River Kwai Bridge

Bridge on river Kwai, bridge over river Kwai, military cemetery.

The Bridge over the River Kwai

has a bloody history. The first version of the River Kwai Bridge was finished in 1943 completely in wood. In April the same year the steel bridge -above- was constructed. 

The River Kwai Bridge steel segments with the bow are still the original one. The other shaped River Kwai Bridge steel segments have been put in place after the 2. world war.

Estimates are that about 16.000 POW -prisoner of war- died during building the bridge and the railway to the Myanmar - Burma border. The Japanese army pressed the POW to have the 415 km railway finished in 16 month.

About 60 km south of Mawlamyine or Moulmeine in Myanmar ,

at Thanbyuzayat, there is also a large, well maintained war cemetery for thousands of Allied prisoners-of-war who died during World War II while constructing the infamous ‘death railway’ for the Japanese.

The Allied Forces

bombed the bridge in 1945 - see pics below  - when the bridge was in use for about 20 month. It is estimated that additionally about 100 000 worker from Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia died during construction.

Bridge River Kwai

Bridge River Kwai 2 POW washing cloth                                                 Bridge River Kwai newspaper report POW photo

Bridge River Kwai War Cemetery

Bridge River Kwai allied aircraft attack the bridge