The Man Behind the Bridge: Colonel Toosey and the River Kwai

by Peter E. Davies

Overview

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey was the senior British officer concerned with the building of the notorious "Bridge over the River Kwai". Toosey understood from the very beginning that the only real issue was how to ensure that as many of his men as possible should survive their captivity. Many thousands who knew how Toosey stood up to their oppressors at great personal risk were incensed by Alec Guinness's brilliant portrayal of 'Colonel Nicholson' in the film version of Boulle's book. This book provides an accurate historical account of the terrible events during which more than 16,000 PoWs died while building the Thai-Burma railway, of which "the bridge" formed an essential part. A memorial to Toosey, this book is also a definitive history of the building of the railway in the context of the Far Eastern theatre of World War II.

First published in 1991, this title is part of the Bloomsbury Academic Collections series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780939605
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/31/2013
Series:	Bloomsbury Academic Collections: Japan
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Peter E. Davies has published over 30 books for Osprey. He has specialized in the aircraft of the Vietnam and Cold War periods, analyzing tactics, background politics and technologies in combat situations. Original first-hand interviews and unpublished illustrative material are a hallmark of his work. He has often sought to explore specific military incidents from past conflicts. Peter has also been a contributor to publications such as Aeroplane Monthly, Aviation News and Aircraft Illustrated.

Table of Contents

A journey into the unknown
sound foundations
on active service
the Malayan campaign
after the surrender
background to the Thai-Burma railway
building the bridges
the completion of the railway
the final phase
the last days of captivity
freedom at last
the post-war era.