Experiences of an FEPOW Chapter 3

Return to Kranji, Khan Buri and Chungkai to remember those who did not come home

In 1956 my father returned to the Far East as a college lecturer, first in Penang and then in Kuala Lumper. Before he returned home in 1959 he made a cine film of the war memorials and cemeteries run by the War Graves Commission. This he sent home to another member of the Regiment to be shown to the families of those who did not survive. With the film he sent a commentary and what follows is his commentary.

GENERAL INFORMATION

I have compiled this commentary from memory and I am not too sure that I have got all the events in correct sequence. Should this be so run the film through before showing and correct this commentary accordingly.
The room or hall should be well “blacked out” to enable the names on the marble sides on the supporting walls to be read clearly.
The film runs for 10-15 mins. and care should be taken not to run it too fast.

This film was taken in 1959
The film opens after I had travelled to Singapore and then to “Kranji” to see the war cemetery opened by Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1957/58.

The cemetery is very spacious and well cared for by the War Graves Commission. My only complaint was that it was used by the locals, as you will see in the film, as a Sunday afternoon picnic site.

The large pillar towering skywards is supported on the walls with the marble sides containing the names of the people with no known graves.

Here I made a mistake with my exposure meter forgetting that the tropical reflection from the marble would ruin my picture. Careful attention must be paid at this point to see the names of F Keys, Macintosh and many others including that of my batman, Bannier. Also built into these supporting walls are caskets containing leather bound books with more names.

Moving among the headstones the name of Capt. Brown of the Suffolk Reg., the officer who was with me at Pongo Point and was ambushed about 10 minutes after we were pulled out to go to Newton Circus, Bukit Timah Road.

The name of gunner Arnold is shown and I think it is Arnold of my troop.

The last picture in Singapore is a typical morose view of Malaya as I look towards Johore Bahru.

We are now in Thailand and all thanks to the New Zealand High Commissioner who laid on transport, beer etc. and the wherewithal to complete
These pictures are of Khan Buri where the graves are well cared for by the girls in their “Bangkok Bowlers”. Capt. J Watt is buried here as you will remember Sandy, you and I with many others had to dig his grave.
We now sail up the river to Chungkai, passing the large paper mills with the clock with the gong which used to strike the hour as we did our “P” picket, then on past the usual mosquito ridden house boat. As we sail up the river some well known landmarks come into view, the escarpment on the left, the bamboo rafts floating down the river and the umbrella tree standing at the entrance to Chungkai Cemetery. As you will see I turn the camera round and let you see the old “Pom Pom” and the boatman (memories).

This is the cemetery and as I pan around you will see the remains of the attap church, my wife is talking to the head gardener whose son is also buried in this cemetery. The concrete lichgate is the entrance from the river.

We now return to Khan Buri where there is a wooden bungalow equipped with beds and utensils for an overnight stay if unable to return to Bangkok. There is also, in this bungalow, a large book containing the signatures of people who have visited these cemeteries.

After a last look around I guide our New Zealand friends down the old jungle path to the remains of the “Bridge” and the Obelisk. Every Anzac Day the New Zealanders have come here but never been able to find the bridge. I was grateful that I could do something in return for their kindness to Rene and me.

And now in the best tradition of American films:-
As we sail down this filthy river with the tropical setting sun behind us we say farewell to the sound of the monkeys in the trees and their brothers on the ground yelling “BUGERO” all men “SPEEDO” and do I hear it or is it my imagination, I can hear a call of “Bengo Speedo Johnny”!

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