To Hell And Back Again

During World War II, Corporal Roy Pagani dodged almost certain death in Dunkirk, Singapore and on the horrific Burma Railway

- Philip Davies

“My father was a remarkable man. Having escaped alone from Dunkirk and again from Singapore, he was the only European to escape successfully from the appalling Burma Railway. Most people think that no one ever did, but my dad managed it. Over 13,000 Allied prisoners of war died building the railway – 393 men for every mile of track laid. My dad was determined not to be one of them. I am so proud of him.”

Not surprisingly, Cheb Campbell becomes very emotional when she recalls her father, Corporal Roy Pagani, and his exploits as a British soldier during World War II. The war cast a long shadow and left a lasting legacy for her and her family. 

“What sustained my Dad and enabled him to endure so much was the promise he made to my mum. He vowed that whatever happened, and no matter what befell him, or however long it took, he would find his way back to her.” Little did he realise then that he would have to endure hair-raising escapes, guerrilla fighting, incarceration, agonising torture and an appalling death march to make good his promise – a promise that was to save his life when he despaired of survival.

“Dad was incredibly tough and self-confident. He was forced to learn this from a very early age. Abandoned by his father in the south of France at the age of seven, he was rescued by a nun and he spent his childhood in a boy’s convent near Toulon. They taught him to be resourceful and self-reliant – all the things that would stand him in good stead later on in life. He always said that these were the most wonderful days of his life.

“After returning to England as a teenager, he joined the East Surrey Regiment. Just a week before the outbreak of war, he married my mum, Thelma, who everyone called Pip.”