This site is for Mervyn Alexander McRae, born 27th November, 1914, died 2nd July, 1997.

“But Sir,” is his autobiography, written 1986. It has information about how the Japanese treated their POWs in WW2.

BOOK 1: ‘But Sir.’ The Autobiography of a Twentieth Century Australian.

This book was originally published by the author, Merv McRae. Printed by Creative Rural Printers, 66 Napier Street, St. Arnaud, Victoria, Australia. 1986. ISBN 1 86252 052 5. 1986.

(This copy is made by his daughter, Marjorie A. McRae. I have not attempted to include photographs and sketches that were a part of the original publication.)

Daughter’s note:Background: Merv McRae was brought up as one of 14 children. His father was a farmer, and for most of his life, Merv was a farmer. He volunteered to join the army during World War 2, and was sent to Singapore. When a decision was made that Singapore could not hold against the Japanese, the Allied Forces were ordered to surrender. It could not have been realised at the time just how barbaric the Japanese were to be in the treatment of their prisoners. The poem below does not tell of a brave march to war, but a forced march to slave labour under Japanese guard.

A few individuals mentioned in ‘But Sir’

Jimmy Burr, teacher, Ch 4.

Curly Kirk from Ballarat, Ch 11, and a mention of his death in Ch. 13.

Sunda Singh, Indian trader, Ch 9.

Tom Chowns, and Nora Chowns, spoken of in Ch 12.

Lew Lemke and Ted Burrage, a mention in Ch 13.

Horace Roberts, a mention in Chapters 13 & 16.

Lance Basset, a mention in Ch 16 in relation to sheep breeding.

Jimmy Andrews, a mention in Ch 16.

Events spoken of in ‘But Sir’

The Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Ch 14.

The beginnings of the breed of sheep known as the Zenith. Ch 16.

Merv’s note

This book is dedicated to the parents, wives, and families of all Prisoners of War, who suffered along with us, and who had the added burden of most of the time not knowing whether we still existed.

‘This poem (below) was given to me on a hospital ship whilst on my way home from Malaya after the war ended. I since realise that although this was an historic march, the most tragic of all was the Borneo march, where only six survived from a force of several thousand men.’

The Greatest March of All.

You may have seen this title

About some other march so grand

But they were just a picnic

To the one across Thailand.

It started dawn at Changi

In rice trucks by rail

For six days thro’ Malaya

Then at Banpong starts the tale.

The first three nights were not too bad

Along a main road grand

Then into swamps and jungle

Went our intrepid band.

There were three thousand A.I.F.

Three hundred British too

The good old British lion

The old Aussie kangaroo.

In parties of six hundred

We set out each night

To march about eighteen mile

The prospect wasn’t bright.

Feet soon were blistered raw and sore

Treatment hard to get

But the order ever onward

Ever onward yet.

The food we got was none too good

And what there was not nice

Two meals of dried radish

With each a plate of rice.

We left the swamp behind us

Then into jungles of bamboo

Poisonous snakes and scorpions

And many tigers too.

Then we hit the mountains

The road was pretty steep

The climbing it was bloody hard

Enough to make you weep.

But on and on we battled

Getting thin and gaunt

When we get relieved from here

This trek our dreams will haunt.

Men dropped by the roadside

Exhausted, tired and sick

Unable to go another step

They played their final trick.

Hospitals were crowded

With weary footsore men

Dysentery took heavy toll

Cholera broke out then.

Now the march is over

After two hundred weary miles

Men worked on road and railway

Or maybe driving piles.

So when this war is over

And you hear of marches grand

Just dip your lid to the legions

Who tramped across Thailand.

Think of the men who paid the price

And rest in that far off land

We’ve gone through blood and battle

But died at disease’s hand.

But the reaper swung a heavy scythe

Upon that Thailand trail

With grisly bone he danced a jig

Told many a ghastly tale.

So we who were upon it

And saw the toll he took

Will sneer when we read of glory

In some great History book.

We stood and saw pals buried

Struck down in all their prime

Then staggered on another lap

In that God forsaken climb.

Although not killed in action

They were heroes all

At Reveille and Retreat

Their memories recall.

Tho’ you preach to us of glory

And tell us deeds so grand

Excuse us if we scorn you

For we marched across Thailand.

So when the price you tally

For God’s sake see it’s high

For the death of our marching comrades

Was a horrible one to die.

And when the talks of marches

And some hard trek recall

Just remember the unseeing heroes

Of the greatest march of all.

(by an unknown author.)

Book 2. "On the Block: Rocks, Rabbits and Reptiles."

This is a compilation of personal accounts from scores of individuals involved in Post WW2 Soldier Settlement in Western Victoria, Australia. Maps, sketches and photographs that were a part of the original publication have not been reproduced here.

This book was originally published by Merv McRae, 1987, The Sunnyland Press, Red Cliffs, Victoria. ISBN 0 7316 01327. It is now out of print.

Copied to internet by Marj McRae, 2009. Note that the occasional explanatory notes added to chapters are by Marj, not the original authors.

Contents:

1: On the Block, Introduction, Comments by Joanne Jackson.

2: Local organisations

3: Mt. Fyans Estate

4: Stokies Estate

5: Barney Bolac Estate

6: Cloven Hills Estate

7: Terrinallum West Estate

8: Terrinallum Estate

9. LOOK BACK AND LAUGH.

10: Jellalabad Estate

11: Gedde’s & Morrisons’ Estate

12: Mryngrong

13: North Station

In Retrospect.

BOOK 3 is called "More Kids than Quids," and will only be of interest to those researching family history. It contains stories of growing up in a family of fourteen. It was written by the sons and daughters of Sophie McRae, (nee Marchment) and Alexander John Duncan McRae.