Book Review: Half A Banana

Half a Banana 

by Peter Kemis Betty

Charlcombe books  2025

Price £18.00 profits to Pahar Trust

In his introduction to this book Richard Betty States, “This is not a Grim book, far from it” As the story of his father, Peter Kemis Betty unfolds   we hear of a time of survival and the resilience of  the human spirit. The years Peter spent as a prisoner of war in the notorious Changi prison in Singapore are documented by his son who had edited his father’s wartime diary .

Peter was an officer on the Second Gurka Rifles. The book describes their battles in Malaysia in which the Gurka regiment fought bravely but ended up being capture after the surrender of the British force at Singapore

Peter and his fellow officer Alec Ogilvie  were imprisoned at Changi and were among the relatively fortunate prisoners who not sent to work on the Infamous Burma – Siam death   railway. They were put to work, and later, Peter was given much responsibility for, the gardens which provided food for the prisoners. Over four long years he   wrote in his diary about the successes and failure of the crops and about life in prison as he was moved from place to place for his living quarters, some proving better than others.

He saw many groups of soldiers arrive at the camp and them moved “up country” and heard tales of the terrible conditions they faced. Morale in Changi depended on the very infrequent arrival of mail and the provision of food.  Thanks to Peter and Alec’s organisational ability and management many POWs were saved from death from disease and malnutrition.

Peters’ diary remains positive throughout his captivity and mentions positive events and entertainments organised by the prisoners, but this as we know was against a backdrop of  starvation, disease and brutality.

Readers will be able to find out about the origin of the intriguing title “Half a Banana “ at the end of the book!

Linda Parker