Burma Boy by Biyi Bandele

Burma Boy tells the little-known history of Nigerian soldiers who fought in the Chindits, a commando division of the British Army in Burma during the Second World War. The protagonist is Ali Banana, an irrepressible 14-year-old boy who sneaks away from home to join the battle. He is soon deployed with the Thunder Brigade to fight the Japanese in Burma. Dropped unceremoniously into enemy territory with orders to defend a lonely jungle stronghold, Ali Banana and the Thunder Brigade must rely on laughter, camaraderie and sheer faith to survive.   Burma Boy is a work of historical fiction based on extensive research and the author’s remembrance of his veteran father’s tales.