11 November

[Flashermac]

[Guest]

To walk amongst these graves at Kanchanaburi, and read the inscriptions of the relatives to their loved ones ... was very sad and I felt so much sorrow ...

[Dexi]

After watching the film " Bridge on the river Kwai " with Alec Guiness I was keen to see the bridge itself when I visited Kan.The real bridge is very different to the one in the film,being made from pre-constructed metal frames imported from Japan,whereas the film version was made of wood.The film was also shot in Sri Lanka not Thailand.Further along the valley I think there are some of the original wooden bridges in use to support the rail tracks - they look pretty flimsy by todays standards .Lots of the original work done by the POWs was all by hand,such as drilling and breaking rocks.It was extemely hot when I was there ,can`t imagine what it must have been like doing that sort of work on starvation rations .

[buffalo_bill]

I have been watching a report about four UK veterans now in their 90´s the other day who survived a Japanese camp in the area. There were so many really young guys 18 or 20 years old who lost their life in the jungle ; I have been twice to the Kanchanaburi cemetery in the meantime and it always reminds of the great fortune we could enjoy living in mainly peaceful Europe without major headache resulting from a bullet flying through .

[The_Munchmaster]

The real bridge is very different to the one in the film,being made from pre-constructed metal frames imported from Japan,whereas the film version was made of wood.

 

There were two bridges built by the POW's, a metal one and a wooden one.

[BelgianBoy]

11/11 is still a national holiday in France and Belgium.

[Flashermac]

And the USA. When I was a kid, it was called Armistice Day.

 

p.s. The VFW and American military had to hold their memorial service today, so that the embassy personnel could have the day off tomorrow and hoop it up.