Page 7 - HGS Suburb News 136 - Autumn 2018

Lost Warriors by Philip Davies From Hamamatsu,

Seagrim and a small group of and then Singapore; who then Kempeitai, Seagrim willingly with love
British officers. These volunteered fought briefly alongside Seagrim accepted his own execution, but
to stay (or be parachuted) way as a guerilla commander, and eloquently pleaded for the Karens town. So both Fellowship pianos
behind enemy lines to arm and then attempted the long and captured with him to be spared. come from the same town.
organise ‘levies’ of guerrilla dangerous trek back to the front The Japanese hugely respected We are most grateful for the
fighters from the Karen hill line in Assam, but was captured, this, and some were released timely financial assistance
tribes to harass and fight the tortured and imprisoned in albeit somewhat randomly in received from the Residents
Japanese. Unlike the majority of Rangoon. But he managed to terms of the evidence before Association, which allowed us
Burmese, who saw the Japanese keep his vow to return alive to the court martial. to go the final mile. We also are
as liberators from the British his young wife after the re- Did Seagrim believe in the very glad that the executors of
yoke, the Karens remained taking of Rangoon in 1944 – a long-term future of the British Noriko plays the Kawai GX3 the late John Hewson’s estate
intensely loyal and revered the vow that kept him alive in the Empire and its ‘right’ to survive? There has been a new arrival at asked that his generous bequest
ascetic and spiritual Seagrim, darkest moments. What were his views on race Fellowship during the summer to Fellowship should go towards
whom they speak of to this day. Hugh Seagrim, tall, charismatic more generally? Or is this posing shutdown – a brand new Kawai the new piano. It is particularly
After successfully evading the and intensely spiritual, was an questions with the wisdom of grand piano. fitting as John, who was Chairman
efforts of the Japanese military unusual and unconventional hindsight that few at the time In line with the continuing during the extension and
police, the Kempeitai, and their British Army Officer, with strong even thought really to consider drive for excellence in the refurbishment of Fellowship
Burmese allies to capture him views on the strategy and tactics seriously, but are inevitably much building and its equipment for House, always stressed the
for over two years, Seagrim felt needed to fight and win a jungle more pertinent to our generation? the benefit of HGS residents, the importance of quality. He also,
Following the Japanese conquest forced to give himself up in war. This put him at odds with The author’s description of Committee decided, after advice of course, started the Friday
of Malaya at the end of 1941 March 1944 to save the Karens the military orthodoxy of the prison life for the assorted from its musical consultants, afternoon music appreciation
and the surrender of Singapore from reprisals and torture, and day – which failed so badly in POWs in Rangoon, and the Barry Millington and Deborah sessions. Appropriately, the
in February 1942, Japan seized was himself executed after the rolling up of the British strange symbiotic relationship Calland, to replace its upright Yamaha has been sold to a
the opportunity also to seize imprisonment in Rangoon. The Empire in the Far East in 1941. that often developed between Yamaha with a grand piano. musical Suburb family.
British Burma. The objectives subsequent uprising of the Karens His views were similar to those them and the Japanese guards – Barry’s and Deborah’s contacts On September 17, an informal
were to secure Burma’s oil and was a major factor in the success of the legendary Chindit leader, one moment quite friendly and in the world of music led to evening recital with drinks was
natural resources, to close the of General Slim’s ‘Operation Orde Wingate, whereby the jungle benevolent, the next sadistic advice from the highest level, the held to welcome the new piano.
‘Burma Road’ to China and Character’, enabling the British was seen as a friend and ally, and brutal – is well described. international concert pianist Guests were a few of the many
ultimately to threaten the heart to win the race for Toungoo and and not as an impenetrable hell Indeed they struck a chord with Noriko Ogawa and the former Suburb residents supportive of
of the British Empire – India itself. opening up the road to Rangoon, on earth full of unimaginable your reviewer, as the Japanese in pianist and Head of Keyboard at Fellowship’s quest to provide
When Rangoon fell in March 1942, which in the end the Japanese terrors, predators and diseases. Changii, Singapore incarcerated the Purcell School, Roshan Magub. excellence in music and the arts
it looked as if nothing could fled in headlong retreat. Successful guerrilla warfare my own father, John, for the Noriko was in large part for the benefit of the Suburb.
stop the advancing Japanese - In telling the linked stories depended on fast thinking, duration. He would not often responsible for selecting the We were lucky enough to benefit
although, after severe testing, of Hugh Seagrim and Ras Pagani, initiative and self-reliance, and speak about it, but had some instrument we purchased (a from Noriko’s offer to play and
the Indian front line held. Lost Warriors by Suburb resident the respect and loyalty of the good stories, including the fact Kawai GX3 model) after trialling speak. It was a beautiful evening.
By July 1944, the tide had Philip Davies paints a vivid picture people, which Seagrim had in that he read the whole Bible many others during the search. A few days later, two of the
turned in the Allies’ favour and, of life and death in Burma under spades. Seagrim’s attitudes to over the four years, reading each Roshan helped enormously by guests went on holiday to Japan.
after the hard-won victories of the Japanese occupation, and the jungle warfare were indeed page before using it to smoke a arranging favourable terms Their ‘Bullet Train’ stopped on
Imphal and Kohima, the British precarious and dangerous lives similar to those of the Japanese roll-up with the tobacco he grew. with one of the foremost piano the way from Tokyo to Osaka.
Indian 14th Army swept across led by the special forces working soldier, who saw it as ‘a friendly He eventually saw his treasured suppliers in the country, Jaques They looked out of the window.
Burma and re-took Rangoon in behind the lines organising place where it was dark and you tobacco crop become worthless Samuel Pianos, which just This is what they saw:
one of the most successful resistance among the Karens and could cover yourself and in 1945 when the Yankee GIs managed to fit our budget.
British campaigns of WWII. In transmitting vital information camouflage yourself.’ The story arrived distributing cartons of We have remained faithful
large part, success was made back to the allies in India. Ras of these two men could well Marlborough. He continued his to Hamamatsu, a town in Japan
possible by the lasting legacy in Pagani is described as WWII’s become better-known if the duties in the Malayan Civil about 160 miles southwest of
the northern jungle hills of Burma ‘serial escapologist’ who escaped present interest in the film and Service after the war and saw Tokyo. All pianos made in Japan
of the charismatic Major Hugh on his own first from Dunkirk TV rights bears fruit. the transition to Malaya’s are made here. Kawai has been
But what should be made of independence in 1957. making just pianos from 1927.
Hugh Seagrim, the man? He had PETER JENKINS Yamaha, the maker of the
this intensely religious and (A long-standing Suburb resident upright we bought in 2009 and For more information about
spiritual side deepened no doubt who read modern history at Oxford) are now replacing, also has its Fellowship, and what it does, go
by his long and at times production facilities in the to www.fellowshiphouse.co.uk.
undoubtedly lonely, isolated and Lost Warriors – Seagrim and
frankly boring enforced stay for Pagani of Burma. The last great
over two years behind the lines untold story of WWII, by Philip
among his beloved Karen hill Davies. Atlantic Publishing – £20
people. We are left with little
clear impression of his real
character and personality, or
his hopes and fears beyond the
‘goal’: this being the defeat of
the militaristic and sometimes
Hugh Seagrim – photograph and portrait sadistic Japanese, and the welfare
of the Karen people. However, he
showed no apparent personal
hatred of them; indeed he had a
tendency to make rather risqué
and teasing jokes at their
expense in prison. At his court
martial at the hands of the Hugh Seagrim – 1936, aged 27

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