Sunderland veteran Len Gibson's life story lives on to raise cash for cancer fight

Len agreed to republish his autobiography ‘A Wearside Lad in World War II’ shortly before his death in July to raise funds for Daft As A Brush Cancer Patient Care, the North East charity he had supported for many years.

Len, who was one of the last survivors of the Burma Railway, gave his name to the charity’s drive to extend its services providing transport for cancer patients across the country, saying no one was ever too old to volunteer to help others with small acts of kindness.

In 1942 Len was with the 125 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery when the ship taking them to the Far East conflict was bombed by Japanese planes.

He was rescued from the ocean but his beloved banjo went down with the ship. After making it to shore, he was captured and as a prisoner of war was forced to work on the infamous Mergui Road, building the ‘Death Railway’ in Burma (now Myanmar) until liberation in 1945.

While in the camp he was determined to build his own musical instrument and worked out how to make a guitar and then entertained fellow prisoners around a fire each night.

Despite over two years of forced labour, physical cruelty, malnutrition, scorpion bites, typhus and malaria, he survived but was critically ill on his return to Sunderland. He spent many months in hospital, where he met a nurse, Ruby, who was to be his wife for 70 years.

His personal account of his extraordinary and inspirational life will help the charity open new volunteer centres, starting in Aberdeen, Londonderry, Cardiff and London next year.

His granddaughter Alexandra Gladwell, a lawyer now based in London, said: “He was a wonderful grandfather and an extraordinary person, who having been deprived of liberty and kindness, and watched as his friends died through lack of simple medicines and food, always talked about the importance of small acts of kindness.

“The work of Daft As A Brush is founded on kindness and he’d be pleased to know the book was helping them provide more free transport, taking the additional stress away for many cancer patients.

“As well as remembrance services, he attended events throughout the year to keep the memory alive of the sacrifices that were made and his enduring wish was for a peaceful world. We will have him in our thoughts especially on the 11th hour of the 11th day this week.”

Daft as a Brush founder Brian Burnie was a long-time friend of Len: “Len was the most wonderful man I have ever met – after surviving the horror of being a Japanese prisoner of war he dedicated his life to inspiring young people through his music, teaching and keeping alive the memory of the sacrifices others had made.

"He will be very much missed but we will ensure his legacy lives on. We’re making the book available via our website or you can give us a call.”

The book is available on line from www.daftasabrush.org.uk or by post to Daft As A Brush House, Gosforth, Newcastle, NE3 2DR.

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