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'''Herbert James "Ringer" Edwards''' ([[ |
'''Herbert James "Ringer" Edwards''' ([[26 July]] [[1913]] – [[June]] [[2000]]), was an [[Australian Army|Australian soldier]] during [[World War II]]. As a [[prisoner of war]] (POW), he survived being [[Crucifixion|crucified]] for 63 hours by [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] soldiers on the [[Burma Railway]]. Edwards was the basis for the character of Joe Harman in the [[Neville Shute]] novel ''[[A Town Like Alice]]'' ([[United States|US]] title: ''The Legacy''), and subsequent film and television adaptations of the book (including a 1956 film known as ''The Rape of Malaya'' in US cinemas). |
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Edwards was born in [[Fremantle, Western Australia]].<ref>[http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=14626 WW2 Nominal Roll, 2002, "EDWARDS, HERBERT JAMES"] Access date: June |
Edwards was born in [[Fremantle, Western Australia]].<ref>[http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=14626 WW2 Nominal Roll, 2002, "EDWARDS, HERBERT JAMES"] Access date: 6 June 2007. </ref> He enlisted at [[Cairns, Queensland]] on [[21 January]] [[1941]] and was posted to the [[2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion|2/26th Infantry Battalion]]. The battalion became part of the 27th Brigade, which was assigned to the [[8th Division (Australia)|8th Division]]. As the possibility of war with the [[Empire of Japan]] increased, the main body of the division was sent to garrison the [[United Kingdom|British]] colony of [[Singapore]], later in 1941. The 2/26th fought the Japanese in the [[Battle of Malaya|Malayan campaign]] and the [[Battle of Singapore]]. Edwards, along with the rest of the 8th Division, became a POW when the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] forces at Singapore surrendered on 15 February 1942. |
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==Experiences as a POW== |
==Experiences as a POW== |
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Along with many other Australians captured at Singapore, Edwards was sent to work as [[forced labour ]] on the railway being built by the Japanese army from [[Thailand]] to [[Myanmar|Burma]]. In 1943, he and two other prisoners killed cattle to provide food for themselves and comrades. They were caught by the Japanese and sentenced to death.<ref>[http://www.quarto.iinet.net.au/QUARTO-DEPTHCHARGES.pdf Roger Bourke, 2001–2002, "‘Cultural depth-charges’: Traditional meaning and prisoner-of-war fiction"] Access date: |
Along with many other Australians captured at Singapore, Edwards was sent to work as [[forced labour ]] on the railway being built by the Japanese army from [[Thailand]] to [[Myanmar|Burma]]. In 1943, he and two other prisoners killed cattle to provide food for themselves and comrades. They were caught by the Japanese and sentenced to death.<ref>[http://www.quarto.iinet.net.au/QUARTO-DEPTHCHARGES.pdf Roger Bourke, 2001–2002, "‘Cultural depth-charges’: Traditional meaning and prisoner-of-war fiction"] Access date: 6 June 2007. </ref> Crucifixion ([[Japanese language|Japanese]]: ''haritsuke'') was a form of punishment, torture and/or execution that the Japanese military sometimes used against prisoners during the war. Edwards and the others were initially bound at the wrists with fencing [[wire]], suspended from a tree and beaten with a [[baseball bat]]. When Edwards managed to free his right hand, the wire was driven through the palms of his hands. His comrades managed to smuggle food to him and he survived his ordeal. The other two men crucified at the same time did not survive. |
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He later escaped execution a second time, reportedly because his requested "[[last meal]]" of chicken and beer could not be obtained.<ref>Bourke, ''Ibid.''</ref> |
He later escaped execution a second time, reportedly because his requested "[[last meal]]" of chicken and beer could not be obtained.<ref>Bourke, ''Ibid.''</ref> |
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==Post war== |
==Post war== |
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After the [[Surrender of Japan]], Edwards was released and was discharged from the army on |
After the [[Surrender of Japan]], Edwards was released and was discharged from the army on 4 December 1945. |
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Shute met Ringer Edwards in 1948 at a [[Station (Australian agriculture)|station]] (ranch) in Queensland.<ref>[http://www.nevilshute.org/PhotoLine/PLD-1941-1950/pl-1941-1950-07.php Neville Shute Norway Foundation, "1948"] Access date: |
Shute met Ringer Edwards in 1948 at a [[Station (Australian agriculture)|station]] (ranch) in Queensland.<ref>[http://www.nevilshute.org/PhotoLine/PLD-1941-1950/pl-1941-1950-07.php Neville Shute Norway Foundation, "1948"] Access date: 6 June 2007. </ref> Some of Edwards' experiences, including the crucifixion, became the basis for the character of "Joe Harman" in ''A Town Like Alice''. (The other main character, "Jean Paget" was based on the separate experiences of a Dutch woman whom Edwards never met.) |
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Edwards later returned to Western Australia and settled at [[Gingin, Western Australia|Gingin]], where he died in 2000. |
Edwards later returned to Western Australia and settled at [[Gingin, Western Australia|Gingin]], where he died in 2000. |
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Revision as of 08:07, 12 June 2007
Herbert James "Ringer" Edwards (26 July 1913 – June 2000), was an Australian soldier during World War II. As a prisoner of war (POW), he survived being crucified for 63 hours by Japanese soldiers on the Burma Railway. Edwards was the basis for the character of Joe Harman in the Neville Shute novel A Town Like Alice (US title: The Legacy), and subsequent film and television adaptations of the book (including a 1956 film known as The Rape of Malaya in US cinemas).
Edwards was born in Fremantle, Western Australia.[1] He enlisted at Cairns, Queensland on 21 January 1941 and was posted to the 2/26th Infantry Battalion. The battalion became part of the 27th Brigade, which was assigned to the 8th Division. As the possibility of war with the Empire of Japan increased, the main body of the division was sent to garrison the British colony of Singapore, later in 1941. The 2/26th fought the Japanese in the Malayan campaign and the Battle of Singapore. Edwards, along with the rest of the 8th Division, became a POW when the Allied forces at Singapore surrendered on 15 February 1942.
Experiences as a POW
Along with many other Australians captured at Singapore, Edwards was sent to work as forced labour on the railway being built by the Japanese army from Thailand to Burma. In 1943, he and two other prisoners killed cattle to provide food for themselves and comrades. They were caught by the Japanese and sentenced to death.[2] Crucifixion (Japanese: haritsuke) was a form of punishment, torture and/or execution that the Japanese military sometimes used against prisoners during the war. Edwards and the others were initially bound at the wrists with fencing wire, suspended from a tree and beaten with a baseball bat. When Edwards managed to free his right hand, the wire was driven through the palms of his hands. His comrades managed to smuggle food to him and he survived his ordeal. The other two men crucified at the same time did not survive.
He later escaped execution a second time, reportedly because his requested "last meal" of chicken and beer could not be obtained.[3]
Post war
After the Surrender of Japan, Edwards was released and was discharged from the army on 4 December 1945.
Shute met Ringer Edwards in 1948 at a station (ranch) in Queensland.[4] Some of Edwards' experiences, including the crucifixion, became the basis for the character of "Joe Harman" in A Town Like Alice. (The other main character, "Jean Paget" was based on the separate experiences of a Dutch woman whom Edwards never met.)
Edwards later returned to Western Australia and settled at Gingin, where he died in 2000.
Footnotes
- ^ WW2 Nominal Roll, 2002, "EDWARDS, HERBERT JAMES" Access date: 6 June 2007.
- ^ Roger Bourke, 2001–2002, "‘Cultural depth-charges’: Traditional meaning and prisoner-of-war fiction" Access date: 6 June 2007.
- ^ Bourke, Ibid.
- ^ Neville Shute Norway Foundation, "1948" Access date: 6 June 2007.