The story of
The Sparrows
–Battle of Britain gunners
who defended Timor
as part of Sparrow Force
during World War II.
Glasgow, Scotland
- 24 July 1941
Carlisle, Cumbria, England
24 July 1941 – 17 October 1941
Redford, Edinburgh, Scotland
23 October – 8 November 1941
Aldingham & Hale, Cumbria
14 November – 7 December 1941
Gourock, Scotland
7 December 1941
Freetown, Sierra Leone
21 – 26 December 1941
Capetown, South Africa
9 – 13 January 1942
Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies
3 – 9 February 1942
Koepang, Dutch West Timor
16 February – 23 September 1942
Koepang – Dili – Batavia
23 September – 1 October 1942
Makasura Camp # 5, Batavia
1 – 17 October 1942
Batavia – Singapore
17 – 24 October 1942
“The Royal Artillery motto is ‘Everywhere,’
which is exactly where we went.”
–Charlie McLachlan
Singapore
24 – 27 October 1942
Saigon, French Indo-China
3 – 7 November 1942
Tacao, Formosa
17 November 1942
Mitsushima Camp, Hiraoka, Japan
28 November 1942 – 16 April 1944
Kanose, Japan
16 April 1944 – 6 September 1945
Yokohama, Japan
6 – 7 September 1945
Okinawa, Japan
7 – 10 September 1945
Manila, Philippines
10 – 23 September 1945
Manila – Batavia – Singapore – Ceylon
October 1945
Ceylon – Aden – Suez Canal
November 1945
Liverpool, England
9 December 1945
Glasgow, Scotland
10 December 1945
Shortly after conscription, Charlie McLachlan was offered a job as a battery barber. He would be given a motorbike to travel around the English countryside and barber the anti-aircraft gunners at various gun sites. Charlie was talked out of that deal but, as Charlie said, “I missed out on that deal but I have come this far for the better of it... as unpleasant as it was.”
Charlie’s attitude was the culmination of travelling to the furthest corners of the globe, meeting a diversity of situations, and immersion with several cultures.
By focussing on the positives, Charlie’s eyes opened to different perspectives and learning alternative means of survival.
Sparrow follows Charlie’s journey from the start of the war in Glasgow, to conscription and training in Northern England, to deployment. On the night of 6 December 1941 Charlie’s convoy leaving Gourock is destined for North Africa but those plans take an unexpected turn as the men wake to the news of Japan’s attacks on Pearl Harbour and British ports in the Far East.
As the map below demonstrates, Charlie ended the war visiting most of the major battlefields of the Pacific War. During the long journey home, he discovers that the world is a very different place.
Places & Dates
Click on map of to see enlarged maps.
The above Google interractive map includes:
- Locations of every place mentioned in Sparrow;
- Footprints of each camp;
- Routes of Charlie's journey;
- Military movements;
- Locations of cemeteries and memorials;
- Locations of monument events.
Please scroll down the box to the left of the map, click on a place, drag the place to the centre of the map, then zoom in using the buttons to the bottom right of the map.
To view a full screen version of the map, please click on the link below.
Clidk on box to view dropdown box of locations
Click on arrows to zoom in or out
Click on box to change style of map
Click here to view map in full screen
Regimental badges of prisoners of war portrayed in Sparrow.