Quiet Lion Tour Information

To read about the 2011 Quiet Lion Tour Itinerary -> Click here

In early arrangements for the 2011 Quiet Lion Tour it had planned for the tour to leave on 15th April 2011 and return on 26th April 2011.

The end of the first school term for 2011 was then made later and this caused a rethink. The BTRMA have always been conscious of ensuring the juniors do not miss too much school when on Quiet Lion Tours and adjust the itinerary accordingly.

State Education Minister Constable has now changed the 2011 school term dates so WA students will not be disadvantaged in national reading, writing and mathematics tests (NAPLAN). State schools will finish first term two days earlier, on Tuesday April 19. Second term will start two days earlier on Thursday, May 5.

The 2011 Quiet Lion Tour will now leave Perth on Friday 22nd April and return on Tuesday 3rd May. The period falls totally within the school holidays.
Students will sit next year's National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy tests over three days from May 10.
A revised itinerary based on the new dates has now been prepared. All the features will remain the same but in a different sequence.

THE 2011 QUIET LION TOUR TO HELLFIRE PASS.

Applications are now being welcomed for the 2011 QUIET LION TOUR . The Tour focus is on the Dawn Service in Hellfire Pass and the Memorial Service in the Cemetery at Kanchanaburi.

Many sites of Prisoner of War camps and hospitals are visited. Survivors of the Burma Thailand Railway, Bill Haskell and Snow Fairclough (2/3 Machine Gun Batallion) and Neil MacPherson (2/2 nd Pioneers) will travel on the tour and will be available to relate their experiences.

Professional tour guides will be on tour to address people on Thai culture.

The adult tour cost, yet to be finalised, includes airfares, transport, meals, accommodation and excursions. There is also a charge by the airline for fuel surcharges.

Interested people may contact the Burma Thailand Railway Memorial Association on (08)9339 8237, E Mail ericjoybtrma@optusnet.com.au

or travel agent:

Allied Travel Group (Attention: Maureen Storry), Shop 1/ 265 Canning Highway (Stammer’s arcade), Palmyra, 6157. Tel 9339 7080 Fax. 8 9319 3891.

Download the Booking Conditions and Application to Travel forms

Visit our Testimonials section

This annual pilgrimage to Thailand organised by the BTRMA Inc, includes some mainstream sightseeing, but the main focus is the story of the Burma Thailand Railway and much of the tour is spent learning about the Railway.

ANZAC Day is the highlight. The day starts with the Dawn Service at Hellfire Pass, followed by the 11am commemoration service at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, and it is now a feature of these ANZAC Day services that Australian military cadets take an active part.

As well as Defence Force Cadet involvement, up to 25 high school students can participate. RSL Sub-branches, service clubs, high schools and other sponsors work to raise funds to facilitate the students’ involvement.

The tour is also open to members of the general public and the limited-number of places are keenly sought by family members of ex POWs and others interested in Australian history. The presence of a number of ex-POWs who worked on the Railway is a unique and integral part of the tour. These remarkable men are volunteers who pay their own expenses and do so to tell of their experiences and keep alive the story of courage and sacrifice. The opportunity to get to know them and listen to their stories is a privilege not found on commercially-orientated commemorative trips.

The site of a former 3-tier bridge, part of the Burma-Thailand Railway Heritage trail. The walking trail follows the alignment of the original railway for approximately four kilometers from Konyu (Hellfire Pass) to beyond Compressor Cutting.

The two cemeteries in Kanchanaburi (Don Rak and Chungkai) accommodate nearly 8700 graves of Commonwealth and Dutch servicemen who died during the building of the Railway - nearly 7000 in the main cemetery and 1700 at Chungkai.

The cemeteries are administered and beautifully maintained by staff of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission - the Manager is long-time Kanchanaburi resident Mr Rod Beattie, an Australian, and he is ably assisted by local Thai staff.