it up and read it first. Several times I put it down unable to go on ,but wanted to know how he survived. The strength of Alistair's spirit is amazing, but what is even more shocking is the treatment he received from the army-having to sign a document promising to reveal nothing and then having to sign off as A1 fit in order to get a discharge from them. It is shameful that our men were so treated.
I am 72 so can remember the war, but am so thrilled that yesterday this book was top of the best sellers. Maybe the two or three generations below me will read this too, and know what these men suffered to enable us to live in freedom today. Then Alistair's life-long suffering maybe will have been to some purpose.620122
29/3/2010 15:48
I too wanted to contact Alistair Urquhart by e-mail but was unable to find an e-mail address for him. I just wanted to tell how how immensely impressed I was by his book.
I happened to hear him being interviewed on BBC Radio Scotland and although I didn't know much about his story at that point, and I generally don't read books about war, I just figured that a man who gets to 90 years of age and then writes his first book deserves to have that book purchased. And I am so very glad I did. What an amazing story of human suffering and survival, without at any time looking for a sympathy vote. I think I realise why it took him a lifetime to write this.
I actually purchased this in CD form rather than paper book and David Rintoul (of Dr Findlay fame and narrator of Alexander McCall Smith's Edinburgh based books) was an excellent choice of narrator and I thought perfectly suited to read on behalf of Mr Urquhart.
My husband also listened to it in the car on a trip from Killin to Dunkeld and back and ended up sitting in the car outside our house to hear the end of it - he is a man not much in touch with his emotions, but he was incredible touched by the story and his first words as he came into the house was "I HATE the Japanese".
From my own thoughts, SHAME on the UK Governments of the day - and since! SHAME is not a strong enough word for the Japanese.
Alistair Urquhart accomplished a near impossible task to put down in writing the horrors of war. It should be read in every secondary school to ensure future generations never again stoop so low to treat their fellow man in such a barbaric way.
Thank you Alistair Urquhart.
22/4/2010 10:54
I would like to start by saying massive respect to Mr Urquhart and all other pow. The book was everything I exspected to read and so much more. My Grandfather was a Japanese pow. He never spoke of his time as a pow. He was a lovely happy loving Grandfather you would never compehend what he and all other pow have been through. I would like to learn more regarding my Grandfather where he was stationed before the Japanese took control and if I could where he was sent during his capture this I know could be very difficult. This book has made me think a lot about him. I am going to try to find out more if anyone reading this message could be of any help I would be very greatful. If anyone knows the best place to search for records or information. Please email.
To Mr Urquhart Thank you for telling your story I cannot begin to understand how hard it must have been but I will be forever greatful for the insite into what my beloved Grandfather when through.
25/4/2010 19:52
I want to buy his book because it looks like a book that i want to read and if all these people are saying it is really good why should i not buy it i will acctually be seeing him on the 29th of april so i am really exited i know that all his stories will be fantastic to hear!!!!
27/4/2010 16:06
Having read the foregoing comments, I realise that they have already expressed my own feelings and emotions about this book. A remarkable book about a very remarkable man. It is very difficult to know where to start to express one's admiration for his bravery and stoicism and also that of his friends and colleagues at the time.
That the Japanese military could behave as they did comes as no surprise and, increasingly it is no surprise that they have continued to this day, to deny their horrendous history. It is also sickening to realise, that our own successive governments have behaved so depicably to all our prisoners of war and most noticeably those who fought in the Far East theatre - they are indeed the Forgotten Army!
My final thought is that this book should be compulsory reading in our schools, to ensure that this episode should not be swept under the carpet like so much of our history has been.
27/5/2010 21:49
Never have I been moved to tears as I was with this Highlander taumatic account of his time as a POW. Written with exacting & well put down narrative, it wasn't until the last paragraph that brought copious tears for all those that had no regard shown to them by the Japanese & Korean guards as they murdered them. Thank you Alistar for this superb account of that horrendous period of your young life, that though nearly destroyed you , have undoubtedly made you the strong & caring Man you are today.
29/6/2010 20:41
We had a school teacher called Mr Peggler. One day a student locked him in the store cupboard in front and to one the side of the class room. He didn't make a sound and after the giggles from the rest of us subsided his silence continued. Eventually the store cupboard was unlocked but he stayed inside. A teacher had to be called to help. We were told to leave.
He had been in a Japanese prison of war, the effects of which we had just witnessed but would never, ever understand.
Mr Urquharts book took me back to this incident. It was a much needed journey.
Thank you for writing this book.
14/7/2010 16:39
I have just heard Alistair speaking about his book and experiences in WW2 on Radio New Zealand. having spent sometime involved in the war in Rhodesia, I could empathise a little with Alistair about war but can hardly imagine the spirit of survival he must have had to get through. He endured like few others and survived. A remarkable man. I will be seeking a copy of his book. Please pass on my admiration for the man.
Mike McAvou
27/7/2010 00:00
I too was looking for an e-mail address to pass on my admiration for writing such an accurate account of his torments and ordeals. I bought the book on an off-chance & read it within a week. Good on you fellow for surviving & showing humanity how they should conduct themselves!
A definite must for the School curriculum, and an accurate illustration of Politicians, both now & then.
Well deserved to be Top of the readers list!
15/8/2010 05:06
Thank you all for sharing your admiration of Alistair Urquhart and your personal responses from reading The Forgotten Highlander. Alistair Urquhart has received an overwhelming response to his incredible book and life, and is grateful for your comments.
17/8/2010 09:50
What a simply amazing, brave man. Mr Urquhart is true hero. Once I started the book, I read it non stop untill finished. Hats off to you sir, thanks so much for sharing your experience, people should know, especialy the youth of today. God bless you.
29/8/2010 11:27
I am left speechless by the atrocities that you suffered. Thank you so much for your sharing your incredible story, Mr. Urquhart.
14/9/2010 15:34
I spent 15 years in the British Army seen lots of bad things across the world in many theatre's, however nothing touched my soul like Alistair's book,
God bless you Alistair and all those poor souls,
A fellow Scottish soldier
8/10/2010 18:50
My father was a Japanese POW and after reading Alistair's book I wish he was still alive so I could take him in my arms and hug him and say sorry for all that he must have gone through. He never spoke about it but now I know why he liked being on his own so often, and why my mother stood by him no matter what. Thank you Alistair for allowing me to understand my own father better. I have nothing but admiration for you and can only thank you for taking the time to write this brilliant, beautiful and extremely upsetting book. I also agree that this book should be compulsory reading for all school children - what happens when the last POW is gone - who will remember what terrible times they went through. Once again, thank you Alistair. God bless. xx
20/10/2010 22:43
I think everyone should read this book and think how lucky we are nowadays,for Alistair to be put through the mental and physical torture and to survive is truly mindblowing.Alistair you and your fellow soldiers were incredible people.
20/11/2010 03:44
I came across Alistair's book quite by chance and have been very moved by his personal experience. I was born in Singapore just after the war and my father Douglas Hepburn, now deceased, was a Gordon Highlander serving in Singapore, who must have been imprisoned with Alistair. My father ended up being captured and was imprisoned by the Japanese in Changi and Burma on the railway.He did survive the war but never talked about it . I can understand why thanks to Alistair's recount. I still have difficuilty reading the book and can do it in bits. I was very close to my father and thanks to his wisdom and forsight we ended up in Australia. It is a pity such memories and the author's wisdom are not more widely understood. My best wishes to Alistair.
21/11/2010 04:01
I have read this book and was very moved what Alistair and his comrades went through.My father was posted to Singapore in 1946 and was stationed at Salerang Barracks in the Army Catering Core as cook Seargeant. i joined him in 1947 aged 5 with my mother, we lived in Married Quarters at Salerang Barracks. My father was still fighting in malay cooking for the troops. as a child i saw Changie Jail, there was still trouble there. We left in 1950. i returned to Singapore in 2001 and went back to see how it has changed and pay my respect to those who suffered so badley in Changie Jail at the hands of the Japanise. I would like to wish Alistair my best wishes.
24/11/2010 15:33
I just finished reading Alistair's chilling and graphic accounts of how he and his fellow-soldiers were treated at the hands of the Japanese. Any words to describe his bravery, his resilience, his intelligence and his kindness despite it all would be an understatement. That the Japanese were not made to pay reparations for their crimes & atrocities like the Germans is far more than despicable. This should be pursued further by the appropriate authorities. Shame on them that they haven't done so thus far.
Shame also on the British Govt. at the time that they were denied a heroes welcome upon their return to Britain, that not even family members were there to greet the poor souls. Shame on the British Army for not recognizing the suffering he had to endure all those years and gettign him to sign off as A1. I am in disbelief. Shame on the British Army too for trying to get him to sign a letter to forbid him from revealing the suffering and experiences he had undergone in the Japanese POW camps.
This morning I felt compelled to try to contact Alistair and tell him so many things, but like so many others I was unable to trace his email address.
Alistair is a real hero and it is an absolute phenomenon that he has managed to live this long. I call it the 8th wonder of the world.
Please convey my best wishes to him and thank him for revealing what truly went on back then.
26/11/2010 08:12
I had the great honour and pleasure to meet Alistair, (and his wonderful companian, Helen), through a close friend who initially assisted Alistair with his book and through that ended up driving him all over Scotland to various Book Festivels and talks about the book. I must say that we have all become firm friends though this and it is all to my greatest advantage and benefit that I have met and listened to Alistair. I have seen us having long working days from 9 in the morning untill 10 at night and Alistair, (at 90 years young!), still soldiers on to this day. He could actualy write another book of his story of survival AFTER the war was over, about his determination to overcome numerous set backs with his health. I can only agree with several of the earlier comments that this book should be on EVERY school in the country's curriculum. I take my hat off to you Alistair and respect you whole heartedly.
22/12/2010 12:50
I just finished reading Alistair's book and found it to be very gripping but sad.I could notput the book down.Thank you so much for your sharing your incredible story.Please convey my admiration to Alistair.
28/12/2010 17:36
A remarkable book, written by a truly remarkable man. I found myself unable to put this down as page upon page I turned revealing the barbaric and horrendous way in which our POWs were treated. Trying to comprehend the cruelty, neglect and how Alistair survived all he endured is a mystery and something which I found totally awe inspiring. The strong character of that wee Scottish laddie who did his utmost not to be broken by the Japanese – and thankfully for us, managed to survive to tell his story and educate us about atrocities our POWs endured.
I found the treatment handed out by our own Government and the British Army to these returning soldiers an absolute disgrace. It is abhorrent that after the years endured in Japanese captivity, these poor souls then had another battle to face.
Never has a book touched me so much. I have passed this book onto my son (13) to read and give an insight into what our men/boys endured and the true horror of the war. I wholeheartedly agree with other comments regarding this book being compulsory reading in our schools. The sacrifices, hardship, torture and suffering so many endured should never be forgotten.
I felt compelled to contact Alistair after reading his book, but couldn’t find an email address. Thank you Alistair for sharing your remarkable, upsetting and inspiring story.
My very best wishes to Alistair, and from one fellow Scot to another – ‘Lang may yer lum reek!’
26/1/2011 11:44
Thank you again for your comments everyone. You can read Alistair's response to them on our Little, Brown news and blog: http://www.littlebrownbooks.net/a-thank-you-note-from-alistair-urquhart-the-forgotten-highlander/
26/1/2011 15:49
Just finished reading Alistair's account of his war,utterly compelling
and wonderfully honest.
Thankyou Alistair your story touched me deeply.
Mak from Broughty Ferry.
2/2/2011 17:13
I have just finished reading Alistair's book. Words cannot describe how I feel and what unbelievable horrors poor Alistair had to endure. How can any human being get through all that and even worse how can any humans inflict so much pain and distress on so many others. I just want to give him the biggest hug and tell him what an incredible person he is.It was a deeply touching book and certainly puts things into perpective. Massive respect for Alistair
11/2/2011 19:10
11/2/2011 19:11
my grandfather was in your regiment and also survived the horrors he passed away in 1968
he could never talk about it . i would like to e-mail alistair if possable .
23/3/2011 00:29
Dear Alistair, thank you so much for sharing your incredible story. Mere word cannot convey the feelings and admiration to you and the men and women that gave so much. We will forever be in debt and grateful for all you did.
I hope this message reaches you and reaches you well.
Keep on dancing! :)
Yours Sincerely,
Tom Jepson
31/3/2011 20:25
I am lucky enough to know Alistair personally (he is my uncle)and reading his astounding book reduced me to tears many times. He is a dear and wonderful man who has risen above the horrors he had to endure by somehow managing to fight through the trauma and find his way back to normality, becoming a husband and father. Reading the comments above has reduced me to tears yet again. You have my love and admiration Uncle Alistair.
7/4/2011 09:42
An absolute brilliant read, Mr Urquhart has written a classic that should be compulsory reading not only in our schools but in Japanese schools as well.They should know what atrocities there fathers and grandfathers caused our brave troops. I could not put the book down and have started my 13 year old daughter on it and she is fascinated and enthralled , well done sir for your courage and fortitude
7/5/2011 22:41
I have just finished reading this book and was deeply moved by what i read. I can not believe what these men had to go through and even more astonishing is the fact that Alistair lived to tell the tale and is still alive despite all his body has been put through and exposed to all those years ago. I felt compelled to write to Alistair but the address i put on the envelope (taken from the forward in his book) was very vaque....I hope it reaches him. A true hero in my eyes.
16/5/2011 11:46
I listened to Mr Urqhart speak at the Boswell Book festival and it has had a profound effect on my outlook on life. All my petty gripes now seem nonsense. I would like to thank Mr Urghart for a great hour today , I think he could still have been answering questions well into the night, he had a standing ovation at the end of his talk and rightly so. I would like to say thankyou to Mr Urghart and all the other people who fought in wars so that my family and myself can have a free happy life , please note that these words do not convey the depth of gratitude that I feel after listening to his experiences . Thankyou
21/5/2011 19:08
My husband has always been interessted in stories about the war. We actually went to the River Kwai and visited the graves of many men who worked on the Railway. I bought this book for my husband just recently and he simply couldn't put it down - it is possibly the shortest time it has ever taken us to read the same book.
We were both extremely moved by the account of Mr Urqhart's war experience and having visited the railway we could visualise where he was. We wanted to let my Urquhart know how much we admired his strength and determination not to let these most cruel of men destroy him. Please pass on our good wishes. We are now passing the book to our sons as we feel it is very important that as many people as possible read this book.
Kind regards
Rae 7 Martin McNairney
18/6/2011 16:44
My Grandfather was an engineer (plumber) in the army when Singapore was overun. He too went through this trauma however he committed suicide in the 1950's. My Mum, his daughter, has never spoken about it to me, and I feel I would like to remember him in some way. We are also from Dundee and I in fact lived on Seafield Road in Broughty Ferry when younger. Is there any way you can email Alistair? I look forward to tonight's programme.
6/9/2011 17:39
i cannot put into words how amazing alistair urqhart is. absolutely blown away by his experiences & his outlook on them. take my hat off to him. god bless his soul
6/9/2011 21:24
just read a story of a man who overcame so much and was silent what this man went through was unbelieveable along with many men who wrer sacrifised i am but a humble man. to allistair and his many comerades i salute you . the word hero was created to honour them. there for the grace of god go i
17/9/2011 21:05
It was very special to read this story as my father was captured in Java and shipped from Singapore to Japan on 22nd Sept 1943, a year earlier than Alistair. Both my father and Alistair are on the list provided on Roger Mansell's website for those rescued from Omutu 25B although they would have been in different camps as my father actually watched the atomic bomb come down ("we saw this object coming down with a big cluster of parachutes on it") and he was temporarily blinded when it exploded on Nagasaki. My father somehow managed, with the help of other POWS, to keep a diary throughout his imprisonment and we have been able to read his comments written at that time. Alistair's book fills in more detail of the experience in Japan and the repatriation process. Being one of very few New Zealanders (& Australians) he was flown out by Catalina & a Liberator from Manila, a much shorter trip back to the family than Alistair's. I like to think, although our colonialism may have diluted the Scots blood somehow, that our Scottish blood helped dad deal with his ordeal at the hands of the Japs & Korean guards.
14/10/2011 19:43
An unbelievably brave and resilient man, thank you for bringing the injustices to the attention of the general public of today. The book is amazing and I would recommend it be read by everyone, it is so important that these brave people and the horrors they had to endure at the hands of other so called humans are not forgotten.
21/10/2011 21:32
What a read, total respect and admiration for Alistair. I can't remember the last time a book followed me around all day! I would put it down only to go back 5 minutes later to carry on his amazing trails and tribulations with the Japanese military. What resolve and inner strength he and his fellow prisoners showed.God bless you.
2/11/2011 16:57
i am not a great reader of books,but i could not put this one down until i had finished it.i had heard stories about the atrocities the japanese soldiers had committed in the past but this book really outlined how cruel they were.thank you alister for sharing it with us all.it must have really hurt you to put it down on paper but the true story needed to be told.hope you are well,regards dennis.
7/12/2011 10:42
i am not a great reader of books,but i could not put this book down until i had finished it.we have all heard about the atrocities the japanese soldiers had committed in the past but this book really showed how bad it was.it must have hurt you to recall all that happened alister but the real truth needed to come out.thank you for sharing it with us.regards dennis
7/12/2011 10:50
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waste
21/12/2011 12:57
I have just read the forgotten highlander in one day, I just could not put this down. I am quite simply amazed at how much alistair went through and also horrified at the torment he and his fellow captives were put through. These men fought for our country, without them, we would all have a very different life today. My grandad was posted to Burma in world war two and this book makes me appreciate even more the sacrifices that were made. God bless you alistair and god bless the fallen that took the same journey as you, but with a sadly, different outcome. This book is amazing. Well done x
8/1/2012 00:30
We both read this book and were amazed at Alastair's dogged tenacity to overcome his adversaries and adversities. We have also wondered what became of Dr. Mathieson, who came over as a truly caring medic who followed his hypocratic principles to the letter throughout his ordeal.
We are also ashamed and disgusted at the way our military personnel were treated on their return from this terrible conflict.
We send our sincere best wishes to Alastair
9/1/2012 11:51
A true Hero, and as David says What a read!! I have researched through the internet, the places and people he has mentioned in this book and it brings the true horrors that these brave men went through. Also the bit in a news paper ''War hero Alistair Urquhart, 91, finally wins veteran's medical pension thanks to Prince Charles '' What is up with our country. I thank you Alistair for a great book.
10/1/2012 17:01
We were very moved by Alastairs account of his wartime experiences. He showed strength, determination, resourcefulness and valor that is an example to us all. We also wonder what became of Dr Mathieson who also showed the same qualities and was never to busy or ill to tend for his patients. He truly held up the principles of his hipocratic oath. We feel priviliged and have had the opportunity to read his book.
Dianne & Robert Jackson
11/1/2012 09:18
My dad, Sidney George Hurren, was also a Japenese prisoner of war. He also rarely talked about his experiences. When he was in his fifties he started having a lot of health issues, doctors didn't know what what was wrong with him. Eventualy, after about ten years, there was a program on the television, set in the tropical diseases hospital in Liverpool, where it had been discovered that some FEPOW had been carrying worms in there stomachs for over 40 years. We got my dad tested eventually and he did have them,
and had carried them for all those years. He was treated and lived to be 80 then lung cancer took him.
It amazes me that those men were not looked after medicaly knowing what they had been through.
Reading Alisters story has made me understand a lot more about what happend to my dad. I know of someone in my town who was with my dad and it has encouraged me to go and ask him some question.Some of the camps that Alister was at my dad was there, and also he travelled on the awful trains but I didn't realize that they were so awful. I feel so full of gratitude to Alistar for writting this book, the time and emotions that he must have had to go through I can't thank him enough.It's hard to explain but I feel close to Alister even though I have never met him, because he shared some of the experiences in the same place and at the same time as my dad.Thank you and God bless. Linda
17/1/2012 16:31
Was walking through our public library here in Aspen Colorado when I was suddenly compelled towards a part of the building I don't usually browse... but before I knew it this book was in my hand, don't even remember selecting it!
My God, what an amazing story, and what a truly brave incredibly individual Mr. Urquhart is. I don't think I have ever read a book like it, and I doubt if I ever will again. A stunning achievement.
Like many I was hoping for an email address but I can imagine that he has better things to do than spend his time reading what would be an endless river of acolades, so I guess this is as close to the great man as the trail gets (I don't do facebook!).
If by any remote chance you are reading this sir I'd just like to add my utter and complete gratitude, admiration and thanks for not only being the incredible human being you are, but for telling your story in such a powerful and compelling manner. It really was nothing short of brilliant. I simply cannot thank you enough.
I'm truly humbled.
Martin Cooney. Woody Creek, Colorado USA
20/1/2012 06:56
Find it ALMOST impossible to believe ANY human
being could survive so many hardships and survive
but here you are a credit to mankind and long may
you enjoy the fruits of life and your dancing.
My wife and I were deeply moved by your story.
26/2/2012 11:20
I'm just finishing this remarkable book and I want to thank Alistair for writing it. Life is sometimes difficult and heartbreak is part of being alive, but what this man went through puts so much into perspective. What Alistair and his generation endured is almost unfathomable to men of my age who are afforded such (often unappreciated) privileges by comparison. I am so glad that he told this story and didn't keep the terrible secret of of his agonising war years to himself. I would love to see this book added to the national curriculum both in the UK and Japan so that future generations can stare at the terrifying truth of our shared past and learn its awful lesson – that the lack of regard for our fellow man is a whirlpool of tragedy that sucks everybody down. Alistair you are a true hero, not simply because you survived but because you survived with your humanity intact. I can't begin to understand how much courage that must have taken or how difficult it must have been to then blow the dust off those memories all these years later. Thank you sir, you are an inspiration.
16/3/2012 11:45
This was the first book I downloaded on my Kindle and I read it on the beach in Goa.I cried at your suffering and read the book in a day.I was given the name Norma after my uncle Norman Catto was reported as a prisoner on the day I was born.Young men are not as tough these days. You are an inspiration. Thank you.
2/4/2012 15:02
Hardback