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Richard was called up to the army because he was in the Fire Service. He was put on a boat and embarked on a long journey from Liverpool to India on the USS Wakefield. Richard was taken to Singapore. He faced encounters shrapnel and Japanese bullets.

In Enemy Hands
The Japanese captured him and he had to work on the Kwai Bridge and build camps and field hospitals for the Japs. Whilst searching for supplies in the storeroom he came a Japanese soldier who he tricked into taking onions instead of peaches. He was driven for 5 days to Ban Pong a flooded camp. Richard then had to march 16km through the jungle where he met snakes and flying foxes.

There were many harsh punishments there such as being tied to a tree, solitary confinement and standing still with your hands in the arm for up to seven hours.

Hidden Diary
He managed to keep a diary hidden in a water bottle. Richard was moved from camp to camp using anthill for ovens along the way. In one camp a hungry elephant came into the camp during the night. Whilst blasting rock with TNT he and a friend were asked to ground TNT to powder with wooden mallets and were lucky not to be blown up!

One night he found a baby buffalo and tied it to the Sergeant Majors bedpost. After stealing fish Richard was put in a cell 18 inches wide and 2 foot high for ten days. In the cell he had to stand up for most of the day. Richard also had to dig a hole in the corner to use as a toilet.

He also took tins of milk from the storeroom, but they weren’t found luckily. He also came across an old friend who he hadn’t seen for 15 years. Richard rebuilt the Kwai Bridge several times and narrowly missed a bomb fragment from the Allies. He also learned some Japanese numbers to help with the work.

Lucky escapes
Richard had another lucky escape from unexploded bombs in the River Kwai, which are still being pulled out today. In one camp there was an outbreak of cholera, with about 9 bodies being cremated every day.

At one point the Japanese high command ordered Richard and his fellow prisoners to be shot. He helped dig the trench where his body was supposed to be buried!

In one camp he saw a 20ft snake that could swim and climb trees. Being particularly fond of snakes he kept a bamboo snake that he traded for a haircut every week with a barber.

One evening he was told to stand with his hands on his head and mosquito’s swarming all over him. As he was able to say Thank You in Japanese the Guard Commander let him off his standing punishment.

Going Home
The Japs finally set Richard free then he met an American soldier whose plane had crashed. The American radioed for help. During his time in the Japanese POW camp he had to deal with 16 hours of work and lots of different diseases. He had sceptic scathers and ulcers on his feet. This was made worse by the 9 days forced marches.

He was taken down the railway to Bangkok hospital, where he was treated for all his aliments. He was flown to Rangoon. Richard was given a guide around Rangoon, who took him to a jewelry shop where he bought a ring for his wife.

He was put the Worcestershire ship and taken to Liverpool, where his journey had begun. In Liverpool he was sent back home with no counseling. After he went home he suffered with nightmares from his ordeal. Richard was given his job back in the fire service where he stayed for 27 years.

Latter on he was given a medal by an American serviceman who said that Richard deserved it more that him.

Nowadays he suffers from tinnitus – ringing in the ears and has had malaria a total of 40 times.

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