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The Cocos Islands Mutiny. By Noel Crusz. Fremantle, Australia: Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2001. Distributor in the US: ISBS, Portland, Oreg. Maps. Photographs. Illustrations. Notes. Bibliography. Pp. 248. $26.95.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a group of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, about one thousand kilometres southwest of Java and almost twice that distance from the Western Australian coast. Now owned by Australia, in 1942 the islands were a British-ruled outpost protected by volunteer troops from Ceylon. On the night of 8 May, a handful of the fifty-six gunners of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery stationed on Horsburgh Island mutinied against their British commanding officer, with the aim of surrendering their post to Japanese forces...