Elephant Bill
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A book comes along like this once in a lifetime. You read it as a small child, or even an adult, and never forget the images it conjures up of a wonderful Englishman who lives in the mysterious forests of faraway Burma and of the kind native people who teach him about their lovely country. But most of all, you never forget the elephants! For this is a story about those magnificent creatures. Though he was officially known as Lt. Colonel J. H. Williams, the author was known to the world at large as Elephant Bill. That is because he spent 25 years living with the elephants in the mountains and forests of Burma. There he trained them to haul teak logs out of the isolated jungles. Yet this is also a story of great courage, because when the Second World War struck it also came to Burma. The Japanese Imperial Army planned to confiscate the Burmese elephants, drafting them to make the bridges and railways they needed to invade India. When he learned of these plans to put his beloved animals to a war-like purpose, Elephant Bill knew what had to be done. The mighty kings of the jungle had to be evacuated to safety. This is thus the story not only of the peaceful days in the jungle, starting in 1921, but also the story of the largest elephant rescue in history. It tells the amazing account of how Elephant Bill, along with his friends and family, rode 45 of the great beasts across the mountains of Burma, before reaching safety in faraway India. A classic then. A classic now. Elephant Bill is a blessing to any library and a literary treasure.
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Wow, what a fantastic book - I can't believe I waited so long to read this! I have read another of this author's books (The Spotted Deer - related to elephants in forestry in the Andaman Islands), and gave that 4 stars - it was great, but this book is basically as good as it gets in all things elephant (related to forestry, military, and general wild Indian elephant behaviour).
Published in 1950, it covers the period immediately after WW1 (when Williams was in the Camel Corps), and he first reached Burma in 1920, to run a forestry operation, right through to the years after WW2, when he spent time returning elephants to forestry, after they spent time in the army (er, him and the elephants!).
Basically a book of two halves - the first is the culmination of many years experience in the forestry industry in Burma (pre-war), all the learning of a vet looking after elephants, all the experience of working with elephants, training them, and their abilities, their quirks, their behaviour, their likes and dislikes. As well as this he shares a deep understanding of the Burmese oozie (riders), and indeed the Burmese natives, whom he respected and was respected by.
The second half explains the role Williams had in the army during WW2 - again in Burma, and again with elephants, where they were extensively used for construction (roads, bridges, fortifications) and as transportation. Williams played a large role in trying to keep the Japanese from capturing elephants for their own use, and in trying to get them back from the Japanese, or recapturing them after the Japanese retreat.
Throughout the book it is obvious Williams has a deep connection with the elephants, and has a thorough understanding of them. He also has talent as a writer, able to weave a story, work a narrative up to a crescendo, and layer information in a way that doesn't feel like a textbook, but still contains considerable information.
The book is easy reading and doesn't use too much jargon or military terms (although there are inevitably a number when half the book discusses the war). My copy (Reprint Society) is packed with black and white photographs which are excellent, given the age of the book (my edition is 1951).
It is not a rare book by any means, so is relatively easy available, and definitely worth seeking out.
Easy 5 stars.
