‘CLARK GABLE’

‘CLARK GABLE’

‘Tubby’ McGhee was one of the 3,000 Australian POWs with ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion who in early 1942  sailed from Singapore to Victoria Point (others to Tavoy and Ye) located on the coast of south west Burma to to work on repairing and expanding the airfields left by the fleeing British. Several months later the POWs would move on to the northern most point of the Burma-Thai Railway to commence work on 1 Oct 1942.

Usually the Japanese and other guards were nicknamed for their brutality and spitefulness such as The Basher, Doctor Death and Boy Bastard and  Boy Bastard’s Cobber known as B.B.C and Black Cat.  The stupid guards were given nicknames such as Suethead, Boofhead, Holy Joe, etc.

‘Tubby’ McGhee worked for a most unfortunate looking guard whom the men nicknamed ‘Clark Gable’ shortened to ‘Clark’.  ‘Clark’ was a particularly lazy guard which resulted in him being reasonably ‘popular’ or likeable amongst the POWs.   The Japanese Camp Commander Hoshi had naturally noticed the attention given to this particular guard and queried the name ‘Clark’.   The Australian officer to whom he addressed thankfully avoided what could have become a most difficult situation and quickly responded that Australians liked to use this name ‘Clark’ for ‘outstanding and generous people.’

To which Hoshi responded “Then all Australians must call me ‘Clark’ too.”

Many of us will fondly remember ‘Tubby’ McGhee – after the war he was the lift operator at Boans.  Evacuated to Khonkan Hospital Camp, Burma with tropical ulcers, Tubby underwent a leg amputation above his right knee on 4 Jan 1944.   He was one of the fortunate to survive such an operation. Many others tragically died, too weak with other illnesses to fight for life.

Later in life, Tubby moved to board at the Savoy Hotel with Billy Castles.  The two men ran the successful Hay Street Office of the 2/4th.  Please read about the Hay Street Office.