Thread: Hell Fire Pass, Kanchanburi, July 2015

^ You've changed handbags since I saw you earlier this year?

^

No I have not, you must of been pissed after those two beers.

Must have. I'll blame it on oldtimers.

Great thread and photo's - will do as you suggest sooner rather than later.

Well done Terry great read and pics.

I was there with my brother last year, like you say pictures can do it justice so I never bothered, which is most unlike me.....

I was at the centenary service at the cemetary in Kanch town last year, a friend of mines' uncle is buried there so always make a point of going. A friend of mine was also in the pipe band which is quite stirring as they lead the Australian guard into place.

Sadly I was at my friend's uncle's grave and an Australian bikie type was walking past. His female partner said something that I didn't hear, but his response was "Nah, fuck 'em, they're just Pommy cunts'. Rather disappointing that.....

Hope you don't mind if I pop a few photos from the Centenary Service in here Terry.....







'Snowy' McPherson, one of the few survivors left, visits every year and spends time with the AFL team watching the annual game.

^
Really nice edition to this thread Bob. Thanks for those.

Great thread. Thanks for sharing.

Just a note, the Pipe Major apparently flew in all the way from Brazil for this one service.

Some more pictures...... Snowy with the New Zealand ambassador Tony Lynch

Players from the Thailand and Myanmar AFL teams after the annual ANZAC Day game in Kanchanaburi.

Cheers bob and terry, I can imagine the pipes would be quite emotional , always get goose bumps when I hear them

Good idea to go in the week in low season Terry, when there's no jovial tossers taking selfies with that daft 2 finger salute.

I should imagine Anzac Day would be quite moving.

I wouldn't go back down there, too depressing for me. Reminds me of my youth when all my mates were off to Wonderland Amusement Park or the lake on a weekend and my dad would take the family on a day out to Belsen Concentration Camp.

^

Firstly, It's certainly not depressing. Quite the opposite actually, the setting is peaceful and full of flora.

The walk down to the rail bed is surrounded by huge bamboo and the walk along the rail bed is peaceful.

The Important thing is to visit off peak outside weekends, public holidays and what not.

To do this one must have wheels.

To visit it when a tour bus rocked up full of Chinese would kill it.

Plan your trip mid week early morning or late afternoon.



The Museum has a few nasty movies but i did not watch them, I know the history.

Nice thread Terry.

Haven't been there yet myself. Seems a bit of a hike with a baby though so I'll probably put it off for a couple of years.....

Great thread Terry. To see the cemetaries in that region of Thailand sure makes one appreciate what those young men went through and we should respect their memories.

^
With the money and equipment supplied by the Australian Government the work done by the Thais looking after those cemeteries is world class.

I salute the workers.

With all due respect Terry, the graves are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission of which Australia is one of 6 member states.

The others being the UK, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

^

That's very nice to know Bob, my Bad.

I was under a different impression.

Thanks for that.

^ I think that it's the Hellfire Pass complex which is funded by the Aussie Govt. not the Kanchanaburi POW Cemetary.

http://hellfire-pass.commemoration.gov.au/

Twenty percent of Australia's deaths in World War 2 was as Prisoners of the Japanese.

Yes the museum at Hellfire Pass is exclusively Australian, but the cemetary is CWGC who look after hundreds of war graves over the world.

^

So I was only 50% in the wrong. I'll take that.

Great posting and followup by Terry (actually recognized a couple of the guys in the pipes band :-) ...been twice to the bridge and cemetery - 1998 before the museum was there and again in 2010 and saw the museum (which is great). Did day tours from BKK both times and never knew that the Hell Fire Pass part was an option. Next time!

Thanks Terry, great thread and photos. I went there during my first year in Thailand. Had to educate my missus about the events since official Thai history they teach in schools and uni's too is a bit different. Or it was at least at that time.