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 Reg Rainer Returns
Private 5826866
4th Suffolks
18th Division
Poems by Win Rainer
I will wear my poppy with pride
For all those gallant lads who died,
They belong in my young years
The fear and heartache worry and tears,
They didn’t have any teenage time
Abruptly thrown into the front line,
The anguish of those will never be told
When young boys became men never to grow old.
“The young soldier is me, Private Reg Rainer, 5826866, taken after the war, do not look so young now as I’m now over 80 years old.
I was in the 4th Suffolks, same brigade as the Norfolks, during the war we spent some time training with them at Norwich and later shared time with them as a Jap pow and on the death railway. Being with the first party to travel in those hot cattle trucks into Thailand, we were based at Non Pladuk, making ready the huts and clearing the jungle for the parties that were to follow.
Have re-visited with the Norfolks, being the first party to go back after the war. We made a film of this which I’ve shown to many organisations in this area now on a video.
I’ve now been back three times so my wife (Win) tells me.”
Story compiled from Reg Rainer’s emails to Ron Taylor
© Reg Rainer - Win Rainer - Ron Taylor 2003
Acknowledgments:-
Fepow Prayer by unknown
Win Rainer’s Poems - © Copyright Win Rainer
Bridge Over the River Kwae - Booklet - Printed by Sirichai Press
Railway of Death - John Coast - Printed by Hyperion Press
The Bridge Over the River Kwae - Pierre Boulle by Bantam Books
Hellfire Pass - sketch by Jack Chalker
Reg and Win - talked freely about those war years and I would like to thank them both for sharing their thoughts, poems and memorabilia.
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