What was the Cabanatuan raid

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A.� A daring Second World War in the Philippines in January, 1945. It is being made into a new Steven Spielberg film starring Tom Cruise. It is based on a book called Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides.< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q.� What happened

A.� US Army Rangers went behind enemy lines to raid Camp Cabanatuan, deep in the Philippines jungle, where many Allied soldiers were being held in appalling conditions by the Japanese. More than 2,500 American soldiers died at Cabanatuan, where the prisoners included survivors of the Bataan Death March, the 75-mile forced trek through swampland.

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The weakest prisoners were sent to Cabanatuan, near Manila, which became one of the largest prisoner-of-war camps in the world. Disease was rife and as many as 700 prisoners died of malaria, diphtheria and beriberi every month.

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Q.� And the raid

A.� The team of 121 Rangers had a simple objective: to liberate the camp's 511 American prisoners. But just as they were about to begin their assault, they received news that more than 7,000 Japanese troops were stationed a mere four miles away. Another contingent of 200 elite soldiers from the Dokuho 359 Imperial Battalion was even nearer. But the Rangers had to succeed. These prisoners were the men Douglas MacArthur had left behind ' and he said he would return.

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They were subjected to the most appalling atrocities. Beheadings and mutilations were rife - and that was without the disease.

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Q.� Who led the Rangers' rescue

A.� A young colonel called Henry Mucci (you guessed it: Tom Cruise is lined up to play him). Mucci's rangers trekked 30 miles through jungles and swamps, crawling through rice paddies and going without sleep for 40 hours as they penetrated deep into Japanese-controlled territory. Then they mounted an attack on Japanese troops and tanks surrounding the camp, and led hundreds of Allied prisoners to safety - with thousands of enemy soldiers in hot pursuit.

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Dennis Keating, now 83 and a lance corporal in the 4th Suffolk Battalion, was one of those rescued. He recalled: 'At first we thought we were being polished off by the Japs. Firing broke out all round so we hit the deck. Then a Yank voice said, 'Come on you guys, get out of here'. That was wonderful to hear.'

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Q.� It was a successful operation

A.� Yes - an amazing success with only a few Allied casualties.

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Q.� So why haven't we heard more about it

A.� It was famous in its time. War photographer Carl Mydans wrote in Life magazine: 'It is now American history and every child of coming generations will know of the 6th Rangers, for a prouder story has not been written.' The PoWs were jubilantly welcomed home with a huge procession - but other successes soon came in the Americans' war: Iwo Jima, Okinawa, victory in Europe and then in the Pacific. The stunning raid on Cabanatuan was almost forgotten.

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Until now. First came Hampton Sides book, Ghost Soldiers, then plans were announced for the Spielberg film with Tom Cruise. Miramax is also developing a Cabanatuan film called The Great Raid, starring Benjamin Bratt as Colonel Mucci.

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Steve Cunningham