The result of an 8 year study with 66 British former ex POW who could
not or would not speak about their captivity after the war and when they
returned home most were sick men, still affected mentally and physically
by their ordeal. Most made their way to the Liverpool School of Tropical
medicine to seek the expertise of doctors there. So began a unique
six-decade-long medical and scientific collaboration
Conditions for Far East Prisoners of War were truly hellish. Appalling
diseases were rife, the stench indescribable. Food and equipment were
minimal or non existent. Men died daily, many in agony from which there
was no relief. And yet, in the midst of such horrors, the human spirit
steadfastly refused to be broken. Captives helped each other, intense
bonds were formed, selfless sacrifices made. Tools and medical equipment
were fashioned from whatever could be found, anything that could make
life more bearable. Resilience, resourcefulness, pride and camaraderie;
these were the keys to survival. Freedom, for those who made it, meant
many things: home, family, comfort, of course; but also adjustment, loss
of friendships, and a difficult road to recovery that for some would be
lifelong. Most refused to talk about their experiences, coping alone
with the post traumatic stress and chronic health problems. It was these
ongoing physical after effects of captivity that brought a group of men
into contact with Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Beginning in 1946 and lasting right up to the present day, LSTM's
involvement with the health (and latterly the history) of these veterans
represents the longest collaborative partnership ever undertaken by the
School. Out of this unique and enduring relationship came knowledge
which has improved the diagnosis and treatment of some tropical
infections, together with a greater understanding of the long-term
psychological effects of Far East captivity. Using eyewitness accounts
and the personal perspectives of this group of now elderly POWs as the
backdrop, Captive Memories charts this fascinating history.