Published in 1995, is the true story of Eric Lomax’s
experience during the Second World War. The first two chapters set the scene of life
for an ordinary boy growing up in Scotland and his love of trains. These
first chapters are in stark contrast to the rest of the book. At the age of 20 Lomax joins the Royal Corps
of Signals and is in Singapore during the Second World War when it falls to the
Japanese. Captured, he is taken to a POW camp in Kanburi, Thailand. The camp is on the notorious Burma-Siam
Railway. To start with the POW camp in Kanburi is
fairly relaxed and Lomax is among a group of POWs who, because of their
technical knowledge, are needed to work in the camp’s workshops repairing
engines. Slowly the tension increases as
more and more POWs are sent to work on building the railway track itself. Lomax
and his fellow workers get over confident and steal components to make a crude
radio in order that they can hear the news and follow the progress of the
war. They set up communication channels with men passing on news bulletins further up the line. The radio is discovered and Lomax has to face
the brutality of his Japanese captors. The story is told in a measured, honest way. I found the scenes of torture hard to read,
but the story isn’t just about suffering, it is about the camaraderie between
the prisoners and their courage. It also
highlights the strength of the human spirit. Lomax
survives his ordeal and the war ends.
Lomax’s physical wounds start to heal, but the mental scars of torture
don’t and so, with an unexpected sadness, the reader is taken on Lomax’s
journey back home where he is expected to pick up the pieces of his old life
and carry on. It is, at times, a harrowing
read. It never ceases to amaze me the
brutality humans can inflict on each other, but the climax to the story is
uplifting as Lomax faces one of his tormentors.
The story of their meeting is told in a measured, unsentimental way and
shows the power of forgiveness. It is an
extremely moving read.
No comments:
Post a Comment