Survey of Rail by British Commerce Late 1800s

Pre-war survey of rail link by Japanese civilian consultant Kuwabara

1939-40

Japan invades French Indo China

September 1940

Japan bombs Pearl Harbour

7 December 1941

Japan invades Siam

8 December 1941

Siam grants Japanese access to the Gulf of Siam and Japan occupies Siam

9 December 1941

Philbul's Government signs Treaty of Alliance between Siam and Japan

21 December  1941

Philbul declares war on US and UK

25 January 1942

Fall of Singapore

15 February 1942

Fall of Burma

20 May 1942

Wet Season

June to October

Survey of line under Futamatsu

June 1942

First POWs entrain Singapore for Ban Pong

19 June 1942

3000 Australian POWs sent to Thanbyuzyat

September  1942

Construction commences

September 1942

Building starts on two bridges over River Kwae Yoi

October 1942

First train across timber  bridge

February 1943

Steel bridge completed

May 1942

Cholera breaks out in camps

April 1943

Construction starts Konyu  Cutting

25 April 1943

Severe wet season commences

June 1943

Konyu Cutting completed

August 1943

Rails joined near Konkuita,  Thailand

17 October 1943

Wet season passes

October 1943

Official ceremony of celebration

25 October 1943

Bridges bombed by Allies

February 1945

POW at Nong Pladuk advised Germany defeated

12 May 1945

RAF destroy bridges and rail line ceases to function

24 June 1945

Japan surrenders

15 August 1945

British dismantle line at  border

1946

Siam becomes Thailand

1949

Nong'Pladuk to Kanchanaburi  line reopened

24 June 1949

Kanchanaburi to Wampo section  completed

14 April 1952

Line completed to Tha Sao  (Namtock)

1 July 1957

Commemoration of Memorial at Hellfire  Pass

26 April 1987

Australian soldiers work at  Konyu

20-25 April 1989

Inaugural Dawn Service at  Hellfire Pass

25 April 1990

Sailors from HMAS Perth work at Hellfire Pass

13 June 1990

Mass grave of over 400 Asians  found at Karn

18 November  1990

"Weary'Dunlop and POW group  return to Konyu

25 April 1991