Smith went to Melville College and was a medical student at the University of Edinburgh for two years before enlisting during the war. Smith was sent to fight in Malaya at the age of 21 and suffered three gunshot wounds during the Battle of Slim River. After marching for three weeks he was taken prisoner at Pudu Prison in Kuala Lumpur. After a few months he was taken to Tamarkan as forced labour to work on the railway there. Initially Smith worked on the construction of railway bridges over the river, but the compound was converted to a hospital camp which allowed him to use his medical training to help fellow prisoners.
In 1945, Smith was facing execution by his captors but was saved by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which brought about the end of the war and Smith's liberation. He was said to have displayed "immense courage" to survive the horrific treatment he endured as a prisoner, and by the end of the war, he weighed only 6 stone. His resourcefulness in helping other prisoners was also noted: he made surgical tools to treat prisoners, sedating them with chloroform; he created a distillation unit to obtain clean water; he fixed a radio smuggled into the prison; and he found a way to diagnose malaria in his fellow prisoners earlier.
After the war, Smith served in Germany on bomb disposal work for the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. In 1945, he moved to De Havilland to work on the Blue Streak (missile), and later on the Europa (rocket) project. Smith was awarded the 1939–45 Star, the Pacific Star, and the War Medal 1939–1945. Smith published his memoirs, entitled War Memories: A Medical Student in Malaya and Thailand in 2008.
"Major Gordon Smith - obituary". The Telegraph. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
"Obituary: Major Gordon Smith, former PoW". The Scotsman. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
"Obituary: Major Joseph Gordon Smith, 93". The Evening News. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
"World War Two veteran is the last officer who survived horrors of Burma". The Daily Record. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
Ross, Shan (25 February 2012). "Severed heads and DIY anaesthetic – memoirs of a PoW of the Japanese". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
White, Steve (25 February 2012). "My hell on Burma Death Railway: Last surviving British officer tells of horrors". The Mirror. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
January 01, 1970
gordon, smith, british, army, officer, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, july,. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations July 2014 Learn how and when to remove this message Major Joseph Gordon Smith 23 October 1920 22 April 2014 was a soldier who served with the 2nd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Smith served in Malaya during the Second World War and survived being held as a prisoner of war by the Japanese During his imprisonment Smith experienced many hardships and was forced to work on the Burma Railway an experience which was illustrated by the film The Bridge on the River Kwai Smith went to Melville College and was a medical student at the University of Edinburgh for two years before enlisting during the war Smith was sent to fight in Malaya at the age of 21 and suffered three gunshot wounds during the Battle of Slim River After marching for three weeks he was taken prisoner at Pudu Prison in Kuala Lumpur After a few months he was taken to Tamarkan as forced labour to work on the railway there Initially Smith worked on the construction of railway bridges over the river but the compound was converted to a hospital camp which allowed him to use his medical training to help fellow prisoners In 1945 Smith was facing execution by his captors but was saved by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which brought about the end of the war and Smith s liberation He was said to have displayed immense courage to survive the horrific treatment he endured as a prisoner and by the end of the war he weighed only 6 stone His resourcefulness in helping other prisoners was also noted he made surgical tools to treat prisoners sedating them with chloroform he created a distillation unit to obtain clean water he fixed a radio smuggled into the prison and he found a way to diagnose malaria in his fellow prisoners earlier After the war Smith served in Germany on bomb disposal work for the Royal Army Ordnance Corps In 1945 he moved to De Havilland to work on the Blue Streak missile and later on the Europa rocket project Smith was awarded the 1939 45 Star the Pacific Star and the War Medal 1939 1945 Smith published his memoirs entitled War Memories A Medical Student in Malaya and Thailand in 2008 See also editPhilip Toosey Japanese prisoners of war in World War IIReferences edit Major Gordon Smith obituary The Telegraph 15 May 2014 Retrieved 3 June 2014 Obituary Major Gordon Smith former PoW The Scotsman 21 May 2014 Retrieved 3 June 2014 Obituary Major Joseph Gordon Smith 93 The Evening News 29 May 2014 Retrieved 3 June 2014 World War Two veteran is the last officer who survived horrors of Burma The Daily Record 25 February 2012 Retrieved 3 June 2014 Ross Shan 25 February 2012 Severed heads and DIY anaesthetic memoirs of a PoW of the Japanese The Scotsman Retrieved 3 June 2014 White Steve 25 February 2012 My hell on Burma Death Railway Last surviving British officer tells of horrors The Mirror Retrieved 3 June 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gordon Smith British Army officer amp oldid 1182561904, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
