August/22 Homework. THE FUTILITY

[Ron]

THE FUTILITY
©Ron Boughton 8/22

Conscription papers came; that time so easy to recall
And marked 'deferred', showed fortune, had favoured my marbles fall,
For many, not so lucky, in such unfair choice of fate,
Of facing bullets, chosen, by a lottery of birth date!
Though well prepared to do my bit, if country’s service called,
To see their treatment on return, was but to be appalled!
Where being victims, when marching, of disgraceful assault
By ratbags in delusion, stressing the war was their fault!

My Dad he’d opened the letter, he couldn’t wait for the news!
Then brought it to my worksite with a grin he didn’t excuse!
For he had been on the Burma railway, and so in kind
The thought of any war, would have weighed heavy on his mind!
And now I think of childhood days and his silent despair
For to ‘forget it happened’ was, that times therapy care!
Not easy though when hearing still, the beating of wars drum
That surfaced in nightmares and the solace offered in rum!

The ghosts of that hell railway they would carry to their graves
As skeletons etched on their souls, from shared mateship as slaves!
For it was only luck, and good mates, that pulled many through,
And superhuman efforts, of doctors on the line too!
Though Weary Dunlop was probably the most recognized,
There were quite a few others, whose life- saving skills were prized!
With improvisation they succeeded beyond all hope
Within adversities sphere of a life and death tightrope!

How deep can mans spirit, be trampled down and stomped on
Before all positive thoughts and hope, are forlorn and gone!
For once men gave up hope, they died, pretty much straight away,
But just a thread to cling to, could well buy another day!
Their Jap guards were nothing more, than barbarians most times,
And their atrocities! beyond description, of war crimes!
But humour still surfaced when the Jap flag went up the pole
For, was referred by Diggers as ‘The Flaming Red A…hole!’

A long time after Dad had passed, (the war had robbed his years)
I’d met old Jim, his good mate and, we stifled silent tears,
For they’d been mates on that railway, of histories dark page,
And once more, Jim blessed his luck, to have made it to old age!
And privileged, I was, to have yarned with him and I give thanks,
As spoken of more freely now he filled in many blanks!
Jim too, has passed on, and joined those never forgotten mates,
And Anzac Days draw the crowds …that their memory generates!

Now, Japan is a good friend in this topsy, turvy world
As generations move in peace, with compassion unfurled,
But other madmen around the globe rule by sword and gun
And are convinced they have the right to be the chosen one!
Let’s hope never again there’ll be conscription in the mail,
Or ever see a repeat of…blood on the Burma rail!
And Weary’s words that, “after the war he couldn’t hate,” were class!
And as wished, his ashes rejoined his men …at Hellfire Pass!

[Terry]

G/day Ron

Like you I still despair at the treatment of the Vietnam Vets,
it was a disgraceful episode that stained the reputation of this country,
and I remember who the main instigators were.
The same mob are now hell bent on trashing the SAS.

Great story told in depth and told well Ron,
I can see you have put in a lot of work and effort into this.

I have read extensively on the subject of the prisoners in the hands of Japs,
so many horrific things took place, including the murder of the nurses on Radji beach,
where nurse Vivian Bullwinkle survived to tell the story.

Well done mate

Terry

[Ron]

Thanks Terry,
Yes we are certainly on the same wavelength there on those subjects. I too have read a lot on the Japanese inhumanity of the time. It really wasn’t until the late 70s early 80s that the ones who survived started to talk and write publicly about it.
The Radji beach massacre was shocking, and what an amazing woman Vivian Bullwinkle was! In Lithgow there is an obelisk memorial to the Doctors and nurses who worked under terrible conditions to treat the prisoners. Vivian was the special guest at the opening, and I was only about 13 but it was an honour to have seen her! Also I later saw her nurses uniform in the war memorial in Canberra, and you could see where the bullet hole had been patched in the hip.
The Sandakan death March too, another that rates in the horrific war crimes basket. Sadly just one of many.
Thanks again mate
Ron.

[Catherine Lee]

I never cease to be appalled at the story of the Burma Rail, and the terrible, obscene conditions of the men who worked it.

"How deep can mans spirit, be trampled down and stomped on
Before all positive thoughts and hope, are forlorn and gone!"

Despair, hope, humour and guts combine in your poem, Ron, and despite lunatics today who appear to have never learned from such atrocities and hatred, it is indeed to be hoped there is never a repeat!

[Ron]

Thanks once again Catherine,
Yes it was a shocking example of the atrocities committed by the Japs at that time.
I think one of the most rewarding things for me, was in later years meeting Dad’s mate Jim. He told me many things, but one of the saddest was that the ones who made it and returned home, were told ‘to forget it ever happened and get on with your lives!’
Hard to believe, these days.
Cheers
Ron