To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

Railway of Death

Thailand-Burma Railway

Including

Mergui Road

Wampo Viaduct - 1943 - 5atb-tn

The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by British, Australian, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project inspired by the need for improved communications to maintain the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction more than 16,000 prisoners of war died-mainly of sickness, malnutrition and exhaustion - and were buried along the railway. Imprest Burmese and Malay labourers too died in their thousands-exactly how many will never be known. The Japanese kept no records and it was impossible for anyone else to do so, nor were the graves marked, but between 80,000 and 100,000 perished. The railway has been purchased by the Thai Government from its starting point at Ban Pong to the Burmese border, and it is now part of the Royal State railways. It is open to general traffic from Ban Pong to Kanchanaburi, about 33 miles.

When the railway was finished some of the PoWs were put to work on the Mergui Road. This was an escape route for the Japanese from Burma if the railway was out of action due to Allied bombing.

The death rate was very high.

 

Mergui Road Mergui Road - Short History

Detailed History Mergui Road - Detailed History with maps, camps

Mergui Ropad Roll Mergui Road Roll

Thailand-Burma Railway Short History Thailand-Burma Railway - Short History

Thailand-Burma Railway Detailed History  Thailand-Burma Railway - Detailed History with maps, camps

Thailand-Burma Railway Roll Thailand-Burma Railway Roll

 Camps:-

      Thailand-Burma Railway Roll Songkurai No.2 Camp

Cemetery Plan Chungkai Site Plan

Cemetery Plan Kanchanaburi Site Plan

Cemetery Plan Thanbyuzayat Site Plan

 

Please select from the above menu

 

 

Britain at War

 

Original design by John Weedon
Maintained by Ron Taylor.

 

To Register please email me below,
with your details & pictures if you have any.

Hymns or music can also be added to the page, please select here

Email Arthur Lane

 

Site Management

-

Ron.Taylor@fepow-community.org.uk

 

[Britain at War] [Roll of Honour] [Thailand-Burma Railway]