2010 Quiet Lion Tour

By Cassandra Seery

Well, where to begin? I first heard of the quiet lion tour in 2007, my first year in cadets. One of my then corporals had been and come back. Set us up a slideshow to watch and the video ‘The Quiet Lion’ Also known to many as “Weary” Dunlop. I was absolutely inspired and just had to go see for myself, alas, I was born in July so I had to wait three years before I could get a chance.

My time had then come. I started on my speech, and then re started, and re- started again. So I present my speech at the RSL and gee what a wreck I was. In front of a whole table of judges, about ten. Which I’m sure included Ex POW Neil Macpherson. So how embarrassing it was when I got some of my dates mixed up. But I got through, not exactly sure why they chose me though hahaha. Anyways. The time came to head of to Thailand. I met many people at the airport, more importantly our three EX POW’s who made the Pilgrimage with us and Harry Stiles, who is a ww2 veteran, but not from the railway. We spent twelve days in Thailand. And what an experience and eye-opener it was. For a start it is an absolute privilege to have heard many stories straight from our veterans who are still around to tell it. Many over or bordering on 90 years of age now, but you would never have guessed it. Our first few days involved tourist sort of things around Thailand. However after those three days, that’s when the story began.

We visited campsites where our POWs where held, and used as forced labour, starved and worked to death. Clobbered day in and out. For many fatal, others, they came out of it… The simple fact that you are standing on ground where men fought and died, suffered and lived is absolutely mind blowing, very eerie. One can never fully appreciate their sacrifice unless they themselves are a veteran of that disastrous affair. However, by operating this tour the organisers are trying to pass down some sort of understanding amongst many generations of what we are in debt to. Just to say though. That war is in no way glorious. It is a needless waste of life. As EX POW Bill Haskel said to me ‘ Lives wasted so needlessly’ ‘ If they just provided a bit of extra nourishment and care then this cemetery would only have two or three headstones in it’ Here he spoke of Kanchanaburi Cemetery where 6,982 soldiers are buried.

During mid to late tour we took a couple walks, the same paths our diggers walked to work (more like slave labour) each day. First we went up a very steep hill. We were pretty much on all fours going up; it was quite a challenge for most. Even Snow got out and had a crack (Snow is also one of our veterans), it was 42 degrees that day in about 90% humidity. I can tell you right now I couldn’t imagine doing that walk as a full grown man weighing only about 50-60 kilos or around 6 stone carrying twenty kilos on your back going up that hill every day. And that was a small one!!! We had small indent things that sort of resembled stairs and bamboo rails to hold onto. Gee and they did that every day with nothing to prevent them falling.

The next day or maybe it was the one after we went from Hintok cutting to Konyu cutting. Or as it is more widely known as “ Hellfire Pass”. I could never imagine a train ever running through such rough territory. On your left, a cliff face. On your right, a sheer and long slide down a very steep hill. We learnt so much on this tour that it is impossible to recall it all unless I go back to my diary. We learnt a lot of when things happened where they happened, campsites etc, dates of specific events. But we also learnt a lot about the conditions our soldiers suffered.

ANZAC day at hellfire pass. This was a very eerie day. In the dark walking the track with bamboo candles to hellfire pass where a ceremony was to be held. I believe in spirits, not sure I can say the same for you. But even the people who don’t believe in them said they felt something there that dawn service. I reckon it was the men from the Burma- Thai railway who died there come to watch. That ground is hallowed. However I did not feel the same presence at the Kanchanaburi Service. I think because it was not dawn or maybe because it isn’t as notorious as hellfire pass. I’m not sure. But they were among us that day.

The quite lion tour is a very worthwhile experience. It is a real eye opener to how much we take for granted today. To have a decent amount of food in our guts, to have clothes on our back, to have shoes and to be healthy. To have a roof over our head and to have a shower every night. So much of which our soldiers did not have. And yet we sit here and complain about getting the wrong flavour ice-cream or our parents buying us clothes we don’t like. Let’s hope that by having this tour operating we soon realise how lucky we are to have what we have. And that maybe, one day, everyone will be worthy of their sacrifice.

My special thanks go out to all our EX POW’s who are Neil Macpherson ( who entirely sponsored me out of his own pocket) I know there were a couple more people along the line that made it possible for me to attend, Bill Haskel, Snow Mason, and Wally Holding. Also to Eric and our many tour guides. Pai, Vanna, and Mr Ake. I know I might’ve missed a couple. It is impossible to remember them all. But to those I’ve missed. Be sure my thanks go out to you as well.