The Colonel of Tamarkan

by Julie Summers

Alec Guinness won a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the dogmatic, but brittle commanding officer in David Lean's film "The Bridge on the River Kwai". While a brilliant performance, it owed more to fiction than fact, as the man who actually commanded the POWs ordered to build the infamous bridges - there were in fact two: one wooden, one concrete - was cut from very different cloth. Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey was the senior officer among the 2,000-odd Allied servicemen incarcerated in Tamarkan prison camp, and as such, had to comply with the Japanese orders to help construct their Thailand-Burma railway. With malnutrition, disease and brutality, their constant companions, it was a near-impossible task for soldiers who had already endured terrible privations - and one, which they knew would be in the service of their enemy. But, under Toosey's careful direction, a subtle balancing act between compliance and subversion, the Allied inmates not only survived but regained some sense of self-respect. Re-creating the story of this remarkable leader, with tremendous skill and narrative flair, and drawing on many original interviews with Second World War POWs from the Asian theatre, "The Colonel Of Tamarkan" is a riveting blend of biography

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Asia

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

I was born near Liverpool and grew up first on the Wirral and then in Cheshire. Although the greater part of my childhood was spent outside pursuing any number of outdoor activities, I have always wanted to be a writer.

I am passionate about writing and unembarrassed to be so. I love researching my books, especially when they involve meeting people and finding out about their lives. I have a little study in the attic of our house with one of the best views in Oxford – the dreaming spires seen from Iffley. I write in the mornings after the children have gone to school and find the problem is not sticking to the routine but tearing myself away from writing at the end of the day. I describe myself as a biographer and historian but the most important thing for me is to be a story teller.

Reviews

[Neil Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it. Addictive to read and harrowing stories and interesting to learn the fascinating life he led.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography of a giant British Man of the WWII era, Philip Toosey. Immensely researched and documented by the Author. Not only tells the story of a great man with emphasis on his time as a POW of the Japanese for 3 1/2 years in Malaysia and Thailand, but of a little know history of the Japanese occupation of this area for over 6 years and their treatment of workers and POWs whom they forced to build a railroad thru Jungle from Singapore to Burma. The levels of starvation and brutality by the Japanese is little know, even by Japanese of today. Compared to how the Nazis treated Western Allied POWs where death rates were less than 5%; British, Dutch, American and Australian POWs of the Japanese experienced over 20% death rates with variations from 100% to 10% depending on where they were imprisoned, which made them more like the Nazi extermination camps. Brutal conditions and starvation were the norm with little to no medical care or medicine. In Southeast Asia, tropical diseases contributed and were a continued part of life for most of the POWs who survived the War. Japanese guards had little respect for the POWs who they believed should have killed themselves rather than surrendering.
This book is a biography of character and leadership unsurpassed and a look at how amazing men of high morale character can get thru the absolute worst the world offers and be a shining light to those around them. A poignant universal lesson History gives us in times of morale malaise.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this en route to visit the area around Kanchanaburi, where the legendary bridge over the River Kwai is located. So it had added meaning as we visited the war cemetery, museum and bridge itself. The early part of the book was particularly interesting as it filled in the history of the Japanese railway construction and discussed the fictional 1957 movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai" -- and the controversy it created despite its massive success. And the latter part, focussing on Phil Toosey's life after the war was over was very moving and at times brought me close to tears.

What I found surprising about the middle section of the book, which covers in some detail the experiences of Toosey and others in the prison camps from which they worked, was that their Japanese captors were not perhaps as evil and murderous as people of my generation were led to believe. Of course there was much ill-treatment, cruelty and transgression of international law. But the allied officers had a large role in the running of the camps and at times were able to get things changed to the benefit of the troops under their command. And some of the Japanese commanders were at least somewhat sympathetic to their prisoners' wellbeing.

Summers' book is an important record of what happened here in Thailand up against the border with Burma and, while the style of the writing could perhaps have been improved, it made for a fascinating read.

[Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

After seeing the movie "The bridge over the river Kwai", starring Alec Guinness as colonel Nicholson and reading the book from Pierre Boulle with the same title and visiting the War museum in Kanchanaburi (Thailand) in 1993, I wanted to know what the real story was. Luckily there was no need to study a lot of history books, because in 2005 Julie Summers the grand daughter of the real colonel in charge called col. Philip Toosey, wrote this splendid biography. The book discribes the life of an extraordinary officer and his men. From the surrender at Singapore through the hell of being a POW of the ferocious Japanese and the arduous work on the Thailand to Burma railway.

[Tim Kimball · Rating 4 out of 5]

good collection of facts and anecdotes of others, but not as impactful as actual survivor accounts. great try, gives a unique perspective on the movie, bridge on the river kwai, and its glosses and errors. toosey [ms summers is his granddaughter] himself would never write his own account, tho he tried. together with weary dunlop's war diary, it gives a unique picture of the challenges faced by senior officers as prisoners of japan.

[Martin Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

My purpose in reading this book was to glean what information I could regarding a relative who served with the 135th Field Regiment RA under Colonel Toosey until January 1942. In the process, I became fascinated with the principal subject of the book - Philip Toosey himself.
Julie Summers presents the reader with a graphic, true to life picture of a remarkable man.

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite fascinating back drop to the fictional "Bridge on the River Kwai" book and film. Quite a remarkable man.

[Darren Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One first books I've read all the way through

[GrabAsia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bridge on The River Kwai is one of the most fantastic and famous World War II movies made. Alec Guiness plays the role of the Allied camp commandant Colonel Nicholson. The climax is when he discovers the wire leading to dynamite charges for the bridge. At first he seems incensed at the idea of someone blowing up the bridge that his camp had made with such blood, toil, sweat and tears. Then, as he realizes that this will help the Allied war effort, he falls on the plunger and dies. The bridge blows up and the first train carrying Japanese troops crashes into the river.

Wonderful drama. And since this bridge was actually built by Allied prisoners, it seems the whole enactment is true. Only it wasn’t.

There are 3 versions of what happened. One, the movie (what most people think occurred). Two, what’s in the book on which the movie was based. Three, what actually happened.

Ms Summers, the granddaughter of Colonel Toosey who actually was the senior Allied officer at the camp depicted by Colonel Nicholson, gives us all three.

She starts with the book. In 1952, the French Pierre Boulle published “De pont de la riviere Kwai”. It was based on accounts from Allied prisoners, his personal knowledge having lived a decade in the Far East and trained as a spy, and books by John Coast and Rohan Rivett on the life of Allied prisoners under the Japanese. He intended it to be fiction, but as its based on an actual event, people confuse it for fact. An amazing story well written, it gets picked up by a film scriptwriter. The movie, with changes from the book (itself a fictionalized account), means the version most people know is twice removed from the truth.

Then Ms Summers goes back into reality with the early life of her grandfather. I found this a bit lengthy in the telling. Moving to his experiences in the phoney war and Dunkirk, it becomes more interesting. Then he ships to Singapore where he does a stellar job, but gets caught in the surrender.

What actually happens on the river Kwai starts a third into the book, when we accompany Colonel Toosey to Tamarkan. Here is where he makes his mark. Taking charge of the camp, he gets many concessions, builds relationships with guards like Saito, manages the issues of officers doing manual labour, racketeering to supply the canteen and escape plans. In a basic way, he waged war on flies and mosquitoes alike each day. The building of the two bridges seems almost incidental amid this struggle for survival.

Then Tamarkan becomes a hospital camp, well run by Colonel Toosey. He is moved from camp to camp over the next 2 years. The worst part of this was the bombing by Allied planes in Nong Pladuk in late 1944 that happened as the camp was just next to vital railway lines. The irony was difficult to bear.

The surrender of Germany, and then Japan hurtles them to the end of their captivity. As they head back home, they experience amazing sights like salutes from Major Chida as they left. Colonel Tooney arranged the return of his Territorial regiment in one ship, instead of being split up. The ship was the SS Orbita, the same vessel that had taken him back from South America to England 2 decades ago.

The men return to wives, children, families, a Britain, and (if they are lucky) jobs changed by years of war. Adjusting is difficult for both sides. Toosey struggles as well. It takes years, in the case of his daughter Gillian. His relationship with his wife Alex never seems to recover.

Colonel Toosey’s subsequent life relating to his war experiences is very rich. He supports individuals and organizations. Is given the CBE and finally knighted. When congratulating him, Bertie Ogden suggests his subsequent enablement should be as Lord Bridge!

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rivetting tale of a real hero - underscores how human resilience and character can assert itself in the most daunting circumstances. Also glad to make the introduction of another unforgettable individual - the officer of the Gordon Highlanders who is the colonel in the McAuslan stories -- a fact not brought out by the author. The book also scores well in revealing how the story of The Bridge on the River Kwai is a distorted version of what really happened.....

[Bettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Burma's real PoW colonel - Philip Toosey. Anton Lesser reads his granddaughter Julie Summers' biography

Col. Bogey - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB8F8g...

Summer's writing skills are not so hot but that is irrespective given the man in view here; he lived some gruelling times and never wavered his sense of honour or of what was right.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Burma's real PoW colonel - Philip Toosey. Anton Lesser reads his granddaughter Julie Summers' biography.

[Nellie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have goosebumps just looking at the cover, a fantastic book, a wonderful tribute and a must have for any shelf.

[Nicola Eves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, full of personal andedotes but still explains the big picture. A fantastic book.

[Alastair Lack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superbly written account of the real story leading to the Bridge on the Kwai.
Immensely readable. I look forward to others by the same author.

[Huw Collingbourne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well researched but too much of the research intrudes into the narrative. An interesting, if rather dry account of the real Colonel at the "bridge on the river Kwai".

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about a remarkable man.

[Garvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this book in a charity shop. A great read.