Hell Fire Pass

The Konyu cutting is known as "Hell Fire Pass", an example of the type of excavations of the 415 Km Thailand-Burma railway constructed in 1942-1943 by American, Australian, British and Dutch Prisoners Of War and conscripted nationals from Burma, Malaysia and Thailand. The Hell Fire Pass and the adjacent cuttings were excavated by POW labour working in round-the-clock shifts over a desperate period of 12 weeks in 1943. Over 500 yards long and over 80 feet high, it claimed the lives of many POW's. Work began on the cutting in April 1943, with half of the assembled POW's working on building the camp out of virgin jungle, and the other half beginning the gargantuan task of making the cutting with hand drills, picks and shovels, baskets and dynamite. In June 1943 the work hours were extended to 18 a day for 6 weeks until the cutting was completed. Some 1000 POW's worked on the cutting day and night with 400 dying in the completion of the pass alone. The name "Hell Fire Pass" relates to the awesome scene presented at night by the light from torches and lamps in the cutting. This work was done without the aid of reliable mechanical equipment. The most primitive of hand tools were used to drill holes for the explosives used in the blasting the rock and for removing the waste rock. The 'speedo' coinciding with the wet season and outbreaks of cholera, claimed thousands of lives. There is a maintained walking trail following the original railway section over 4 Km from the Museum until the Compressor cutting, passing the Hin Tok cutting and the site of 'Pack of Cards' bridge.

Ayutthaya Historical Research