Foreword

I am writing this story, starting at the day I left Changi to work on the Burma Railway (date unknown). 

My group was named “Taki Battalion”. We were all British, from all regiments. I was in the Royal Engineers and there were only about ten of us so we soon got separated en route. We were taken to Singapore in trucks, to the railway goods depot where, in groups of about forty men to each, we boarded closed train wagons, all closely guarded by Japanese soldiers.

It was a long journey to Siam (Thailand) and, as we found out, very uncomfortable. We had only the floor on which to sit and the gap in the door was used for all toilet purposes. Our journey took us through K.L. then on to Alou-itar, that is the Border of Siam, where we stopped and were allowed to brew some tea from the hot water out of the train engine.

After thirty minutes we were off again, this time to Non Pladuk ‘……….' Where we stayed overnight. Next morning we were herded aboard open trucks. This sis where we met up with our real Japanese guards who continually shouted and screamed at us. It was on this journey that I cut my right leg. Just a small cut at first, but which later became a nasty set back for me.

We travelled all day and at dark we arrived at Kanchanaburi. We thought this was to be our work camp but we only stayed one week, when we had to march to Wampo where we had to build our large piece of railway bridge around a cliff face. To do this we had to cut a shelf of rock face. However, first we had to clear out the jungle to clear space for what was to be our camp. A clearing was made in dense vegetation, a fire was made in the centre and we slept on the ground until we could build huts. Those of us were considered to be the fittest were set to build the railroad.

By this time my small cut had become an ulcer two inches in diameter but I was otherwise well and considered far enough to work on the railroad. The Japanese would blast the rock and we had to shovel the scree and throw it over the cliff, a drop of about one hundred feet, to the river below. The Japanese seemed to delight in giving short warnings when blasting, and in consequence two men were killed by flying debris. Frequently, the Japanese would sit on the hillside above us and throw stones at any worker who stood up to stretch or rest. Some of the blokes had dysentery and they would urgently appeal to the Japanese guard for toilet relief, calling ‘Banjo' (toilet), ‘Speedo' (fast) and ‘Toc San Beoci' (very sick). The guard would let the appellant retire to the bush but often threw rocks after him.

Combined with these tribulations, there was the tropical heat and the constant shouting and screaming of the guards which grated on the men's nerves. Some appeared unable to cope and tears would run down their cheeks and we would try to console each other.

At the end of each day we would return to camp via the river which was our only chance to wash ourselves. Soap was non-existent. In all the camps in which I stayed there was never a soap issue and this contributed to the rapid development of ulcers. Our only treatment for ulcers was a piece of blanket boiled in salt water to be placed on the ulcer and tied on with a piece of ‘puttie'. This procedure would be repeated whenever possible to gain some relief from the pain.