大象传媒

Tommy is a local inhabitant of Rothbury. Together with other young men he joined the Territorial Army in 1939. The onset of war saw him in the 9th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was involved in the BEF debacle in France in 1940 and was taken off the beach at Dunkirk. Re-equipped and trained for desert warfare, Tommy's battalion was re-routed to Singapore, arriving there on 5th February 1941. They were forced to surrender 10 days later. Tommy worked on the railway into Thailand. The horrors and maltreatment of the Allied POWs are well documented, which makes Tommy's particular contribution all the more surprising. He mentioned that for a period of time his small squad was befriended by a Japanese soldier. At great personal risk to himself the soldier shared food and cigarettes with Tommy and his colleagues. He attempted to get this group of prisoners tasks that were less onerous than others, and even advised them when the Japanese officers and NCOs were about. Tommy had no idea about the opinion that the Japanese should not be fighting the British. Regretfully, Tommy lost touch with this rare example of Japonese humanity before the end of hostilities.

After the Padre had announced the end of the war and the departure of the Japanese guards, Tommy was moved to Bangkok and then Rangoon, before being shipped home to Liverpool.

Now, aged 92, Tommy expresses the wish that the sins of the fathers should not blight our relationships with their children.

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