Ross Lambert

Today we remember Norman Lambert, a prisoner of war working in camps on the Burma-Thailand Railroad. Ross Lambert related this story told to him by his father — a story about mateship and ultimate sacrifice.

Ross Lambert audio file (MP4 23.83 MB)

Ross Lambert audio script

75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

Audio actuality

“Fellow Citizens, the War is over” — (The Hon J B Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia)

August the 15th marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Around one million Australians enlisted to serve from a population of just seven million.

Australia remembers Norman Lambert, a prisoner of war working in camps on the Burma-Thailand Railroad.

Ross Lambert related this story told to him by his father — a story about mateship and ultimate sacrifice.

Ross Lambert

I can recall Dad talking about working on the railway in Burma. And they used to dig a cubic square hole, and there’d be a couple of guys carrying the hessian stretcher with the dirt across to build the mound for the railway. And one evening after a day's work, the Nips counted the shovels. There was only 11 shovels for 12 men. And the Nip Sergeant asked in his broken way who stole the shovel. Nobody said anything. So he ordered them all shot.

And one bloke stood forward. He said he took the shovel. So he was ordered shot. Then they went to pick up the shovels to take them back to camp, only to find that there was one shovel too many, and that obviously somebody couldn't count.

It's amazing what some of those blokes did for their mates, I suppose. This guy just said, yeah, well take me, don't take my friends.

Saturday, August 15 marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Let’s pay our respects to that amazing generation of Australians.