ANZAC Day 2023 Hellfire Pass

 

Hellfire Pass is a cutting through a hill in northern Kanchanaburi to allow a train line from Thailand into (then) Burma during World War 2. POWs and local labourers worked under atrocious condition with more than 100,000 of them dying during the process under enslavement by Japanese soldiers. Each year there is a Dawn Service hosted by the Australian Defence Force at Hellfire Pass to commemorate ANZAC Day.

 

Tim Newton reported from Hellfire Pass for this year’s ANZAC Day. Thanks to Richard Barrow for letting us use his photos of the Dawn Service.

 

Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/visit-to-hellfire-pass-to-commemorate-anzac-day-2023/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-04-25

 

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A shocking piece of history and the treatment of PoW's... 

I was in awe when i went to this a few years ago, such a well organised event by the Oz army

 

They give out free coffee with a shot of Bundaberg rum at 4am only Australia crikey mate

the 100,000 who died were Asians... seem to recall 6 of them may have marked graves.

Treatment of allied prisoners beyond horrible, no argument, but a drop in the bucket compared to numbers of Asians killed.

"Railway Man", anyone?

 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

I've never seen such large font on a wreath before.  Is that just so the names are easily visible on a photograph, or is there some other reason?

I would have expected this topic to generate more of a response than it has. Aseannow's appeal includes a lot of 70+ and 80+ expatriates whose fathers fought and/or served in World War II. It is interesting to see how the life of memorials and commemorations run. France and Britain had an overwhelming number of World War I memorials that are now forgotten or displaced, as the last living connection to them has died off. In fact, the French have created a museum for old commemorations--a sort of museum for museums. In another ten years, we'll probably see these World War II memorials fade away as well. I wonder how vital even this one would be right now were it not for the movie.

Don't believe everything you see in the movies

 

 

1 hour ago, Joe Farang said:

Don't believe everything you see in the movies

Before Bridge on the River Kwai, the dominant image in the public imagination for the Burma/Southeast Asia campaign was probably that associated with Errol Flynn. Great soundtrack with Objective, Burma! btw. Everything else is a footnote.

Edited April 26, 20233 yr by John Drake

A thai mate of mine said he'd fought against the japanese during ww2,i said bs you're only 82 he said a jap soldier was giving his mother some grief so he bit him. 55

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

I would have expected this topic to generate more of a response than it has. Aseannow's appeal includes a lot of 70+ and 80+ expatriates whose fathers fought and/or served in World War II. It is interesting to see how the life of memorials and commemorations run. France and Britain had an overwhelming number of World War I memorials that are now forgotten or displaced, as the last living connection to them has died off. In fact, the French have created a museum for old commemorations--a sort of museum for museums. In another ten years, we'll probably see these World War II memorials fade away as well. I wonder how vital even this one would be right now were it not for the movie.

Doesn't seem to be the case in Aust. the turn out for the Anzac dawn service and march is increasing each year dispite the "old" diggers are  no longer with us. 

Edited April 26, 20233 yr by Artisi

22 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Doesn't seem to be the case in Aust. the turn out for the Anzac dawn service and march is increasing each year dispite the "old" diggers are  no longer with us. 

I'm just speculating, but I think I can explain that. Again, the comparison with World War I memorials helps.  By the 1990s, all but the very major World War I commemorations seem to have faded into the background. But there  was a sudden surge in interest in the mid aughts, which I am guessing was due to the fact that the last veterans were all about to die. I just looked up a list on wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_last_surviving_World_War_I_veterans . Part of that, too, was then new digital technologies in film restoration that made early World War I footage much more lively and relatable. Anyway, I think we will very soon be at the same stage for World War II veterans as we were with World War I veterans in the mid aughts. These commemorations might be a last hurrah of sorts. I don't know. Just things I think about some times.

Same in NZ, Anzac day gets bigger every year, after a noticeable lull in the 80's and 90's. During lockdown when there was no communal Anzac services, my street was just about full with people on the footpath outside their houses with candles or torches listening to the 6am dawn service on the radio.

Schools, especially primary schools, get involved, and last Tuesday at the 10am service I attended there were children wearing their grandad / great grandad's war medals.

I was at Hellfire pass last year and I've just got to say a big thanks to the Aussie government for that visitor centre and grounds.

One day I'll get there for an Anzac day service.

 

I'd a police  M8 1966 did time on that railway, he struggled to forget. He in a  Terrible state, slightest loud noise broke him completely!  P.T.S.D. then not recognised, known perhaps  as Shell Shock!