Eric Lomax
Encyclopedia
Eric Sutherland Lomax was a British Army
officer who was sent to a Japan
ese prisoner-of-war camp
in 1942. He is most famous for writing a book, The Railway Man (ISBN 0-09-958231-7), on his experience before, during, and after the war, which won the 1996 NCR Book Award
and the J. R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography
.
Lomax was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals
in 1940. He was a Lieutenant
when captured, and was promoted Captain
after his release. He was mentioned in despatches for his service while in captivity.
John McCarthy
, a journalist who was held hostage for five years, described Lomax's book as "an extraordinary story of torture and reconciliation".
Eric's later life including reconciliation with one of his former torturers on the bridge over the river Kwai. It was filmed as a documentary "Enemy My Friend" (1995)—directed by friend Mike Finlason. This film received several awards.
His story will be made into a big-screen film that starts shooting in February 2012. It will be directed by Jonathan Teplitzky (director of Better Than Sex), and will star Colin Firth
and Jeremy Irvine
as the older and younger Eric Lomax respectively.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who was sent to a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
in 1942. He is most famous for writing a book, The Railway Man (ISBN 0-09-958231-7), on his experience before, during, and after the war, which won the 1996 NCR Book Award
NCR Book Award
The NCR Book Award, established in 1987 and sponsored by NCR, was the UK's major award to non-fiction It ended in 1998 and has been replaced by the Samuel Johnson Prize.-Winners:* 1988 David Thomson, Nairn in Darkness and Light...
and the J. R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography
J. R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography
The J. R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography is awarded annually by the English Centre for International PEN to given to a literary autobiography of excellence, written by an author of British nationality and published during the preceding year. The winner receives £1,000 and a silver pen. The winner...
.
Lomax was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
in 1940. He was a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
when captured, and was promoted Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
after his release. He was mentioned in despatches for his service while in captivity.
John McCarthy
John McCarthy (journalist)
John Patrick McCarthy CBE is a British journalist, writer and broadcaster, and one of the hostages in the Lebanon hostage crisis...
, a journalist who was held hostage for five years, described Lomax's book as "an extraordinary story of torture and reconciliation".
Eric's later life including reconciliation with one of his former torturers on the bridge over the river Kwai. It was filmed as a documentary "Enemy My Friend" (1995)—directed by friend Mike Finlason. This film received several awards.
His story will be made into a big-screen film that starts shooting in February 2012. It will be directed by Jonathan Teplitzky (director of Better Than Sex), and will star Colin Firth
Colin Firth
SirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
and Jeremy Irvine
Jeremy Irvine
-Early life:Irvine was educated at Bedford Modern School, an independent school in the county town of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England, followed by the National Youth Theatre and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.-Acting career:...
as the older and younger Eric Lomax respectively.
External links
- Overview of "The Railway Man"
- Prisoner of War Learns To Forgive, Reconciles With His Interrogator, Christian Science Monitor, August 9, 1995