1000 Days on the River Kwai: The Secret Diary of a British Camp Commandant

by Cary Owtram

Memoirs by former prisoners of war of the Japanese invariably make for moving reading but Colonel Owtrams account of his years of captivity has a special significance.After being captured in Singapore and transported to the infamous Burma railway he was appointed the British Camp Commandant at Chungkai, one of the largest POW camps.Many ex-prisoners testified to the mental and physical courage that he showed protecting POWs from the worst excesses of their captors. Of course his account does not admit to this but what is clear is that in addition to the deprivation and hardship suffered by all POWs, the author bore heavy responsibility for those under his charge and the daily trauma of dealing with the unpredictable Japanese.It is not only the prisoners who suffered but their families at home. The postscript written by the authors daughters vividly demonstrates the agonies of doubt and worry that loved ones went through and the effect of the experience on all.

Genres: Biography, World War II, History

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 2017

About the author

Lt. Colonel Cary Owtram, OBE

Reviews

[Evert · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father was a PoW in Indonesian camps for 3 years and 7 months. He rarely spoke of his time in captivity so this book was enlightening and helped me understand my dad a little more. He also carried with him a hatred of the Japanese that, as a Christian, I couldn't fully understand. This novel shed much light. I am amazed at the strength of faith and spirit that helped men like Owtram and my dad endure such terrible conditions and then return to the normal routines of life. Tough times created men of character, seemingly not so common in these days of peace and plenty.

[Collette Gillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true caring compassionate office who worked hard to keep his men as fit and sane as he possibly could- only God knows their sufferings and hardships - thank God for this officer’s courage and God bless him and all our brave FEPOW’s xcx

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, gripping read, for anyone really interested in what happened to prisoners of war in the Far East after the fall of Singapore. It is understated, the brutality of being detained by the Japanese aren’t dwelt on. It is also a lesson in how to stand up to brutality.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart breaking & heart warming at the same time

I wish the books like this didn’t exist and yet I am so glad that they do. I know little of the POW situation in the Far East, though I know there were some absolute atrocities & that few who returned ever spoke of what happened. It is remarkable that a first-hand account such as this still exists, that it made it out.
It doesn’t depict the full horrors of what the men must have gone through, in fact there are parts of the story where it all seems quite jolly, but the things that are not stated tell their own story.
Quote: “The aptitude of British troops for finding humour in circumstances of adversity is one of their most priceless possessions, and on numerous occasions it showed itself during our imprisonment at times when life was most uncomfortable”

I read this book immediately after the “codebreaking sisters” book written by Colonel Owtram’s daughters & I am very pleased that I did. Reading the story of what different members of the same family were going through in very different locations somehow made it even more special.
Thank you to Pat and Jean for persisting with the publication of this.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

To date, most of what I know about the experience of Allied prisoners of the Japanese in the Far East comes from novels like The Narrow Road to the Deep North and A Town Like Alice, movies like The Bridge on the River Kwai, and what I’ve gleaned from assisting two World War II classes. The novels presented the experiences of enlisted men, while The Bridge on the River Kwai is more removed from historical reality. Colonel Cary Owtram’s memoir, 1,000 Days on the River Kwai: The Secret Diary of a British Camp Commandant, however, is a unique look at the particular challenges of a man who finds himself tasked with keeping order among the Allied prisoners and protecting them from the deprivations and cruelty of their captors...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and insightful read. The book mentions some of the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers during the war but it doesn't solely focus on it. The author writes about more 'positive' aspects of life in internment camp such as the kindness and bravery of Siamese and Thai civilians, British soldiers and even some Japanese.

[Chris Lightfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve got a great interest in the so called ‘Forgotten War’ so this is one of many books now in my collection on the subject. My Dear Grandfather fought over there, but fortunately was never captured by the Japanese.

I’ve read a lot on this subject and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Rather than a collection of short stories, it flowed well and really captured their fear, uncertainty and bravery. As a result it all feels very genuine indeed. What a truly awful time they had in the hands of their a Japanese captors. The stoic attitude of the British really does shine through - ‘keep calm and carry on’?!

They’re all proper heroes, including of course the author, Colonel Cary.

[Jslimming · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gentlemanly book published sometime after Owtram’s true World War II prisoner of war experience in Malaya, provides a restrained account, perhaps, of what really happened to him and the many who fell foul to the Japanese after the 1942 British capitulation in February 1942. It is well written, but the element of secrecy still prevails and one wants to read between the lines, therefore I would recommend reading other books too, such as Captured in Singapore

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a first hand account of a senior British soldier's POW experience in Asia (Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand) during WWII. It was surprisingly upbeat in places and made me realise how brave and stoic many of the POWs were. I read the hardback version as opposed to the kindle version but there didn't seem to be anything set up for the hardback version.

[Steve Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cary Owtram's war diary forms the basis of this memoir. The experiences of the British P.O.W.s at the hands of their Japanese tormentors makes for interesting and gripping reading.

Only recently published this work is a timely reminder of the futility of war, and the sacrifices that so many young people are called on to make.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story, quick read. Celebrates the positives rather than dwelling on the negatives. Written in a very matter-of-fact style. A window in to the culture and attitude of a British officer in another era.

[Jim Beaumont · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant ‘memoir’ of 3 1/2yrs of living under Japanese internment and the privations endured by 1000’s.
An extraordinary man.

[Pei-jean Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful memoir from an officer captured after the Fall of Singapore who would spend the rest of the war in a POW Camp that would build the infamous Thai-Burma Railway.