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White Coolies cover art

White Coolies

By: Betty Jeffrey
Narrated by: Beverly Dunn
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Editor reviews

A harrowing but ultimately inspiring account of Australian Army nurses attacked and imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II. In her dignified and matter-of-fact-voice, Australian actress Beverley Dunn reads a secret diary kept by one of the nurses, Betty Jeffrey, written while imprisoned in the Sumatran jungle. Jeffrey's account of tortures, starvation, murder, and humiliation is hard to hear, although it’s brightened by the courage and perseverance of these brave women, and their determination to find humor and even joy in the bleakest of times.

Summary

It is October 1942. From the doorway of this small three-roomed cottage, which houses 32 of us, we look out beyond to a steaming jungle in Sumatra. In 1942 a group of 65 Australian Army nursing sisters was evacuated from Malaya a few days before the fall of Singapore. Two days later their ship was bombed and sunk by the Japanese. Of the 53 survivors who scrambled ashore, 21 were murdered and the remaining 32 taken prisoner.

White Coolies is the engrossing record kept by one of the sisters, Betty Jeffrey, during the more than three gruelling years of imprisonment that followed. It is an amazing story of survival and deprivation and the harshest of conditions. An account of the true story which inspired the film Paradise Road starring Glenn Close.
©2004 Betty Jeffrey (P)2008 Bolinda Publishing
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
Biographies & Memoirs Military
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Absolutely gripping - can’t recommend enough!

This is one of the best books I’ve listened to. It’s absolutely gripping, and stays with you even when you’re not listening to it. I’ve just finished it and I’m tempted to just listen to it all over again.

It really is an amazing, fascinating look at life in a women’s internment camp. If you’ve ever watched Tenko or Paradise Road, this is absolutely a book for you! (I believe it informed both).

I also love the author’s voice - she’s so Australian! It’s a very interesting view to see how different nationalities felt about things. The performance by Beverly Dunn was also brilliant - it could easily be just an Aussie chatting to you about her experiences.

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