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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK

The remarkable story of James Howard “Billy” Williams, whose uncanny rapport with the world’s largest land animals transformed him from a carefree young man into the charismatic war hero known as Elephant Bill

In 1920, Billy Williams came to colonial Burma as a “forest man” for a British teak company. Mesmerized by the intelligence and character of the great animals who hauled logs through the jungle, he became a gifted “elephant wallah.” In Elephant Company, Vicki Constantine Croke chronicles Williams’s growing love for elephants as the animals provide him lessons in courage, trust, and gratitude.

Elephant Company is also a tale of war and daring. When Japanese forces invaded Burma in 1942, Williams joined the elite British Force 136 and operated behind enemy lines. His war elephants carried supplies, helped build bridges, and transported the sick and elderly over treacherous mountain terrain. As the occupying authorities put a price on his head, Williams and his elephants faced their most perilous test. Elephant Company, cornered by the enemy, attempted a desperate escape: a risky trek over the mountainous border to India, with a bedraggled group of refugees in tow. Part biography, part war epic, Elephant Company is an inspirational narrative that illuminates a little-known chapter in the annals of wartime heroism.

Praise for Elephant Company

“This book is about far more than just the war, or even elephants. This is the story of friendship, loyalty and breathtaking bravery that transcends species. . . . Elephant Company is nothing less than a sweeping tale, masterfully written.”—Sara Gruen, The New York Times Book Review

“Splendid . . . Blending biography, history, and wildlife biology, [Vicki Constantine] Croke’s story is an often moving account of [Billy] Williams, who earned the sobriquet ‘Elephant Bill,’ and his unusual bond with the largest land mammals on earth.”—The Boston Globe

“Some of the biggest heroes of World War II were even bigger than you thought. . . . You may never call the lion the king of the jungle again.”—New York Post

“Vicki Constantine Croke delivers an exciting tale of this elephant whisperer–cum–war hero, while beautifully reminding us of the enduring bonds between animals and humans.”—Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La and Frozen in Time

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Trade Paperbacks; Reprint edition (April 14, 2015)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0812981650
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0812981650
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 0.77 x 8 inches
Reviewer: Jay C.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: One of the best books I've read.
Review: This book masterfully blends captivating historical accounts with the breathtaking splendor of a country frozen in time. The profound connection between man and these magnificent elephants evoked a sense of beauty and serenity within me as a reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand the profound significance and impact that the relationship between man and these majestic creatures can have.(T.C.)

Reviewer: rebecca emery
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: How intelligent elephants are
Review: The book was a very good read, made me better understand the world of elephants and how they changed people. How the world War outcome was changed by the elephants.

Reviewer: davec
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Doing justice to a great real-life story
Review: After reading the NYT's review of Vicki Croke's Elephant Company, I was so intrigued that I ordered it right away. This is the true story of Col. James "Elephant Bill" Williams, an Englishman who, as a young WWI veteran, went to Burma to try his hand in the business of teak harvesting. The teak industry was not yet mechanized and relied heavily on the power provided by trained elephants. Williams had been an animal fancier since early childhood and was instantly enthralled by the huge beasts. To say that he developed a bond with them is to grossly understate the case. His ability to understand and communicate with elephants, his love of jungle life, and his leadership abilities combined to propel him to success as a manager of teak forests. His career development is tracked skillfully related by Ms. Croke. She has researched her subject well, and Williams' character and personality are brought to light vividly as she chronicles the events that led Williams to become "Elephant Bill.". As an added bonus, we learn a tremendous amount about elephants, their behavioral quirks, and their interactions with humans. With the advent of WWII, the story becomes downright thrilling. Williams serves the British forces in Burma in their bloody struggle against the Japanese. He is made their first and only elephant officer, given the rank of colonel, and allowed to form the company for which the book is named. The company's elephants are meticulously trained and cared for, and completely loyal to Williams. Harnessing their intelligence and great strength, Williams is able to construct log bridges for British forces with unprecedented rapidity. Finally, and against great odds, he and his elephants are able to effect the evacuation of a large number of British nationals, native Burmese, and ethnic Gurkas from Japanese-held territory, across hostile terrain, and ultimately into the safety of east India. This is a remarkable story of a remarkable man. While a life such as Williams provides a lot of "can't-miss" material, only a skilled author can do it justice. Vicki Croke has filled the bill admirably, and I highly recommend this book.

Reviewer: Diane
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fascinating, engaging story line!
Review: Absolutely loved this book, written so well, could not put it down. Enjoyed reading this book! Bought several copies and sent to friends.

Reviewer: Brillant Barbara
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great read
Review: This is such a good book… Informative and at times exciting. I bought copies for my friends and they are passing it along to their reading book clubs. Everyone thinks it’s wonderful.

Reviewer: Richard C. Reynolds
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A fascinating and inspiring story.
Review: Captain James “Billy” Williams was discharged from the British Army in 1920 after serving in combat for four years in WWI. Looking for adventure and a change of scenery, he accepted a job with a British company in Burma (known as Myanmar today) that was harvesting teak from the jungles. Upon arrival, he was dispatched to an outlying camp and soon became intimately familiar with the native handlers (called uzis) and the elephants who were doing the serious work of hauling teak logs to dry creek beds where they would be washed downstream on arrival of the monsoon season. Williams soon picks up the native Burmese language to converse with his uzis and is also able to communicate well with his elephants, understanding all their sounds and movements. He gives them loving care and talks to them in Burmese, heals their wounds and massages their wrinkled hides. We learn many fascinating details about elephants and their physical makeup: how they can eat up to 600 pounds of vegetation daily while foraging in the jungle at night, the location and function of various body parts, and how their intelligence allows them to accurately place logs while building a bridge. It’s a lonely job for Williams because there are sparse opportunities to meet eligible females and establish a relationship. It all changes in 1931 when, at the age of 33, Williams meets a young British woman in one of the camps named Susan Rowland. Luckily for Williams, Susan loves the jungle and animals as much as he does and romance soon blossoms, followed by their marriage. In the late 1930s, the coming war in Europe seems far removed from the Williams family but a real threat arrives when the Japanese invade Burma and bomb Rangoon on December 23, 1941. Susan and their young son, Treve, must be evacuated to Mandalay but James has a different mission: gather up all the company’s elephants and move them to safety away from the Japanese soldiers. It becomes a superhuman task and I had to stay up late one night to finish the book’s exciting ending. Author Vicki Croke has done a superb writing job, gathering material from interviews with Treve and combing through James’ voluminous diaries, reports and records. A map of wartime Burma is provided with extensive Notes and Index sections at the end. Overall it’s an fascinating and inspiring story about one man’s courage and leadership in a part of the world seldom visited or written about.

Reviewer: Dieter Has.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Sehr schnell und gut

Reviewer: Ravindran
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Vicki Croke's "Elephant Company" is a fabulous book that brings to life, J.H. William's deep and passionate relationship with the teak logging elephants of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, and his exceptional contribution to the war efforts.During lashing monsoons, jungles of Burma become inaccessible, and the swollen rivers turn treacherous. The author has painstakingly researched and chronicled the formidable living and working conditions of both humans and elephants alike in the inhospitable Chindwin River belt. Elephant Bill's selfless service and sacrifice earned him so much respect, that during the Japanese occupation, he was able to lead herds of elephants, and weak and infirm refugees, hundreds of miles to safety in India, through uncharted and hazardous hill tracts.Author Croke took me back to my logging stint half a century ago chronicled in my book "An Elephant Kissed My Window".Reviewed in India by M. Ravindran.

Reviewer: Jackos
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A well written book. A very nice book to read about a man who understood all animals behaviour and general knowledge of each animal. His love for elephants and his heroic exploits during the WW2 against the Japanese army not many people know of heroic actions. I only knew about this book after reading a part fiction part truth book .

Reviewer: susan archibald
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: One of the best books I have read. A fascinating glimpse into the world of the relationship between working elephants and those who cared for them before and during WW2 in Burma. The story is based around a British man who went at a young age to learn the art of training and working with elephants in the teak trade. He formed an unusual bond with the elephants illuminating their intelligence and their bonds within their families and elephant friends as well as their trust of their gentle handlers. Also when the Japanese invade Burma and advance towards the small settlements, the hero of the story with some elephants are able to bring many Burmese and British families from Burma to safety in India. Often the elephants perform heroic measures to climb cliffs and escape from the approaching Japanese armies. The amazing part of the book was how the elephants faithfully followed the path of the courageous and clever elephant leaders through danger and unsurmountable challenges, saving many lives.

Reviewer: bird lander
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: new york times best sellerと表紙に書いてあって、自分の興味あるジャンルの本は、ハズレを引いた事がない。殊に今回は、ホームラン。それも、満塁ホームランクラスの満足感があった。動物が好きなひと、ペットを飼っているひと全員に勧めたい。登場人物が象を観察して、人間的にも成長するだけではない。＜人生に大切なことは象から学んだ＞と、言い切っている様子が、手に取るように分かる。もしも犬より遥かに大きな動物を　ペットに持てるなら、象を飼ってみたい。しみじみ、そう思わされた。