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| Eric Lomax, 'death railway' prisoner of war, dies aged 93 | Eric Lomax, 'death railway' prisoner of war, dies aged 93 |
| (4 months later) | |
| Prisoner of war Eric Lomax, whose moving memoir about working on the "death railway" in Thailand has been turned into a film starring Colin Firth, has died at the age of 93. | Prisoner of war Eric Lomax, whose moving memoir about working on the "death railway" in Thailand has been turned into a film starring Colin Firth, has died at the age of 93. |
| Lomax, who was captured at the fall of Singapore in 1942, was among thousands of servicemen who were used as slave labour by the Japanese on the railway. | Lomax, who was captured at the fall of Singapore in 1942, was among thousands of servicemen who were used as slave labour by the Japanese on the railway. |
| Years later he came to terms with his treatment by meeting his interrogator from torture sessions and writing about his experiences in his book, The Railway Man. | Years later he came to terms with his treatment by meeting his interrogator from torture sessions and writing about his experiences in his book, The Railway Man. |
| Lomax, who was from Edinburgh, died in the early hours of Monday morning in Berwick-upon-Tweed. | Lomax, who was from Edinburgh, died in the early hours of Monday morning in Berwick-upon-Tweed. |
| Rachel Cugnoni, of his publisher, Vintage Books, said: "The Railway Man was one of the landmark books of the 1990s. | Rachel Cugnoni, of his publisher, Vintage Books, said: "The Railway Man was one of the landmark books of the 1990s. |
| "It tells Eric's incredible and moving story with grace, modesty and exceptional humility. All characteristics Eric had as a man. | "It tells Eric's incredible and moving story with grace, modesty and exceptional humility. All characteristics Eric had as a man. |
| "It is a book that stands as a testament to the great capacity of the human spirit for forgiveness and we are honoured to have published it." | "It is a book that stands as a testament to the great capacity of the human spirit for forgiveness and we are honoured to have published it." |
| His book has been adapted this year for a movie in which Oscar-winning star Firth plays him in later life, with Jeremy Irvine playing him in his younger days. | His book has been adapted this year for a movie in which Oscar-winning star Firth plays him in later life, with Jeremy Irvine playing him in his younger days. |
| Lomax was a signals officer who was captured with many other Allies in Singapore and held at the island's Changi jail. He was then taken to the Thai town of Kanchanaburi, where he worked on the railway link to Burma. | Lomax was a signals officer who was captured with many other Allies in Singapore and held at the island's Changi jail. He was then taken to the Thai town of Kanchanaburi, where he worked on the railway link to Burma. |
| The horrific conditions of the prisoners as they built the line, with a terrible loss of life, famously formed the basis of David Lean's 1957 film, The Bridge On The River Kwai. | The horrific conditions of the prisoners as they built the line, with a terrible loss of life, famously formed the basis of David Lean's 1957 film, The Bridge On The River Kwai. |
| Lomax endured savage beatings when guards found a radio he had helped to build within his prison camp. | Lomax endured savage beatings when guards found a radio he had helped to build within his prison camp. |
| He went on to become a lecturer at Strathclyde University, but was haunted by his treatment and met the interpreter who had interrogated him while he was tortured, Takashi Nagase, after he wrote about his remorse in a book. | He went on to become a lecturer at Strathclyde University, but was haunted by his treatment and met the interpreter who had interrogated him while he was tortured, Takashi Nagase, after he wrote about his remorse in a book. |
| Lomax's wife, Patti, contacted Nagase and both men returned to Kanchanaburi to meet in 1993 and eventually became friends. | Lomax's wife, Patti, contacted Nagase and both men returned to Kanchanaburi to meet in 1993 and eventually became friends. |
| Andy Paterson, the producer of the new film, said: "The cast and crew of The Railway Man are deeply saddened to hear of Eric Lomax's death. All our thoughts today are with his family. | Andy Paterson, the producer of the new film, said: "The cast and crew of The Railway Man are deeply saddened to hear of Eric Lomax's death. All our thoughts today are with his family. |
| "We remember with great pleasure Eric's and Patti's visit to the set in Berwick-upon-Tweed just a few months ago. | "We remember with great pleasure Eric's and Patti's visit to the set in Berwick-upon-Tweed just a few months ago. |
| "In true Eric style he was intensely interested in the arcane machinery of filmmaking and keen to know the gauge of the track along which our camera crane ran. | "In true Eric style he was intensely interested in the arcane machinery of filmmaking and keen to know the gauge of the track along which our camera crane ran. |
| "Eric spoke for thousands of men who felt their service and sacrifice had gone unnoticed. | "Eric spoke for thousands of men who felt their service and sacrifice had gone unnoticed. |
| "Whilst we are heartbroken that he will not be with us at the premiere, he lived long enough to see some early images from the film and to share our hopes that this new version of his story will help ensure that the men who suffered with him – and the families who had to cope with the legacy – would never be forgotten." | "Whilst we are heartbroken that he will not be with us at the premiere, he lived long enough to see some early images from the film and to share our hopes that this new version of his story will help ensure that the men who suffered with him – and the families who had to cope with the legacy – would never be forgotten." |
| Lomax was born on 30 May 1919 in Edinburgh and was a Royal Signals officer attached to the 5th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. He was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1940 and was a lieutenant when he was captured by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore. | Lomax was born on 30 May 1919 in Edinburgh and was a Royal Signals officer attached to the 5th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. He was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1940 and was a lieutenant when he was captured by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore. |
| In 1945, Lomax returned to Edinburgh following three and half years of interrogation and torture. He was awarded the Efficiency Medal (Militia) in 1949 and was granted the honorary rank of captain. | In 1945, Lomax returned to Edinburgh following three and half years of interrogation and torture. He was awarded the Efficiency Medal (Militia) in 1949 and was granted the honorary rank of captain. |
| Lomax wrote about his experiences during the war and his reconciliation with one of his former torturers on the The Forgiveness Project website, which is a UK charity that explores how reconciliation can be used to help people's lives. | Lomax wrote about his experiences during the war and his reconciliation with one of his former torturers on the The Forgiveness Project website, which is a UK charity that explores how reconciliation can be used to help people's lives. |
| He wrote: "After my retirement in 1982, I started searching for information about what had happened in Siam. The need to know is powerful. In the course of my search I learnt that Nagase Takashi – my interrogator and torturer – had offered to help others with information. | He wrote: "After my retirement in 1982, I started searching for information about what had happened in Siam. The need to know is powerful. In the course of my search I learnt that Nagase Takashi – my interrogator and torturer – had offered to help others with information. |
| "I learnt that he was still alive, active in charitable works, and that he had built a Buddhist temple. I was sceptical. I couldn't believe in the notion of Japanese repentance. I strongly suspected that if I were to meet him I'd put my hands round his neck and do him in. | "I learnt that he was still alive, active in charitable works, and that he had built a Buddhist temple. I was sceptical. I couldn't believe in the notion of Japanese repentance. I strongly suspected that if I were to meet him I'd put my hands round his neck and do him in. |
| "After our meeting I felt I'd come to some kind of peace and resolution. Forgiveness is possible when someone is ready to accept forgiveness. Some time the hating has to stop." | "After our meeting I felt I'd come to some kind of peace and resolution. Forgiveness is possible when someone is ready to accept forgiveness. Some time the hating has to stop." |
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