Eric Roberts was enlisted in 1939 in the 1/5 Sergeant Regiment. After serving in France and being evacuated from Brest in 1940, the battalion was sent to the Far East, arriving in Singapore three weeks before the surrender. Eric became a prisoner of the Japanese and was sent to the Burma-Thai railway line. His Commander, Captain Lilly, later became the inspiration for Colonel Nicholson in the film "The Bridge on the River Kwai".

Eric's fiancée, Evanthia Low, learned about his capture by chance from a friend. Amidst rumors that Eric had escaped, Evanthia launched a campaign to discover the truth but did not receive confirmation that he was a prisoner until May 26, 1943. From 1942 to 1945, while suffering extreme hardship and mistreatment from his captors, Eric was allowed to send just three cards. Despite Evanthia's weekly correspondence, only a few reached him in late 1944. After his release, Eric returned home and married Evanthia in 1946.

Fortunately, Eric wrote a vivid memoir about his captivity in his post-war years, and Evanthia's correspondence has been preserved. Their combination provides an unusual and moving record of the trials of a young couple with very different experiences.

Pages: 184, Dimensions: 15.6x15.6cm