‘It doesn’t make any difference’: Australian WWII POW’s 100th birthday
One of Australia’s last surviving prisoners of war has today celebrated a special milestone celebrating his 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends on the Gold Coast.
Gordon Jamieson, a Japanese POW for four years during World War II, was forced to work on the infamous Burma Thai Railway to supply Axis troops and weapons during the Burma campaign.
Fortunately, those days were in stark difference to today’s birthday celebrations, with Gordon happily downing a birthday beer and taking his centenarian achievement in stride.
“Well I’ve been told that I’ve turned one hundred, but to me, it doesn’t make any difference,” Gordon told 9News.
While he remains one of Australia’s few living WWII veterans, family have said he chalks his long life up to his wartime hardship.
“Dad’s always told everyone that his reason for long life is when he was a prisoner of war, they had one bowl of rice per day and there were maggots,” Daughter Paula told 9News.
“Oh he’s always been a character, even to this day he’s still cracking jokes,” grandson Dion said.
Gordon has lived on the Gold Coast for more than 50 years and has kept busy with three children, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
