<p>Colonel of Tamarkan: Philip Toosey and the Bridge on the River Kwai</p>

The Colonel of Tamarkan: Philip Toosey and the Bridge on the River Kwai

Julie Summers

Biographies & Memoirs

Simon&Schuster

<p>At the outbreak of the Second World War Philip Toosey had a career with Barings Bank, a young family and a commission with the Territorial Army. It was at Dunkirk that his charisma and fortitude were first noted, and in 1941 he was given command of an artillery regiment. Sent to fight in the Far East he and his men soon found themselves embroiled in the battle for Singapore, and were taken prisoner after the island's fall in February 1942. The Japanese, scornful of the Allied forces for surrendering, determined to make full use of the new workforce at their disposal. Toosey was sent to Thailand to command the 'bridge camp' at Tamarkan, where he was ordered to supervise the construction of two railway bridges over the river Khwae Mae Khlong. Starvation rations and harsh working conditions up-jungle meant that dysentery and cholera struck, and Tamarkan became a hospital camp. A quarter of the 60,000 prisoners working on the Thailand-Burma railway would perish, and it gained the nickname 'Death Railway'. Toosey, as camp commander, insisted on high standards of hygiene and discipline, giving his men back their self-respect and making himself a buffer for the cruel excesses of the guards. It would be another three and a half years before he returned home. Even after the war he found he was unable to stop looking after the men to whom he had become an inspiration, and his services to the Far Eastern POWs continued until his death in 1975. Written by Toosey's granddaughter, "The Colonel of Tamarkan" draws on both private archives and many original interviews with Second World War POWs from the Asian theatre to create a riveting blend of biography and history. It is a remarkable portrait of a forgotten British hero.</p>

The Colonel of Tamarkan

Community & Culture

Pocket_Books

Fearless on Everest : The Quest for Sandy Irvine

Phoenix (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )

Jambusters

SIMON AND SCHUSTER

Stranger in the House: Women's Stories of Men Returning from the Second World War: 2

History

Europe

Chrome Audio

Military

Remembering Fromelles: A New Cemetery for a New Century

TOMMIES GUIDES

Jambusters: The Remarkable Story Which Has Inspired the ITV Drama Home Fires by Julie Summers (12-Mar-2015) Paperback

When the Children Came Home Pa

Fashion on the Ration: Style in the Second World War

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Beauty, Grooming, & Style

Profile Books(GB)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Julie Summers. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Julie Summers