HELLFIRE PASS

This section of railway was particularly notorious. Aside from the fact the prisoners of war had to cut through the rock using only rudimentary tools, they suffered incredibly harsh treatment at the hands of their Japanese captors. Forced to work up to 18 hours a day, the sight of sick and dying workers under torchlight was said to resemble something in hell. As well as prisoners of war, many Tamil labourers came to assist the Japanese on the false promise of good jobs. Their deaths often go unrecorded.