ONE of the last surviving people to work on the bridge on the River Kwai, Ted Godden, has died aged 103.

Born in Southampton in July 1912, Ted was the second youngest of five children to parents, Myra and Ernest.

After leaving education, he was enlisted as a gunner in the 135th Royal Artillery Hertfordshire Yeomanry. After a period of training in Scotland, he boarded a Polish vessel, the Sobieski, to a destination which was, at the time, unknown to the soldiers but turned out to be Newfoundland in Canada.

From here, the men were transferred to an American troop ship, the Mount Vernon, which was formerly the passenger ship, SS Washington, which was at the sea for around five weeks before berthing in Cape Town. The ship was then diverted to Singapore, where Ted was captured and spent the next three-and-a-half-years as a Japanese Prisoner of War. He told his family about building the foundations for the infamous Bridge on the River Kwai and afterwards working on an airfield and a harbour. He also credited his commanding officer, Colonel Philip Toosey, with saving his life after refusing orders to leave his men and get to safety in Ceylon before Singapore fell.

Ted returned home in 1945 suffering with many health conditions and it was during his hospitalisation and rehabilitation at the Southampton County Borough Isolation Hospital and Sanatorium, that he met a nurse, Evelyn, who he would go on to marry. The couple welcomed their son, Andrew, in June 1950 and a daughter, Eve, two years later. However, the family was struck by tragedy when Evelyn died just a day after giving birth.

Ted's mother-in-law, Edith, who was by then in her 60s, moved in to help with bringing up Andrew, while his new daughter, Eve, was brought up by Ted's sister, Jess.

For the rest of his working life, Ted was employed as an electrician's mate on Southampton Docks. Following Edith's death, Andrew became his father's primary carer and together they moved to Bournemouth. Ted loved walking around Bournemouth and enjoyed swimming in the sea up until the age of 96.

He moved into a care home in July 2010 following Andrew's death as he wished to continue living in the town.

Ted died on June 3 and his funeral took place at Bournemouth Crematorium on Wednesday, June 22.