The Start of Construction of the Burma-Thailand Railway
October 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the ‘official’ start of construction of the Burma-Thailand Railway. Something that would be an engineering success but resulting in the needless loss of so many lives.
“Green Force” PoW’s making their way to Kendaw, Burma
In 1942, the Japanese had invaded Burma (now Myanmar). However, the sea lanes used to supply their soldiers were increasingly subject to attack by allied submarines and aerial bombardment by aircraft from bases in India.
As a result, the Japanese decided to build a more secure route. This involved the construction of a 415 kilometre section of railway that would join the Singapore-Bangkok rail line to the rail network in Burma, at a town called Thanbyuzayat, allowing access to the seaport of Moulmein.
Prisoners of War, captured during the Fall of Singapore and later in Java, became a ready source of labour and in May 1942, “A Force”, comprising 3,000 Australian PoW’s, left Singapore by ship, for Victoria Point, Mergui and Tavoy, in Burma. They were initially put to work building or repairing airstrips and other infrastructure. It wasn’t until the 1st October 1942, that the first detachment (Green Force) from Victoria Point arrived to start work on the railway, at Kendaw (4 Kilo Camp) just south of Thanbyuzayat), thereby becoming the first Australians to work on the railway.
Construction of the Bridge over the River Kwai at Tha Makham
Meanwhile, in June 1942, the “First Mainland Party” made up of 3,000 British PoW’s, left Singapore by rail, for the railway junction of Nong Pladuc, about 70 kilometres west of Bangkok. They were put to work building the housing camp and other facilities that were to be used for future work parties on the railway. Nong Pladuc was also to become the southern starting point of the railway. It was on the 16th September 1942, that construction started at Non Pladuc using PoW’s from the “First Mainland Party”.
The railway would follow the Kwai River north, through thick and inhospitable jungle, over mountain ranges before crossing into Burma at Three Pagodas Pass and then onto Thanbyuzayat. Originally due to be completed by December 1943, the railway was finished 12 months after construction started, following the infamous “Speedo” period introduced by the Japanese in which workers were required to work 16-17 hour days. The line from both ends was joined at Konkoita in October 1943, about 263 kilometres north of Nong Pladuc.
Over the twelve months of construction, nearly 62,000 PoW’s would be sent by the Japanese, to work on building the railway with an estimated 178,000 local inhabitants also pressed into work. Poor hygiene, inadequate food, lack of medical supplies and the brutality of the Japanese soldiers resulted in the deaths of nearly 13,000 PoW’s and about 85,000 locals.
Route of the Burma-Thailand Railway
Source:
DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs) (2021), Burma-Thailand Railway and Hellfire Pass 1942 to 1943, DVA Anzac Portal, accessed 20 October 2022, https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/burma-thailand-railway-and-hellfire-pass-1942-1943
Death Railway Movements, Neil MacPherson, accessed 20 October 2022, www.mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/death_rr/movements_1.html
Burma Railway, Wikipedia, accessed 20 October 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Railway
‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, accessed 20 October 2022, https://2nd4thmgb.com.au/story/a-force