The inspiring story of a Liverpool man who survived the horrors of Japanese prisoner of war camps during World War Two will be told in a new book that is set for release on the 78th anniversary of VJ Day.
When Johnny Came Marching Home charts Johnny Berry’s remarkable journey from the streets of 1930s Liverpool to the harrowing landscapes of Japanese prisoner of war camps and back again.
It will be released on 15 August, which marks the day Japan surrendered in 1945 to effectively end the Second World War, and is available to buy from Amazon.
Published by The Choir Press, the book has been written by Johnny’s son, retired local businessman Mike Berry in collaboration with his brother John, a campus manager at Liverpool Hope University.
An extraordinary tale of resilience, survival and the unbreakable human spirit, When Johnny Came Marching Home provides a visceral account of the gruesome and inhumane experiences Johnny suffered at the hands of the Japanese.
Raised in Toxteth, Johnny enlisted in the army in 1939 after a brief spell as a pugilist in a travelling fair and was later sent to fight in Singapore, where he was captured in 1942 at the age of 25.
He went on to spend three and a half years as a prisoner of war, during which he was one of 90,000 Allied troops enslaved to work on the infamous Burma Railway.
Surviving against the odds, Johnny returned to Liverpool following the conclusion of World War 2, married and fathered three children before his death in July 2005 at the age of 89.
Sons John (70) and Mike (75) were initially inspired to write the book to make their children and grandchildren aware of their dad’s astonishing life.
Since being picked up by The Choir Press, they have received praise from number one bestselling author Damien Lewis, who declared it: ‘A powerful and moving story from a little known theatre of the war’.
Reflecting on the book’s release, John Berry said: “I’m very proud to have collaborated with my brother Mike on this book.
“We have spoken about writing it for a number of years because we aren’t getting any younger and we didn’t want my dad’s stories to be lost with us.
“It was originally written for our children and grandchildren, but it is such an inspiring story of endurance, willpower and courage, we thought it was bound to interest other people, too.
“It’s an evocative story and one which we hope both educates and reminds people of the true horrors of war.”
When Johnny Came Marching Home is available to buy on Amazon now as both a paperback and Kindle edition.
A copy will be available in the University library for both students and staff to borrow.
Listen to a Radio Merseyside interview in which Johnny Berry recounts his experiences, here.