Semut
The Untold Story of a Secret Australian Operation in WWII Borneo
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Semut
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Narrated by:
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Dorje Swallow
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Christine Helliwell
About this listen
March 1945. A handful of very young Allied operatives are parachuted into the remote jungled heart of the Japanese-occupied island of Borneo, east of Singapore, there to recruit the island's indigenous Dayak peoples to fight the Japanese. Yet most speak next to no Borneo languages and know little about Dayaks, other than that they were once headhunters who might kill them on arrival. For their part, some Dayaks have never before seen a white face.
This is the story of Operation Semut, an Australian secret military operation launched by the organisation popularly known as Z Special Unit in the final months of WWII. Anthropologist Christine Helliwell has called on her years of first-hand knowledge of Borneo, interviewed more than one hundred Dayak people and all the remaining Semut operatives, and consulted thousands of military and other documents to piece together this astonishing story. Focusing on two of Borneo's great rivers - the Baram and Rejang - the book provides a detailed military history of Semut II's and Semut III's brutal guerrilla campaign against the Japanese, and reveals the decisive but long-overlooked Dayak role in the operation.
But this is no ordinary history. Helliwell captures vividly the terrors of the jungle environment into which the operatives are plunged. And she takes us into the lives and cavernous longhouses of the Dayaks on whom their survival depends. The result is a truly unique account of the meeting of two very different cultures amidst the savagery of the Pacific War.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2021 Christine Helliwell (P)2021 Penguin Random House AustraliaWhat listeners say about Semut
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
outstanding
couldn't stop listening, can not wait for the next.
I am extremely proud and fortunate that my grandfather served with Z special in Borneo and made it home.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 26-01-2022
Outstanding story about the brave Z men of Semut
As the son of an operative attached to Semut 1 I was very grateful for this book by Christine Helliwell. The research involved given the passage of time was brilliant. Her team assisting with research of the Z men and Dayaks was first class and places the reader/listener back in Borneo during 1945 during this time of the war. I have a greater understanding of the bravery, hardship and courage of the Z men and native Dayaks that I wouldn't have otherwise had. I can't thank Christine enough for the honour she bestows upon the Z operatives and Dayak people alike and has ensured that this part of history will be shared by all in my family and passed down through the generations. The book covers Semut 2 & 3 with Semut 1 & 4 being covered in a future book. I am looking forward to the release of her second book which will detail more of the operation involving my father. Thanks again Christine Helliwell for your tireless commitment, dedication to this extremely detailed account of Operation Semut conducted by Z Special Force during WW2 You do great honour to the memories of these brave men.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Jasmine
- 26-03-2024
unknown history
This is a part of Australia's wartime history which should be taught in schools! Required reading for anyone interested in the Borneo campaign
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- LindaA
- 05-07-2021
Excellent insight into a little known operation
This is a fascinating account of the secret insertion of Australian and allied personnel into British North Borneo at the end of Worl War 2 and their recruitment of local Dayak tribespeople for intelligence gathering and harassment of the enemy. The book tells more than the story of the military achievements. It highlights the strong bonds of trust and respect forged and the utter dependence the operatives had on their hosts for survival in an alien environment. The author has informed her narrative through meticulous research of military records and archives, the memoirs of the operatives and extensive interviews with local Dayaks
. A very engaging book which I would highly recommend. The narration in an Australian accent gives authenticity to the book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Robyn
- 20-07-2021
A wild journey through Borneo during WW2
"Semut" by Christine Helliwell is a wild journey through Borneo during the Second World War told through the accounts of the Island's Indigenous Dayaks peoples and Allied operatives of Operation Semut - popularly known as Z Special Unit. Travelling through pristine primary forests of ancient trees, majestic longhouses, moss forests and raging great rivers we read of encounters between cultures vastly different and strange to each other against the terrifying backdrop of the war in the Pacific. Borneo, occupied by the Japanese from late 1941 until 1945, became a key Australian battleground in the final stages of the war. In the face of discovery and Japanese reprisals, Dayaks and operatives discovered surprising affinities and formed remarkable alliances. This authoritative account crosses between the disciplines of anthropology and military history and is a valuable addition to both disciplines but most of all it is an enthralling read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- case
- 28-10-2023
Great book !!
A great book, well written , and backed up with great narration , highly recommended for anyone with an interest in ww2 pacific,
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