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Image Not Available for 'In the wake of Heroes'
'In the wake of Heroes'
Image Not Available for 'In the wake of Heroes'

'In the wake of Heroes'

Date1988
Object numberANMS1285[019]
NameNewspaper clipping
MediumInk on paper
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Helen Stevenson
DescriptionAn article published on the Courier Mail on October 22, 1988 regarding the filming of 'The Heroes' a television mini-series based on Operation Jaywick and the KRAIT. The mini-series was developed for Channel Ten and based on the book 'The Heroes' by Ronald McKie with his stipulation that the story remain an authentic account of events of the Operation Jaywick raid. Key survivors of Operation Jaywick were interviewed for the development and filming was carried out at Homebush in Sydney, in and around Cairns and at Mission Beach.HistoryThe mini series 'The Heroes' was developed for Channel Ten by Glenn Darlington. Darlington acquired the television rights to the book 'The Heroes' by Ronald McKie with his permission that the story remain an authentic account of events of the Operation Jaywick raid. Darlington developed the synopsis interviewing key survivors of Operation Jaywick. He sold the rights to Network Ten Australia and Television South of the UK. The mini series was enormously successful in the UK and Australia. In the UK it was seen by over 15 million people and was the highest rating mini series on ITV at that time. It rated well in Australia despite the rival Channel Seven screening The Highest Honor (1982), which dealt with the same story, beforehand as a spoiler. Ironically Channel Seven would fund the sequel, Heroes II: The Return, which dealt with Operation Rimau. In 1991 the mini-series was cut down to 90 minute TV movie. SignificanceThe KRAIT has a long history of service in Australia and was very successful in WWII in an attack on Singapore Harbour known as Operation Jaywick. Despite its small size and age, KRAIT came to symbolise the extraordinary courage and resilience that characterised much of Australia's involvement in the war in the Pacific.