Jungle Jim: Malaya and Borneo

By Colonel Peter Hall DSO
Privately published by Louis Scully

Published 2003

Jungle Jim is no turgid, deep analysis of military or political history and it does not attempt to bring together all the whys and wherefores of Britain’s role in its two post-war Far East jungle campaigns. What it does, though, through Peter Hall’s very observant and not uncritical eyes, is to bring alive the often forgotten, and certainly unrecorded, years of the British Army’s two successful adventures as part of the withdrawal from Empire.

It is recorded not by a General or senior staff officer, not by a journalist or military historian with wide-ranging research facilities, but by a middle-ranking infantry officer who was a very active participant when in his 30’s and 40’s. His memories are entirely his own, based on lengthy periods as a Company Commander, a Brigade Major and as Commandant of the Jungle Warfare School. All this took place in the 1950’s and 60’ s and, I would suggest, that the author was in the ideal place to take note, think about and, on occasion, take the necessary remedial action.

The two campaigns started with a major difference. The first - the Malaysian Emergency - was an internal security one against Communist insurgents. The second Confrontation as it was known - and, largely taking place in Borneo - involved the repelling of an external invasion. Both took place mainly in tropical jungle, both primary and secondary (that being where the original trees had been felled.)
This little book is one man’s story. But he was a special sort of infantryman with infectious enthusiasm, skill and courage. I think that everyone who reads it, particularly young infantrymen, will be the better for it.

You can download a copy of this book in Acrobat pdf format by clicking here. Please note this is a large file (4.2MBytes).