WWII Building Burma's Death Railway - BBC Part 1

The brutal use of British prisoners of war by the Japanese to build a railway linking Thailand to Burma in 1943 was one of the worst atrocities of the Second World War. For the first time in 70 years, British POWs and their Japanese captors, many now in their nineties, open their hearts to tell the story of what really happened on the 'Death Railway'. Alongside the extraordinary experiences and stories of survival told by the British, their Japanese guards tell of different horrors of war, some never disclosed before.
Exploring how they have survived the terrible memories, this is an often inspiring story that many of these men have waited a long time to tell. What emerges is a warm and emotional journey through the lives of men from different sides reflecting on a terrible event that still haunts them.

[@davidtowers1282]

My cousin was a 19 year old Merchant Navy seaman his name was James Joseph Towers a Deck Boy on the Empress of Asia. He was made a POW by the Japanese and was force to work on the Death Railway where he died in 1943. James is buried in the Kanchanaburi war cemetery. James came from a large Merchant Navy family in Liverpool England. Rest in peace James Joseph Towers.

[@hog8035]

David Towers RIP brave man. My thoughts are always with you men

[@davidtowers1282]

@@ape8887 I was a Royal Mail postman, around the time of 2007 on my walk" mail round " there was this old pensioner who I would have a friendly chat with. One day he seemed upset on asking why he was feeling this way he went onto say that he was a prisoner of war under the Japanese and that he would never buy anything made by the Japanese. He told me that the Japanese treated them very cruel with much suffering and pain in so much he could never find it in himself to ever forgive them. He seemed mentally scarred by his war time experience under the Japanese. Your great-great uncle was of the same mindset with his war time experiences which left them scarred for life. I always have the thought of what James Joseph went through at the young age of 19 year old under the Japanese on the Death Railway. My nephew made a visit to Kanchanaburi war cemetery and visited James Joseph Towers grave and laid flowers and a photograph of his late father Edward John Towers on his grave in 2018 which was nice and sent me many photographs of his day at the cemetery.

[@kun4066]

Thank you very much for this film. I am a Japanese ,53 years old. I did not know Death Railways, during the Second World War. I feel I must apologize to all of you as a Japanese. This BBC film teaches us the history dispassionately, ( unlike China and Korea who just wants money. ) Japanese school does not teach such history. Britain is the first ally in 1902, supported Japan ( At that time Japan was very poor and weak ) against Russian expansion. We have great appreciation toward British people. So learning the real history ,I hope Britain and Japan again become real good friend again. Than you again for teaching us the history.

[@murraygiles3191]

My uncle James giles from the Gordon highlanders died building the same railway he is also buried in the same cemetery he died in December 1943 he was only 20 he died of malnutrition dysentery R I P the fallen .

[@Maximus-ch4ir]

Found him in the cemetery

[@SeaDevilLagoon]

My grandma's brother Luther was 19 years old when he was sent to serve in Singapore. He became a POW in Feb 1942 and was made to work on the railway. He survived until Dec 1943, died aged 23 and approx two months after the railway was completed and is buried at the Kanchaniburi War cemetery. My gran was 20 when he died and 21 when she received the letter telling her so. Now she is 96, and having never found out about what happened to Luther or how he died, I researched it and let her know where he is buried. She's glad to know he has a grave site. RIP.

[@michaelabowden2052]

Awe how sad, bless him. Sleep soundly . Xx

[@murraygiles3191]

Exactly the same as my uncle buried at the same cemetery he was 20 years old 1923 to December 1943 died of malnutrition and dysentery he was a Gordon highlander from aberdeen rest in peace both young soldiers.

[@michaelabowden2052]

@@murraygiles3191 awe bless, war .. why. No one is really the winner.

[@UKRelic]

I have visited this cemetary twice and it is kept very nice and tidy by the CWWG

[@ollygee]

I was brought here after Reading the forgotten highlander, these British men are true hero’s. Kids these days should be educated on all of this to understand exactly how easy they have it

[@janesheehan8511]

I read that book after seeing a documentary about Alistair Urquhart, what a wonderful story and what a lovely man he was....

[@delroywashington3185]

Just want to thank the allied POW'S For your service , just watched a TV program on what you did in a year , brave men thank you X

[@xJeniee]

My grandfather, Brig. George Holmes Hoerder MBE was a prisoner of war on the death railway. Absolutely horrifying. He retired from the army in 1976 and passed away in 1996.

[@1990pommie]

officers ? were not treated as badly as the lesser ranks most lived to retire. not to be buried alongside the tracks

[@michaelabowden2052]

My grandad John was in camp 2. He was a gunner in royal artillery. when it was bombed he'd hid under a pile of bodies with which he said you could hear the soldiers stabbing and shooting at the dead, but he did , he escaped with 3 bullets put in him. one still in his neck resting on the spine until he had to have it removed which paralyzed him. I found some of his army papers and one was a letter from Newman Bumstead. , national geographic society may 22 1958. This was to talk about what happened so what they did was sent him 2 maps trying to pin point the camps but because it had been bombed it was hard to say or pinpoint what they was after, , but then got a bloody bill for the maps. 10s 9d. Our grandparents never spoke of the real torture and the sleepless nights of the nightmares they had until there deaths, thousands went through hell for our today and I for one pay tribute to my grandad may he rest well and forever be at peace.

[@Megzie111]

Visited the National Memorial Arboretum in Litchfield the other week and I didn't realise how ignorant I was about the far east campaign during ww2 until I read everything in the Far East POW exhibition. Really harrowing.

[@thomashan4963]

My grandpa was the youngest and the only survivor out of the six siblings being forced to work on that railroad. I’m glad that he lived long enough to tell me about all the inhumane things Japanese soldiers did; things like murders, rapes, tortures, cannibalisms, necrophilia.

[@EpulNorhan]

when i learn about thai burma railway history, the first thing i didnt know about the highest dead of Malay & Tamil at the death railway. Of course, i know there is POW from Allied. I started know this when im visiting Railway Museum at Kanchanaburi, Thailand about 2 weeks ago.

[@joelchand7222]

RIP for all those who have not been graced by the greatness of Jack the Kov Kovacic, I mean Mr Incredible

[@malayneum]

i am a Malayan (now Malaysia). my grandfather died building those railway. but rumors told us he was actually exiled to Guinea. nobody knows.

[@123472724]

Are you Anglo-Malaysian?

[@Debraj1978]

3:21 = I like the gentleman and also his experience and age.

[@Nick-qv7zd]

My grandads brother was a prisoner here!

[@fapoleonbonerfarte7712]

My grandad's brother was as well! He died building this railway.

[@olivergill2903]

Same here, exactly -buried in the Kanchanaburi Cemetery in Thailand

[@tutifruity1154]

my great grandfather was also a prisoner at the burma railway. he survived luckily but the experience must have horrifically scarred him

[@Thornus_______]

A Railroad of a million tears

[@joelchand7222]

Mr Incredible= Jack

[@lovelylissss]

My Grandfather was prisoner there ..

[@123472724]

My great grandfather was a prisoner there as well. I think... he was brought over there from Malaya.

[@swimminlane3566]

As one of these gentlemen said a terrible reflection on the powers that be of ours that were running that show. This never should have happened.

[@joelchand7222]

Jack please have my kids aswell

[@kayseek1248]

Joel Chand shut up

[@asrieldreemurrrei7638]

r.i.p myanmar/burma

[@davidmattey7487]

Today Especially

[@matthewfelice1497]

good video, love history class lol

[@joelchand7222]

Jack is GOAT

[@austincleary6257]

JACKob is GOAT!

[@joelchand7222]

OATHHH

[@Alexp36500]

you rarely see it flipped that the yt people are facing their own consequences on world domination... but this is very interesting. "I was so happy to see it finished"... thats how the Germans felt too... "from Sea to shining sea" except that we ran through an entire population of people's. very interesting.

[@Kitiwake]

Perciville the sap.... I hope he got his.

[@jacobgoad3792]

Jack is super Alpha

[@mkachel1101]

joel is 5ft4

[@mkachel1101]

this is very stupid also jack can you have my children

[@Kitiwake]

But didn't the Brits declare war on Japan..?. A. Yes. Did Japan declare war on Britain? A. No.

[@wor53lg50]

Its called a legal pact if you to stupid to understand that then dont try and comment on ww2 things, it means if you dont know!!!, the countries your in a pact with and if one of them gets war declared on them, then they all have to come to its aid and declare war on the country who's declaring it, ie germany, Italy and yes youve guessed it japan thicko, maybe they shouldnt have agreed with hitler to join his pact as even the uk and merica hadnt formed a pact before pearl harbour...

[@mkachel1101]

lets pray to lord geesus christ oh canadia up the raptors jacky boi kovacacicic is my favourite teaechar

[@joelchand7222]

Don't you mean his secret identity MR IINCREDIBLE

[@missyb9438]

Wtf are you on about?

[@mkachel1101]

mr incredible = inferior copy of jack

[@thomasciarlariello]

racist lies