Training and fighting in Singapore 1941 and 1942. Early days as a POW.

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A POW with “A” Force sent to Burma May 42. Contact with Captain Bill Drower a British Officer who was an interpreter with “A” Force. Concerts. Joining of the railway 17 October 1943. Movement to Thailand.. Praise for his Medical Orderlies.

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Transported by ship to Japan.. Sinking of his ship the Rakyuo Maru. On lifeboat rowing to China. Sakata POW camp Japan. POW labour leased to Japanese industry. Japanese Medical Orderly. The Factors of Survival.

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In Burma. Dutch chemist Van Boxtell. Lt Col Coates the greatest doctor on the Burma Thailand Railway. In Saigon, the Brits accused Aussies of exaggerating conditions on the Railway.

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Prisoner of War Experiences. Captain (doctor) Peter Hendry speaks about the April 1943 march by 7,000 POWs as part of F-Force from Banpong (after 5 day train journey Singapore to Thailand crammed into steel rice trucks) to the Thailand Burma border. This was in over 40 degree centigrade heat, on jungle tracks of mud over 18 nights. This force had a very high death rate- over 60% British and 29% Australians.

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Captain (doctor) Peter Hendry speaks about some of the people forming F-Force on the Burma Thailand Railway during the second world war. Includes comments about Medical Officers Bruce Hunt, Lloyd Cahill, Frank Cahill, Colin Juttner, Bon Rogers, Roy Stevens, Roy Mills etc, British officer Lt Col Harris and the Japanese commander Colonel Banno.

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Arrived Singapore 24 Jan 1941.  Surrender to the Japanese.  May 42 as member of 'A' Force, sent to Burma via Victoria Point.  Assisted Albert Coates with 60 amputations.  At Nakhon Nyok on surrender 1945.

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Medical Orderly F.W. (Bill) Fitch was deployed into Malaya prior to the Japanese entry into World War II he subsequently served in K-Force on the Burma-Thailand Railway. Evacuation of sick & wounded Malaya and Singapore - When POW worked in Roberts Barracks Allied Hospital - To Thailand as part of 'K' Force to keep the coolies alive - Kept in Thailand to the end of the war.

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Capitulated Singapore. Unique experience- To Korea, via Formosa August 1942- In Keijo the Konan POW camps- Slaved in Carbide Foundry- Only a small number of 2/4 MG BN men with him.

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Trained to be Medical Orderly by Nurses- To Singapore on Queen Mary. 90 operations in one night- CCS in Lunatic Asylum in Johore- Work with Motor Ambulance Convoy- Roberts Barracks Allied Hospital- To Burma with “A” Force May 42- at Mergui and Tavoy before railway- Lt Col Coates- Malaraia- 55 Kilo Hospital Camp- Chemists- Amputations- Comparisons of Medical Officers- Nakhon Pathom Hospital Camp- 10,000 patients (actually 8,000)-

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Nurse Pat Darling (nee Gunther) survived the Vyner Brook then became a POW for 42 months (Bangka and Sumatra)

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Medical Officer Capt Lloyd Cahill 2/19 Bn and "F" Force on the Burma Thailand Railway (Songkurai area)

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Captain Les Poidevin - Medical Officer - Captured Timor moved to Java - Did 148 Major Operations.

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Private Max Venables - 8 Division Ammunition Sub Park - Malaya, Captured Singapore - Thailand (F Force) - Burma (at Tanbaya Hospital Camp).

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John Schurmann 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion - Wounded and Captured Singapore – with A force to the Burma end of the Burma Thai Railway (BTR). With the Recovery Team on the BTR Sep to Oct 1945. Also his wife Daphne.

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Stuart Simpson Captain TX2188 Dental Officer 2/4 Casualty Clearing Station and with “A” Force in Burma. Then in Thailand and finally after 15 August 1945 at the Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.

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Jim Elliott WX8619 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion – Arrived Singapore 24 Jan 1942. Manned the area of the major Japanese thrust. Tp Thailand as part of “D” Force. Then on the Byuoki Maru to Japan. Medical Officers commented on Capts Phil Millard and David Hinder.

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David Peter ( Digby) Gray HMAS Perth. Enlisted when 18. To Burma Oct 42. Chosen for Japan Party at Tamuang to go through Saigon. Blockaded. Then to Singapore. In River Valley Road and Blakan Matti Island and Changi Gaol.

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On HMAS Perth when sunk. Leg broken. In 1942 to the Burma end of the line. Colonel Coates remarked that his broken leg repair was a good as many in Austrlai. Met his brother on the Burma end of the line. In Nakhon Nayok when the war ended.

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To Burma with 'A' Force May 42. To Siam when the construction of the rail line complete. Back to the Burma end in charge of a party working on bridging. At War’s end in charge of a POW camp.

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Under command of Maj Robert Dick with doctor Captain Des Brennan. Part of Operation 'Matador' on the Thailand border December 41. In Aug 42 sent on the ship Fukki Maru to Formasoa (Taiwan), Chosen (Korea) and ultimately to Manchuko (Manchuria). 16 Australians arrived at Mukden , Mancharia 11 Nov 1942. Also 3 NZs and 81 Brits and approx 1,300 Americans. Temperature in Mukden often 30 degrees below.

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In Malaya 1041. Captured in Singapore. To Thailand Apr 1943 as part of 'F' Force. In Pond’s Party with Captain Roy Mills the sole doctor for 712 POWs. Pond’s Party moved nearly a dozen times. Returned to Singapore 1944 and there until end of War. Worked on Singapore airfield. Met and married Vera after the war.

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Present at surrender to Nips. His time as POW on Timor and Java. Comments on the Padres and Doctors on Timor. His move to Java. POW Camps on Java. Concert 10 Nov 42 -Goodnight Melody

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Part of 'Operation Matador' on Siam border - Last Ambulance across Causeway - To Siam as member F Force - Contact with Australian Medcal Officers Major Hunt,Captain Frank Cahill and Brit interpreter Maj Cyril Wild - To Tanbaya with many sick - Admirer of Chaplain Duckworth. Return to Singapore by train 1944.

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To Singapore 1941. - 'A' Force to Burma on Toyohashi Maru, Victoria Point, Tavoy, Ye. - MO Capt Alec (Hoppy) White - 105 anf 55 Kilo camps. Train to Siam - Barges at Wampo - Later doing Maintenace up line - Fellow POW Alex Hodgson

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Fred Ransome Smith (Lt Fred Smith) 5 Suffolks. Artist before the War - Arrived Singapore Feb 1942 - IN vicinity of road block that the surrender party moved forward from on 15 Feb 42. To the Burma Thailand Railway Oct 42. AT Chungkai, Kanchanaburi, Non Pladuc and Nakhon Pathom.

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H.S. (Mick) Kildey 2/10 Field Ambulance NX46015 - Medical Orderly on Malayan mainland and Singapore. Swiss Club, Manor House, St Andrews Cathedral - Changi - Roberts Bks Hospital-, With 'C' Force to Japan )Nagasaki) Nov 42 on Kamakura Maru then to Kobe. Dutch doctor Eichmann. Work in Kawasaki Shipyards for 2 and half years. To Camp 26 on Kyushu Island mining.

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Ken Gray 2/12 Field Company RAE Captured on Singapore. To Thailand as a part of 'F' Force. Separated from Australians and in Songkurai Camp. Sick in hospital hut. Beside Gordon Highlander Jim Birse from Inverurie, Scotland . Returned to Singapore 44 and 45. Met Birse in Scotland 30 years after the war.

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