A Japanese soldier stands on guard near the entrance to the POW camp at Thanbyuzayat, Burma, in late 1942 or 1943. This camp was the starting point of the Burma section of the Burma-Thailand railway, and was used from September 1942 as an administration base and transit camp for POWs, and later as a Base Hospital for seriously ill patients from other camps. In June 1943, Allied aircraft bombed and strafed the camp, killing 19 POWs and injuring 30 others.

Australians and British prisoners of war lay sections of track on the Burma-Thailand railway, c.1943. Many of the men in this group, "A" Force, were captured in Java.

Konyu (Hellfire Pass) also known as K3 or Kenyu in Thailand, c. September 1945. Hellfire Pass is approximately 152 kilometres north of Nong Pladuk (or Non Pladuk) and 262 kilometres south of Thanbyuzayat.

The construction of this cutting began on 25 April 1943 using 400 Australian POWS from T Battalion of D Force. By June the work was behind schedule and in July an additional work party of 600 Australian and British prisoners was employed in an attempt to complete the section on schedule. During the next six weeks the prisoners were forced to work 12 to 18 hour shifts around the clock, without a rest day, until the section was completed in mid-August.

The cutting is in two sections: the first is approximately 450 metres long and 7 metres deep and the second is 75 metres long and 25 metres deep. The work was carried out using 8-lb hammers, steel tap drills, explosives, picks, shovels and chunkels (wide hoes). At one point an air compressor and jackhammers were used. The prisoners removed the waste rock by hand using cane baskets and rice sacks slung on two poles.

The Konyu section of the railways cost the lives of at least 700 Allied prisoners including 69 who were beaten to death by Japanese engineers or Korean guards.

Major Arthur Moon performs an operation in the primitive conditions of the hospital hut at Tamaung, near Kanchanaburi, Burma-Thailand Railway, Thailand, 1943.

Camp Theatre, Chungkai, Jack Chalker, 1943.

The bamboo and attap (palm leaf) theatre building at Chungkai POW camp on the Burma-Thailand railway. The River Kwai is to the rear of the theatre stage, the orchestra pit has been dug out at the front of the stage and the natural amphitheatre seated 2000 on the ‘rising ground’.

Designs for female character’s costumes; verso: Figure in blue frock and hat on addressed envelope, Jack Chalker, 1943.

Four sketches for women’s costumes. Despite their circumstances the POWs were able to improvise and to produce quite lavish theatrical productions.

A north-bound train passing over a trestle bridge on the Burma-Thailand railway, October 1945. During construction, a similar bridge near Hellfire Pass, called the Pack of Cards Bridge, fell down three times. At least 31 men were killed in falls and 29 men were beaten to death there.

Private Robert Dalrymple of the 25th Australian Dental Unit standing next to an improvised dental chair used in the Phetburi POW camp, approximately 160 kilometres south of Bangkok. The Phetburi camp was built by Australians imprisoned there.

POWs are transported back to camps by train after completion of the Burma-Thailand railway, Thailand, late 1943 or early 1944.

POW just returned from Burma, Murray Griffin, c1943.

Rows of graves at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand, where many Allied POWs who died during construction of the railway were buried.