FRANCIS THOMAS McGLINN |
A Personal Diary Of His Final Days As A Prisoner Of War
|
|
Taken Prisoner At Singapore
15 February 1942
Released 13 September 1945
Discharged 30 January
1946
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Frank McGlinn was born in Northam on the 29 August
1909 (his parents were living in Goomalling at the time). After completing
basic schooling in Perth, in his late teens he moved to Nungarin and worked
on a farm for some years. Eventually he obtained and cleared some land
of his own in the same district. He worked and improved his property until
joining the Army after war was declared.
He trained in Northam camp and was posted to the 2/4th
Machine Gun Battalion, AIF. In July 1941 the unit moved to Woodside in
South Australia for further training. The unit then moved to Darwin in
October 1941, where the battalion occupied beach positions.
The unit arrived in Singapore on the 24 January 1942 where they moved
to take up positions in the North West sector of the island (a very difficult
area to defend).
In the eight days of defensive action the Battalion suffered
310 battle Casualties out of 850 men
After the capitulation on the 15 February 1942, the unit
was broken up into small work parties for the remainder of the war.
A few days before the capitulation Frank was shot in the
heel of one foot and was hospitalized , after treatment he was released
and sent to Changi.
Notes: Anything in Italics is not in the original
diary or is a guess on my part. BC
Frank used “Dinner time” for the Midday meal
and “Tea time” for the evening meals.
DIARY
15 August 1945
On rising at 5 o'clock went up and fixed the table for
dishing out breakfast after "Tenko" (or roll call) at 5.30.
Breakfast was under a pint (0.57 L’s) of rice with a Bringal (or
egg fruit soup). We had to leave for work at 6.30, and it is a good half
an hours walk to the copper factory where I work. In Nip we are the “Dai
Echee Den Den” party.
On arriving at work I ate the rest of my dinner rice which
was about 1 pint of rice which the cooks put in our dinner boxes during
the night, this rice has a lot of beans in it. This left 1/3 of a pint
of egg fruit soup for dinner.
On going round to start work there were no Nips there at
7.30 and at about 8 o’clock six strolled in as though they did not
like work. There were no students at work that day. These students are
lads of anything between 14 and 20 years, ours are generally about 16
to 17. They are actually conscripted youth labor and have "YCS"
or "YMS" on their caps in English. This means Yatahama Commercial
or Middle school, and there are about 25 of these lads that work in "Tamaboon"
which is what our department is named. They are always trying to stand
over us although without much success. They are nearly as strong as we
are though, in our present condition.
Work was very slow all morning and there were only three
of us left out of a total of sixteen. The rest were on light work as the
work in the copper factory is very hard. One of the three left was in
the black market, the other had nearly died and had been put in the cookhouse
and had been fattened up.
At dinner time I was carrying some maize flour round the
dining room which I had cooked up for Ralph Hadfield who was sick, when
"Mickey Mouse", the dirty little bash artist who with "King
Kong" and "Silent" are the company guards who take us back
and forth to work, caught me with it. I said I had got it from a student
as a present and he let me keep it and let me go without a bashing. They
are down on the black market and this is the first time I ever saw this
guard miss a chance to do anyone over.
Today has been a contrast to the previous days because
since 6 o'clock there have been no air raid alarms. Yesterday there were
planes over all the time.
The news was read out to us at Dinner time. On starting
work again at 12.15 things were still quiet and work slack. At 1.15 the
“Boss” came in and went to talk to the three Nips and two
of them did a bit of a jig and then shook hands and then their faces lengthened.
Les Smith said to me that something big had happened. After
a while the other Nips clustered round and I said to Les that by the look
on their faces we should be shaking hands not working, as the war was
over.
About 15 minutes later the boys in the other departments
were told to leave their jobs and go to the dressing room. We were told
to clean up but the guards ordered us around so we left that for the Nips
to do. Rumors flew then. One was that the Nip Prime Minister had made
a speech, then the Dutch (“No Hopers” to the last) said that
the Nip Captain "Murakami" always made a speech every year,
but most of us were of the idea that the war was over.
Before we went back to camp we were told that we would not be going back
to work here anymore. We were back in camp by 3 o’clock, to find
that all the other work parties were straggling in with similar ideas
to us.
We have had our monthly weighing tonight and I have held
my weight for the last month. My weight is now 53 kilos which is 8 stone
3 lbs. I have lost a kilo a month in Nippon but still, happy days are
now in store for us and we will be putting it back on.
l6th August
I had a poor nights sleep last night as owing to no announcements,
we were waiting for the nightly air raids to start at nine and continue
through the night. Thank God they did not, but excitement, a warm night
and plenty of fleas and lice kept us awake. I was also glad when they
announced that there was no work, as evidence for the finish was mounting
up.
The interpreter "H. Irea" when asked by the Dutch
Captain (the "Silver Mare") said that he could not say anything,
but all of us were to rest the same as Sunday. The Nip doctor (the "Goonie")
said that the war was finished two days ago.
Bluey Phillips, after a long spell in hospital due to an
accident, was due to go out to work today. The officers took rice off
Reg Lucy which he had pinched from a Nip labor barracks close by. No one
else is game to go out. I won a small tomato that was on issue, one to
every eight men.
Some time ago we had had to buy a motor tricycle with a
body on it, which are very popular for bringing in the rations but it
was a dud. Our mechanic (and theirs) could not fix it. Rations are scarce
anyhow. The price first asked for the tricycle was 7500 yen (which is
about 465-00 pounds Franks estimate) to be paid by us and the camp Nips.
But the price was finally brought down to 1500 yen (93 pounds about 18
weeks wages in Australia at the time) and this was paid. Today they returned
the money.
It is good to think that we are no longer numbers, but
are now names as well, the numbers I have had are; in Thailand 353, 444
and 8818, On the boat 78 of 57 party and in Japan 499 and 1669.
l7th August
It made us want to know officially what was going on, when
an air raid siren went off as usual at 6 o'clock, not that I doubt the
finish of the war but there are a lot that do.
They took our POW pay book off us this morning. It was
only a stiff paper folder with a description of us, the date that we got
to Japan and any crimes, or payments that we had got for being good workers.
It is only a week since Cyril Dilley fell down some stairs
in the blackout and got concussion and died 12 hours later. It was his
birthday today and it is tragic to think that after three and a half years
during which he had had a lot of sickness and misery that he should go
out so simply.
The huts are long, with the Dutch and mess tables in one half and 240
of us AIF in the other half. 630 men are in the two huts. There are 3
rows of sleeping places, one down the center as well as down the sides
and there are two layers one about seven feet high. There is straw matting
laid down on the floor and we have a little straw pillow six inches high
and one foot long
The sides of the barracks are made of interlaced bamboo
and an earth mixture plastered about three inches thick with pine on the
outside. The roof is pine with tar matting or pine bark on it.
There are plenty of double windows which have pine shutters
for the winter. The latrines and the pig sty are on the end of the hut.
The electric lights are left on and only dimmed at night (or put out when
there are air raids). Our summer issue of blankets is three and the winter
issue was five. All together a fairly comfortable hut.
What has bucked us up was the announcement that there was
going to be no more Jap “Tenko's” or roll calls. And, that
in future roll calls would be in our own lingo with no Japs in attendance.
The rations are still light, three pints of rice and beans and a few other
vegetables, and we think that now it is over we should get twice as much.
I attended a thanksgiving service (Ray Denny gave it).
l8th August
The Dutch Captain asked us not to be so impatient about
asking for food, he said that the population was very likely to do us
damage etc, mostly boloney I thought. We also heard a few more details
of the peace terms. The Emperors plea, the hara-kiri of "Obe"
and some details of the “New Bomb” which I am thankful did
not drop in this area.
The Nip guards are still inside but are closing their eyes.
No saluting, no trouble about smoking anywhere, and you can walk around
without your hat on.
I got my fountain pen back. We had had to hand over our
valuables to our Officer,
Lt Withercombe (not on unit roll) when we first came to Japan. Our badges
were also given back but they were all mixed up so two men in seven got
a set, I missed out.
The Dutch are digging up all sorts of things. Mess dixie’s,
one dug up a tin of milk that he had had buried for 11 months and it was
still okay. I dug up six packets of razor blades all rusty, some dug up
tins of bully beef.
The work that I was on at the copper factory was not too
good, as there was too much Sulfuric acid, Bluestone, Tar and Kerosene
around.
The refining process was, that they had big baths that
were filled with Sulfuric acid and Bluestone with water running through
them, in which they placed 22 plates of impure copper. Then they had 22
plates that were painted with kerosene and tarred around the edges. There
was a weak electric current running through the tanks all the time. The
copper used to leave the big plates and form a thin sheet on the back
and front of the prepared plates and it was our job to strip (or chip)
this sheet of copper from around the edges. Re-tar and re-kerro the plates.
There were 36 of these baths and they had to be done every day.
Any cuts you got, formed a scab at the deepest point, then festered and
owing to the acids did not heal easily. All together the job is not the
best, as the acids dripping on your clothes eat them away, and we are
nearly as naked as the day we are born. This "Lumitame" firm
does not believe in re-clothing us, though they did give a few of us a
pair of white cotton shorts a few days before the end.
l9th August
It is rather bad for us, mentally, this lying around doing
nothing as we are very impatient and are expecting our relieving troops
to arrive at any time. Our minds and bellies are very set on it. To us
we are very important still. Rather selfish I suppose!
They killed the sow which went 50 lbs dressed. She was not “in pig”
as was believed. The “Lolly Lopper" went mad, he said that
he had not given permission, that the war was not over yet and that while
we were in the camp we had to obey his orders. The Nip Orderly Sergeant
had given his permission and it all blew over.
We were taken for a swim in the ocean. It is only one chain
(20 metres) to the side of the camp and we found some small rock oysters.
There has been a remarkable decrease in the Beri-Beri (Vitamin
deficiency disease with pain, paralysis and swelling of the extremities)
in the camp in the last six weeks there being only a few cases now. By
God some of the men are thin, some being 5 stone lighter than when they
first came to Japan. All the men would average about three stone under
weight.
About two weeks before we stopped work, the Nips gave instructions
that we were not to wear our leather boots because they would have to
last the winter out. We had to wear clogs or bare feet. I went to work
in clogs but half way home gave it up and carried them. "Mickey Mouse"
made us nearly run because there was an air raid. He carried a big stick
to help us along. Aub Bond, pulling two sick men in the cart could not
keep up and was nearly made a case for the cart himself. We used to keep
in step with boots but clogs are hopeless, and after the first day I wore
rubber boots (of which I have three old pair). Because of the fact that
I was off with Beri-Beri when they issued the new boots I only got a second
hand pair.
Some of the Nip families are bringing their gear back from
the mountains after the general evacuations of July and August.
20th August
The "Lopper" read us a speech (using the civil
interpreter from the mine) which was evidently ready on the l5th, and
said that hostilities had ceased but might be resumed. In the meantime
we were to stop work and must spend our time in straightening our gear
and regaining our health. He said that we were still on working rations
and that he would try to get extra rations if we were good boys and obeyed
his orders because he was still in charge of the camp.
I am using salt that came from the factory before work
finished. It contains a lot of bluestone.
Every morning before they start work, the Nips always salute the boss,
bow to the east and clap their hands.
The cooks have spread the pig over three meals and you
could not taste it in any of them, so we were disappointed in to days
meals.
2lst August
There have been a lot of Nip planes flying over, all going
in the same direction. There are not to many good ones, mainly they are
old. We think that they might be going to some air field ready to be handed
over. Some have the red dot painted out.
We are actually losing weight lying around, evidently the
reaction has set in. We heard that 2,000,000 allied troops are going to
occupy the Jap Empire from the 25th, and that Prince Kanaye is back in
a responsible job.
22nd August
Things are looking up as our cooks, after a week of arguing
with the Dutch cooks (who are in charge of the cookhouse) who had said
that if anything was pinched, it could not be cooked in the cookhouse.
Our boys pinched three bags of rice and some sugar. The sweets are wasted
on the average chap as we are gluttons not “epicurean’s”
now.
Had a swim and a few oysters.
In the RAP (Regimental Aid Post) rubbish box among some
Red Cross packets I found, one bottle Atropine tablets, one bottle of
Sulfur tablets and one bottle of Nip vitamin tablets. I handed the first
two in and ate the last. Sheer carelessness to throw things like this
away.
The l5th and 20th (Bn’s,Units?) got enough energy
to play a short game of soccer which the 20th won 2 -1
23rd August
Reg Suez, Ron Metz and Basil Jones were sentenced to five
days detention by our Officers and are doing it in the other hut. The
first two were convicted of breaking out of camp and entering a Jap store,
Jones was cited as accomplice, but I don't think he had much to do with
it. They got some salt and a few eggs but were caught by Dutch officers
coming back in.
There are three Dutchmen also in detention for taking rice from the cookhouse.
The rations are not too bad at present with the extra rice the cooks took.
The Nips purchased a hundred odd cigarettes per game and
dammed near provided the yen needed. They brought to light 1600 yen from
Red Cross fund that nothing was known about and 1400 yen from canteen
profits which, as we have hardly ever used the canteen is astounding.
We had to pay 150 yen but this is being held in reserve.
On the lst of August most of the AIF units in this camp ran a sweep to
see what day in August the war would finish. 31 of the 2/4 th were in
one (£1 in each) and each drew a day from a hat. If the war did
not finish in August the sweep was to be carried on in September with
another £l in. The day announced by the “West Australian”
to be the winner. Nick Lambie drew the l5th, mine was the 26th.
The weather is the best since we have been in Nippon and
this month has been just nice and warm. All we need is our floral cotton
shorts, most of the boys are sleeping out at nights owing to the fleas.
We consider that it was lucky that we did not have to do
another winter in Japan, as we were dreading it and wondering how many
would live through it. We had an English potato pumpkin mash with our
rice tonight. It was glorious. Excepting when we were coming to Yamany
in the train, this is the first time that we have had English spuds.
They have given some of the worst cases of debility, a
Plasma transfusion, which is American dried blood from the Red Cross.
24th August
We went to the hill store and got some new clothes. We
got some outsize clothes, an English coat after the style of our tropical
uniform and there were three kinds of pants, nip khaki, light brown or
kit bag tan. I was stiff and got the kit bag tan. We also got a pair of
Nip white cotton socks.
They made a nice drop of soup from the chicken fowls and
five rabbits but unfortunately had no vegetables to go with it.
The Nip doctor told the Nips that tomorrow a Yank plane
would come over and drop some food to us and half an hour later they started
to put POW with white cloth on the ground and on the roof of the other
hut.
Another rumor is that we will get two bottles of beer and
lemonade tomorrow. If it is true it should be a good day. We got issued
with a cake of soap about the size of a cake of “Velvet” which
is the third issue in twelve months, but the other two were not as big.
Played Housy-Housy that Auberry Collins and Horn started,
and won about 20 cigarettes
25th August
Four months to go to Xmas and we are hoping that we are
old members of the RSL by then.
Lt Sanderson (not from the unit) said on parade that in
case anything was dropped from the air that everyone was to stay away
from it except 10 strong, reliable and honest men who were going to be
detailed for it, and there was to be no scrounging.
Had a lucky draw with those kit bag tan trousers, had a
few pairs of nip army trousers issued between them. Won the first pair
and got a Nip coat as well. And, was allowed to keep the tan trousers.
While nothing was dropped from the air, a truck of beer came in and one
bottle per man was issued. It is a light beer called "Asaki".
26th August
Got 2/5 of a bottle of beer each which is the rest of it.
I swapped the bottle I got yesterday for a notebook (a Japanese Signal
Pad about 15 cm by 15 cm) and a bottle of ink.
A truckload of cider came in and after the beer, we are
ready to believe that anything can happen. There was an issue of 12 tins
of chicken oil, which is equal to five years supply, and eight bags of
White Bait which is equal to one years supply in the cookhouse.
Had a big storm last night.
27th August
Got issued with a bottle of Mituza cider, the trading price
of beer is 40 yen or cigarettes and cider is up to 15 cigarettes. It is
a small bottle, and I bought one for 10 cigarettes. It is like a sweet
Cream and Soda back home. Some say that it is not like cider at all. The
meals are not too bad at present. We had a melon, cucumber “mesau
sembol” for breakfast, fried whitebait for dinner and egg fruit
stew for tea.
28th August
Spent the morning sewing and altering the new clothes to
fit me. Rumors are quieter now than they have been after dinner.
The Nips ordered the two pigs to be killed. The Dutch Captain
was against it, I think he wanted to keep them for their Queens birthday
on the 3lst of August but the Nips were determined about it.
About half an hour after the pigs were killed, a big four
engined plane appeared and we could see it was not a Nip plane. Naturally
there were a lot of wise cracks, while it was circling, about the store
dropping. We were all pleased to see one of our own planes on a peaceful
job and did a lot of waving as it circled. Then another one appeared and
we could see a big “T” painted on the tail. One of them came
down to about 500 feet and headed straight for the camp.
We just had time to read POW supplies written on the wings,
when they let the parachutes go six at a time. One dropped about 15 yards
in the ocean, one dropped in the barrack wash room (missing the latrine
trench by the thickness of a pine partition). One dropped on the cook
house (this one was medical supplies and had a yellow parachute). The
three parachutes dropped in 45 yards where there were 240 AIF men and
never hit anyone. Another one went through the waiting room of the Nip
guardhouse.
We had to go through the gate to get to the one in the
water and we were bashing the gate down and a Nip was on the other side
trying to get the bar out. We got out and I was one of the three who went
in for a swim to get it out.
Everything was carted in, and put in a heap. There were two kero drums
(welded together) to a parachute and they had a box or bags in the center
of the drums and loose tins around the sides. The pace that they hit the
ground used to double up the sides of the drums and the waste was terrible.
It damn near made us cry, to see fruit salads, meats, etc, flowing round
in the mud. There was more food wasted there, than we had seen for three
and a half years. They must have made about ten drops and it was done
between 1330 to 1630.
They used to circle round once with the doors shut, signal
something to us, then next time they would drop it. Evidently, we did
not give them enough room. We were trying to catch them as they came down,
because after the first drop, they dropped the rest of them outside the
camp and we had a great time collecting them.
They went through Nip houses. One knocked a complete house
down and killed a woman and two children. Some knocked down telegraph
wires etc and burst a water main.
Some of the boys were on the scrounge, but most of them
played the game. The parachutes were all cut up for souvenirs and I cannot
see all of it getting home because some have got nearly a full chute.
I saw where one drum hit the ground and a big cloud of cocoa went up in
the air, and there was cocoa colored water running over an acre of ground.
Pamphlets describing the contents of the drop were dropped and I gave
a packet of cigarettes to get one. We got two packets of cigarettes, a
chocolate issue, a fruit salad and a cup of cocoa. It has been the best
day of our life and anyone who could not say that he was happy or not
moved in some way, should have died. I think even the crews of the planes
get a big kick out of it, as they were hanging out and waving like mad.
Young Bob Whitfield dropped one Javanese “Fred Scrum”
who was doing a bit of scrounging.
They sound the air raid sirens as time signals at the works
and the boys cannot resist the old saying “Bore it up them"
or "Roll on the Yanks"
29th August
I am glad that I am a free man for the 36th year of my
birth. The Dutch captain gave us all a speech in the morning, saying that
we were free and that the gate would be open and we could go for a swim,
but could not get away from the camp. Also, now it was now our turn, and
not to forget to be hard on those who had been hard on us.
Lt Withercombe said that we would be in units in future,
and Blue Philips would be a[Lt?]
I read one of the papers that was dropped yesterday, the
"Honolulu Times" of the l5th, in
which it described the news of the capitulation and terms of it. The paper
had "Hirohita’s" speech in it, permitting the surrender
of his people, and saying the surrender was caused by the Atomic Bomb,
which had destroyed 31% of Nagasaki the llth biggest city in Japan and
60% of Hiroshima the 7th biggest. And had caused 150,000 casualties and
demolished 4.1 square miles.
The paper said that the Nips had 150,000 Americans, 64,000 English, Australian
and Canadians, and 24,000 Dutch and described the bad condition of them.
How they had had to live on 500 calories per day. It showed some photo’s
starting with a photo of Pearl Harbour saying “It started here”
and showed some of the places that had been fought over, and then it showed
the fires of Nagasaki and saying “It finished like this”.
The guards have left the camp. Two Spanish priests came
in, they have been here for six years and have not been allowed to go
out anywhere. They held a service and seemed glad to see us.
Four fighters came over to see us and did a bit of roof
shaving. They had a big “V” on one wing and certainly moved
fast. They seemed to be able to turn on one wing tip. Later some twin
fuselage planes (Lockheed Lightning’s?) came over to say "hello".
On the mud flat outside the camp they put a white spot
with an arrow and the word “Here”. On top of the hut alongside
the POW letters they put in large letters the word "Thanks".
Then a yellow parachute and in the middle of it the Union Jack and the
Dutch flag and it looked bloody good.
A couple of days later they sent a telegram to say the
red cross was asking for war news and saying that they wanted definite
news as the position was intolerable. Today they got word saying that
we would be evacuated as soon as possible. In the meantime, to be patient
and obey orders. We would be evacuated from Wakayama on the main land
and would be sent with (the POW’s from)nine other camps from the
Osaka area and some internees. They would try and get word to us as soon
as possible.
We were issued with a complete issue of Yanks clothes that
were dropped yesterday. We also had a carton of cigarettes issued, matches,
chocolates, food, toilet gear, etc. and I was particular fortunate in
the draw and have a good collection of gear.
It is the custom in this camp to give you an extra bowl
of rice for your birthday. But, after eating all day I had no desire for
rice and put it on the cooks for stew instead. I had the satisfaction
getting a bowl of pork stew and tonight, for the first time in Japan had
the pleasure of giving half a bowl of rice away.
Altogether a wonderful birthday, it only needs to be able
to send or to receive word from home to complete it.
30th August
The Spanish priest gave early morning mass at 6 o’clock.
They came in clogs and went away in good boots, smoking Yank cigarettes
and I think had food given to them which they deserved. Well, the US air
drop got on the job early and two planes must have dropped about 60 parachutes.
Today they had tinned and other stuff in cardboard boxes, five to the
chute and well wired together. They mostly fell on the mud flat, and there
was only a box or two that burst and very little was wasted.
The Aussies are keen hunters and some of the Dutch lag a bit, though a
few do their bit, but at present the Dutch appear to be trying, and doing,
the running of everything in the camp to suit themselves. It looked as
though a riot was going to develop when they tried to take the parachutes
off us and they got called some very nasty names.
It is quite nice watching the parachutes come down. There
was quite a good color scheme, red, blue, yellow, and green. One packet
went through the Nip office which is now in our hands.
The priests brought in some newspapers printed in English
and we found that the occupation troops did not move in until the 28th
so they did not waste any time looking us up.
We had a particular good day as far as food was concerned
and we ate that much chocolate that we were sick of it, which has been
a dream of ours since becoming a POW. For the first time in Nippon we
could put the rice bucket on the table and say help yourself. This was
another dream come true, and a small bucket of rice from 16 men was thrown
out. Two of the boys went for a ramble and came back drunk. A cow was
brought into camp to be killed. There were a lot of records played over
the loud speaker, and a wireless set was brought into the camp but it
does not work.
We learnt that 32,000 POW’s are to be sent to Manila
as soon as possible.
The days are simply flying by at present, and we never
seem to have time to do anything. There was food dropped over in the factory
area.
One Dutch officer said to a Nip “I have been a prisoner
for three and a half years” and laid him out cold. There have been
a few punches given by our chaps to the Nips because they are looking
to help themselves if they get a chance. A lot of chewing gum and a few
cigarettes are being given to the kids.
3lst August
It is the Dutch Queens birthday and they are issuing the
Yank Breakfast and Dinner rations. These are in tins and well got up.
They are slightly different, but contain sugar, biscuits, porridge, lollies
and coffee, and are well packed. Supper has cheese in it.
There were two fighters over early and they dropped a couple
of packets containing a carton of cigarettes, and wishing us the best,
and a speedy evacuation. The pilot gave his name (a flight Lieutenant)
and said he was off the aircraft carrier "Ticonderoga".
There were quite a few cases of sickness from the chocolate
etc. The hygiene man said “Good god it is not chocolate it is”-----“.
The Japanese papers (printed in English) were read out, and we are glad
to think that we will soon be seeing plenty of papers again. It is said
that we are going to be strict with these people.
We got a further issue of chocolate, chewing gum,
cigarettes and various other things. We wish that the Yanks gave that
chewing gum habit away as we all have about 50 packets of it. Slim Simpson
got two days in detention for trading with the nips. We have now been
issued with 28 packets of smokes. I hear that our names have been sent
to the Red Cross for transmitting home.
1st September
There is a report that the “Lolly Lopper” applied
to the "Sumitome Company” for a job as clerk, but got knocked
back. The way that Murakano got the name of “Lolly Lopper”
was, when we first came to Japan he lined us all up and gave us a speech
and finally pulled out his sword and said that it had cut off many of
the heads of our comrades in the Philippines and Malaya, and if we were
not good boys and did not work hard or tried to escape, it would also
cut ours off.
They say that the “Loppers” face was worth
looking at when he was asked for Nip news papers. He said that they would
not be of any use to us, and was then told that we had been reading them
for nearly 2 years. They used to get the papers from picking them up at
working parties but mainly they used to sneak them from the Nip office
during the early hours of the morning, translate and return them.
There are two translators in camp. Voss Asn a Dutch Lieutenant
is one. Voss learnt to translate by having the Nip students at work show
him what their alphabet characters were in English and memorizing them
until he had a chance to write them out. Afterward, a German-to Japanese
book was found.
2nd September
The rice is being badly cooked now that the heat is off.
The cooks do not seem to be worrying.
The boys put up on our roof the words "Thanks Yanks",
“Aussies” and the roofs are now looking like a carnival day
turnout.
One of the "Sumitome Compay’s” heads called
today and promised us two cows, onions, potatoes, a piano, and a radio
which came but did not work too well. He said that we would have plenty
to eat while here. I believe that it was mentioned at the signing of peace
that POW’s would be sent to a place of safety.
The officers sent some of the Nips guards on their way
when they came on the scrounge. “Happy” (Oaka San) was given
the most ragged pair of trousers that could be found and told to get out.
I have got a dose of Flu.
3rd September
Wishing Alma (his youngest sister) a happy birthday today
and I am glad that after six years, peace has come again. I suppose that
of all the allied forces ours has been the most bitter experience but
we will hope that we will forget a lot, and have good times to come.
Went for a two hour route march along the sea shore. We
looked fairly smart in our new clothes, and we passed the “Lopper”
near camp clad in underpants looking like a coolie and laughed at the
changed places. The Dutch captain said to the guard house as we went passed
“There will be no roll call today”. A Jap MP and a civil policeman
went with us.
The Sumitome’s promises of yesterday came good.
They have got all the ashes of the men who have died
in Japan in the guard hut and have two of our men standing at attention
with them.
4th September
Well the grocer called again and dropped all his stores
all over the countryside and we had hill climbs etc collecting the stores.
I heard that the reason is that there have been POW's killed by the drops
in other camps. There was a nip women slightly hurt when a load of food
dropped into the wrong cookhouse and went into the students cookhouse.
There was more smashed up than last time.
On the heels of the grocers, there came about six
fighters who did a bit of low flying. They also did a bit of parachute
dropping, which turned out to contain some books, cigarettes, cigars,
pocket knives, a few convalescent bags of comforts and odd and ends, which
were
raffled amongst us. The men of the 34th air squadron had had a tarpaulin
muster for these, in a letter they apologized for not finishing the show
before, and that they were sorry the stuff was not more, but hoped that
now we would soon be back with our wives, friends and relations
____________
COPY OF LETTER DROPPED
Sunday 2nd September
Hi Fellers,
The men of our Group 34 decided to get together and give
you a little something from us personally. It isn't much but the best
we could do on short notice. We hope that with this token will come early
"State Side Duty" for all of you. We are only sorry that we
could not get this damn mess over sooner.
So with best wishes, good luck and a speedy trip home to
your wives, friends, and sweethearts and,
God bless you all.
We remain,
V.T. & V.F.H. Grumman Avenger T.T G.F –1
_____________
The ashes of the men, Dutch and AIF in the guard hut have
been decorated with flowers and wreaths from the "Nuhama" Police
Chief, the Nuhama Camp Captain and the Sumitome Besshi Mine Company Ltd.
Two Red Cross officials came into the camp today, one Swedish
and one Swiss. Sweden is going to arrange the Dutch evacuation and the
Swiss ours. It was pleasant to see a white man
carrying a camera again, he took a couple of photos of the boys cutting
up parachutes for souvenirs.
The Swiss man said that he did not know when we would be evacuated, but
would let us know in a few days, and that our names had gone on from Tokyo.
He said we were lucky to be here, as the big cities were flattened and
the people hungry. He told us he was one of the first
whites to visit Hiroshima and see the result of the atom bomb, and that
it was terrible. He was glad (or seemed to be) that we had won the war
but emphasized that we should let bygones be bygones.
A camp of 40 civilians have just been found on the mainland
not too far from here. Women and men off a hospital ship captured near
Java. They are supposed to be in poor condition. The Red Cross have not
been notified about them at any time and we sent supplies from here to
them.
5th September
Last night the Officers sprung a roll call on us at 8.30
pm and there were 29 Dutch OR’s and one Officer missing. Our men
all came in when they heard the bugle. The Dutch chap in charge of the
cookhouse was one of them, so he got the sack and Jack Prescott was put
in charge of it. Certainly the cookhouse did better today.
I bandicooted a few sweet spuds, and got an egg for some
cigarettes. Had a Yank ration No. 5 which is one days supply, and with
what we get from the cookhouse, am as full tonight as I ever was as a
kid at Xmas.
They took us down to the Niihama picture show and put on
a picture for us. The picture was one of Nip family life and portrayed
all the cringing, bowing and slapping that goes on
with these blighters, a poor picture that seemed to have no finish. There
were lewd drawings on the walls of the latrines.
The Nips are sending in bread to us and we get about 8
ozs (226 grams) each every 3rd day and does it taste good. I'll say!
6th September
Still the issue of stuff goes on. Cigarettes, food, toilet
gear, clothes, etc and if we leave here suddenly I can see a lot getting
dumped. The big thing is, we wrote home today and
Lt Withercombe, who is going to the mainland headquarters tomorrow, takes
the letters with him. We would have liked to receive word from home first,
to know that they are OK and are at the same addresses.
We get one of the Yank’s cartons of foodstuffs “10
men for one day” every day now and with the extra stuff from the
cookhouse it is making me grunt to keep up with the supply. Especially
as I bought some small fresh fish and a Chinese apple for cigarettes.
The Nips are bringing their stuff from their evacuation
residences. I suppose it is a convenient time at present while the Factories
are not working. All through July and August they took all their furniture
and valuables up into the hills, also the spare population went. Sometimes
they took the furniture into the hills of a night and brought it back
for use during the day.
7th September
Well, the grocer called again and dropped another three
days supply of food. A good drop very little busted. They are getting
about ? gallons of fresh milk from the Nips for the sick, and ice for
the camp too.
There were six of the twin fuselage fighters playing around and there
is no doubt that they are beautiful, fast jobs.
We had to get out and do half an hours squad drill, as
they say that we have now to forget all our Nip drill and straighten ourselves
up for our return to civilization. But, they put that much kid talk over,
that it bored us even though we know that we need a bit of simple stuff
before we get home.
We get an issue one quart bottle of Saki to 13 men, some
reckoned it was like a 5th grade brandy.
The 2/4 th played the 20th basketball and it was a draw.
Two each and quite a fast game. We got amongst the issue of stuff five
nip fans, so we are getting quite a bit of stuff together.
8th September
Well, it is the lst anniversary of our landing on Japan.
The grocer called again this morning and we were saying “Go away
we don’t want anything”, as we have got stores mounting up
on us”. Each man has his own little box of extras, and food is around
him all the time. Then this afternoon, blowed if they did not come again
and we had another good drop, landing on the mud flat, with little damage.
The rations are done up now in cartons of five different menus. They have
cut out cigarettes, etc now and only send rations.
A Nip photographer came to the camp to take unit or group
photos. In our unit only five got their pictures taken. I would not minded
having a unit photo, but was not fussy about a group one.
Lt Withercombe came back with news of Newtons party, four
dead, not bad. 7,000 POW’s already shifted and a message to us that
we were not to roam, but to stay where we were. He had also heard of atrocities
that had been committed in other camps.
9th September
In our nightly stroll up the road, we now see the Nip as
the beggar. He is like all the boongs, far worse than our chaps ever were.
They are getting annoying with their “Give me chewing gum, give
me cigarettes and chocolates”.
We heard that 3,000 POW’s have been shifted out by
aeroplanes in the last two days. 11,000
being shifted to date, or 1/3rd of them. We hope that we are going by
air as we have been that far behind the times that we would like a ride
in a modern plane.
While on a march Bob Whitfield stopped near his old job
on the wharf and took his officer and showed him the places where the
work party used to hide the stuff they pinched. This party ( No 4) had
a fairly good job and got a bit of a scrounge in the shape of sweet spuds
and maize flour.
They say that when the Nips who are cleaning the septic
tanks out get splashed they lick their fingers it is that rich.
l0th September
Well, on the first anniversary on this island of Shikoku
we went out in two's and threes and wandered around where we liked. Ted
Bunce and I went out for a ramble and walked right around the outskirts
of Niihama. We walked alongside houses and were disgusted with the filth
and squalor of them. Each house has its own private rubbish tip, close
up to its back door. It is nothing to look in a house and see the mother
holding a baby so it can pass its motions on the floor. The insides of
the houses are generally tidy for the simple reason that there is very
little inside them.
The Nip kids annoyed us by walking alongside us asking
for chewing gum etc. They followed us for a long distance, and we were
wishing that we were occupation troops, so we could send them on their
way. The Nips have certainly changed a lot from their old overbearing
style although they have always cringed to the top dog. Of course, I don’t
like them.
We did see two or three restaurants and a couple of radio
shops open, the rest had nothing in them and nothing to sell. There appeared
to be a few Nip soldiers around as though they had just been sent home.
Some of the boys got lifts home in cars and trucks. In one place on the
way to work there are pictures of our King and Queen hanging on the wall.
The walk made the Beri-Beri come up in my legs a bit.
Bought a fishing line off a kid for ten cigarettes.
A couple of lads had shirts and pajamas made out of parachutes.
The only complaint that came in, is that some men went
to the bake house and asked for bread as they say that they are flat out
supplying the extra for the camp and have none to spare.
llth September
Wishing Pearl (his younger sister) a happy birthday.
Some of the men went around to the next town and had a
fair day. I had a quiet day and raided the garden for pumpkin and sweet
spuds and bought some cockles. A few of the good dealers are coming in
with chickens, spuds, eggs and onions and I even saw three crabs being
cooked.
The cooks brought a couple of Nips into camp that had been
treating them to booze and a good time, and to who they owed 100 yen.
They gave them 50 yen and nearly had a fight with another chap who objected
to Nips sitting on his bed.
The officers know the timetable for our trip from Japan
but don’t know which day. The yarn goes that Major Newton put the
Nip officer in charge of his camp in jail as soon as he heard the war
was over.
l2th September
Last night at about 11.30 we were woken up by a voice saying
that we would be shifting on the l3th and that there were eight Yanks
at the office. A little later, a couple of them came across for a yarn.
One of them was a member of the Turkish Embassy and could speak Nip the
other was a Yank with a nice little automatic rifle.
We have been waiting for three and a half years for a yarn
with our relieving force and the Yank knew how to blow his bags. He made
us grin by referring to how the Yanks and the British defeated the German
invasion of Britain by burning oil on the water. Still, he was very obliging
and answered a lot of silly questions for a long time, even though he
was sleepy. He said this camp was a dead one as over on the mainland the
boys had taken the Nip’s swords and rifles from them and belted
a few of them.
We had to go through the Yanks hands and first fill out
two identical forms. Then another one mainly about ourselves and next
of kin. A message of ten words could be included which they say will be
home in five days. Then we had to fill in a medical form and it was finished.
We leave tomorrow and are going to be evacuated by the
navy, the first they have done.
There were two nurses and a photographer who took photos
of the sick, thin and everything.
The boys went out in the afternoon for their parachute
shirts, and sake. They are now good hitch hikers.
There were more drunks around than we have seen for a long
time. They smashed the clock, some windows and played with the fire extinguishers.
Then they got a Nip flag, burnt it and
stood around and sang “God Save The King”.
I am now within lbs of the weight I was when I hit Japan.
I have put on 15 1b (6.8 Kg) in four days.
l3th September
We rose at the usual time and when I had had breakfast
I went over and packed for Strawb, who only had his first walk without
crutches a few days ago. He has been a cot case since early Feb, nearly
going west. His legs got jammed between a truck and a wall and went septic.
He had a temperature of over 100 degrees (37o C) for over 70 days. He
and quite a few others will go on a hospital ship at Wakayama. The sick
party went off by truck at
8 o’clock and we had to be ready to get out by 9. The amount of
stuff being thrown away would have made our fortune in Thailand, and some
of the Nips were given a lot of stuff.
The priests were on the spot again and had three hand carts
filled high with goods.
At 9 o’clock we had to clean the place up and after
this there was hardly a window left intact.
About 10.15 we started to walk to the station to catch
the train from Niihama.
At the station most of the Nips who had been working with the boys were
there, a couple with presents. Our chaps gave cigarettes, matches and
chewing gum to everyone. The boys were in a very happy mood laughing,
singing and poking dirt at the Nips.
At Niihama there were several of the mine heads “Harold
Loyd” who always liked his (indecipherable) but this time he stood
to attention.
We left Niihama at 12 o’clock in a train with a red
cross coach for the sick. The seats in our carriage were nice and soft.
The country is looking very well at present, the rice is
coming into ear, and it has a border of Soya beans round it. The sweet
potatoes and (indecipherable) are looking well and there are fresh plots
of radishes and spinach. The figs are just getting ripe and persimmons
are a nice size.
The railway follows the coast and there is workable ground
for about half a mile to the hills, which look well with a fleecy cloud
about halfway up them.
In the matter of building un-cemented stonework the Nips
would be hard to beat. The hills are terraced and ravines build up.
At “Zentuzie”? we saw some Yanks on a train
and they were hooked up in front of us. They were from Guam and Wake Islands
and had been camped here. There were Electric coaches.
The kids like a good scramble for the chewing gum.
We went on to Takamatsu getting there at 4.15 and going
on to a ferry for the mainland. The Yank sick & us on one, and the
Dutch on the other. They are very good ferry’s and we saw some big
paddle type transport ferry’s with railway engines and three trucks
of coal on them.
We landed at Uno and on the railway station found 200 Poms
some of whom had been in Thailand and they were now attached to the party.
As we left Uno one of the Yanks fired 2 shots at a Nip for something and
there were several doing a hundred yards sprint.
The train we had got into was quite a good one, with padded
seats. We had to carry three meals from the camp in the shape of Yank
rations. At one place we stopped a kid had some grapes for sale, and we
dived on them. I took two bunches for a packet of chewing gum. Some just
took them.
The way they cram their people into trains make us feel
we have plenty of room.
l4th September
I would have liked to have seen Kobe, but it was dark when
we went through there.
After a fairly sleepless night we came to Osaka just at
daybreak and there were a network of rails going everywhere with electric
trains in plenty. We saw plenty of crowded areas. We also saw where the
bombs had destroyed areas as big as a suburb in Perth with only the stone
buildings and chimneys standing. We thanked God that Aussie had never
known anything like this. It has a big factory area spread over miles.
We passed through some patches of grape trees (?) and saw several glass
hot houses.
The country has a lot of trains, and they have subways
under the main one (line). We have passed quite a few rivers and their
bridges are fairly well built.
we arrived at Wakayama at l0 am. At Wakayama there was
what I consider the biggest half of the town, equal to Perth and suburbs,
completely burnt out with only a few stone buildings left and only the
shells of them. An English band was at the station and it struck up with
the tune of ”Happy Days Are Here Again”. Cameras clicked and
we were rushed over to a electric train and were taken about three miles
to the port.
About 80 of us Aussies went first and we were taken a little
way round in a landing barge into what was once a big rest hotel. There
we had a number painted on us. Mine was 33 and then we were told to put
our personal gear in one bag and clothes in another, and with the rest
of our gear had to hand them all in to get disinfected. Then we had a
lifeboy shower, and were sprayed with disinfectant.
Then we had to go through a ring of doctors, who took particulars
from us and tested our teeth, ears, eyes, heart, blood pressure, Beri-Beri,
etc. Two of them were at you at a time. One of the would be looking at
your ears and the other would be testing your legs for Beri-Beri.
After that, we were given a suit of blue Yank sailors clothes
and given dinner and a packet of cigarettes from the Red Cross. Then we
had to fill in two forms similar to the Niihama ones. Then we had to fill
in a form of atrocities we had personally seen. While we could write a
book on them, they only gave us three lines to write on and we could not
express ourselves. Still, we put in a couple of the worst men. After this
we had to collect our gear and go back to the landing barge and be taken
out to the mother ship of the landing barges.
The USS Cabilde (LSD l6) can carry 35 landing barges beside
her own three and can be used as a dry dock for small ships. It has one
5.5 gun, twin 20 mm's, four Bofors and a cruising speed of 15 knots. We
had a good tea on board, soup, meat and vegetables (including beetroot)
and pie with ice cream. Bread and jam were available. All this was given
to us on a tray with five holders in it. We also had Lime juice to drink.
l5th September
There were about 22 warships in the harbour without counting
and about 50 mine sweepers. There was one Aussie boat the “Canberra”.
Some of the boys spoke to a couple of the Officers from it yesterday.
Well, at 10 o’clock we did what we have been longing
to do, sailed from Japan and we were very glad to see the back of it.
As we were moving out the "New Jersey" came in.
It is the flagship of the 5th fleet, a 45,000 ton effort with 9 x 16 inch
guns. She sits very low in the water and our crew all stood to attention
as she passed. Her band was playing, and she had an aircraft carrier and
cruiser with her. Later on, we passed 12 more warships.
The meals are very good with real American coffee instead of tea.
The sea is getting rougher as we go along and the boat
seems to roll easily. We saw our first picture last night, Deanna Durbin
was in it and she looked a lot older to us. We see “The Adventures
of Mark Twain” to night.
We are going to Okinawa and expect to be there in two days
or less.
l6th September
The storm has got worse. They gave us turkey for dinner
but I fed the fishes with it, and had no tea. They say we are going out
to sea to go around the storm so it is a fair size one.
There is a crew of 350 men and the Yanks are treating us
to everything and are very fond of hearing of our treatment by the Nips,
and we are doing our best to satisfy them.
The only other ship sailing with us is the hospital ship
"Sanctuary". She has the sick and the rest of our boys on her.
She does not appear to be rolling half as much as us.
l7th September
At 4.30 this morning they came and told us that anyone
who had gear down in the well (hold?) had to shift it as the waves were
coming aboard. Some of the crew are seasick and at Dinner and Tea time
we only had sandwiches owing to the fact that it was too rough to do any
cooking. They say we are going round the storm, but we think we are bobbing
up and down on the same spot.
l8th September
Spent the morning reading some Aussie papers that they
got at Wakayama, from the Aussie reclamation party. I was glad to see
that they made whoopee back home on hearing that the war was finished.
There were even bits from the "Sunday Times".
The sea has smoothed out a bit although the ship still
tosses a lot.
You can buy a carton of 200 cigarettes for half a dollar
American. Some of the boys have swapped souvenirs they were going to take
home, for coins, caps, photos, etc.
l9th September
Well we got to Okinawa at 9 o’clock this morning
after going 500 miles out of our way and being two days late arriving.
We passed one bay and there must have been at least three
Battleships, three aircraft carriers (big ones) and anything up to 100
warships. There were a couple of ships that had been beached in the recent
storm. We sailed past this bay and stopped in a bay which must have had
300 odd ships of all kinds. There were planes of all sizes flying round.
We signed a letter of appreciation to our captain and crew.
The grub had been good throughout with pork chops and ice cream for Dinner.
We should have got off but did not.
An aircraft carrier with more of our boys on her pulled
in this afternoon. There were a couple of autogiro's (helicopters?) flying
round. There was considerable traffic and it looked good at night with
the lights on the ships and ashore. The Yanks are very proud of all the
ships, planes, etc here. The ships of the victory type have no portholes
and are all welded, no rivets.
It is quite a pretty place and I would not mind having
a look on shore. The boat, the LSD l6, is only six months old.
20th September
After two good meals, in which the boys doubled up as usual
(the last meal was turkey). Word was given out that we were to go to another
ship. At a little after one o’clock we were taken in a landing barge
to the new ship, PA 225. We found the rest of our party already there,
except Straw Dyson & Bill Nottle, who had been taken ashore. A little
later the landing barge brought more men from the aircraft carrier (which
had brought them from Nagasaki) making a total of 1,900 odd passengers
and 500 crew. We were rather crowded but were pleased to see some of the
boys who had come with us from Thailand. Some others had come late from
Non Pladuck and some of those had been with the Burma force.
There were 24 more 2/4 th making a total of 64 on board.
Two or three had gone to Nagasaki and got a lifted out by aero plane.
One death by accident was reported, and 45 out of 49 of
our chaps went missing when a convoy of 23 ships was attacked off the
China coast on Sept 1944 and 21 of them were sunk by allied submarines.
There were 550 English and 60 AIF survivors out of a total of 2,000. The
survivors were in the water 36 to 55 hours before being picked up. The
nips panicked every where. The survivors were attacked again before reaching
Japan.
There were a lot of Nip swords, revolvers, wristlet watches,
etc amongst these lads.
2lst September
We shifted along a couple of miles and stopped again. This
ship is named the "Bingham" and is a troop carrier. We are in
berths 5 high and it is poorly air conditioned. Also the cookhouse does
not seem to have the capacity for handling this amount of men, and we
only got two meals today. We have been issued with a meal ticket which
is punched, so you cannot double up and one has to spend nearly all day
in the meal queue. The men who were shipwrecked had only had chopsticks
for nearly four months in Japan.
Jim Unsworth had to kneel down for three days for pinching
a radish from the Nip Q store and in one camp one Aussie had to kneel
for 17 days and because it destroyed the circulation in his legs, killed
him.
We get a packet of cigarettes issued to us.
A torpedo boat maneuvered past us and she was certainly
a good piece of work.
Told that Bert Fidge had been left in Singapore and might lose his eyesight.
I believe that a few of the Yank officers have given good prices for swords,
some giving up to 60 pounds and I heard of one going at 500 dollars.
A picture show to night.
22nd September
Well, after a quiet day during which some stores came aboard,
we sailed at about 5.30 PM, and we are hoping that we have seen the last
of the Japanese group of islands.
There are supposed to be 8,000 ex POW's waiting to get
away ashore, these are men who flew here from Japan.
Only two meals again today.
The Yank sailors get around with a big knife on one hip,
and hooked to their trousers or belt by a big spring hook, is their dog
tags, keys, etc.
23rd September
Heading for home at about 15 to 17 knots and are keeping
away from the land. There are two ships and a corvette. The corvette goes
first, and the others follow in its wake. We were issued with a lifebelt
of the blowup type, looks like a horse collar. They put on three light
meals.
There are plenty of books aboard and everyone who wants
one has got one.
24th September
Had a quiet day, we are catching up a bit on the world
by reading different magazines etc and have a few discussions on progress.
The sea is reasonably smooth and the boat rides well, a couple of small
bits of land seen, but mostly just sea and we are getting sick of that.
The boat has got plenty of landing barges as lifeboats
and there is no doubts that they are a good idea. It has enough Ack Ack
to give plane a headache and has radar installed. She is 10,000 tons and
last December's model, but we will be glad to get off it, as the tucker
is not plentiful and the organization is not the best.
25th September
We passed the fortress island of Corregidor at about 10
AM, and it looks the same as before. We anchored in the bay at about 1
o’clock. The two big wireless masts have disappeared and also a
big camp where the sea plane base used to be.
There are over 200 ocean going ships in the harbour, and
there are five or six fresh sunken ones since we were here before. From
where we are the town looks about the same but the Yanks tell us that
it is destroyed.
There was a British aircraft carrier "Indomitable"
in here loading troops, but she went out this afternoon. There was also
a large submarine going on a tour of the bay.
26th September
We moved into the harbour at about 1 o’clock, and
the Yanks and Dutch disembarked first and I did not get of until about
4 o’clock. There was a Yank band playing most of the time.
Going into berth I counted 25 ships sunk in the harbour
inside the breakwater. It looks like a grave yard for ships, and they
say that they have dragged a lot out and blown them up. The
wharf buildings have been demolished.
We were loaded 14 to a three ton truck and driven about
20 miles to the camp. All the concrete buildings have been gutted and
only the outsides are left, pitted with bullets and shrapnel holes.
There were camps, stores etc all the way out to the camp,
with the usual native café’s, shops, and liquor shops.
Every Yank seems to own a jeep.
There was a nigger working battalion and Philippino’s
working fairly hard. The natives are most like Malays, they are certainly
dressed better, and look better fed than when we went through here last
year. The men are dressed in a lot of army clothes, and the women have
new dresses.
We got a packet of cigarettes coming off the boat. At the
camp we met some more of our boys there are 24 more 2/4th. We had Tea
and 12 men were allotted to a big tent with a wooden floor, electric lights,
stretchers, mosquito nets, blankets and sheets. They give us a daily issue
of two packets of cigarettes, four cigars, l chocolate, l packet of biscuits
and three 12 oz tins of beer.
Went to the pictures, they are on every night.
27th September
It seemed funny in the truck yesterday. The Yanks kept
a close convoy, and they had good brakes. To us it seemed good driving
but actually it was only because we had not been in cars or trucks since
March 1943.
At first the Yanks appeared to us to be real big chaps,
but as our boys got fatter they are looking more the same size.
There are Japs working. in this camp. They have new clothes
with the letters PW on them, and they have a armed guard over them. They
eat and sleep on sheets like we do. Its too good for them.
The meals are good but light, so we go through twice and
then we are full. Bert Wall who is a survivor of the sinking, came in
today and had jotted down the names of those who had gone down. We had
a good day talking to the other men.
We went to a concert at night and there were three men
and three women and the jokes were that tough that we blushed.
28th September
Well they started by giving us another rough medical examination,
testing urine, teeth, height, weight, sight, a general exam, and two needles,
T.A.B. and a vaccination for Cholera. These needles were given to us by
Aussie nurses. We also had to put in a stool (specimen) and I believe
that there has been the odd case of leprosy found.
After that, we were issued with clothes. They gave us as
issue similar to when we first became soldiers, so we will have a lot
to lug back. We did not get any "Australians" and they do not
possess any of our colour patches although they do have most of their
units.
Went to a concert which was put on by a Philiphine band,
five women and a half breed Chinese girl born in Aussie. They had been
interned in Malaya and they had taught the
child to sing, dance, play the piano and do acrobatics during that time
and to do it well.
Saw a list of some of the men who were released in Thailand
and there were a lot whose names were not mentioned.
29th September
My weight yesterday was l0 stone 11 lb (68 Kg), so I have
got rid of most of the Beri-Beri and put on a lb a day for the last month.
I have lost 3/4 of an inch (2 cm) in height since I joined up which is
about the average, some have lost up to 2 1/4" (5.7 cm).
We got our new pay book today and handed our old one in.
I got paid 40 pesos which is worth £6.3.4d. I bought some biscuits
and chocolates and now that we have some money the canteen is closing
down.
The Yanks MP's get round here with tin hats on and a good
hefty wooden baton.
They called for occupation troops for Japan. The conditions
are, that after two years service they get six months leave in Aussie
but none now. I believe that they got a few. Not for me.
30th September
They interrogated us to see if we know anyone who is dead.
They have a list and photos compiled in 1944 that they thought were still
POW's in Jap hands. Three of us spent the day checking the names on my
list and typing them out. I was astonished to find that very few of the
men that had been killed in action had been taken off, so evidently they
knew nothing of them up to this time.
We got issued with the Pacific colors.
1st October
We finished the list of the dead and our interrogations,
in which we had to state what camps we were in, what conditions were like
in them, how we were treated, our methods of
traveling between camps. Also whether we had seen any men do anything
worthy of recognition and any brutal things we had seen done and by whom.
There have been about 700 men told to stand by for traveling home on an
aircraft carrier, and another 500 for the aircraft carrier "Speaker".
There have been a few men detailed from each tent.
The Yanks wired down all the buildings as a typhoon was
supposed to be coming, but
only a torrential downpour got here.
2nd October
We went into Manila and I think that every shop here sells
photos of Manila and other souvenirs. I priced cameras and they ranged
from 40 to 400 pesos (a peso is worth 3/-). The
rotgut liquor is about five pesos and the better class of whiskey is about
25 pesos. There have been 37 deaths through rotgut whiskey.
Every second place is a cafe and dance hall combined and
the charges are hot. Jazz music is played while eating and they have girls
singing, doing shows, or for you to dance with.
A spoonful of ice cream costs a peso, and to have a normal day here you
have to be a millionaire. The prices of everything are too high, but considering
the amount of troops, it seems a fairly orderly town. The Red Cross provide
tea and scones.
The MP's will pull up a truck for you to get a lift home,
and the Yank drivers don’t mind stopping. It took us six different
trucks to get home, and I had a good day.
The 700 men who went this morning have returned owing to
the fact that the sea was to rough for loading them. A couple of us had
a chat with one of the AIF nurses for a couple of hours at the canteen,
a very nice woman.
At 2.30 pm four of us decided to go to Manila, and hitch
hiked in. One truck took us all the way in. There were, of course, the
wrecked places on the way in. The town has been badly knocked about. No
electricity has been restored yet and the shops are lit by carbide or
petrol lamps.
The boongs trading instincts are wide open, and they cater
for souvenir hunters, the thirsty, dancing and dates etc.
3rd October
There was a plane flying very low over the camp spraying
with DDT. Ted and I went into Manila the MP's on the gate would not let
us out without a pass, so we went through the
fence. We got a lift but then the driver took a turn and we went out in
another direction about 12 miles. We passed Ordnance repair camps and
the main hospital. There must have been
a lot of sick or wounded because it was a big camp. We went past an aerodrome
that must have had 200 wrecked Nip planes on it, they were scattered round
in a fashion to suggest “nose dives” for some.
We got a lift back into Manila easily. Had a quiet time
in town looking at souvenirs but they were all so cheap looking and the
prices were too dear, so we did not buy anything except a few snaps and
some of the Jap occupation money. I gave a peso for an Aussie pound, I
saw a 10/- red Aussie note but did not buy it. Later I bought a bundle
of notes in which there was a 1 pound and a 10 shilling note for a peso.
The mob who was supposed to go on the "Speaker" did not go owing
to it being too rough.
Bob & Mick went by plane today.
4th October
About 1,200 AIF went on the aircraft carriers today. Ted
Bunce was a reserve and they came round to get him, but he understood
them to say “wait in the tent”. He did and missed the boat,
but will be on the next draft by air.
The rumour is that only air trips will now be available
to Aussie. We went in to Manila on an organized picture show party, and
it seemed almost like home, lounging back in decent seats.
The harbour looked beaut, like a carnival, with red and
green lights on all the small boats.
A draft of Yanks just in from America came in and as soon
as they got into camp, before they had a rest they had to put up a tent
for themselves, dig drains, pick up butts and papers round our tents and
pick up stones on the road. The Nip POW's should have done these tasks.
5th October
I went on a organized party to Corregidor (island fortress
in Manila harbour). Ten men from each Company were allowed to go.
Ten put in to go but only four went, and we still had ten men’s
rations for dinner. We had two loaves of bread, one tin meat, one big
tin of tomato juice, one tin jam, ten apples, two tins of pears and two
tins of plum pudding (which was beautiful).
The truck picked us up in camp and ran us to the wharf.
We were loaded on to a nice big launch, about 20 of us, and we hardly
filled one corner of it. On the 25 mile run out to Corregidor the engineer
of our boat was on deck talking and the captain rang for reduced speed
too late and we rammed a loading barge at full speed. There was a mob
of Philippino’s on the barge and it knocked five into the water.
One of them kept singing out "Help me, I cannot swim”. A couple
of Yanks looked as though they were going to jump in and help him until
I pointed out that he must be standing on the bottom then, as he was treading
water as good as I could and he kept himself afloat for ten minutes. It
only put some scratches on the boongs and a dent in each craft.
We were only allowed two hours on the island. After dinner
I went through the big tunnel where General Wainwright and his men had
held out. The tunnel was littered with stone, shells and machinery that
had been blown up. There were no lights, so we could not go down the small
tunnels that ran up to a quarter of a mile in all directions. At the place
where Gen Wainwright surrendered there were the bones of about 12 Nips
that had been dug up in the tunnel and still smelt. I also saw several
Nip skeletons in the scrub on the island. All the guns were in the caves
and the machine gun nests were well hidden. The barracks were only ruins.
Nips were working at cleaning up the mess. It looked like Rottnest.
Other launches had brought many women across. These Yank
women look on the hard side and do not pay as much attention to their
appearance as they could. The Yanks on the staff here do not keep their
personal appearance as well as our Aussie boys. The Yanks cuddle up to
all sorts of native women and the truck drivers all seem to have some
sort of female in front with them. Big black niggers go a courting too
and it is nothing to see women and kids going into tents with these niggers.
6th October
These Yank drivers are good drivers but reckless. I have
not been with one yet but that we have not narrowly missed an accident.
Lady Louis Mountbatten paid us a visit and made a speech
telling us how glad she was to see us, and that her hubby was doing everything
to get POW's home in his command. For us to be patient as we would soon
be home. She also said that she had seen Aussies in Singapore and Thailand
and that she was going to make her second trip to Aussie when things quietened
down.
7th October
A lot of men have gone by air, and the rest are now going
by air. I am on the No. 6 draft so should go in a couple of days. Spent
a quiet day reading, got four letters.
8th October
A few more went out of the tent. We are drawing 14 men’s
rations for nine men and I got another ration card for 12 men from one
of the staff, we give him half of our beer.
I have got approx 1,100 cigarettes and eight packets of
tobacco. I have been selling my cigars because they are too bulky to carry.
One West Aussie on the staff here gave us a lot of “Mirrors”,
“Kalgoorlie Miners”, and
“Sunday Times”.
I am on the draft to go tomorrow.
9th October
The orderly room Sergeant came round and woke us up at
2.30 this morning and checked the names in the tent of those who were
to go. Mine was not on the list, I questioned it, and he told me my name
had never been on the list, so I went back to bed and at 4 o’clock,
after the boys had had breakfast and were on parade, he called out the
names and mine was about 8th on the list of 98 men so I had to get out
of bed, grab my gear, put it aboard a truck, and then go over and get
three fried eggs between bread for breakfast.
This orderly room is a proper Aussie one. They don’t
know where anything is and don’t know how to handle men.
We drove about 20 miles to the airport. The drivers were
AIF drivers, and their truck driving and convoy work was good compared
to the Yanks.
We must have passed over nine bridges that had been blown
up and were repaired with iron trellis sections. We were taken out of
the trucks and put 20 men to a Catalina flying boat. At about 8 o’clock
we moved off. We circled for about 20 minutes on the water then rose up
smoothly. It was a bit jerky on the water owing to the waves.
The landscape of the Philippines looked better from the air than it did
from the ground and there were some fertile areas growing bananas, coconuts,
rice, etc. with water plentiful.
I can see it should be easy for a bomb crew to drop bombs
on a target. The flying boat rode like a champion and it reminded me of
a diesel coach with a bit more noise. I went to sleep for some of the
way. Except for a couple of small holes, the only place to look out from
was the gun blister in the middle of the ship (only five at a time were
allowed).
Except for when we went through a couple of clouds and
struck air pockets and dropped a bit it was a good trip to Morotai (Indonesia)
where we arrived at 3.30 PM and landed on the water without a bump. We
had a hot Dinner and Tea on the plane.
We got scones and cocoa as soon as we arrived at the camp,
and were then taken to the Q store and issued with anything we liked.
I did not get much as I have all I can carry and had left a pair of Yank
boots back in Manila. We got a good kit bag, and also got lots of stuff
from the Red Cross. One pair pajamas and a lot of small things including
two packets of Capstans.
A good Tea and picture show at night.
lOth October
Up at 4.30. There are Dutch civilians here, men, women
and children. Released Indians, Yanks and Nip prisoners.
We left at 8 o’clock and had a bit of bumpy weather
for a start. Then in a clear sky she did the worst pitching, but we had
good flying at 9,000 feet until we hit Melville Island. Our plane cruised
at about 108 miles (173 KPH) an hour and had a crew of seven.
The Coral Sea looked quite nice from the air. The water
was greenish, with reefs and little green islands. The sea was very calm
and at this height with fluffy clouds between us, looked like the sky.
At one place there was a lot of islands but we followed the open sea most
of the way.
Then we came over Melville Island. What a desolate, God
forsaken country it looked, with large salt patches, mangroves and the
trees on the ground so thin and scattered. The mission looked neat. The
tide was going out in the old usual style.
Darwin, the rear part of Aussie was good to see, knowing
it was Aussie. It did not look much improved except that there were some
bigger camps. I could see one ship that had been sunk and there were about
13 Catalina’s in the bay.
We landed 3.30 PM and were put into a bus and taken back
to Winellie Camp (where they had been based in 1941).
When we pulled up they said “you cannot go into the
huts, the women (AWAS) are just making the beds”, we said “this
is not our army”. The women are camped in Larrakea.
We camped in the old 2lst Bn lines and except for a few
new buildings it is the same camp we left in 1941.
The boys who have been here two days, leave tonight and tomorrow morning.
At Tea that night it was that good that we nearly decided to stay in the
army. Crockery, men waiting on us, fruit and cream etc.
We changed our Philippine money into Aussie.
llth October
We got a pay of £2.10.0 and this morning I sent a
couple of telegrams that the girls will go crook at, telling them not
to meet the plane.
We went to the Q store, and got two pairs of shorts, shirts,
long trousers, socks, tops, and were told that we could either get our
Service Dress here or in Perth. I'll get mine there. We could have got
more clothes but we can't carry any more. The chap tried to tell us that
we might get any surplus taken of us in Perth.
We were tested for blood pressure and were taken into Darwin
to be X-rayed.
Camps run practically from here to Darwin. The aerodrome
has grown into a big one, and there is a fresh one nearer Darwin.
We went to the naval hospital and after the X Ray we got
driven round the town. There were more of the European houses left standing
than I had expected after reading Nip accounts of their bombing.
The new Darwin hotel had only had one wing hit and the
old Darwin (The Chinatown) had disappeared. All of which is to the good.
I was a bit astonished to see the amount of Abo's working,
they looked good.
We got a bottle of Fosters beer for 1-8 d.
l2th October
One of the boys had a friend up here and was lent a jeep,
so five of us were taken around Darwin. To some it might have seemed as
though Darwin had got a bit of bombing, and
although the pub Chinatown, was gone and what had been the Yank H.Q. had
had a bomb dropped in the middle of it, and the good oil tanks had gone
up, Darwin to me was only
scarred.
What surprised me most was the fact that there were no
civilians here, for although every building was taken over by the fighting
forces surely there would have been good opportunities for business.
We were taken around Fanny Bay and East Point and it can
be understood how they can give us fresh fish because there are fish traps
all the way around. Had Dinner at the Survey Sergeants mess and had peaches
and rice. Got back to camp at four, we had left at nine.
In the evening we went down to the hospital for an evening with the nurses
and had a good yarn with them, drank lolly water and finished up the night
by doing the Hokey-Pokey dance. “Ye Gods”, and we thought
we were going to return to civilization and not to be Tropic Happy.
The names of all the other starters from our party are
up. Some are going in the morning and Smokey Hayes is going to SA but
no planes are going to the West.
l3th October
Doug Tanner had to go to hospital. They found something
wrong with his lungs on the
X ray, there is one in about 20 get it even though they look healthy.
I was having a drink of orange juice at the Red Cross when
a “Red Cap” blew in and asked me how I was, and how I liked
being back. I did not salute or anything and it turned out to be General
Murray who is in charge of the NT forces.
Got word at 11 o’clock tonight that we are due to
go out in the morning.
l4th October
Got woken up at 3.15 AM and what with packing and not being
able to sleep, did not get much more than a couple of hours sleep all
night.
We had breakfast and moved out to the aerodrome, then had
to wait while they mucked around, then they took us for a run round the
drome looking for the plane. It is certainly a big drome with strips going
all ways. We found the Liberator (No 358) in the end, there were 19 of
us going, plus the crew and our luggage.
We left at 6.15 AM and for a while we passed over mangroves,
swamps and rivers, then ran in hilly country and dry rivers, red flats
and ant hills and it looked a good scene for a Technicolor film.
We passed into the sand drift and there were long lanes
of drift hills, then followed the salt lake country. We were flying at
6,000 ft and could not see any stock or anything moving on the ground.
We hit the wheat belt somewhere near Wongan Hills and could
see a few abandoned farms for a while. It looks like a big jigsaw puzzle.
The crops look very thin from the air, and later we could see whole paddocks
that looked as though they had been washed away. The jam country on the
other side of the Darling Ranges looked pretty.
We landed at two o’clock and we were not expected
at Guildford (the WA Personnel Depot until the 1950’s) until three
and there was no one to meet us. Some had to wait for relations but some
of us went straight to Hollywood hospital, and were admitted and examined
and in spite of kicking up a row, will not be let out until tomorrow.
We nicked off into town, then went visiting and did not
get back till 1.30 AM and got roared up for not taking our boots off before
coming in.
This is the end of Frank’s diary except for
the lists of places, dates and ships etc included in the appendix.
Frank was able to reunite with his three sisters while
on recuperation leave but unfortunately, his mother had been murdered
while he was a POW.
After being discharged in January 1946 he moved to Bunbury
to live with Jean, his oldest sister and her family where he transcribed
this diary from the notes he had taken on the Japanese signal pad.
He suffered bouts of Malaria (not mentioned in the diary)
which gradually diminished and after getting back into regular work, regained
most of his health and strength. Although not mentioned in the diary and
rarely talked about, he had been tortured by the Japanese on several occasions
in Thailand and beaten while in Japan and had the scars on his hands and
back to prove it.
He never returned to his farm at Nungarin and was killed
in a work accident about two years after his return.
Appendix 1.
Significant Places and Dates
Enlisted |
18 June 1940 |
Claremont |
18 October 1940 |
Ascot |
21 October 1940 |
Left Northam |
21 July 1941 |
Woodside |
25 July 1941 |
Left Woodside |
13 October 1941 |
Darwin |
22 October 1941 |
Left Darwin |
30 December 1941 |
Port Moresby |
4 January 1942 |
Sydney |
8 January 1942 |
Left Sidney |
10 January 1942 |
Perth |
15 January 1942 |
Left Perth |
16 January 1942 |
Sunda Straits |
20 January 1942 |
Left Sunda Straits |
21 January 1942 |
Woodlands, Singapore |
24 January 1942 |
Thas |
31 January 1942 |
Left Thas |
9 February 1942 |
Alexander Hospital |
11 February 1942 |
Capitulation |
15 February 1942 |
Left Hospital |
26 February 1942 |
Left Changi |
5 May 1942 |
Left Callecott Estate (Thompson Rd) |
20 November 1942 |
Left River Valley Rd |
23 December 1942 |
Left Changi |
14 March 1943 |
Kanbury (Kanchanabury) |
18 March 1943 |
Tarsoa |
27 March 1943 |
Left Tarsoa |
24 April 1943 |
Konyu No 2 |
25 April 1943 |
Lower Konyu |
10 July 1943 |
Tarsau |
19 July 1943 |
Chungkai |
23 August 1943 |
Tamuan |
23 May 1944 |
Left Tamuan |
22 June 1944 |
River Valley Rd |
27 June 1944 |
Left River Valley Rd |
1 July 1944 |
Left Singapore |
4 July 1944 |
Mire (Borneo) |
8 July 1944 |
Left Mire |
10 July 1944 |
Manilla |
16 July 1944 |
Left Manilla |
9 August 1944 |
Luzon |
10 August 1944 |
Left Luzon |
12 August 1944 |
Keelung |
16 August 1944 |
Left Keelung |
27 (or 28) August 1944 |
Okinawa 1 |
30 August 1944 |
Okinawa 2 |
1 September 1944 |
Kowasame |
3 September 1944 |
Left Kowasame |
5 September 1944 |
Moji |
7 September 1944 |
Got Off Boat |
8 September 1944 |
Moji |
9 September 1944 |
Yamani |
10 September 1944 |
Niihama |
18 May 1945 |
Left Niihama |
13 September 1945 |
Wakayama |
14 September 1945 |
Left Japan |
15 September 1945 |
Okinawa |
19 September 1945 |
Left Okinawa |
22 September 1945 |
Manilla |
25 September 1945 |
Got Off Boat |
26 September 1945 |
Left Manilla |
9 October 1945 |
Left Morotai |
10 October 1945 |
Darwin |
10 October 1945 |
Perth |
14 October 1945 |
Discharged |
30 January 1946 |
Ships Traveled In Medals
Duntroon 1939 / 45 Star
Marella Pacific Star
Aquitane War Medal 1939 / 45
Van Der Lyn Australian Service Medal 1945 / 75
Rashin Maru with Clasp SW Pacific
USS Cabilde-LSD 16 (Landing Ship)
USS Bingham-PA 225
Aircraft
PBY Catalina A24-354 to Darwin and B24 Liberator to Perth.
|