Australian Bronze Commemorative Plaques

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PLAQUE NO. 40 ... THANBYUZAYAI WAR CEMETERY -- MYANMAR

This cemetery contains the remains of Asian labourers and British, Australian and Dutch military personnel who were Prisoners of War (P.O.W.) under the Japanese from 1942 to 1945, They had all worked and died during the construction of the "Burma - Thailand Railway".

Hundreds of thousands of Asians (including many from Myanmar) and POW toiled for 13 months in appalling conditions, building the infamous Railway by hand. The Railway which once ran from here 415 km to Nam Pladuk (Thailand) was operational for only 21 months.

This plaque records that over 80,000 Asians, 6,540 British, 2,830 Dutch, 2,710 Australian and 356 Americans died in the Railway's construction and is dedicated to their memory. It commemorates the suffering and fortitude of all who toiled on the Railway.

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