Oboe One, Tarakan, 1945

In 1945, the small island of Tarakan off Borneo's coast became the unlikely stage for one of the Second World War's most gruelling campaigns. As part of General Douglas MacArthur's plan to liberate the Netherlands Indies, Australian soldiers launched Operation Oboe One, a mission to capture Tarakan’s airstrip. What was meant to last three weeks stretched into two months of bitter jungle warfare, claiming 240 Australian lives and 1,500 Japanese defenders. The airstrip’s strategic goal faltered, but the courage and sacrifice of those who fought there remain an untold story.

Through vivid narratives and exhaustive research, Oboe One brings this obscure battle to life, uncovering the grit and camaraderie of the Second Australian Imperial Force. These citizen soldiers faced dense jungles, hidden mines, and relentless enemy fire, embodying professionalism and resilience in the war’s final days. Their experiences reveal not just the hardships of combat, but the unique ethos of a generation shaped by a vanished Australia—an era of robust, unpolished camaraderie and quiet determination.

This compelling account revisits Tarakan through the eyes of its participants and confronts lingering questions about the campaign's necessity. Was it a strategic misstep or a justified sacrifice within the larger Pacific war effort? Tarakan challenges readers to remember the forgotten, honour the fallen, and understand the extraordinary men whose lives were forever marked by this brutal campaign.

For those seeking to explore the human cost of war, Oboe One is an essential tribute to courage, leadership, and the enduring echoes of an extraordinary Australian legacy.

‘Detailed, thoughtful and highly readable’ - The Age

‘A notable work, learned, detailed and absorbing’ - Bill Sweeting, Canberra & District Historical Society Journal

‘Enthralling reading … deserves to be widely read … captures the spirit of mateship’ - Harry Powell, RSL Victoria

‘a first-rate account’ - David Horner, Journal of the Australian War Memorial

‘One of the best explanations I’ve read of the place of such campaigns in our military history’ - Frank Cranston, Canberra Times

‘a fitting history … effectively portrays what battle is like’ - Graeme Faragher, The War Cry

‘… [written] with a Bean-like understanding of and empathy for ordinary people … shows us a great deal about war and about Australians’ - Paul Macpherson, Archives and Manuscripts

‘I attended the launch of this book and saw the considerable interest and approval that the author enjoyed from those veterans who had assisted him’ - Hugh Collis, Stand-To

‘A scholarly work most thoroughly researched … At the same time, it is sensitively written’ - Gordon Maitland, United Service