大象传媒

I was stationed with the RAF at Kalong Airport, Singapore in Feb 1942. The Japanese Air Force bombed the airport rendering it unserviceable. Singapore fell to the Japs on Feb 14th 1942. We left Singapore on Feb 13th, on the troop ship 'Empire Star'. We were bombed, many were killed and the ship caught fire. We landed in Surabaya, Java 3 days later, hoping to establish a base, but roads and rails were bombed and we became stranded in the village of Tasic Malay. 200 RAF men were stranded in the mountains of Garoet, I and three others drove to Garoet in an effort to save them, but we were soon surrounded by Japanese soldiers and became Prisoners of War.

Within a few days we were ordered to remove camouflaged booby traps. We had to do this or be bayoneted by the Jap solders, who stood well out of the way. In the process of this task, I was blown up, lost my eyes, both my hands and shattered my leg. Fortunately a convoy of P.O.W.s being moved by the Japs took a risk of stopping to pick me up and take me to an emergency hospital on March 16th 1942*. Then I found myself in Bandoeng at a school that had been hastily made into a hospital by the Australian Surgeon Colonel Dunlop (later Sir Edward Dunlop). He saved my life on the operating table, and shortly afterwards a Japanese soldier tried to push his bayonet through me, but this famous Australian Surgeon Sir Edward Dunlop stood between me and the bayonet, saying the bayonet would have to go through him before it went through me. I believe this soldier just stamped off. Sir Edward is affectionately known as 'Weary', and he remained a life long friend until his death in 1995. I was his guest in Melbourne on numerous occasions, and he was ours in Blackpool. For many weeks I had pain in my arms, in the early days I was given a little morphine, which only lasted a week or so, so I had to stick it out. At the same time the POW doctors worked on my leg, thankfully they saved it, but it took a long time before I could walk. Everyone, including the POW doctors, worked on my leg. Thankfully they saved it, but it took a long time before I could work. Everyone, including the doctors as POWs, had their own health problems. Dysentery, malaria, beri beri, fever and ulcers etc. I also endured some of these, but my fellow prisoners and POW doctors did all they could to keep me occupied. One doctor set me up with a pesel and mortar crushing herbs and leaves in an effort to make medicines. Another had me taking secret messages to the other parts of camp. I always did my exercises and tried to keep fit. I talked to many professional people, and if I had been in better physical and mental condition, I would have been well educated.

My fellow prisoners helped me to survive, they looked after my daily requirements. The Japanese did not help at all. They just carried on with brutality. One colleague made me a gadget that held a spoon enabling me to scoop up the rice. That was all we got to eat, sometimes mixed with a mysterious substance. Another made me a tin gauntlet that held a stick for me to walk about when safe from Jap guards. Like my POW friends I was underweight. At then end of the war I weighed five and a half stone.

On August 15th 1945 the Japanese surrendered. We could not leave the camp because the Indonesians began to fight to regain their territory from the Dutch. Anyone white was assumed to be Dutch and were shot. Consequently we didn't arrive home until November at the Liverpool docks, who were on strike!. Taken to Gosford hospital, then home to Blackburn.

*The next day, on March 17th 1942, Joe Gannon of Wigan lost his eye sight at the same location, thankfully he did not lose his hands. He and I spent life together as P.O.W.s for three years.

'This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by 大象传媒 Radio Merseyside鈥檚 People鈥檚 War team on behalf of William Griffiths M.B.E. and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

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