Ban Tai in Amphoe Mueang Kanchanaburi, Kanchanaburi, Thailand — ประเทศไทย (Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula)

Memorial to Dutch Prisoners of War

Gedenkteken voor Nederlandse Krijgsgevangenen

— The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery at Don Rak —

Photographed by Jj Karwacki

1. Gedenkteken voor Nederlandse Krijgsgevangenen Monument

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Koninkrijk der Nederlanden — Kingdom of the Netherlands

Dit gedenkteken is opgericht ter nagedachtenis van de Nederlandse krijgsgevangenen die overleden zijn in Birma en Thailand en van wie het stoffelijik overschot niet is teruggevonden.

This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the Dutch prisoners of war who died in Burma and Thailand and whose bodies were not recovered.

(the names of 72 prisoners of war are listed, with their unit assignments, birth, and death dates)

Dit monument is een initiatief van de Dorlogsgravenstichting.
This monument is an initiative of the War Graves Foundation.

Erected 2013 by The War Graves Foundation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. In addition, it is included in the The Thailand-Burma Railway series list.

Location. 14° 1.842′ N, 99° 31.544′ E. Memorial is in Ban Tai, Kanchanaburi, in Amphoe Mueang Kanchanaburi. It

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can be reached from Sangchuto Road (National Route 323) north of Thawornwitee Road, on the left when traveling north. It is in the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery at DonRak (สุสานทหารสัมพันธมิตรดอนรัก), on the far left side, to the right of the cremated names memorial building, or sala. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 1939 Sangchuto Rd, Ban Tai, Kanchanaburi 71000, Thailand. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Asia,

specifically in Southeast Asia,

in IndoChina,

on the Bay of Bengal,

and in the Pacific Rim.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Tribute to Royal Dutch East Indies Army and the Royal Netherlands Navy Personnel Who Perished (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line); That Valiant Company Who Perished While Building the Railway (about 120 meters away); Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (about 120 meters away); The Kanchanaburi Memorial (about 120 meters away); The Tomb of 10,000 Souls (about 150 meters away); Takashi Nagase (Fujiwara) (approx. 1.7 kilometers away); The JEATH War Museum (approx. 1.7 kilometers away); Thai-Anusorn (approx. 2.5 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ban Tai.

More about this memorial. The War Graves Cemetery at Don Rak in the city of Kanchanaburi is the largest of three sites maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that is related to the Thai-Burma Railway. It holds the

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery at Don Rak image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jj Karwacki, July 4, 2023

2. Kanchanaburi War Cemetery at Don Rak

This monument can be seen in the far distance, to the right of the sala for the cremated remains (the larger structure in the center of the photograph).

remains of 6800 prisoners of war who died in Burma and Thailand, and a few dozen post-war internments. Almost all of the remains were collected from graves at prisoner-of-war camps along the railway they built for the Japanese.

The remains of 1,896 Dutch POWs reside on the rear parcel of the cemetery. Each individual grave has a bronze marker. This bronze tablet to the missing is on the far left side of the cemetery, to the right of the cremated names memorial building, or sala .

Additional commentary.
1. There are 206 other Dutch POWs involved in the Railway saga for whom no memorial can be documented
In 2013, the Dutch War Graves Commission (aka, O.G.S)[1] in concert with the local Netherlands Embassy staff erected this plaque to memorialize 72 of their POWs whose remains had not been recovered following WW 2.

Background: In late OCT 1942, the Maebashi Maru departed Singapore carrying Dutch, Australian and American POWs destined to work the Thai-Burma Railway. During that short 3-4 day journey, there was an outbreak of severe dysentery among the Dutch POWs. Upon reaching Rangoon, hundreds of the Dutch were hospitalized while the others proceeded on to Thanbyuzayat. Over the course of the next few months, over 200 of those Dutch POWs perished in Rangoon, having never worked the Railway. 142 of those men are memorialized in the Dutch War Cemetery in Jakarta[2].

This, the Don
Photographed by Jj Karwacki, August 15, 2023

3. High Contrast Image of Bronze Tablet, Left Side
Rak Plaque: In 2013 this plaque was erected memorializing 72 more Dutch POWs in the CWGC cemetery at Don Rak. 50 of those 72 died in Rangoon as per above. The other 22 died as POWs during or after their time working the Railway. The last death noted here occurred in NOV 1945. The header of the plaque states that their remains had not been recovered.

No memorial: There is documentation on various Dutch rosters and websites that there are 206 other Dutch POWs involved in the Railway saga for whom no memorial can be documented. Of these, 156 were lost at sea when their Hellships were sunk; another seven were buried at sea. Of the remainder, 43 died while working the Railway and 9 in either French-IndoChina or Japan following the construction period.

Status: It is unclear why only 72 men were memorialized on the cemetery plaque in Thailand and 225 in Jakarta. There are also 14 Dutchmen in named graves at the Kranji CWGC cemetery in Singapore, but the 206 others seemingly have no memorial.

[1] Website: www.oorlogsgravenstichting.nl

[2] Ereveld Menteng Pulo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menteng Pulo War Cemetery

— Submitted April 22, 2025, by Jj Karwacki of Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi.

High Contrast Image of Bronze Tablet, Right Side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jj Karwacki, August 15, 2023

4. High Contrast Image of Bronze Tablet, Right Side

Credits. This page was last revised on April 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 14, 2023, by Jj Karwacki of Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi. This page has been viewed 550 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 14, 2023, by Jj Karwacki of Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi. 3, 4. submitted on August 15, 2023, by Jj Karwacki of Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. A photograph showing the entire monument • • Can you help?