QUIET LION TOUR 2003

Neil MacPherson 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion Williams Force

Another highly successful nine day Anzac pilgrimage to Thailand was conducted in April. Because of the unstable conditions worldwide our Education Dept banned school groups participating so our tour party was reduced to 44, one busload. Despite the reduced numbers we had four ex POW railway workers with us 93 year old Eric Roediger 92 year old George Wiseman, Bill Haskell & myself both of us members of the organising committee, ably led by Chairman Peter Winstanley. More than half of our party were families of the POWs. These included twelve MacPhersons, six Roedigers, three Wisemans and Hollywood nurse Helen Ryan .Our State RSL selected three cadets each representing one of three services, two nurses from Hollywood Private Hospital all five were sponsored by the hospital. The Defence Attaché in Bangkok, Navy Captain Bruce Fraser arranged for the cadets to act as official wreath bearers at the main Anzac service at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, in place of the usual Thai Police. Bill Haskell gave a moving address that brought tears to many an eye, so moving and so descriptive of conditions at Hintock camp that Bill fought to control his emotions. The Dawn service at Hellfire Pass was well attended; the authorities are to be commended for at both ceremonies the Ex POWs were seated in the forefront of the services. Among the ten ex POWs was the very popular DR Rowley Richards, a member of Anderson Force, who with Robbie Douglas and myself worked on the Burma end of the railway. One of the highlights of this year’s Anzac activities was the visit to the new Railway Centre and Rod Beattie and his Associates are to be congratulated on their achievement the museum at Hellfire Pass is a testimony to the efforts of Manager Bill Slape and his Thai staff.