Comments on: Ex POW, Bill Haskell, and his speech on ANZAC Day

By: George Barrie

George Barrie — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:41:39 +0000

I had the honour of witnessing this marvelous heartfrlt speech As a British ex serviceman now living in thailand I attend this service every year and will again later this month with the Royal British Legion Thailand
I have met the survivers that attend this service and have attended the dawn service at hellfire pass
This year Bill will be missed but he will be remembered along with his digger mates and all the others who died or survived this horrendous period

Lest We Forget

By: Patrick Stringer

Patrick Stringer — Mon, 09 May 2011 07:12:33 +0000

On March 4 of this year, 2011, 66 years later, the Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara apologised to five Australian servicemen held prisoner during World War II. All served on the line. Significantly these weary diggers had to visit Japan to receive their apology. But this is too little too late,the Japanese Emperor Hirohito, in whose name the Japanese committed these atrocities went to his grave having never apologised or been held to account for his crimes. The Nazi’s were all tried and the hunt goes on even today for Nazi War criminals and yet no member of the ruling Japanese Imperial Family, including the current Emperor and son of Hirohito has ever apolgised or held responsible for the wanton acts of cruelty and terror.

To her ever lasting shame, to the everlasting shame of her advisors and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and that of the Australian Government, our own Prime Minister visited and drank tea with the Japanese Emperor on the eve of ANZAC Day this year. She drank tea with the Japanese Emperor, when Bill Haskell was making his way, painfully and slowly, to Hellfire pass for the very last time.

The Japanese Imperial Family will never apologise to Bill, the Australian Government should.

By: Ruairidh Watters

Ruairidh Watters — Sat, 07 May 2011 19:51:50 +0000

May you finally rest in peace Bill. I remember well our conversations at Hellfire Pass and it was with deep sorrow that I heard of your passing. I wish you a good journey. Your work to remind us of the inhumanities inflicted by those people, at that time, will, I hope, be a lesson for us all to take aboard. We must never forget what they did, and the ghastly effects resulting from their disgusting treatment of real human beings. I do not believe that their advancement in the world of trade forgives them. Their sins were too horrific, and their continuous refusal to recognise that fact negate such a luxury.