Complex sentence: This left Douglas Mardon, a South African POW who had joined in January, in charge of the unit and in shaping up what he had: a grand total of eight men--he refused to take two men, and Minchin had scabies.
Split into simpler sentences: This left Douglas Mardon, a South African POW who had joined in January, in charge of the unit and in shaping up what he had: a grand total of eight men. He refused to take two men, and Minchin had scabies.