Cholera is an illness that gives you severe diarrhoea and dehydration. It’s found in areas of the world with poor water and sanitation. Cholera usually followed the monsoonal rains.
A seriously poor diet contributed towards tropical illnesses such as cholera
Treatment – Rehydration. The goal is to replace lost fluids and electrolytes using a simple rehydration solution, oral rehydration salts (ORS).
‘It was shocking the way cholera could hit in such a short time. When cholera showed up the person passed grey slime from both ends, it just seemed to take all the fluid out of the body. When anyone died of cholera if they fouled their gear, blanket or anything else they whole lot went out, everything was burnt. They would build up a great big fire on a base of logs to get a fire burning that went for days at a time. And the bodies of the cholera deaths were burnt – there was not much left when they passed on. Those that were too sick to go out and work got the job of burning the bodies. They would have two poles, drop a body across the poles and then run in towards the fire and throw the body in, then get back as quick as you could because of the heat of the fire. It was strange, you would throw a body on the fire and all of a sudden you would see his arm come up or a head shift or some other movement. The heat of the fire pulled sinews in the body and caused the movement but it was a terrible, terrible thing.’
From WX17634 Wally Holding, 2/4th.
Cholera was the most feared tropical illness of all POWs and Japanese in Burma/Thailand. A POW could die within hours.
The doctors began strict regimes to boil all drinking water. Eating and cooking utensil and plates had to be dipped into boiling water before use.
Please read the cholera story of ‘F’ Force
The following is from an interview with Dr. Phil Millard in 1991
‘Apart from the diarrhoea and vomiting the dehydration is a peculiar thing. It manifests itself by wrinkling of the finger tips, like a person who’s had their hand in water for a long time and it is quite typical and I’ve never seen it in a dehydrated patient anywhere else. But it’s very distinctive. The other thing is huskiness of the voice and I suppose it is, again, dehydration of the larynx. So these two things I even have seen a patient who feels he’s taken ill, he gets the husky voice and the wrinkled fingers actually before the diarrhoea comes on. Now that in at least one case I can remember that happened.’
13 Soldiers from 2/4th died of cholera on the Burma-Thai Railway in 1943. Several other POWs contracted cholera however miraculously survived.
WX7569 Corp Stuart Edward FOXALL, was originally with 11 Platoon ‘C’ Coy. Captured Java about 8 March 1943. Sent to work on Burma-Thai Railway with Java Party No. 4, Williams Force.
Tragically Foxall contracted Cholera, died July 1943 at Beke Taung 40 Kilo Camp, Burma at the age of 22 years.
WX10366 Pte Norman Wilson FRASER driver with ‘C’ Coy left Singapore by sea to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion.
Died of Cholera at Aungganaung 105km Camp, Burma aged 29 years, , his illness began at 0830 hours on 4.6.1943 after drinking contaminated water. Norm was father of two children.
WX8674 Pte John Edgar James GREGORY Kalgoorlie boy and miner, worked Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force died cholera 1 June 1943 aged 39 years Shimo Sonkurai Camp, Thailand.
He enlisted just few weeks prior to his brother WX9202 Ronald Keith Gregory (also with ‘F’ Force, survived and recovered Singapore).
WX8250 PTE Francis (Frank) HALBERT b. Menzies, a prospector from the Goldfields. With ‘F’ Force on railway died cholera at Shimo Sonkurai 4 June 1943 aged 35 years at Shimo Sonkurai, Thailand, just a few days after Gregory died.
WX7628 Sgt Edgar (Tim)) Joseph HOWARD died 1 July 1943, aged 31 years of cholera Burma-Thai Railway with ‘H’ Force Malayan Hamlet, Thailand.
WX16392 Pte Gerry Brown KLUTH (OR CLUTH) labourer & professional cyclist, joined ‘D’ Coy 14 Platoon.
Whilst working at Kanu II Camp Gerry contracted Cholera and died on 5th July 1943 at the age of 23 years. Whilst in the cholera camp Gerry was next to another 2/4th soldier, WX8623 Jim Gilmour. Jim miraculously survived his Cholera attack and years later returned home to his family.
Below: Jim Gilmour survived Cholera.
WX8425 Pte Edward (Ted) Johnathon LEADBITTER was with ‘D’ Coy 15 Platoon when captured by Japanese on West Coast but escaped to rejoin unit before surrender.
A former Fairbridge Farm Schoolboy, Ted had married just before departing WA. He left Singapore with ‘D’ Force V Battalion – a work force kept separate from other ‘D’ Force parties. They suffered terribly with illness and often desperate work and living conditions.
At Kuii Camp, Thailand Ted was suffering from malaria and was delirious. He was kicked and beaten for 30 minutes by the spiteful and vengeful Japanese Engineer Corporal known as ‘Black Cat’. Ted died of cholera 14 days later aged 24 years.
WX7640 Forrest LEE-STEERE driver with ‘D’ Coy HQ. A farmer from Bridgetown, he left Singapore with ‘D’ Force V Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway.He died Kuii POW Camp of cholera on 3 Oct 1943 aged 36 years.
WX8639 Pte Joseph (Joe) John LYNCH sent with ‘D’ Force S Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway. He died of cholera and typhus at Konyu 1 River Camp on 1 Aug 1943 aged 34 years. He was the only son in his family.
WX8621 Keith Kitchener (KK) McDONALD – departed Singapore by train with ‘D’ Force S Battalion. KK was working on hammer & tap with ‘Cowboy’ Matthews, with KK on hammer when he misguided the hammer onto the had of Matthews and suddenly collapsed. Taken back to Camp he was evacuated to Tarsau and died of Cholera 25 Nov 1943 aged 25 years.
KK’s brother WX8620 Clarence ‘Clarrie’ John McDonald was also a soldier with 2/4th, also sent with ‘D’ Force S Battalion. He survived to return home.
WX9052 Pte Henry (Harry) Elvin McDONOUGH sent to work Burma-Thai Railway with ‘H’ Force Group No. 3.
Departed Singapore Railway Station 3 May 1943 to Thailand and sent to Konyu II, Malayan Hamlet.
Conditions at the camp and work on the line was appalling. Deaths were frequent. On 27 June 1943, Harry unfortunately contracted cholera and died age 28 years.
WX8912 Pte Kevin George MOIR Rangetaker with ‘C’ Coy 10 Platoon, ‘Kev’ left Singapore to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion. He died 7 Aug 1943 at Hintokk River Camp of cholera aged 24 years.
WX7426 Pte John Patrick MURPHY enlisted AIF 6 Aug 1940, later joined 2/4th MGB’s Headquarters No. 2 Platoon Anti-Aircraft under C.O. Lt Royce. Royce and a large number of 2/4th were KIA or wounded at Hill 200 on 12 Feb 1942 including Royce.
