SPEAKING NOTES FOR THE PRIME MINISTER
KANCHANABUR! WAR CEMfL. TERY
4i CBPUARY 1989
FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS, THE STORY OF' THE POWs WHO BUILt-THE
BURMA RAi;. ROAD RANKS wiiTH GALLIPOLI, THE BATTLEFIELDS
OF FRANCE AND TOBRUJK AS ONE OF TAfE MOST EVOCATT'F AND
POWERFUL REMINDERS CF THE B1RAVERY AND THIE SACRIFICE OF
AuSTRALIANS AT WAR.
SO ! T IS WiTH HUJMl1. ITY AND A SENSE OF HONOUR THAT
HAVE JUST LAID A WiREArH DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
THOSE WHO LIVED AND DIED BUILDING THE BURMA
RAILROAD.
THE DIMENSIONS OF AUSTRALIA'S LOSSES ON THIS INFAMOUS
PROJECT ARE UNSPEAKABLY VAST.
NEARLY TEN THOUSAND AUSTRPALIANS WFRE FORCED F0 WORK
l E RE
MORE THAN 2.500 DIED HERE FAR FROM THEIR HOMES
AND FAMILIES. IN CONDITIONS oF APPALLING HARDSHIP
AND, NOT INFREQUENTLY. CRUEL'TY. SUFFERING
EXHAUSTION. DISEASE AND HUNGER.
SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEM WERE MORE THAN 50,000 PRISONERS
FROM ALLIED NATIONS NEW ZEALANDERS, BRITONS,
CANADIANS, DUTCH. AMERICANS OF WHOM NEARLY TEN
THOUSAND DIED.
CONSCRIPTED LOCAL WORKERS THAIS, BURMESE. MALAYS
AND OTHERS SHARED THE WORK. AND THE SUFFERING.
ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE SENSE OF DESPAIR FELT BY
SERVICEMEN WHO. HAVING BEEN CAPTURED IN THE THEATRE OF
WAR, HAD YET TO FACE THEIR SEVEREST TEST AS PRISONERS OF
WAR. BUT IF THERE IS ANYTHING UPLIFTING ABOUT THIS
EVIDENCE OF THE WASTE AND HORROR OF WAR IT IS THAT
THESE PRISONERS. THESE AUSTRALIANS WITH THEIR
RESILIENCE. THEIR COMRADESHIP AND THEIR COURAGE.
ALSO MADE AN ENDURING REAFFIRMATION OF THE HUMAN
SPIRIT.
WE THINK OF SIR EDWARD DUNLOP ' WEARY' DUNLOP FOR HIS
BRAVERY AND SELFLESS DEVOTION TO DUTY, OFTEN IN
CIRCUMSTANCES OF EXTREME DURESS.
THERE WERE ALSO THE THAI VILLAGERS. WHO RISKED THEIR
LIVES TO SUPPLY FOOD AND MEDICINE. TO WHOM I PAY DEEPLY
GRATEFUL TRIBUTE.
ONE. MR BOONPON, AT GREAT PERSONAL DANGER SUPPLIED
THE MEAGRE WANTS OF THE PRISONERS.
HIS NAME IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OF ' WEARY' DUNLOP.
THE BRAVERY OF BOTH OF THOSE MEN IS REMEMBERED IN
THE FELLOWSHIP ESTABLISHED IN THEIR NAMES WHICH
FACILITATES POST GRADUATE SURGICAL STUDIES FOR THAI
DOCTORS IN AUSTRALIA.
AT THAT TIME OF SHARED HUMAN SUFFERING, FORTY-FIVE YEARS
AGO, THAIS AND AUSTRALIANS WORKED TOGETHER TO CONFRONT A
COMMON ADVERSARY.
AUSTRALIANS AND THAIS STILL STAND SHOULDER TO
SHOULDER.
BUT NOW WE FACE THE CHALLENGES OF PEACE
AND PROSPERITY. AND IT IS MY CONFIDENT BELIEF THAT
THE FRIENDSHIP FORGED IN THE PAST BETWEEN OUR TWO
PEOPLE AND OUR TWO COUNTRIES WILL STAND US IN GOOD
STEAD FOR THE FUTURE.