Linson Wood Camp, 202.50k - Thailand

Linson Camp, 202.50km – Thailand

Linson Camp was significant to the 2/4th. There were about 9 or 10 men working here and 4 men who died at Hindaine were buried at Linson Wood.   Those working at this camp had left Chungkai for Linson on 24th August 1944 included:

WX7661 George Burslem

WX9405 Tom Hampton

WX15785 Bill Carlyon

WX16260 E. A.Cornell

WX10057 R.L. Evans

WX20095 W.A. McEwan

WX8345 G.S. Ohrt

WX5007 Jack Schurmann

WX14855 P.R.Beaton

WX9419 H.W. Steele

Bill Carlyon was recorded building a desk – although it is not clear who for or where the desk was located!

Tom Hampton required a doctor and Dr. Phil Millard was requested from another camp to perform this operation/procedure.

On Friday 22 December 1944 he was stretchered back to camp from work complaining of severe stomach pains.  By 11pm camp medical orderlies agreed Tom required an operation for a duodenum inflammation.  The orderlies requested the Japanese Sgt. in charge be woken and fortunately he agreed to their request to allow a POW accompanied by a Japanese corporal to walk to the 201.00 km camp to have Capt. Phil Millard, the AIF surgeon return with them to visit the patient.

Millard decided Tom required an immediate operation and was stretchered back to 201.00 km camp arriving about 0230 hours 23 December.  The operation took place at 0400 hours and was a complete success.  One of the POWs who stretchered Tom was Bill Carlyon.  Hampton and Carlyon formed a special friendship lasting several decades after returning home.

There were 3 camps in the vicinity of Linson also a cemetery.

Several 2/4th were buried in the cemetery, they had all perished at Hindaine Camp.  It is not known why they were buried at Linson, perhaps Hindaine did  not have a cemetery and/or the camp conditions as we know, were appalling with many seriously ill POWs.

WX9324  McCarthy, Jack d. 21/7/43

WX16724  Whitaker, Fred. 6/8/43 Hindaine

WX6976  Clare, Johnny d. 8/8/43 Hindaine

WX8009  Geary, Mick d. 9/8/433 Hindaine

WX9327  Hunt, Edgar d. 10/8/43 Hindaine

These five men are today resting at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery with the other 88 men from the 2/4th.