Kanchanaburi (Kanburi)- 'F' and 'H' Force Hospital Camps

Kanchanaburi (often referred to as Kanburi)
The ‘F’ and ‘H’ Force Hospital Camps, Kanchanaburi
also known as Aerodrome No.s 1 and 2.

Kanchanaburi was the Japanese Headquarters for the construction of the southern part of the railway in Thailand and the most important base station for them.  In the area of Kanchanaburi was a large locomotive shed station and as well as the POW camps and hospital. The whole area was one big storehouse. The railway head offices were located near 49.00 km.
These included the whole train control for all the moves north to the border.
Many of the Japanese senior officers were housed in the town, as well as some of their independent offices.  On a day to day basis, the Japanese lived amidst the local Thais.
Kanchanaburi was also where most of the local fresh and dried food was sourced and sent north to the camps.
The Construction of the railway was supervised by the Japanese 9th Rail Regiment.
At Kanchanaburi there was a Base Hospital Camp, Working Camp and Aerodrome Camps No. 1 and No. 2. Later ‘F’ and ‘H’ Hospital Camp was constructed.
This hospital was established in January 1943 by Lt-Col Malcolm, R.A.M.C. and remained in operation until December 1943.  A hospital camp that was established at Kanchanaburi when the railway line construction had been completed. Men were brought back to these camps on stretchers off river barges or the railway. They suffered from diseases such as dysentery, malnutrition, beri beri, ulcers, pellagra and all of them had malaria.
This hospital was to serve the sick POWs generally on ‘D’ Force on the Thailand side of the railway.
When ‘D’ Force V Battalion staged through Kanchanaburi on their way to Kinsaiyok Peter Dimopolous who had managed to learn some Japanese during his time at Changi was commandeered by Lt-Col Malcolm to act as an interpreter.  Peter remained at this camp until 23 December 1943 whence he moved to Aerodrome Camp located in the centre of Kanchanaburi.  He remained here until 29 January 1944 when he was moved about 5 miles to Kao Rin Specialist Camp where he saw out the end of the war.
Late in July 1943 evacuations of sick from ‘H’ Force to this hospital camp had commenced before the completion of ‘H’ and ‘F’ Force Hospital.  The camp was under the command of Lt-Col P. Toosey of ‘D’ Force, the most senior British officer connected with the Burma-Thailand Railway and an extremely competent leader.  This hospital was one of the larger hospitals like Tarsau and Chungkai.
These three hospitals were the ‘dumping grounds’ for the terribly ill POWs being evacuated south from the construction camps in the jungle.  They were the healthiest of the sick but still many arrived dead and in appalling transport conditions.  This was particularly so during ‘speedo’ months from May to August 1943.
By January 1944 the majority of POWs were concentrated in the Kanchanaburi area where there were three camps – Tamarkan, Kanburi Camp No, 1 and Kanburi Camp No. 2.  Kanchanaburi and Kanburi are actually the same place.
Kanchanaburi is where the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery is located.  The name Kanchanaburi has been chosen rather than Kanburi.
The construction of this camp hospital for ‘F’ and ‘H’ Forces was completed on 27 August 1943………12 hours before the first sick began to arrive from up river.
They were sited on Kanchanaburi’s No.1 and No.2 Aerodromes.  Overcrowding in the new 8 atap huts with 28 wards soon became commonplace.  Initially 60 patients were accommodated in each hut but this soon became 100.
The large numbers of sick placed a heavy demand on the medical personnel necessitating the forming of a medical group known as ‘L’ Force of which Peter Dimopolous from 2/4th was a member.
Patients from ‘H’ Force alone numbered 2,296 sick.  As soon as the sick recovered they were sent to the ‘Fit’ Camp about 2 miles away located in a jungle clearing.  Conditions here were greatly improved with better food and treatment by the Japanese.
This helped relieve the pressure on ‘F’ and ‘H’ Force Hospital Camp.
As well as the ‘D’ Force and the ‘F’ and ‘H’ Force Hospitals there was also a Tamil Hospital next door to ‘F’ and ‘H’ Hospital.
Kanchanaburi – wood chopping party

 

Kanchanaburi 1944

 

 

 

 

Died ‘F’ Force Hospital Kanchanaburi

 

WX11754 WILLIMOTT, James Frederick died dysentery 15 December 1943 aged 39 years at Kanchanaburi hospital having been evacuated from the railway with ‘F’ Force.  He enlisted same time as younger brother George Edwin WILLIMOTT, both training as Fitters with 88th Light Aid Detachment.  George left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion.  He died with dysentery at Thanbyuzayat Hospital 4 June 1943, having been evacuated from Kendau 4.8 km Camp.

 

 

 

 

WX8368 HELLMRICH, Leslie (Clive) died malaria, beri beri and dysentery 22 December 1943 aged 33 years at Kanchanaburi having been evacuated from the railway with ‘F’ Force.  Hellmrich was
Taken on Strength 2/6th Field Park Coy on 5 January 1943 – so that he could join his brother Noel.  Noel survived to return home.
Clive enlisted 18 Oct 1940, later joined 2/4th’s ‘A’ Coy as a Driver.

 

Photo from AWM

Kanchanaburi (Kanburi), Thailand. c. 1945. The prisoner of war (POW) officers’ camp showing huts and parade ground. By January 1945 all officers, except some padres and medical officers, were concentrated in this special camp. From June 1945 the Japanese began evacuating these officers to Nakomnayok (Nakom Nayok) north of Bangkok. Kanchanaburi (also known to POWs as Kanburi) is located fifty kilometres north of Nong Pladuk (also known as Non Pladuk), or 364 kilometres south of Thanbyuzayat. (Donor B. Theobald)

Soldiers that were in this camp

Location of Kanchanaburi (Kanburi)- 'F' and 'H' Force Hospital Camps (exact)