The Malayan jungle was some of the most formidable in the world, completely shutting out the sun and sky creating a stifling humid heat. In certain places a patrol could cover no more than a mile in about four hours. Where bamboo was at its thickest, soldiers had to take turns chopping away with a machete. Huge fallen trees had to be climbed over and fast running streams crossed, all this effort pushed overheated men to their limits. This was hardly eased by small sips of water from a little water bottle. Leeches that sucked the blood and covered the body were inescapable - eventually soldiers simply ignored them - it was not unusual to find 50 or more on all parts of the body. Also sharing the jungle with our troops were vicious red ants, scorpions, huge ticks and a variety of snakes. Further hazards were malaria, scrub-typhus, jaundice, dysentery, jungle ulcers, prickly heat, foot rot and ringworm... and then there was the enemy.