Calvert, Michael, - FIGHTING MAD.

Jarrolds, London, 1964, 1st edn., 224pp, 12pp half tone photo ills., map in text, green cloth lettered in gilt at spine, coloured pictorial dustwrapper, Calvert obtained a place at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich and went on to study mechanical science at Cambridge. By 1936 he was a Sapper Officer in the Royal Engineers. Within a few months he was in Hong Kong to bring the Hong Kong Royal Engineers up to strength, learning Cantonese and leaving in 1937 to go to Shanghai. Shanghai was an International Settlement with the Sino-Japanese war raging just outside. He was joined the Chinese forces as an observer and became one of the few British officers with first hand experience of the Japanese tenacity and fighting spirit. Sady his reports were probably filed unread but it stood him in good stead for the future. In 1938 on return to UK he was appointed Adjutant of the London Divisonal Engineeers as Captain. In November 1939 Calvert resigned his commission and joined the 5th Scots Guards to fight for the Finns. By the time he had completed skiing training the Finns had surrendered. He was allowed to resume his commission and joined the BEF in Norway in 1940, mainly protecting the withdrawal. Once home he underwent Commando training and was sent to Australia to set up a similar training base at Wilson's Promontory. In 1941 he was promoted Major and sent to Maymyo in Burma as chief instructor at the the Bush Warfare School. After the Japanese invasion he formed a force from his school set off behind the Japanese lines on the Irrawaddy to slow down the Japanese advance. On his return to Maymyo he found Orde Wingate at his desk and an immediate friendship sprung up. Wingate had been authorised to set up the first Chindit force and Calvert commanded a group in that 1st expedition. After that success Calvert was appointed Brigadier of 77 Brigade, one of several Brigades of the 2nd Chindit expedition. After resolving a clash with General Stillwell the Brigade was evacuated to India and Calvert returned to UK for medical treatment. In March 1945 was appointed to command of SAS Brigade in Europe, faint marks to cloht, lightly rubbed at tips, edges tanned, light foxing to edges esp. to fore-edge, faint partial tanning to endpapers, dustwrapper:rubbed with very slight loss at tips, very good in a very good dustwrapper,

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