It's 1946 and, while the second world war may be over, british soldiers are still involved in frontline military action. one such soldier is lieutenant joseph stanton. following the formation of the malayan union, there has been an uprising among chinese-malayans who fiercely oppose the new union and resent british colonial rule. stanton and his men - colin wheatland, william davidge and william 'gypsy' blake - are among the british servicemen tasked with keeping order and eliminating chinese-malayan guerrilla fighters. the close bond these four men form will take them from the jungles of malaya to singapore, oman and latterly to new zealand as, from one mission to the next, they battle for their very survival against overwhelming odds. for these are not ordinary soldiers. these are the four green ghosts.