EPISODE 5
Sergeant Bill Brandis
Today, some Australians take Special Forces (SAS) for granted, an indispensable arm of our Defence Forces. But it wasn't always so. With the outbreak of World War II, as Australia confronted an expansionist Japan, there were no commandos, no SAS. So, when Billy Brandis enlisted in 1941, he had no idea, after serving with distinction as a signaller, he would be handpicked to join a covert new unit. It would be commonly known as Z Special Unit and in January 1944 Sergeant Brandis is deployed to British North Borneo. Poorly trained or prepared for the operation, Billy is separated from his unit and is lost in the dense and unforgiving jungle. What follows is an extraordinary story of endurance and courage and now, nearly seven decades later, Billy's niece is following in his footsteps to discover the truth.