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Birth
Eric Lomax was born in the year 1919 in Edinburgh. This event is important because it is about his life experiences and struggles. It also allows the reader to visualize the correct time period as the Great War officially ended in that same year.(2) -
School
In 1924 Eric started school at the Royal High school in Edinburgh. In this time period Eric expresses interests and skills that he explored. One of these interests included his love for trains and the industrial age. Although he was not taught everything he wanted to in school he later dropped out and began to work. This is important to the story because the education we receive prepares us for our future endeavors and jobs. -
First Job
In early January of 1936 Eric started studying at home for the next grade in civil service. It was a couple months before he started his job at the post office and he still pursued his passion of trains by watching and learning more about them. The significance of his first job is that of any ones first job. You are excited and nervous and will do the best that you possible can. -
Joining the army
May 4th 1939 he joined the army as number 2338617 as a Signalman. This job was that of receiving and sending commands using a very large radio's. -
Mobilization
24th August in 1939 Eric received his mobilization papers. Eric was sent to Mills Mount and found himself sending out more mobilization records to many other signalmen. This is extremely important as you can see that Britain was preparing for war trying to train as many men as possible -
Training
In March 1940 Eric was ordered to do preliminary training before joining the royal signal training unit for officers. By the end of may he was in the headquarters of the Royal Signals and stripped of his rank and by June they had to evacuate because the war had finally got close. This is important because it gives people insight into what went on in signals training and gives the reader a glimpse into the lifestyles of the war. -
Retreat
on January 1st 1942 the British were retreating from the Singapore base as because the Japanese had surrounded them and the only way out was a narrow path with room for only one vehicle at a time. This is significant because it shows the real fear that war can have as you are literally running for your life. -
Surrender
On February 15th 1942 British forces in Singapore surrendered to Japanese enemies. The significance in this event is telling the world that sometimes to save lives you have to surrender your life to the enemy. Also in this book Eric Lomax says that the day before the surrender everyone stopped working and and began to rest Lomax says "I slept for 10 hours that night" and early says they were "working 18 hour days". These quotes give insight to how hard soldiers work in order to survive. -
Prisoner Of War
Just under 2 months into life as a prisoner Eric sees a vast fleet of Japanese ships, he relates this overwhelming experience of insecurity and feelings of insignificance to when he saw the British fleet and how invincible he had felt just a few months prior. The significance of this instance is to never underestimate your enemy because they may have the same or more firepower coming back in your direction. -
Change in Leadership
On the 2nd of September 1942 the leader of the British prison was changed and all British soldiers were to sign non escape forms, as a result only 4 of the 18,000 soldiers signed, to show his dominance the Japanese commander killed 4 soldiers by tying them to posts on the beach and having the rising tides drown them. The significance of this event is telling the public that unfair justice was all to real in the war and men were dying for no valid reason. -
Trains
On October 25th 1942 thousands of men had been called to work on the Railway project. The railways that soldiers were forced to build during the war were very deadly and most men did not come back alive. The significance of this is that Eric wasn't only called to join the project... he volunteered for it this acts as a testament to how bad life must have been for him at Changi prison. -
The Radio
In November of 1942 the Prisoners had successfully made a working radio and could receive British broadcasts. The significance of this was tremendous to prisoners as for the first time in several months they felt that they had a chance at being liberated, it also gave them real updates about the war instead of the Japanese made news reports which were full of many lies and false reports. -
Kanburi
Kanburi was a prison camp that primarily dealt in the production of rails for trains as well as occasionally repairing the odd train here and there. As Eric described it, it was not hard work compared to those tired soldiers preparing the way for the new system. This is important as it shows that not all parts of the camps were horrible and did involve practical work. -
The Betrayal
Eric was never sure who betrayed him but in august of 1943 some of the camp guards found the radio that they had made. that morning the Japanese guards made them stand at attention after morning roll call as other guards went and searched all the belongings of every prisoner in every living space. This is significant as it tells us that soldiers had to be extremely secretive even to each other lest a guard be listening and punishment take place. -
The breaking
On september 21st 1943 Eric and 4 other officers had been called to move to a different camp. At this camp they were told to face away from the Japanese and stand with only there trousers on. When night came one by one they were beaten then thrown in a ditch. (the doctor later told them he counted over 900 hits) the officers were beat with the wooden end of a shovel, feet and fists. This is not the only thing that was used to torture them but its significance strong as they could not defend them -
Interrogation
On October 7th 1943 the 5 officers were then transferred to another camp (location and name unknown) and then interrogated. when they weren't being interrogated they were busy being kept in bamboo cages to small for a mans body and being fed a diet of overcooked rice. ( one torturer recalls Lomax receiving the worst Interrogation) the significance of this event is that life of a POW was uncomfortable and extremely hard. -
Outram road
After being sentenced to prison for 5 years Lomax and the rest of the officers made there way to Outram Road prison. Outram Road was especially brutal and cruel to the prisoners as no one was allowed to talk and forced to pee and poo in buckets which were cleaned once a day. Also prisoners had no personal hygiene and little food. This event shows that just when you think you've hit rock bottom there is a pit dug into the rock and its name is Outram Road. -
The Escape Plan
In may of 1944 Eric Lomax and his cell mate Stan devised a plan to get out of Outram road unsure if it would work or not. Eric's job was to eat all the food other than the rice while Stan only ate the rice. They did this to become weak enough to be sent back to Changi were they would be better cared for and have more privileges. This event is significant because by the end Eric looked like a walking skeleton which paints a picture in the readers head of what POW's had to go through -
Back to Outram
On January 25th 1945 random Japanese officials unexpectedly visited the hospital that Eric was recovering in. To Eric's disappointment he looked well enough and was chosen to go back to Outram road. The significance of this event is that in the war terror is always around the corner and will surprise you when you least expect it. -
Freedom
On the 9th of August 1945 Eric was not chosen to return to Outram because of his severe burn, later that evening reports from a secret radio said that a second Japanese city had been destroyed with a massive explosion. 6 days later Japan surrendered and all the prisoners were freed from Outram Road and brought to Changi for medical purposes. This is significant because after many years in prison he was finally free, free from oppression and free from fear.
