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 ukule
