Thai-Burma Railway captive dies

[DagonKhan]

Thai-Burma Railway captive dies

Tuesday 2 September 2014

ONE of the last remaining members of a battalion that was captured and tortured by Japanese forces during Second World War has died.

Private William Niven, a soldier with the Gordon Highlander's Battalion, passed away aged 93.

Out of the 1,000 strong squad who were captured during the Second World War, only five are alive today.

The group was held captive from 1942 to 1945 and made to work on the ThaiBurma Railway.

But only 600 returned, with the remaining men dying due to the horrendous conditions imposed.

Tributes were yesterday paid to Pte Niven, a father-of-four from Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

Doreen McIntosh, his daughter, said: "He was a loving father and I really miss him."

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/thai-burma-railway-captive-dies.25211161