Too Late the Hero 1970

Lieutenant Junior Grade Sam Lawson, a Japanese-language interpreter in the US Navy, has managed to avoid frontline duty—until his commanding officer, Captain John G. Nolan, abruptly cancels Lawson’s leave and orders him to join a British infantry commando unit stationed in the New Hebrides for a high-stakes mission.

The British base sits in the middle of a wide open field, with jungle looming beyond, and a Japanese observation and communications post on the far side. Soon after Sam Lawson arrives, a British patrol bursts from the jungle, sprinting across the clearing under the fire of a Japanese squad. The base’s commander, Col. Thompson, keeps his men well back, watching as the patrol is cut down in a brutal exchange.

The commandos’ objective is to silence the enemy’s radio transmitter to prevent the Japanese from warning an American convoy expected on the horizon within three days. The post’s nightly signal—“all’s well”—must be countered with a counterfeit message sent in Japanese by the team to buy precious hours. This delicate ruse is complicated by loyalties, misgivings, and the personalities of the men.

Leading the group is Captain Hornsby, an upper-class officer whose courage is sometimes stained by imprudent judgment. The squad also includes a mix of draftees from Singapore who bring a range of temperaments and burdens: Pte Tosh Hearne, the squad’s weary medic with a sharp tongue; Pte Jock Thornton, a lean Scot who can be a bit reckless but steady in a pinch; Pvt Campbell, a wily Glaswegian with a stubborn streak; and Sgt Johnstone, whose gray hairs belie his grit. The group is completed by Cpl McLean, along with Pvt Griffiths, Pvt Rogers, and Pvt Currie, who share a mix of pragmatism and nerves under pressure. The radio operator, Signalman Scott, keeps the line open until a crucial breakdown forces a dangerous improvisation.

When the squad reaches the Japanese outpost, tragedy strikes: Pvt Riddle, Pvt Connolly, and Pvt Currie are felled by a botched ambush, a blunder Hearne attributes to Captain Hornsby’s incompetence. The loss leaves Lawson to assume leadership while Sgt Johnstone is wounded and the mission careens toward a desperate reckoning. In the ensuing chaos, Hornsby abandons the wounded Johnstone, a choice that seals his own fate and accelerates the squad’s peril.

With the base within sight but the Japanese nearby, Major Yamaguchi steps in, determined to prevent the discovery of a secret airfield and its planes. He uses loudspeakers to urge surrender, while Lawson and Hearne weigh their options and distrust the apparent lack of leadership. Campbell, ever the opportunist, tries to slip away, but Pte Jock Thornton catches him and raises the alarm. Campbell’s actions—taking personal items from a fallen officer—trigger a brutal response from the Japanese, and he is killed in a grim display.

As the tension tightens, Yamaguchi’s leverage grows: Griffiths and McLean are held as bargaining chips, and the field beyond the open area is swept by Japanese rifles and machine guns. The British must decide whether to strike back and risk discovery or retreat and abandon the post—and their newly uncovered enemy secrets. The clock ticks as Lawson and Hearne debate every move, aware that any misstep could seal their doom.

At the edge of the field, Yamaguchi gives them three minutes to surrender, threatening a deadly stand-off. Hearne suggests a bold escalation—kill the Japanese leader and escape. With a final surge of courage, Lawson and Hearne sprint across the field, taking cover and returning fire under heavy crossfire from the base and the post. One man is felled, then another, until only the two combatants remain.

In a final act of resolve, Hearne collapses just short of safety, and the question turns from victory to memory. When Colonel Thompson asks who the other man was, Hearne’s last words frame a tribute that echoes beyond the battlefield: “A hero. He killed fifteen Japs single-handed — thirty, if you like.”

A hero. He killed fifteen Japs single-handed — thirty, if you like.