Quiet Lion Anzac Pilgrimage To Thailand 2008

By Neil MacPherson

Quiet Lion Tour Thailand 2008

On the 19th April 96 people arrived in Bangkok from Australia to participate in the Anzac Pilgrimage to Thailand, of these 42 were High School Students mainly from Western Australian country schools. Participating schools were Esperance, Carnamah Three Springs, Mingenew, Wongan Hills, Swan View, and Manjimup, also present cadets from Mandurah, & FESA, Wagin Lion’s Club sponsored a student. There were five ex POWs who worked on the railway, three were 2/3rd Machine Gunners Bill Haskell, Ernie Redman and Snow Fairclough, Wally Holding represented the 2/4th Machine Gun Btn and Neil MacPherson the 2/2nd Pioneer Btn. This was a special pilgrimage to pay our respects to the late Keith Flanagan who passed away on the 1st March, Keith originated the Quiet Lion Tour in 1985, since 1997 some close on 300 students have been partly sponsored and taken on our tour. Following a tradition started in 2003 we were given the honour of providing a key note speaker for the main service at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Bill Haskell and I have taken turns in giving the address, this year it was my turn and the copy of the address is included in the Article page of this web site. The Dawn service at Hellfire Pass was especially poignant with the lone piper playing the “Flowers Of The Forest” as day broke.

Neil MacPherson

WX16572 - Williams Force - Burma Railway