Part of my ongoing research has been to locate the exact position of the 203 Km (work camp) at Tha Khanun, where the Beds and Herts worked in No. 1 Btn, from May to Sept 1943. The photo is one of the items found on the site which is believed to be the 203 Km camp 1943 work camp area, on the bend of the River Khwae Noi, just to the NW or the town of Tha Khanun today (Thong Pha Phum). Getting permission to enter the farm where we believe the camp was did prove difficult, following several phone calls, assisted by local friends to the farm owners, who lived in Bangkok, they did agree for to let us look around, although, insisted there was no POW camp here!. After an hour or so of exploring the site, we were unfortunately asked to leave by the foreman of the local Mon farm workers. Despite our efforts to explain we did have permission from the farm owners, we packed up and departed. We did find fifteen convincing items on the site and I am 99.99% certain this was the site of the 203 Km camp. The item shown in the photo is believed to be an allied tube cigarette lighter (Crown, by Ronson cigarette lighter), Pat No. 144650, can anyone help and confirm this?
Knowing him as I do ( rather a long way away from the UK ) despite his living in Australia, Master Extreme will be going back to try again. I have wondered how long whatever organisms which cause dysentery and cholera, etc., last.
Will be back there end of May and still working on contacting the land owners, fingers crossed for a positive response, plenty of places of interest yet to explore!
yep looks like your right CROWN GRACE PETROL LIGHTER PAT NO.144650 Crown Grace petrol lighter Pat no.144650 | #267478269