POW on the Sumatra Railway

John Geoffrey Lee (always known as Geoff) joined the RAF on his 20th birthday in June 1941. He left Liverpool on a troop ship in December 1941, with no idea where he was going. He eventually arrived in Java, where he was captured by the Japanese, along with many others. During his time in captivity, he survived several camps in Java, Ambon, and Singapore and three hell ship journeys. After being washed ashore in Sumatra, he was then recaptured and suffered sheer hell as a slave on the Sumatra Railway. Geoff miraculously survived, weighing just 6 stone when he arrived back in Liverpool in December 1945. After his release, he found he had difficulty in convincing people where he had been as no one had heard of the Sumatra Railway, only the other one, thousands of miles away in Burma.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 28 June 2022
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

On his 20th birthday in June 1941, John Geoffrey Lee, who was always known as Geoff, enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He embarked on a troop ship from Liverpool in December 1941, with no idea of his destination. After a long and arduous journey, he finally arrived in Java, where he was captured by the Japanese along with many others.

During his time in captivity, Geoff endured several camps in Java, Ambon, and Singapore, as well as three harrowing hell ship journeys. After being washed ashore in Sumatra, he was recaptured and subjected to unimaginable cruelty as a slave on the Sumatra Railway. He suffered from bouts of malaria, beri beri, tropical ulcers, and a starvation diet, all exacerbated by the searing heat and extreme brutality of the Japanese and Korean guards.

Despite the overwhelming odds, Geoff miraculously survived, weighing just 6 stone when he returned to Liverpool in December 1945. After his release, Geoff found it difficult to convince people of his experiences, as the Sumatra Railway was relatively unknown compared to the Burma Railway, which was thousands of miles away. His letters to newspapers were returned as "just another Burma Railway story."

The Ministry of Defence, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and The Imperial War Museum had no records of POWs building a railway in Sumatra. Determined to prove the truth, Geoff embarked on a journey to uncover the hidden history of the Sumatra Railway.

Geoff's story is a testament to the resilience and determination of the human spirit. It highlights the horrors of captivity and the indomitable human will to survive. His efforts to bring attention to the Sumatra Railway and the plight of its prisoners are a reminder of the importance of never forgetting the sacrifices made during World War II.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399015257