Railway of Hell: War Captivity and Forced Labour at the Hands of the Japanese
by Reginald Burton
ISBN
9781848842991
Description
The experiences of British and Allied prisoners of war at the hands of their Japanese captors have shocked civilised soicety for over half a century. A number of exceptional accounts have emerged but very few of the qual...The experiences of British and Allied prisoners of war at the hands of their Japanese captors have shocked civilised soicety for over half a century. A number of exceptional accounts have emerged but very few of the quality of Reggie Burton's Railway of Hell (originally published in 1963 as The Road To Three Pagodas). As a young captain in The Royal Norfolk Regiment, the Author witnessed the desperate fighting that preceded the fall of Malaya and Singapore, when he was badly wounded before being captured. The victorious Japanese were initially overwhelmed by the number of POWs they were responsible for. All too soon the horror of the ordeal in store for their equally unprepared captives became clear. Forced labour, inadequate rations and virtually non-existent medical care quickly became the POWs' lot. Yet far worse was to come. After an appalling journey in cattle trucks, Reggie Burton and his dwindling band of fellow captives were put to work on the Burma-Siam railway, which today epitomises one of the low points of Twentieth Century inhumanity. Railway of Hell's vivid description of the barbarism and hardship endured is guaranteed to shock and move its readers. There is much here that goes beyond normal comprehension - not least the fortitude, courage and lack of bitterness displayed by the Author and his erstwhile comrades.
Related Tags
#history#nonfiction#education#pastanpresent
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