Post by piccadillypilot on Oct 14, 2005 21:44:43 GMT
We hear much from people sitting in cosy offices about "teamwork". Here's a genuine example of mutual respect and loyalty that many could learn from.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4339080.stm
Major's Death Railway pilgrimage
Many 85-year-olds would think twice about embarking on the 6,000-mile journey from Devon to Thailand but it was a trip Major Leslie Gibbins felt compelled to make.
Major Gibbins, from Bampton in Devon, was a prisoner of war in Thailand for three and a half years during World War II.
He was one of a group of about 45 veterans and their families who made the pilgrimage to the Far East to visit the graves of thousands of men who died building the infamous Burma-Thailand railway.
Branded the Death Railway because of the huge numbers of lives it claimed: 13,000 PoWs and up to 100,000 civilian forced labourers perished - every sleeper on the track is said to have cost a human life.
The Heroes' Return trip in September was paid for by lottery money and organised by the Royal British Legion, as part of the 60th anniversary of VJ Day.
And Major Gibbins had a very personal reason for making the journey.
More than 60 years ago, at the age of just 22, he was forced to cremate one of his own men, Gunner Frank Nelson, who had died of cholera.
Gunner Nelson, 23, has a headstone in Singapore but it says he has no known grave.
In fact Major Gibbins buried his ashes and had always hoped to return to lay a cross at the burial site to honour his memory.
"It was absolutely harrowing," he said.
"It was very hard work because I had to get the wood in for the cremation and also dig the grave.
"We had no priest there at all, I said the burial service myself.
"I thought that was the end of the story."
But with the help of the Burma Thailand Railway Museum and Rod Beattie of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission he was able to pinpoint the spot, close to Kin Sai Yok Jungle Camp number 2.
And at long last he was able to lay a remembrance cross.
The pilgrimage also included two official Services of Remembrance organised by the Royal British Legion, one at Chungkai War Cemetery and another at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery - where more than 7,000 of the PoWs now rest.
Searching the burial ground he came across a number of familiar names, including a Sergeant Salter from Sidmouth in Devon and a Private Mitchell from St Ives in Cornwall.
But the most moving discovery was the headstone of Gunner Winstanley, Major Gibbins' batman.
"It was a great relief to find him," he said.
"He was a great man, very brave."
Debt repaid
But despite being a devout Christian Major Gibbins says he simply cannot forgive his persecutors.
"I can never forgive the Japanese for what they did to my friends.
"Not what they did to me, I don't hate them for that.
"But I do hate them for what they did to my friends."
The week-long trip stirred up many memories for Major Gibbins, but the chance to honour Gunner Nelson was the most significant moment.
He had long felt it was "a task not yet finished" and now feels relief that he has finally been able to repay his debt to the young, brave serviceman.
"Poor Nelson, he was a good boy.
"This is one of the things I shall remember for a long time"
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4339080.stm
Major's Death Railway pilgrimage
Many 85-year-olds would think twice about embarking on the 6,000-mile journey from Devon to Thailand but it was a trip Major Leslie Gibbins felt compelled to make.
Major Gibbins, from Bampton in Devon, was a prisoner of war in Thailand for three and a half years during World War II.
He was one of a group of about 45 veterans and their families who made the pilgrimage to the Far East to visit the graves of thousands of men who died building the infamous Burma-Thailand railway.
Branded the Death Railway because of the huge numbers of lives it claimed: 13,000 PoWs and up to 100,000 civilian forced labourers perished - every sleeper on the track is said to have cost a human life.
The Heroes' Return trip in September was paid for by lottery money and organised by the Royal British Legion, as part of the 60th anniversary of VJ Day.
And Major Gibbins had a very personal reason for making the journey.
More than 60 years ago, at the age of just 22, he was forced to cremate one of his own men, Gunner Frank Nelson, who had died of cholera.
Gunner Nelson, 23, has a headstone in Singapore but it says he has no known grave.
In fact Major Gibbins buried his ashes and had always hoped to return to lay a cross at the burial site to honour his memory.
"It was absolutely harrowing," he said.
"It was very hard work because I had to get the wood in for the cremation and also dig the grave.
"We had no priest there at all, I said the burial service myself.
"I thought that was the end of the story."
But with the help of the Burma Thailand Railway Museum and Rod Beattie of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission he was able to pinpoint the spot, close to Kin Sai Yok Jungle Camp number 2.
And at long last he was able to lay a remembrance cross.
The pilgrimage also included two official Services of Remembrance organised by the Royal British Legion, one at Chungkai War Cemetery and another at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery - where more than 7,000 of the PoWs now rest.
Searching the burial ground he came across a number of familiar names, including a Sergeant Salter from Sidmouth in Devon and a Private Mitchell from St Ives in Cornwall.
But the most moving discovery was the headstone of Gunner Winstanley, Major Gibbins' batman.
"It was a great relief to find him," he said.
"He was a great man, very brave."
Debt repaid
But despite being a devout Christian Major Gibbins says he simply cannot forgive his persecutors.
"I can never forgive the Japanese for what they did to my friends.
"Not what they did to me, I don't hate them for that.
"But I do hate them for what they did to my friends."
The week-long trip stirred up many memories for Major Gibbins, but the chance to honour Gunner Nelson was the most significant moment.
He had long felt it was "a task not yet finished" and now feels relief that he has finally been able to repay his debt to the young, brave serviceman.
"Poor Nelson, he was a good boy.
"This is one of the things I shall remember for a long time"
