The Railway Man Author, Eric Lomax dies aged 93

Eric Lomax, prisoner of war and inspiration for The Railway Man film died at age 93...

15:39 11 October 2012

Eric Lomax, a former British soldier who was captured and tortured by the Japanese in 1942, died on Monday in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. He was 93 years old.

 

 

Lomax, who was originally from Edinburgh, joined the Royal Corps of Signals in 1939. Captured in 1942, he became one of the thousands of British soldiers who were forced to build the Burma Railway.

 

His experiences, including forgiving and befriending one of his tormentors, were recounted in a memoir “The Railway Man” that later inspired a movie starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. The movie is due to be released next year according to reports. 

 

Rachel Cugnoni, Lomax’s publisher confirmed the sad news. She told the BBC: “The Railway Man was one of the landmark books of the 1990s.

 

“It tells Eric's incredible and moving story with grace, modesty and exceptional humility. All characteristics Eric had as a man.

 

“It is a book that stands as a testament to the great capacity of the human spirit for forgiveness and we are honoured to have published it.”

 

It is understood that Lomax is survived by wife Patti, his daughter from his first marriage, Charmaine, and step-children, Graeme, Nicholas, Mark, and Jennifer.