Physical description

A small book of 88 pages with green binding featuring a photo of Ned Monte on the cover. It includes a map of the Siam-Burma Railway 1942-1945

Publication type

non-fiction

Summary

In this memoir Edward Rupert (Ned) Monte reflects on his early life. He begins with memories of his father William Monte who was a timber getter and champion axeman. Ned tells of his childhood and schooling at Bonegilla where he earned much needed pocket money catching Murray Cod to sell at hotels and boarding houses as well as rabbits for their skins and to feed the family.

Ned worked in the motor business in Albury before joining the Army in 1941. He was taken prisoner in Singapore and spent 3½ years working on the Burma Railway. Ned’s account of these years is matter-of-fact, but does not understate the awful conditions the POWs endured. He mentions many times the courage and risks taken to get additional items of food. Ned also acknowledged the help given by the local people in Thailand who traded food and medicines in spite of Japanese threats. Before leaving Singapore, Ned located 16 Albury boys among the POWs. One of his sad tasks when he returned in 1946, was to visit families and recount how their sons died. When Ned returned to Albury, his brother-in-law, Ern Bleasdale took him trout fishing for a week near Mitta Mitta. That week in the bush was the start of Ned’s rehabilitation. However, the trauma of his years of captivity never completely left him.

This book is dedicated to all surviving Prisoners of War.