Secret Letters From The Railway - The Remarkable Record of Charles Steel - A Japanese POW

Charles Steel took part in two military disasters - the Fall of France and the Dunkirk evacuation, and the Fall of Singapore. Shortly before the latter, he married Louise. Within days of being captured by the Japanese, he began writing a weekly letter to his new bride as means of keeping in touch with her in his mind, for the Japanese forbade all writing of letters and diaries. By the time he was liberated 3 1/2 years later, he had written and hidden some 180 letters, to which were added a further 20 post-liberation letters. Part love-letter, part diary these unique letters intended for Louise's eyes only describe the horror of working as a slave on the Burma - Siam Railway and, in particular, the construction of the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. It is also an uplifting account of how man can rise above adversity and even secretly get back at his captors by means of 'creative accounting'!. Now, for the first time, we can share the appalling and inspiring experiences of this remarkable man.

Charles Steel was a soldier in World War II and, consequently, a POW.

Brian Bond has earned an international reputation as a military historian. He has lectured widely in Europe, The United States, Canada and Japan. His numerous books include: War and Society in Europe, 1870-1970 (1984); The Pursuit of Victory from Napoleon to Saddam Hussein (1996); The Unquiet Western Front: Britain’s Role in Literature and History (2002); and Britain’s Two World Wars against Germany (2014).

Brian Bond spent most of his teaching career at King’s College, London (1966-2001) where he became Professor of Military History. He was educated at Worcester College, Oxford and was later a Visiting Fellow at Brasenose and All Souls colleges there.

He was President of the British Commission for Military History from 1986 to 2006.

He has been fortunate enough to spend nearly all his life in one beautiful village; namely Medmenham in the Thames Valley.