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Eric Lomax “The Railwayman” – New collection added to FIBIS Gallery

13 Aug | News,
Image of Eric Lomax
Eric Lomax

Eric Lomax served in the Royal Signals during the war. He was captured by the Japanese in Singapore and forced to work on the infamous Burma Railway.

In the early part of the war, he was posted to the Northwest frontier region where he took many of these photos and sent them home to England. They were never printed but remained for many years in their cassettes. Sadly, several of them suffered as a result. Eric’s special interest was in Railways and he took many photographs which, on his death were donated to the  Stephenson Locomotive Society. We have obtained special permission from his widow to make available to our Members his photos of Indian scenes, including of Indian Railways.

Eric was reported to his Japanese captors for having constructed a radio receiver which he hid in a broom-handle. He was severely tortured by them as a result. After the war, he met with a Japanese translator who was involved with his torture who had been particularly remorseful about his part in it. Many years after the war, the two eventually met at the “Bridge on the River Kwai” and became friends. A film is to be produced about this part of his life later this year and he is to be played by Colin Firth and Jeremy Irvine. It is to be called “The Railwayman”

View the Eric Lomax Collection