THE UKULELE MAN: THE STORY OF A PRISONER OF WAR OF THE JAPANESE AND HIS UKULELE
Book ID/图书代码： 10567026C00057
English Summary/英文概要： Tom Boardman was a talented ukulele player from Leigh in Lancashire. At the start of the Second World War, he joined the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. After his training, he was posted to Singapore. To his surprise, there was no actual fighting, but a growing threat that the Japanese might attack. For six months he enjoyed the easy-going vibrancy of a city where cultures mixed and bright lights shone. But Tom wondered why planning and preparation for a Japanese attack on the British Empire’s Jewel of the Empire appeared to be unhurried, disorganised and complacent.
Singapore surrendered to the Japanese in February 1942, and Tom became a Prisoner of War. He lost his treasured ukulele in the confusion and chaos of bitter fighting, but cleverly concealed the cherished ring his wife Irene had lovingly given to him as he left England.
Fortuitously, Tom found a broken mandolin and, using its tuning pegs, made a homespun replacement ukulele. Although Tom said it was too small and not loud enough, it surprisingly survived for two years and gave Tom great solace whilst he slaved on the infamous Thai-Burma railway. Working in the heat and humidity of the Thai jungle was arduous. He suffered from several life-threating tropical diseases and illnesses; the food was sparse and unappetising, and the Japanese discipline was brutal. But they could not take away Tom’s powerful will to survive and his unending enthusiasm to entertain. Despite continuous adversity, he mustered the energy and in the darkest hours raised spirits by singing popular songs to his fellow Prisoners and was always ready to perform at camp concert parties.
After the railway’s completion, Tom built a second, more robust ukulele. He sketched its design and technical specification in his rough notebook, paying careful attention to the precise positioning of the frets. By scouring the prison camp, Tom collected discarded items and, using his ingenuity, improvisation and endless patience, he crafted a remarkable ukulele.
Concert parties provided an important distraction from the harsh realities of incarceration. Tom, with his new ukulele, thrived in the orchestras and choirs and performed in comedy routines, plays and musicals.
After the Japanese surrendered, Tom revealed the gold ring he had successfully kept hidden since his capture three and a half years previously. He soon returned home and, together with his ukulele, reunited with Irene and his family.
The Ukulele Man is a true story of Tom’s triumph over adversity through his passion for music and entertainment and not to let the Japanese defeat him. The Imperial War Museum North permanently displays the ukulele.
Chinese Summary/中文概要： 汤姆·博德曼来自兰开夏郡的利，是一位才华横溢的尤克里里琴师。二战爆发后，他加入皇家陆军军械部队，完成训练后被派往新加坡。令他意外的是，这里并无战事，只有日军可能来袭的阴云渐浓。整整六个月，他沉浸在这座文化交融、灯火璀璨的城市充满活力的闲适氛围中。然而，汤姆始终困惑：为何对日军可能进攻这座“大英帝国皇冠上的明珠”的规划与准备，竟显得如此迟缓、无序且充满自满。
1942年2月，新加坡向日军投降，汤姆沦为战俘。在激战的混乱与混沌中，他痛失珍爱的尤克里里，却巧妙藏匿了妻子艾琳在他离开英格兰时深情相赠的戒指。
机缘巧合下，汤姆发现一把破损的曼陀林，遂利用其弦钮，亲手制作了一把简陋的替代尤克里里。尽管这把琴太小且音色微弱，却在两年间奇迹般幸存，成为汤姆在臭名昭著的泰缅铁路奴役岁月中的莫大慰藉。在泰国丛林的酷热与潮湿中劳作异常艰辛：他饱受多种致命热带疾病的折磨；食物匮乏而难以下咽；日军的纪律残酷无情。然而，他们无法夺走汤姆求生的顽强意志与无尽的表演热情。纵使身处逆境，他仍积蓄力量，在最黑暗的时刻为战友们弹唱流行歌曲，鼓舞士气，随时准备在营地音乐会上献演。
铁路竣工后，汤姆打造了第二把更坚固的尤克里里。他在粗糙的笔记本上勾勒设计与技术参数，精心校准品柱的精准位置。通过搜罗战俘营中的废弃物品，凭借巧思、即兴创造与无尽耐心，他制作出一把非凡的尤克里里。
营地音乐会为囚禁的残酷现实提供了珍贵的暂时逃离。汤姆携新琴活跃于乐团与合唱队，在喜剧小品、戏剧与音乐剧中绽放光彩。
日本投降后，汤姆取出那颗在被俘三年半间成功藏匿的金戒指。他很快回到家乡，与尤克里里一起，与艾琳和亲人团聚。
《尤克里里琴师》是一个真实的故事，讲述了汤姆如何凭借对音乐与表演的热爱战胜逆境，决不让日本侵略者将他击垮。这把尤克里里如今永久陈列于帝国战争博物馆北方馆。(ZY)
Awards/获奖情况：
About the Author/作者介绍： 雷·威思纳尔是一位退休的IT项目经理，对研究英国军事史充满热忱。大约十年前，他偶然了解到泰国东北部乌汶叻差他尼一个鲜为人知的日军战俘营。通过在当地建立联系（雷的妻子是泰国人，现居乌汶）并挖掘英国本土的可用资源，他对该战俘营进行了深入研究。五年后，雷自费出版了《乌汶：通往自由前的最后战俘营》。
雷的第二本书详述了斯托克波特柳林公墓中143座英联邦战争公墓委员会阵亡者墓地的个人历史。他将严谨的家族史叙事与每位安息者富有创意的影像相结合，书名为《名字背后：柳林公墓的战时墓地》。
自2021年起，雷在索尔福德的帝国战争博物馆北方馆担任志愿者。他对前远东战俘汤姆·博德曼制作的尤克里里展品产生了浓厚兴趣。2015年，雷结识了汤姆，并与汤姆及其子罗恩成为挚友。利用汤姆的日记与文件，雷为IWMN参观者开发了“深度解说讲座”，讲述汤姆如何制作尤克里里及其在泰缅铁路上的经历。
雷的其他志业还包括为英联邦战争公墓委员会的公众参与项目担任志愿者，进行关于CWGC工作的图解讲座，并协助组织重大纪念活动，例如2024年6月英国广播公司《The One Show》节目报道的诺曼底登陆纪念活动。
雷的父亲是诺曼底登陆老兵，他的父母曾是斯托克波特诺曼底老兵协会成员。雷现以财务主管的活跃角色，延续着他们的传统与记忆。
Ray Withnall is a retired IT project manager with a passion for researching British military history. Almost ten years ago, he came across a little-known former Japanese Prisoner of War camp in northeast Thailand at Ubon Ratchathani. By making connections in the town (Ray’s wife is Thai and lives in Ubon) and discovering available resources in the U.K., he thoroughly researched the camp. Five years later Ray self-published ‘UBON: The Last Camp Before Freedom’*.
Ray’s second book details the personal histories of all 143 Commonwealth War Grave Commission casualties in Stockport’s Willow Grove cemetery. He combined meticulous family history narrative with creative images of each individual resting place. It is called ‘Behind the Names: The War Graves of Willow Grove’.
Since 2021, Ray has volunteered at the Imperial War Museum North in Salford. He became interested in the exhibit of a ukulele made by ex-Far Eastern Prisoner of War Tom Boardman. Ray met Tom in 2015 and became good friends with him and Tom’s son, Ron. Using Tom’s diaries and papers, Ray developed an ‘Insight Talk’ for IWMN visitors. It informs them how Tom constructed his ukulele and his experience on the Thai-Burma railway.
Ray’s other interests include volunteering for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Public Engagement programme. This involves presenting illustrated talks about the work of the CWGC and assisting in major events, such as the D Day Commemoration featured on the BBC’s One Show in June 2024.
Ray’s father was a D Day Veteran. His parents were members of the Stockport Normandy Veterans Association, and Ray proudly continues their tradition and memory with an active role as treasurer.
Format:HARDCOVER
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Complex/Traditional Chinese/繁体中文：AVAILABLE
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