Cruelty, courage and the legacy of freedom

By Cameron Outridge

On the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, local resident Roger Loughnan outlined the personal cost of war with a tribute to his father, Kitch, during the Anzac Day dawn service.

“I speak today, not as a soldier, but like so many of you, as a proud descendant of families that have given their share of sacrifice,” Mr Loughnan told the crowd gathered at Montville Village Hall.

His father, Kitch, was one of 15,000 Australians captured after the fall of Singapore in 1942. He survived more than three years as a prisoner of war, enduring forced labour on the Burma-Thai Railway and near-starvation in Japanese camps.

“I would like to share one soldier’s story from WW2, my father and my mate, Kitch, army number QX10108, later Japanese pow number 2213. He didn’t receive any bravery awards in battle, but survived three and a half years of hell as a prisoner of the Japanese.

“Kitch left his property at Mitchell and joined the all-Queensland 2/10th Field Regiment,” Mr Loughnan said. “He helped dig the graves and witnessed eight Australians executed for trying to escape.”

The cruelty inflicted on the men was stark. “No work – no food was the Japanese order,” Mr Loughnan said. “So the working men shared their meagre rations with their sick mates.”

Later, his father was among 1,300 Allied POWs transported to Japan on the Rakuyo Maru, a Japanese ship unmarked as carrying prisoners. It was torpedoed by a US submarine. Kitch survived days adrift before being picked up again by the Japanese. Hundreds of other POWs were machine gunned or left to drown.

“His family held a service for him as he was missing, presumed drowned,” Mr Loughnan said. “His mother heard he was alive 12 months later.”

Sent to northern Japan, Kitch worked in timber yards and carting coal  during the coldest winter in 70 years, wearing only straw sandals. When finally liberated, he had dropped from 87 kilos to just 59.

“The only thing Kitch brought home from the war was the collar of a little dog he ate in Japan that saved his life. I am standing here thanks to that dog and Dad’s fortitude,” Mr Loughnan said.

He kissed the ground when he got back

He described his father’s attitude on return not as bitter, but grateful.

“He kissed the ground when he got back to Australia and never missed an Anzac Day service. He often said, ‘I’ll try and forgive but I’ll never forget.’”

Mr Loughnan paid tribute not just to the men of his own family who served across two world wars, but to all who have worn the uniform, especially those from the local district whose names are etched on the Montville cenotaph.

“We gather today not to glorify war but to reflect on the sacrifice made by so many, who bequeathed us our free society,” he said.

He reminded the crowd that 60,000 Australians died in World War I, and 40,000 in World War II. Of the 22,000 captured by the Japanese, more than one in three perished — not in combat, but from disease, starvation and forced labour.

The Anzac legend was born at Gallipoli, he said. “The courage of the Kiwis and the Diggers has inspired Australian and New Zealand troops in every conflict since then. World War 2 German General Rommell is purported to have said, ‘If I had to capture hell, I would use the Australians to take it and the New Zealanders to hold it’.” Mr Loughnan closed with verses from Duncan Butler’s poem Mates, penned in the depths of a POW camp.

“Someone who’ll take you as you are, regardless of your state / And stand as firm as Ayers Rock because he is your mate.”

As the sun rose over the hinterland, Mr Loughnan urged all present to carry forward the legacy. “We owe them more than just a debt of gratitude – we owe them our determination, resilience and courage to protect their legacy of a free nation.”

Book relives Kitch’s life

Roger Loughnan has self-published a memoir of his late father, You Must Be Kitch Loughnan, with around 1,000 copies sold in recent years.

A few copies remain available. To order, email Mr Loughnan at roger@rogerloughnanrealestate.com.au.

Roger Loughnan delivered a poignant tribute at Montville’s ANZAC Day Dawn Service.