R.A.F. adventure story

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 4

R.A.F. adventure story

An exciting two-part story 1 which stars Peter Barkworth ’ (of “The Power Game”) as , a Royal Air Force trouble- I shooter has been bought by 1 the N.Z.B.C. from the 8.8. C. ‘ but has yet to be scheduled. {

“Special Project Air” has Barkworth as Wing Commander Don Routledge. As a result of close collaboration with the R.A.F., the 8.8. C. was able to take the principal actors to Singapore for extensive pre-filming of this adventure story. The attempted assassination of a minor Foreign Office official on his arrival in Singapore sets off a sequence of events which could lead to a major EastWest political and military confrontation. It is the job of Wing Commander Routledge, head of an R.A.F. investigations unit to anticipate any such danger and if possible to circumnavigate

, Routledge senses trouble over this incident and immediately flies off to the Far East. He arrives simultaneously with Saunders, a high-ranking Foreign Office official and begins to unravel the mystery behind the assassination attempt. Routledge and Saunders visit the offshore island of Pulau Seng to talk to Chem Seng, the community chief, concerning the renewal of a defence treaty. It is this small island which appears to be at the centre of the trouble.

The R.A.F. have a small operational radio telephone section based on Pulau Seng —hence Routledge’s interest. He fears for the R.A.F.’s interest here, and well he might, for without warning the small outpost is attacked and communications cut off. Saunders manages to get permission from Whitehall for a rescue operation and so the R.A.F. moves in in force.

Meanwhile Routledge is concerned with the way events are moving and becomes convinced that every move they make has been anticipated and possibly precipitated. He is afraid that H.M. Government, through the R.A.F. are being forced into a major military confrontation. While the R.AF. regiment fight their way through the jungle and mangrove swamp to reach the cut-off outpost, Routledge and a specialised assault team rescue Chem Seng, who is being held cap-

tive by the Communist bandits. Routledge suspected that Chem Seng was being used by the communist group through his brother, Ho Coh Seng. His suspicions were correct and the rescue turns the tables on the attempted

Communist coup. So all face is saved and the major disaster averted.