See the World Differently
It was bitterly cold as we marched through the harshly-lit tunnel. Water dripped on us from above as we left the comparable comfort of Crumlin Road Gaol behind us. The brickwork gave way to concrete as we passed beneath the road, narrowing the tunnel and squeezing us closer together. The concrete was added to reinforce […]
The barren landscape stretched as far as the eye could see, pockmarked with crater holes and devoid of vegetation. Looking up from the photo our guide was holding, the modern day reality could not have been more different. There were trees and flowers here and the undergrowth was so dense we could barely see the […]
We marched briskly, in neatly regimented rows, down the path and into the plaza. The bleak expanse of grey paving slabs perfectly matched the surrounding buildings and the steely sky above. We were led by a member of the military honour guard, dressed in a pristine white ceremonial uniform. He made a sharp left turn […]
On the 16th of February 1944 the first wave of Operation Hailstone strafed Chuuk Lagoon, raining death across the islands. American bombers quickly decimated the Japanese airstrips and destroyed dozens of aircraft while they were still on the ground. Over the next two days, an unyielding storm of bombs and torpedoes pounded the Japanese fleet […]
At the first sight of enemy aircraft, the watchman hammered out a rhythm on the hunk of bomb casing. The clanking of the homemade gong warned the villagers of the impending attack and they ran for the nearest trench. Hidden beneath the undergrowth, the trenches led to the tunnels where families could safely wait out […]
Arriving at Choeung Ek on a warm sunny day, we walked through a picturesque field of grassy hillocks. Wild flowers grew up through the grass and butterflies flitted from one to the next. Frangipani trees were in full bloom, their fragrant flowers matching the pristine white stupa at the centre of the park. It was […]