The war to many British in the Far East did not finish until Japan and its Emperor Hirohito declared Japans Surrender.

That was on the 17th August 1945

They, the general public had no idea what many of them had gone through, because that war was far away. As for those that had been captured, the public and those that had fought in the European war said of them, “they were quite content to sit the war out as prisoners and not face the prospect of being killed in battle.”

From the national Arboretum.

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The Pathe news reels of the time showed some of the horrors of the ones that were captives, their bones outlined by the lack of skin, their  faces stretched and gaunt, but some managed to smile, after all they were the lucky ones.

Those that had worked on the "Death Railway" as the Burma railway was to be called, were glad to be alive, it has been estimated that for every sleeper laid there were 5 who died laying it.

For it to be immortalised and portrayed in a film "Bridge on the River Kwia" as being factual beggars belief, it could not be as far from the truth. Then to have a revered actor Alec Guinness to play the leading role, was a knife in the back to those that had been there.