A Song for Bahau

By Richard De Souza

1942 - The Japanese Imperial Army had bombed Singapore, crippling its British colonisers.

The British surrender, leaving the citizens to survive under their villainous Japanese conquerors.

A group of citizens are forced to a disease-plagued acreage in the jungles of Malaya. Under the watchful eye of ruthless Japanese guards, the group slave on impoverished soil to eke out a living.

Malnutrition, diseases and death, ravage the detainees. The Japanese keep the life-giving medicine for themselves.

Joe Monteiro soon finds himself relentlessly pursued by the Japanese in the treacherous jungle. Maria, the girl he loves, is in the throes of death. On the verge of death himself, Joe must get the quinine to her…before it’s too late.

The Japanese and the jungle stand in his way.

“If the Japs don’t finish him, the jungle will.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vivid Publishing
• Release date: Sep 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781925341874

Richard De Souza

This is Richard De Souza's first book. Richard is 68 years of age. He was born in Singapore. He had his secondary school education in St. Patrick’s School in Katong. After completing 2 years of national service he worked in Singapore for several years before migrating to Sydney, Australia in 1991. He did volunteer work as a Radio Broadcaster in Sydney from 1992-2002. In his younger days, Richard lived with his parents in what is now Le Peranakan Hotel in East Coast Road. Richard was inspired to write A Song for Bahau after reading Flavours of Change by Joe Conceicao which brought back a flood of memories of the stories he had heard in his youth. Richard's parents were themselves detainees in Bahau. Richard is now happily retired in Sydney, Australia and is writing his second book.