"At least you'll be far away from war-torn Europe." These are the famous last words from his mother as Kees is preparing himself to fly from Amsterdam to Surabaya, in the Dutch East Indies, to join his first ship. Little do they know that both will be facing difficult times dealing with friends and foes. Kees will be maturing as he faces combat but not only with the Japanese. His mother will be battling with loneliness, hunger, and the Germans. She even makes life more difficult by hiding a young Jewish man. Friends and Foes will give the reader an insight in a little known part of Australia's history during the war in the Pacific and a very personal view of the courage of a woman saving somebody from certain death with great risk to herself.