Private Harold Martin
A picture of Harold Marting on the wall of the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre, Burma-Thailand Railway, Thailand
Private Harold Martin joined the army in late 1940, he was 23 at the time and left behind a wife and young son. Like so many men of that time, he felt “It was the right thing to do” to fight for his country. He was part of the 2/10th Ordinance Work Shop and in late 1941, was sent to Singapore as part of the Australian commitment to the British Garrison. On the 15th February 1942, he was amongst the 15,000 Australian soldiers who became prisoners of war (POW’s) of the Japanese in the Fall of Singapore.
In May 1942, Harold was part of the 3,000 strong Australian “A Force” that was sent to Burma as forced labour. He was amongst the last group which disembarked at Tavoy. The others disembarking at Victoria Point and Mergui. The POW’s were soon put to work at Tavoy repairing airstrip and roads destroyed by the British during their withdrawal. In October, they moved to Moulmein and then onto the small town of Thanbyuzayat where they would start work on the construction of the Burma end of the Burma-Thailand Railway.
Conditions at the work camps were terrible. The railway was built through remote areas that was difficult to supply. The poor condition of the roads made them impassable during the monsoon season. Food consisted of a watery rice and vegetables supplemented with eggs or other protein that could be bought from the locals. By late 1942, the lack of adequate food and medical supplies resulted in an increase in sickness and disease that would only get worse in during 1943. Beri beri, dysentery, malaria, tropical ulcers and cholera became common. But throughout this, Harold now considerably malnourished, managed to maintain his health as much as could be. His sense of mateship saw him comfort his mates in their final days. Something that would remain with him for the rest of his life.
The railway was completed in October 1943 and by March 1944, all the POW’s on the Burmese side of the railway had been transferred to the Tha Markham Camp in Thailand, beside the present day location of the Bridge over the River Kwai. This camp was a vast improvement on those experienced in Burma. It had vastly improved cookhouses, sanitary facilities and better food. But little did Harold know that the Japanese wanted 10,000 fit (or near fit) POW’s to go to Japan to work in the coal mines and factories. By June 1944, Harold and his group were back in Singapore waiting for their transport to Japan.
Some of the survivors of the sinking of the Rakuyo Maru being rescued by the USS Pampanito
In early September 1944, Harold left Singapore on the Rakuyo Maru with 1,317 other POW’s. This ship was accompanied by the Kachidoki Maru with another 900 POW’s on board. Both were referred to as ‘hellships’. Their over-crowding increased the likeliiness of sickness and disease and stress and anxiety caused by the dangers posed by Allied submarines combined with little food or fresh water and poor sanitation facilities gave rise to the concept of the ‘hellship’.
Contrary to Geneva protocols, both ships were not displaying anything to indicate that they were carrying POW’s. On the eighth day out from Singapore and in the South China sea, both ships were torpedoed. The Rakuyo Maru by the USS Sealion and the Kachidoki Maru by the USS Pampanito. Fortunately, the Rakuyo Maru sank slowly and allowed time for the POW’s to escape. The Japanese crew had taken the lifeboats and the POW’s had only life rafts or wreckage to cling to. Some POW’s were picked up by Japanese destroyers and taken to Japan. Other POW’s were machine-gunned by the Japanese in the water. In all, from the two ships, 1,559 Australian and British POW’s died.
Harold survived the sinking and the brutal aftermath, only to be left drifting with other survivors, all with little hope of rescue. On the fourth day after the sinking, the USS Pampanito returned and discovered POW’s floating amongst the debris of the ship. Initially thought to be Japanese, the crew heard the shouts in English and Harold’s fair hair was noticed. About 150 of the POW’s were rescued by US submarines that day. Harold, with the others, was taken to Saipan and then back to Australia. For Harold, the war was over.
Harold at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
After the war, Harold continued his family life. In 2009, he travelled to the US to visit the USS Pampanito Memorial to say thank-you for his rescue so many years before. Later, he returned to the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery to visit the graves of his three mates (Private Donald Phillips, Private Roland Dando and Gunner Keith Dickinson). Harold would also become a regular at the Anzac Day Commemorations at Hellfire Pass and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. In 2019, and at the age of 102, Harold announced to the crowd that had gathered for Anzac Day at Kanchanaburi, that this would be his last visit. Sad but understandable! Harold passed away a few weeks after Anzac Day in 2020 aged 103.
In Harold’s own words, he had a “very good, fortunate life”. He was a family man, a gentlemen, a mate and a true Australian hero. His presence at Anzac Day in Thailand not only allowed those present to commemorate Anzac Day in a more special way, but was also Harold’s way of honouring those who did not return home and live the rich life that he had. For that we thank you, Harold!!
R.I.P. Harold David Martin