POW bibliography - books/memoirs

Heres 3 good books .... they give you goosebumps though !

Prisoners of the Japanese - POW's of WW2 in the Pacific ..... Gavan Daws

Railway Man ...... Eric Lomax

Return from the River Kwai .... Joan and Clay Blair Jr

 

How does one get a copy of this?

 

I have recently finished "Wingless Journey" by Leslie Sidwell. In his book Stillwell gives his account of his experiences during the evacuation of Stalag Luft III in January 1945 when 10000 Allied Air Force Officers were force marched westward.

Marched through deep snow and blizzards from Sagan to Spremburg these officers were eventuallly transported in over crowded cattle trucks from Spremburg to the P.O.W. camp at Marlag/Milag (Tarmstedt.)

After a two month stay at Marlag the officers were then marched in what is known as the "Spring March" northwards towards eventual liberation at Lubeck.

A difficult book to find but a good read that gives one an idea of what these prisoners endured.

 

David,

I have copies of a few pages but l have reviewed it with your Father in mind as well at the time and found nothing specific.

It could mention others who you are researching and if you give me a clue, l will of course have a look see.

It list out some of those involved in escape attempts split between officers and other ranks but gives a great insight into camp life.

If you want me to look anything up specific, let me know. It would take a long time to copy.

Regards,

Nick

 

Whilst looking for a book on my shelf I noticed the number of air force POW escape books I had (no surprise I suppose). And we've also touched upon the army.

But what aout the naval types? Have people read/heard of naval POW escape books?

 

I always have found the Altmark incident fascinating reading that concerned Navy P.O.W.'s.

 

Ray Parkin's trilogy, Kyt, is the only naval account of POWs I've got. Actually, that's a lie, I also have Cruel Conflict - the triumph and tragedy of HMAS Perth by Kathryn Spurling. That might have some details of escapes. Otherwise I have nothing specific off the top of my head.

 

Don't forget the Nurses ...... and the Australian Nurses too !

We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese ..... Elizabeth M. Norman

When the Japanese took the Philippines during WWII, 77 American women, navy and army nurses, were caught on Bataan and later imprisoned by the Japanese. The few who escaped were cast by the American press more as belles than as professionals who had held steady in their devotion to their patients and their country in the face of bombing, starvation and the gruesome injuries and diseases of their charges. A headline in the New York Times, for instance, announced that in Corregidor, Hairpin Shortage Causes Women to Cut Hair. The 77 women left behind never received as much attention, and Norman (Women at War) tries set the record straight about exactly what the Angels of Battaan and Corregidor did throughout the war.

Amazon.com: We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese: Elizabeth M. Norman: Books

Though they didn't escape .... but they helped the men who did !!

 

Good one, Annie.

 

Dudley Egles' Just One of the Many details his time in a POW camp in Bucharest and his subsequent "walking out" of that camp. He was shot down while with 614 Sqn.

Have just picked up War Diaries - Japanese POW - Day-to-day life in Prison Camps by Fred Lasslett. On the subject of naval types escaping, here's what the back of the book says:

 

Guys,

Bringing this one back to the surface.

I have looked through Derrick Nabarro's book 'Wait for the Dawn', William Hall's 'A flyers Tale', both of which cover thier escape in 1941/2 when these guys made their breaks from Stalag IXc. Nabarro and McCairns returned home, whilst Hall and my Father stayed on for the duration. Are there any other books that cover these escapes?

I am also interested in the various escapes from Stalag luft 6. Anything that will give me a clue here?

Regards,

Nick

 

Burma Railway a visual recollection, Otto Kreefft.
An illustrated memory of a Dutch POW on the Burma Railway.

Not a general publication.
A local Western Aust, booklet.

Cheers