The Bombing of Nong Pladuk
The Bombing of Nong Pladuk (2006) oil on canvas with collage 100 x 100 cm
POA
After Tamarkan, my father was moved to Nong Pladuk where there were two large POW camps at the junction of the Singapore-Bangkok and Thai-Burma railways. Strategically, this was an inevitable target for the Allies, who by 1944 were increasing their air attacks on Japanese positions. No.1 Camp was situated right by the railway and the prisoners knew they were 'sitting ducks'. Being bombed by the RAF on the night of 6-7th September 1944 was a terrible experience. 76 prisoners died that night and there were several hundred casualties. This abstract painting began with a rough plan of the area from an aerial photograph, with a print of No.1 Camp and the journal entry as collage.