大象传媒

We arrived in Mombassa, East Africa on Christmas Day 1941 and learned that America was now at war. We were informed our destination would be Malaya and docked in Singapore naval base on 13th January 1942, in pouring rain. We had been on the ship for almost 3 months and rarely worn boots, we then marched 3 miles to Woodland Camp! We then had two days to prepare for action.

The next two months were spent moving about, taking part in various attacks under difficult conditions. By the middle of February we had moved to the perimeter of Singapore, by then the enemy had landed on the west coast. An attack was beaten off that night but in the morning we suffered heavy casualties from shelling and the air and turned to hand to hand fighting.

The Japanese penetrated into the Alexandra Military Hospital from the Ayer Raja area after a fierce battle with very high casualties on both sides. The hospital was flying the flags of the Red Cross and white sheets hung from the windows. The water supply had been cut the previous day and shelling from mortars and artillery as well as bombing from the air intensified. Japanese troops entered the hospital from the rear and ran amok killing by shot or bayonet everyone they met. Everyone, including the patient in the operating theatre, were bayoneted to death. Very few escaped the horror of this mass execution.

By 15th February a cease fire was ordered as the garrison had been instructed to capitulate. The next day we were transported to Changi Jail, as expected chaos ruled after the arrival of some 50,000 troops in a few days. The Japs did not bother us for some 10 - 14 days. Then we heard some 300 Chinese had been rounded up and massacred at Punggol beach on 28th February, only 3 miles away. We all wondered why we had been sent there when the Japanese were so close - we were known as the 18th Division, first POW detachment.

Food was scarce, rice being the main diet. Dysentry was rife so it was a relief to be sent into Singapore on cleaning up duty where we were able to steal food and anything else of use, such as medical supplies, books etc. By April 200 - 300 of us made up a permanent workforce at Farra Park, Singapore. We were mainly under canvas, food improved and we also traded with the Chinese.

During June the Japs required everyone to sign a declaration that they would not attempt to escape. At first we refused so all prisoners were sent to Salarang Barracks 2 miles away. Some 40,000 men were crowded into an area built for 1,000 men. After 2 days water and medical supplies were cut, then rice. Sanitation pits could not be dug quickly enough and many died. Eventually the British Commander ordered us to sign, signing under pressure would be invalid.

Farrar Park then carried on as before under a Jap Sgt named Asouki who was a great help, he could speak English and had an Oxford degree. He did not think Japan could win the war. He allowed into the camp gifts of food and medical supplies.

In July some men left Changi, for a journey of 5 - 6 days in rail trucks made of steel, to work on a railway into Burma and Siam. Many died from the heat. News came through of so much loss of life that it was disbelieved. 45 miles of railway was completed in under 12 months at an estimated loss of one man per sleeper.

In September we were moved to a camp at Serangoon Road. The camp had to be built to Jap specifications within a time limit. POW guards were now Koreans with Jap NCO's. The POW Officers were now paid 10 dollars a month but had to contribute to the cost of food and hospital upkeep. The Japs only supplied food to those who worked, the sick, disabled, cooks and others were excluded. The rice ration per worker was about 16 ounces a day, no meat or fruit. In October a Red Cross ship was allowed in with clothes and medical stores which were given mostly to the hospital.

We went back to Changi where concerts and plays were available, also church and chapel. We had news via the wireless, although weeks late. News was not available to the troops before then unless it was known in Singapore or told us by the guards.

In 1943 more men were sent to Thailand, leaving mainly the sick in Changi. I was still working on the dock, lifting ammunition etc. We had a team of 8 men working alternate shifts on the boat and quay. We were mostly left alone to work there, it was a filthy job - we were allowed a shower on the quay. 'Spoils' on board included whiskey, cigarettes and tobacco. We managed to take cigarettes out in a thermos flask and negotiated the whiskey with a guard.

Another day rooting round the godown we found a set of bayonet fencing gear. When playing around with it we were interrupted by a Jap officer waiting on the quay. He was dressed to kill with brown riding boots, shorts, sun helmet and a sword. He wanted to play and went silly - the more he missed the worse he got. When he eventually hit me on the arm, I did not dare touch him. Then he tried a head blow and I gave him a full blow to the stomach which winded him and sat him on his behind. This was all in front of the other Japs who wanted him on board the ship. I received a vicious beating and was then thrown off the quay. I was left there in the mud, half on boxes and half in the water. The Jap guard was told to leave me there but during the night I was picked up by Yang, a Chinese man, who bathed me and tended to my injuries. He cared for me for 3 days and then took me back to rejoin my work mates, a very dangerous stunt. Without his and other Chinese help I would not have survived.

From then on my health deteriorated, my weight dropped to 7 stone. So far, in comparison with others, I had lived well. Back in Changi, men were now accommodated in the gaol. I met up with the Colonel again and was given the kitchen in the warders quarters to sleep in. Work continued on the drome, sometimes in terrible weather(wind, typhoon, heavy rain).

At a working party the guard always had a mound built and would sit there on his chair surveying all and sundry. Our trick was to build the mound over an ant hill, brown ants take badly to being disturbed!

We were not allowed motorised transport but had to use stripped down 3 ton lorries with a harness for about 20 men to pull them. Sometimes it would be a 5 ton load pulled for 3 - 6 miles. Whenever we passed the Ghurka camp we sang 'There'll always be an England' and would get an answering chorus back.

The behaviour of the Japs was unpredictable, one minute they would give you their last cigarette and the next half kill you. At roll call they would line up every face the same way and then run along the line with a clenched fist. If someone swayed out of line the men each side would get two fisted treatment. Or they would run along the line hitting ankles with a bamboo rod. The sun treatment was a favourite punishment. Being tied to a gate which was moved with the sun, or pegging one out near an ant hill. While building the drome at Changi they had the cage treatment - an 18 inch diameter cage, just big enough for a man to stand in, suspended from a tree in the sun. Some died, others took weeks to recover. A similar bamboo basket could be lowered into a hole, freezing at night and hot during the day.

By now we were such a mix of nationalities that we had news of fighting in Europe. The Americans kept themselves separate from the rest of us and were not popular. For the next 12 months we gave up trying to remember the date as life was getting so boring. With the news of the war developing in our favour the Japs became very aggressive. They boasted that if a landing was made on the Island we would not survive. News filtered through that thousands of coolies were digging trenches in Johore - capable of holding thousnds of men. We sharpened axes used in cutting down the jungle and made long bamboo spears ready to defend ourselves. Planes began to fly over, even if they did not bomb. We were treated differently on working parties and could at times get away with murder as the saying goes.

I must say a few words about the hospital and medical staff. The only equipment was that brought into Changi when we first surrendered. There was little or no morphine, medicine, bandages or instruments. At the end doctors used penknives, kitchen knives and spoons. Bandages were used over and over again. The inside of tents was torn up along with every available sheet in the camp. 'G' strings discarded by the Japs were sewn into strips. The botanists who found plants to provide medicine and the engineers who fashioned sticks and limbs for the disabled. The people who worked in the hospital had to endure the stench which was intolerable. The sand on the floor was renewed if supplies became available, but this was not very often. The patients slept on boards or table tops, no matress and half a blanket. There was no mosquito net and about 60 men to a hut. Men fought NOT to go into hospital as it was virtually one way traffic and the chances of coming out were less than 10%. Praise must be given to the unknown Chinese and Malays who gave, bought and threw over the wire anything they thought would help. POW's stole equipment from Jap hospitals and medical centres.

The Japs were getting restless and after the first bombs you had to watch your step. News was easy to come by and our radios (very secret of course) were on all day to just a selected few. When peace was declared the camp news stopped. The news came through about 4pm and was given out to everyone at 6am the next morning. During the night the Japs had up sticks and gone - we never knew where.

We had to co-operate with the Japs to survive but whenever possible sabotage was carried out. We could not be supervised all the time and stole everything possible. I have been asked if I would meet a Jap. NO, not even after 60 years.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.