James Thomas Langan

FATHER’S STORY

James Thomas Langan was born on 17^th June 1920 at the Saint Clare Nursing Home, Nanango, Queensland. His parents were Hugh Francis Langan and Rose-Ann Barrett of “Avondale”, Brooklands Road, Nanango. He was the tenth of eleven children. Mary Rose (Dolly), Hugh Francis, Arthur John, Patrick Sarsfield, Michael, Edward Joseph, Catherine Agnes, Eileen Margaret, Irene Clare and was later followed by a younger sister, Carmel. They owned a acre dairy farm miles from town.

He attended Baker’s Creek State School. When he was old enough to make his First Communion, he boarded at the Convent in Nanango.

Sadly his dear mother Rose-Ann died when James was only 12 years old. He had always loved learning however he lost interest after his mother died and left school. He then worked on his brother Hugh’s farm. Next he worked at the Nanango Sawmill.

When World War II broke out in 1939, James travelled to Brisbane and attempted to volunteer in the Navy. During testing it was discovered that he was Colour Deficient and was therefore unable to be accepted in the Navy. He went back home to Nanango and continued to work at the Sawmill. In 1941 when War broke out in the Pacific, James again travelled to Brisbane to ‘Join Up’. This time he was readily accepted by the Army. Because he was a competent horseman, he joined the Light Horse Brigade. He brough his own horse down from Nanango and was given an extra 5 shillings per week in his pay to feed the horse.

The next year was spent in various training camps from Redbank to Southport, When the orders eventually came through for the soldiers to be sent overseas, they were informed that the Government had decided not to send any horses. As a result James was placed with an Infantry Unit from Victoria, the 2/26^th battalion.

The soldiers sailed on converted cruise ships to Malaya. They fought in the jungles for a number of months until they were informed by their superiors that the Allies had surrendered to the Japanese forced. This meant that they had to make their way to Singapore and give themselves up. They were sent to a prison called Changi and were now Prisoners of War of the Japanese.

James was selected to work on the Burma/Siam Railway line (later known as the Death Railway) and was packed into cattle wagons with many other soldiers in which they travelled the whole length of Malaya until they reached Siam (Thailand). The conditions on this trip were horrendous as they had to stand up the whole time and there were no stops for water or toilet in the tropical heat. James worked as slave labour alongside many other Australian servicemen as well as New Zealanders, English, Dutch and local Siamese. He underwent inhuman treatment at the hands of the Japanese and Korean guards and saw many of his mates die of starvation, malaria, beriberi, tropical ulcers, dysentery and just plain cruelty. Beheadings were commonplace for the slightest infringement.

After three and a half years of living in carious work camps along the railway line, one day he woke up to find the Japanese and Korean guards had just walked off. Eventually the American Armed Forced arrived to inform them that the war was over and the Japanese had surrendered. The Americans were shocked to find these near-naked skeletons of men.

Upon returning to Australia, James was sent to recuperate in Hospital in Brisbane. He remained here until he was able to prove he had a job to go to and a place to live. He wandered around Australia doing seasonal work for a few years, always returning to Victoria to visit his army mates. Each year he would travel to North Queensland by steam train to cut sugarcane. He worked at the brewery in Cairns and eventually bought a Milk Run and a Willys truck. In 1952 he sold the Milk Run and drove his truck to Rosewood to marry Monica May Ross.

PARENTS COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE

On 13^th September 1952 after a six year courtship, James and Monica tied the knot at St. Brigid’s Catholic Church in Rosewood. Their Best Man was James’ first cousin Jim Walsh from Nanango and the bridesmaid was Monica’s friend Anastasia Simmons from Barcaldine.

After their honeymoon, they resided in a house owned by Monica’s parents on the corner of Albert Street and Royal George Lane in Rosewood. Hector and Catherine Ross lived in the house next door.

Written by James’ eldest child Rita (Goebel). 2014