The railway man : a pow's searing account of war, brutality and forgiveness (32 page)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I acknowledge with gratitude the work of my hterary agent, Hilary Rubinstein, whose experience, wisdom and kindness have contributed so much to the completion of this work.

Two members of the stafif of the Imperial War Museum, Roderick Suddaby, Keeper of the Department of Documents, and Dr Christopher Dowling, Keeper of the Department of Museum Services, must also be given special thanks for encouragement and help over a long period of time.

I also owe a special debt to Mike Finlason, film producer and director, for his belief in the special nature of the story, for organising the filming of the unique events in Kanchanaburi in 1993 and for making the documentary Enemy My Friend^ first shown publicly in South Afiica.

I am also grateful for support firom Jonathan Uzzell.

From Jonathan Cape, I would like to thank Jenny Cottom for her editorial care and the clear design of the book; and Kirsty Dunseath for her much appreciated hard work.

Nothing could have been achieved without the help of three ladies in Berwick-upon-Tweed. First, Julie Wastling helped at the start of the project; Joan Scott later undertook the processing of most of the pre-war part of the book. Sabina Maule worked on the extensive wartime and post-war section, much of which was revised constantly, and produced faultless typescripts at top speed, often despite personal and domestic commitments.

To Helen Bamber, Director of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, I extend my deepest thanks for compassion, advice and encouragement, despite the claims of an exceptionally busy working life and the demands of the organisation of which she was a co-founder.

To my dear wife Patti, special acknowledgment must be made for her constant trust, devotion and support through both difficult times and good times.

Eric Lomax