The following interesting letter was printed in July 1992 Borehole – written by Vern Roach from NSW who was with ‘A’ Force Burma with many men from 2/4th.
Vern has some interesting nicknames and one has to wonder how they earned them! He wrote of the reunion in 1973, however many of those mentioned had now died.
WX15951 LANCE, Kenneth Stanley (Stan) – ‘On the Road to Mandalay’
Lance was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war.
WX15785 CARLYON, Bill known as Bill ‘The Tinsmith’
Carlyon was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war.
He was acknowledged for his skills in seeking out medicinal herbs from the jungle in an effort to keep his mates alive. Because of his olive skin Bill was sometimes able to mingle with others and leave the Camps without being challenged by the Japanese guards.
WX17393 PILMOOR, Thomas (Tom) known as ‘Tom the Pom’
Born in England, Tom had been a Fairbridge Farm Schoolboy.
Tom Pilmoor was selected to work in Japan, however luck was on his side and he missed the draft because he had appendicitis.
He was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war.
