The Jungle Is Neutral - F. Spencer-Chapman, DSO

[chutes]

Sure, a ripping WWII yarn about fighting behind the lines but what sets it apart from all the other stories about secret agents and the resistance, is that the author of this autobiographical piece was British officer Freddy Spencer-Chapman - pre-war adventurer and naturalist.

During wars between men, the jungle really is neutral - but it is an Armed Neutrality with just a twinge of malevolence towards both sides. Although he contracted just about every tropical disease known to man during his time as a guerrilla in Malaya and spent half of his 4 years there not running and gunning, but on a bamboo cot, the war story of Lt Col Freddy Spencer Chapman, DSO seems to take second place to his stories of the jungle itself. Its insects, birds, plants, animals, human inhabitants are all given a thorough going over with Freddy's experienced naturalist's eye.

The casual reader expecting a shootemup action story may find this a slow and tedious read, but if you're like me - an avid history and nature lover, you'll get a lot out of it. It is a bushcrafter's delight.

Now that I've finished "The Jungle is Neutral", I'll have to track down his other books.

For more info on Freddy Spencer-Chapman, here's his wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Spencer_Chapman

If you're interested in reading the book, you'll find it easily enough online in the usual places.

 

[rik_uk3]

Chapman has been talked about before, he is a hero of mine. I suggest you find a copy of 'Memoirs of a Mountaineer' next, its a stunning read.

'Jungle Soldier' was written a couple of years ago and is a good account of his life, so sadly wasted when he shot himself; looks like the jungle demons followed him home

 

[chutes]

I'm actually listening to "Jungle Soldier" as an audio book at the moment. He was an amazing bloke and his suicide was definitely a loss to the world. Shows what can happen if the black dog (depression) gets it teeth into you and you can't make it let go. It's quite sad that his depression was such a large part of his early life. I'm not into postmortem diagnosis, but I'd say that's part of the reason he was the 1930's equivalent of an adrenalin junkie - except he literally didn't care if he lived or died.

I wouldn't have found out about Freddy Spencer-Chapman at all, but I'm a writer and historian who's spent the past 6 months interviewing WWII veterans, I interviewed two old Diggers who were trained by Freddy Spencer Chapman and Mike Calvert at a commando school in Victoria in Australia's south. During the interviews they both raved about him as a commander and as an instructor. He was very informal, but very effective. He taught them fieldcraft (Calvert was demolitions instructor) and his love of nature really shone through and was instilled to some degree in the men. I would have liked to have met him.

I'll definitely track down a copy of "Memoirs of a Mountaineer".

 

[rik_uk3]

We had a great history teacher who also ran the School 'expedition club' and he passed round Chapman's books to the members so I first read Chapman when I was about 14; the books had a big impact on me.

Try and get a copy of Watkin's Last Expedition http://www.amazon.co.uk/Watkins-Expedition-Vanguard-Library-Series/dp/B0000CIGGV
Its a true example of understatement, real 'Boy's Own' stuff. The lived very happily in really very harsh conditions.
"The story of the Henry George "Gino" Watkins' East Greenland Expedition, 1932-33, during which the leader lost his life. Gives an account of the sledge and boat journeys in the Angmagssalik region, descriptions of the East Greenlanders, kayaking, hunting, and dog sledging"

So there you go, thats your reading and book hunting sorted for a while

 

[Tengu]

Yep, Ive read about Gino too. Yet another real adventurer who has been forgotten.

And yes, he could hunt seals from kayaks...

 

[adestu]

i'm reading jungle soldier now.