This lovely close-up is of a POW camp at Pyok Tong North Korea. The not so lovely part is that over2000 UN prisoners are buried behind the camp. Many UK prisoners from the Imjimbattles ended up in that camp. Most of the Glosters were marched for 6weeks to that place, then the officers and NCOs were separated from themen in case they influenced them. Comment in email from Ron Cashman who rounded up this photo for our Aussie Album, and about all our other materials as well: "Went to the funeral of an old 3RAR bod today, he had a damn good roll-up.Tom Hollis was there, he had been in the same section as the deceasedfellow at the time of his capture. (Tom's) Anyway we were talking about the POW affair and I told him of the photo Ihave just sent you. Bugger me if it isn't the notorious 'camp 5' that hefinished up in, and where so many lads died. You will see that it is on abody of water, which I assumed was the Yalu river. Tom told me that it wasactually a 'back-water' from a dam on the river, further along from thecamp. He also told me the basket ball court was for the Chinese, though Iexpect it may well have been used for their propaganda photos later. I hadone from the Chinese showing the POWs having a 'jolly' game and in niceclean uniforms." |