Prayers by the Kwae Noi
Prayers by the Kwae Noi (2006) oil on canvas with mixed media 90 x 60 cm
POA
The collaged Japanese writing is the Imperial Japanese Army soldiers 'prayer' established in 1883, which, Ronald Searle records in his book, the prisoners would have to chant at sunrise. 'A soldier must honour loyalty as his most important virtue; A soldier must be impeccably polite; A soldier must be courageous; A soldier must treasure his principles; A soldier must be frugal'. Searle goes on to say: 'Our dawn chorus over, like good Japanese soldiers we politely, courageously and ever so bloody frugally, pushed off for ten hours or so of Imperial rock-breaking down by the muddy Kwai.' The prayer in English, not in my father's handwriting, was with his journal. 'May I draw the courage that will enable me with a cool head to face all physical dangers and the faith that I may always trust in you.' The painting is of the Kwae Noi on the way to Chungkai.