An extraordinary story of how a Keighley man achieved sporting prowess in the Far East while at the same time being drawn into multi-million-dollar contraband crime has been made public for the first time.

The exploits of Derek Callon had remained untold for over six decades.

But now his son, also called Derek, has written a book – The Untamed White Savage – revealing his late father’s incredible past.

“He was an extremely successful sportsman and through his notoriety in the wrestling ring in the Far East he came into contact with very powerful and corrupt people,” said Derek, 62, a textile consultant from Main Road, Eastburn.

“He was a young man at the time and was lured into crime – he didn’t immediately know what he was getting involved in.”

Derek Snr was an 18-year-old foundry worker in Keighley when he was conscripted into the army in 1944, heading with his unit – the Royal Army Service Corps – to Singapore. He was present when Lord Louis Mountbatten accepted the surrender of the Japanese.

Having been taught by his father how to box the young Derek was introduced to wrestling and, fighting under the name Kid Callon, had a meteoric rise to success. But his life became interwoven with high-level smuggling and contraband activities.

He spent about three years in the Far East and on his return to this country continued with the wrestling and had a spell playing for Keighley rugby league club in the 1950s. He died, aged 82, in 2008.

Son Derek, a Steeton-with-Eastburn parish councillor, said: “I found the story of his life fascinating. People may have known about his wrestling, but not his more colourful side.

“The idea for a book had been burning inside me for many years. I actually started writing it three years ago.

“I chose to forgive my dad for his wrongdoings and I would hope that were he here today he would be proud of the book.

“He brought back three albums of photographs from his time in Singapore and I’ve included some of those in the book. I also went out there with my wife as part of my research and tried to retrace his steps.

“Writing this has been a tremendous experience and I’m pleased with the end result.”

An event to launch the book is being held at Steeton Hall on Tuesday, at 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome.

The Untamed White Savage, a 343-page paperback, is priced £9.99 and is being distributed by Troubador Publishing. It is available from marketing@troubador.co.uk, through Amazon and from Small Office Supplies, Keighley; Hartleys, Haworth; New Chapter book store, Skipton, and Forget-Me-Not, Cross Hills.