Thread: Voice from the grave.

You made me look through the pictures from when I was there a few years ago. We walked a short bit of where the death railway passed. An absolutely brutal time there with an incredible mortality rate. Your FIL must have been a tough old coot alright. Its nice that the Australian Govt maintains a memorial and information centre near Hellfire pass so that people can come, visit and understand.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

You made me look through the pictures from when I was there a few years ago. We walked a short bit of where the death railway passed. An absolutely brutal time there with an incredible mortality rate. Your FIL must have been a tough old coot alright. Its nice that the Australian Govt maintains a memorial and information centre near Hellfire pass so that people can come, visit and understand.

Yes. I have made a few trips there. Dawn Service and all that. The BTRMA does an annual trip called the Quiet Lion Tour, in honour of a bloke they all revered, Edward "Weary" Dunlop. It's not a public tour, but being family I've been. These days they take certain high school kids along. These kids start the tour like they would any, but at the end are quite sobered. I haven't been since he passed, but he would always be the centre of attention in the evenings at our accommodation at Home Pu Thoey.

It shames me to admit that I needed to go to the gym prior to the trip so i could walk the tracks to Hellfire pass from the road about 4 ks away. Thailand in April is hot, and humid, but we had just alighted from an airconditioned bus and had plenty of water etc. These blokes had nothing. "One death for every sleeper" is just a collection of words, until you see.

Simon, have you been to the museum at Kanchanburi? It's opposite the War graves cemetery on Thanon Sangchuto. We always went there between the Dawn Service and the Anzac Parade at the Cemetery at 11:00

I'm still ****ed off that some lowlife would use Neil's name to try it on.

EDIT. We were never able to see where Neil's "camp" was, as Burma is now Myanmar and crossing the border at Three Pagoda Pass, while not impossible, was difficult.

You may have read it but some years back (20) I heard a guy -Ian Denys Peek- on the radio being interviewed about his book called "One fourteenth of an Elephant" and how he just decided to write it nearly 50 years after his experiences. The interviewer complimented him on his excellent memory and he said he lives it every day. It's one of the best on the subject.

I read"One fourteenth of an Elephant" a few years ago and found it very interesting.
The story behind the tile is quite amusing.

My paternal grandfather was another who lied about his age to serve in both WWI and WWII.
He was captured when Singapore fell and died just a couple of weeks before the end of the war at Sandakan.

Originally Posted by Tins

Yes. I have made a few trips there. Dawn Service and all that. The BTRMA does an annual trip called the Quiet Lion Tour, in honour of a bloke they all revered, Edward "Weary" Dunlop. It's not a public tour, but being family I've been. These days they take certain high school kids along. These kids start the tour like they would any, but at the end are quite sobered. I haven't been since he passed, but he would always be the centre of attention in the evenings at our accommodation at Home Pu Thoey.

It shames me to admit that I needed to go to the gym prior to the trip so i could walk the tracks to Hellfire pass from the road about 4 ks away. Thailand in April is hot, and humid, but we had just alighted from an airconditioned bus and had plenty of water etc. These blokes had nothing. "One death for every sleeper" is just a collection of words, until you see.

Simon, have you been to the museum at Kanchanburi? It's opposite the War graves cemetery on Thanon Sangchuto. We always went there between the Dawn Service and the Anzac Parade at the Cemetery at 11:00

I'm still ****ed off that some lowlife would use Neil's name to try it on.

EDIT. We were never able to see where Neil's "camp" was, as Burma is now Myanmar and crossing the border at Three Pagoda Pass, while not impossible, was difficult.

It’s a pretty hot walk through there to Hellfire pass, its not the easiest thing to do.

Yes, we stayed in Kanchanuburi for a week and used that as a bit of a base to see the area. I loved it there and its one of my Uncles favourite places. My uncle also took us all over Burma and we were looking to head to Three Pagoda Pass but we were not able to get there for some reason - I cant recall what it was. My mum was on that trip as well, she’s has been there and was pretty disappointed also that we were not able to get there. Hopefully one day I’ll go back and be able to head up there - but the journey in itself is a part of the experience in that country!

dad was in the 2/2 pioneers

Originally Posted by Slunnie

It’s a pretty hot walk through there to Hellfire pass, its not the easiest thing to do.

Yes, we stayed in Kanchanuburi for a week and used that as a bit of a base to see the area. I loved it there and its one of my Uncles favourite places. My uncle also took us all over Burma and we were looking to head to Three Pagoda Pass but we were not able to get there for some reason - I cant recall what it was. My mum was on that trip as well, she’s has been there and was pretty disappointed also that we were not able to get there. Hopefully one day I’ll go back and be able to head up there - but the journey in itself is a part of the experience in that country!

It was high on my list and took Emma there. Went to both the museums. The main one - truly amazing and a reminder of the horrors and tribute to the grit/determination of the prisoners - however it was disturbing also and left me feeling quite somber for several hours.

Originally Posted by muddy

dad was in the 2/2 pioneers

So was Neil. Where did your dad end up? Do you have much info from him about that time? If he was on the railway I have another copy of Neil and Tony's book that I would send it to you if it's of interest. You could PM me your details.

I'd prefer to keep it if your dad went elsewhere.