大象传媒

I volunteered for army service on 10 March 1940 and joined the Royal Corps of Signals (18th Division), my number being 2591725. I was then 26 years old and living in my home town of Glasgow.

My main motivation for enlisting was my profound hatred of Fascism, especially Hitler鈥檚 brand (Nazi-ism) and my desire to help in the extermination of such barbaric scum - and so avenge, in any way, the terrible atrocities committed against an innocent people.

Indeed, I was born into a large immigrant Jewish family. Though not religious I am nevertheless extremely proud of my Jewish blood.

I was captured at Singapore on 15 February 1942. Although being a driver/dispatch rider, my main job was as batman-driver to our Signals Officer, Second Lieutenant George Hoerder, whom I understand is now retired at the rank of Brigadier-General. He was at all times an 鈥榦fficer and a gentleman鈥�. In squaddy language....a 鈥榙amned good bloke鈥�.

Memories live longer than dreams. I should know. At 88 years of age, my thousands of dreams have melted into oblivion....lost in the mists of time; but my memories are yet with me...and will be until the day I die.

Healthwise I suffer from cardiac problems, diabetes, hearing and sight impairment, not to mention difficulty in walking. Apart from that I鈥檓 okay!! I am thankful in having a sense of humour and a clear mind.Thus, though in a mess physically, I am happy inasmuch as I am able to communicate with all and sundry. I enjoy conversation, as my memory remains vivid and lucid and my desire for good company is insatiable. Incidentally, I am more interested in politics than any other subject. Yes, even in a democracy such as ours all of us are different....I suppose the French would say 鈥榗鈥檈st la vie鈥�.

My head is so full of anecdotes I hardly know where to begin; so let me offer you a medley of scenes I actually witnessed at Singapore during the fighting for that island. Remember, as an army dispatch rider I had access to any place....at any time. Incidently, the scenes I give are not in chronological order.

The twice-daily bombing of the island, plus artillery barrage by both sides and continual machine-gunning and trench-mortar fire from the enemy was continuous. Added to the bedlam and utter confusion was the daily attacks by Jap patrols on 鈥榚asy鈥� targets, such as Alexandra hospital. They entered that building...bayonetting doctors, nurses and patients on operating tables; raped every female unfortunate enough to be caught; anyone in their path was shot dead.

Jap patrols were expert in psychological warfare. They killed with impunity...regardless of sex, age or race. They were able to strike where and when they wished, even though we outnumbered them by at least ten to one they could not be stopped. They were extremely ruthless, and seemingly unafraid of death. Such is the power of brain-washing, propaganda and the belief that in death they will find glory and happiness in the Heaven promised them. Compare this to today鈥檚 international terrorists and you can see the same patterns of behaviour and justification.

I have witnessed the execution of prisoners - by shooting and decapitation. Also hundreds of beatings and acts of torture....for no apparent reason. As POW鈥檚 we lived in perpetual fear: sans adequate food, water, clothing, bedding, drugs, medicines etc etc. And enforced hard labour seven days per week, i.e. twelve hour days of slavery on the Bridge over the Kwai and the Death Railway. This I assure you...we envied those who died.

In recalling those memories I feel a sense of guilt. I have lost the best friends I ever had...men whom I loved as brothers. To this day I cannot understand why I, a small man ( far removed from the macho type) survived this...the greatest test of human endurance and traumatic experience, for three and a half years.

Heroics are not involved. Just sheer good luck in having good mates all around me....good British doctors who could only offer fatherly advice because they were denied drugs and all medical requirements. At this juncture I am compelled to add this:- We had noted that our enemy (the Jap guards themselves) were also dying from the effects of malaria and dysentery. They too were treated like animals by their superiors. They did have, however, plenty of food....good quality rice, vegetables and chicken, pork and eggs. WE HAD NONE OF THIS.

Before I continue I have this to report:-
In 1950 I organised what I believe to be the very first ex-POW (Far East) Group. This was called the FELLOWSHIP OF EX-POW鈥檚, Far East. It started in my living room in Glasgow. Some dozen ex-POW鈥檚 appealed to me to get things moving. Thus our campaign began. As organising secretary I quickly formed a pro-temps committee, our aim being to claim from the post-war government of Japan two things - (1) an apology for the shocking treatment of their former prisoners of war, and (2) a measure of compensation. Amazingly, this campaign has taken 50 years of my life. YES. We are still continuing to fight....though most of us are now dead.

It may interest the reader to know that I am the man who burned the Nippon flag on Pall mall as Emperor Akihito was passing. This I do not regret.

What may surprise you to learn is this:- After much persuading by Keiko Holmes, OBE - the lady who, as a member of AGAPE, is in charge of escorting former POW鈥檚 to Japan, I finally agreed to go on this 鈥楳ission of Reconciliation鈥�. I went in October 2002.

I enjoyed this immensely. Promoted by the Japanese government, no expense was spared in terms of comfort and well-being. I made many friends. To be truthful, I fell in love with the people I met, and only then, after seeing what really happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I realised that my hitherto hatred of them was something I could have done without.

I have no illusions however - had it not been for those terrible atomic bombs I and my fellow POW鈥檚 would not have survived the horrors of captivity. At all times our guards informed us that none of us would ever see freedom....that we were all to die 鈥榠n the service of Nippon advancement鈥�.

May I add this remark? As so many Japanese asked me to forgive them for the attrocities committed against us, and their tears were genuine, I said in reply 鈥淭here is nothing for me to forgive, all of us, the people of the world, do have an enemy. This enemy is called WAR. Your fascist Tojo (with Hirohito鈥檚 backing) are the villains - along with Hitler and Mussolini. For example, the British people did not want war with Irak. There were other ways of getting rid of Saadam Hussein. But the warmongers won.鈥�

I now stop at this point. So much more can be said...must be said, before I die. I am at your service whilst I yet live. Then I can die with a smile on my face. To be truthful, I look forwards to eternal rest.

With best wishes,
Jack Caplan

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