Mike Holt
Our IT guru Mike Holt spent a year researching his first book, POW 921, the captivating story based on the real experiences of men who were there. The main character, Colin Taylor is a young man from the Australian Outback sent to Singapore with the Australian Imperial Forces to battle the Japanese in 1941.
POW 921 unveils a new perspective on the Battle of Singapore, an event that many historians agree has not been adequately documented, and some say, even repressed by both the Japanese and British governments.
Beyond its controversial historic observations, POW 921 follows Colin as an imprisoned slave, shipped from Singapore to the infamous Burma Railway, and later to the Mitsui coal mines on Kyushu Island where he witnessed the Nagasaki atomic bomb.
As well as interviews with two survivors of this terrible period in history, Mike also did extensive research on World War 2, unearthing little known facts that will educate and astound the reader. This powerful book will take the reader deep into the thoughts and suffering of our brave Australian soldiers.
POW 921, is a moving, and sometimes harrowing tribute to the Australian, British, Indian, and American soldiers who fought bravely and suffered so much for the freedom we all enjoy today. It is a timely reminder that the price of freedom and democracy is often gained through the brave sacrifice and blood of our forefathers, and ourselves if we do not fight to preserver our Common Law rights and freedoms.
Mike has been writing professionally for most of his life. POW 921 is his first full length novel. He has also written hundreds of short stories, interviews, technical reports. Mike wrote an IT Technical newspaper column for the Bangkok Post Database newspaper supplement for several years.
He lived in Thailand for 30 years and he has walked along the rail line far into the jungle where he personally saw how difficult it was for the POW’s to survive. As well, Mike has traveled to Japan, lived and went to high school in Malaysia, and has visited Changi Prison. He has drawn on all these experiences to breathe incredible life into the pages of this book. The reader will feel, live, breathe and even smell the events in this story.
“POW 921 is a story about one man’s courage in the face of incredible odds, and his determination to survive – while urging readers to remember that the price of peace is eternal vigilance,” — Mike Holt.
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In his spare time, Mike paints bright, beautiful art works, and records his own music.
He has set up a website to present his works, as well as to encourage other artists to sell their music and art. Click here to visit his Sunny Studios Website..
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Mike joined the RAAF in 1965 and graduated from 71 Telegs course (pictured 2nd from left, back row). He still keeps in touch with his classmates today.
From there, he served at Frognal Officer Training School, Weribee aerial farm, and then he was posted to Ubon in Thailand during Operation Rolling Thunder — The US Airforce bombing of North Vietnam.
Inbetween these postings he also went on exercises at Tindal, Darwin and Townsville.
After Ubon Mike returned to HQ Ops Command, RAAF Penrith where he served out the rest of his term of 6 years.
After resigning from the RAAF, Mike traveled around Australia and New Zealand and worked in a variety of jobs. His last job was at Radio 4AY Townsville before he headed overseas.
In 1978, Mike traveled overland to Thailand, where he was offered a job. As a result, he ended up living in Thailand for 30 years. He set up and ran three businesses during this time:
- English Business Enterprises, an English school teaching business writing skills and conversations in companies
- an IT company designing websites and writing business applications for companies, including KLM, Silver Rain Decor, and many others
- a Real Estate company that set the standard for all other foreign-run real estate companies to follow
He is married to a Thai and has two daughters. He has retired to the Sunshine Coast where he helps out the VVAASC with their website. Mike is also the Common Law Sunshine Coast Convener
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