From 1948 through the 1950s British and Commonwealth forces fought a ruthless communist insurgency on the Malay peninsula. Thanks to sound generalship and the dedication and resilience of the officers and men, the security forces eventually broke the terrorists' resolve.

This book charts the service of one particular unit, the 1st Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment, throughout their tour of duty between 1949 to 1953, the most critical years in The Emergency. The book describes in text and photos how the Battalion – which was mostly made up of National Servicemen conscripts – was able to operate in the oppressive climate and jungle conditions of the Malay Peninsula. Its success was built on good leadership and those most elusive of factors, good morale and camaraderie.

The author has had a strong and lasting association with the Regiment, as his grandfather served with the 4th Battalion during WWII in South East Asia, and he himself is a member of the Old Comrades Association for the Suffolk Regiment. He spent a lot of time with members who had served in Maalyan during the Emergency and is therefore able to present a personal and very detailed picture of that time. Illustrated with over 250 photos, most of which are from the Old Comrades themselves and have never been published before, the book is a graphic record of the struggle against both the conditions and the CTs (Communist Terrorists).

The author is able to weave an authoritative close account of the Battalion’s service while placing it in the wider context of the overall campaign, resulting is a gripping account that sheds new light on this oft-forgotten war. Very readable and excellently illustrated, I can highly recommend it to those interested in British military history. My thanks to Casemate for the review sample.