The Marine from Mandalay

by James Leasor

This is the true story of a Royal Marine wounded by shrapnel in Mandalay who undergoes a long solitary march to flee the Japanese and finds his way back through India to Britain. On his way he has many encounters and adventures and helps British and Indian refugees.

Genres: History

146 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

James Leasor was a prolific British author, who wrote historical books and thrillers. A number of Leasor's works were made into films, including his 1978 book, Boarding Party, about an incident from the Second World War that until that time was secret, was turned into a film, "The Sea Wolves", starring Gregory Peck, Roger Moore and David Niven.

Thomas James Leasor was born at Erith, Kent, on 20th December 1923 and educated at the City of London School. On leaving school, whilst waiting to join the army, he had his first foray into journalism, as a cub scout reporter for the Kent Messenger.
He volunteered for the Army in World War 2, as soon as he was old enough. He was commissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment and served in Burma with the Lincolnshire Regiment.

After the war he went up to Oriel College, Oxford, to read English. There he edited the Isis magazine, before joining the Daily Express. He became a full-time author in the 1960s. He also ghosted a number of autobiographies for subjects as diverse as the Duke of Windsor, King Zog of Albania, the actors Kenneth More and Jack Hawkins and Rats, a Jack Russell terrier that served with the British Army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

He lived for his last 40 years at Swallowcliffe Manor, near Salisbury in Wiltshire. He died on 10th September 2007 and is buried in the churchyard of St Peter’s Church, Swallowcliffe.

Reviews

[ricard flay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt tis was one of those fascinating escape-survival histories that I have become fascinated with. But like Sławomir Rawicz's book The Way Back, it omits facts which would make this more believable.
Any good investigative reporter could pick apart any possible discrepancies in either book. For example, why didn't the author explain if this was first hand information from the main character. And why didn't the geographic points such as rivers, or the complete names of those the protagonist met on his trek given, or verification from anyone he came in contact with after fleeing the Japanese? I would have liked to know what happened to Doyle after he was reunited with his family, and whether he received any commendations for his survival. I would categorize this with similar works such as the first Hudson' bay explorer to reach the Pacific , or Ernest Shackelton

[TheChinwagger]

Great read and gives a less than positive view of the allied organisation and commitment in South East Asia.