Title: Southern Cross rising : an alternative history of Australia in World War II /
Authors: Hale, R. K.,
Year: 2016
Subjects: World War, 1939-1945 Campaigns Australia Fiction.; Military campaigns.; Darwin (N.T.) History Fiction.; Australia; Northern Territory Darwin
Abstract: 1942 - The Japanese Imperial Forces have invaded Australia quickly establishing a foothold in the States of Queensland, the northern parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It is now 1945 and the Allies have fallen back to "The Brisbane Line" in order to defend the more populous States of New South Wales and Victoria. A kind of status quo now exists. After the occupation civilians withstood very harsh treatment from the Japanese and they felt abandoned by the rest of Australia and her Allies. It became apparent to the Japanese that one of the main by-products of their occupation was the access to huge numbers of livestock and tonnages of grain. In the coal mining area around the central highlands of Queensland a Colonel Hiro Yamaguchi of the Japanese Imperial Forces is in charge of the coal mining operation run by the Japanese. Colonel Yamaguchi is an engineer, is fluent in English and has some understanding of the ways of Australians. In the meantime agents Captain Bob James and Susan Benn have been selected to assist with the uprising in the mining area and, after training, have taken on an arduous journey through outback Queensland with an aboriginal guide, Clarry. Harry Radcliff, the leader of the saboteurs, is the foreman of the large cattle/farming property, Peak Downs Station and finds that his boss, Ben Murdock is becoming aware of his activities. The running of the Station is largely left to Murdock's daughter, Frances Currie who was widowed in the early days of the war. Southern Cross Rising goes on to tell a story that may well have become history...