Burma Railway Man: Secret Letters From a Japanese Pow Read online

  Nong Pladuk had been established for some fourteen months and the prisoners had been commanded by Lt.Col.Gill, who had gained respect in the same way as Col.Toosey had for standing up to the Japanese and, under the circumstances, for running a well ordered camp. The camp held about 2,000 men, mostly British and Dutch, but also some Australians and Americans.

  Because of its important position as the junction between the two major rail links in Thailand, there was a complex of marshalling yards and engineering workshops. The prison cage itself was vulnerably sited within this obvious target for Allied bombers, as was soon, tragically, to be born out.

  Nong Pladuk was to be Charles’s home for the next eighteen months. The grimness of the previous months began to be replaced by routine and boredom, which can be detected in Charles’s next few letters, as he casts around for something of interest to write about.

  My Dear,

  I wonder if a note on bananas would interest you? The banana tree is of the same fleshy substance as a hyacinth or daffodil. It grows up, bears leaves, has one crop of fruit and is then pulped for pig food. The leaves are a delicate green, are broad and readily split when blown by the wind. They are used instead of paper to wrap up purchases at markets everywhere in the east. The fibres of the stem are used for string and rope making.

  The flowers are produced on a terrific stem, which comes out of the centre of the plant and the bud is about 9 inches long and a reddish colour. The bud opens and stamens can be seen under each set of petals. The petals then die away, leaving the tiny bananas. These rapidly swell until they are normal size. They should be picked green and kept under cover while ripening. Incidentally, there are plenty of straight bananas out here! I am going out in charge of the LS Party for light sick or squashi bioki, if you prefer it in Jap. I do no work after taking them to Hashimoto, but yesterday, while talking to a Nip, I discovered I was an artist.

  I was telling him about up-country – and the elephants. Now Jap for elephant is ZOE, but he couldn’t understand me so I drew something like a shaggy carthorse. Strange to say he recognised this and insisted that I should sit at his desk and draw elephants on his issue post cards for his kids.

  In a few weeks I haven’t any doubt that Little Muddleton on the Slosh in Japland will be excited to receive these examples of British art. Hmm!

  Nong Pladuk Sept’43

  You would laugh heartily if you could see to what lengths I have had to go to appear decently dressed. I am well off compared to most people, but nevertheless am forced to practice the most extensive economy in clothes. I have never flogged any clothing to the Thais and have still one good pair of KD shorts and one shirt that I am saving for freedom.

  Soon the patches will join up and I shall have a new pair of shorts!!

  Letter 110

  A search today, but I lost nothing. These letters were safely hidden. Everyone is beginning to wear ‘clip clops’ – the native clog that can be bought or made cheaply. The difficulty is to learn how to keep them on one’s feet. I have at last conquered this disinclination to ‘stay on’ and am now saving my boots on every possible occasion.

  Letter 111

  My Darlingest,

  You will be amazed to hear that a Cycling Club existed in a POW Camp in Thailand!! On arrival here, I was dumbfounded to find the ‘NONG PLADUK CYCLING CLUB’ holding weekly meetings, at which lectures are given and discussions take place. I have joined, of course. There are several CTC members, besides members of other clubs.

  The Nong Pladuk Cycle Club was formed in June 1943 by G.W. Houghton and, for obvious reasons, never organized a single run. Its activities consisted of bi-weekly meetings at which lectures on racing, touring, cycle equipment and similar subjects were given. Quizzes on all subjects relating to cycling were very popular amongst the members, which included Australians, Dutch and cyclists from Great Britain. Towards the end of 1943, increasing Japanese pressure and strict orders against meetings of all sorts drove the club underground, but the meetings continued to take place at night in the darkness behind mosquito netting.

  Letter 112 Nong Pladuk Oct’43

  Darling,

  I was sent for by Col.Gill yesterday, who said that the camp was allowed two MPs – an Officer and an OR. The OR had recently got into trouble with the Nips through selling goods to the Chinese (which he was supposed to stop) and a new MP had to be found. I had been recommended (who by?) and would I take the job. I wasn’t particularly keen (all coppers are b…… s!) but he kept on, so finally was sent to Japs to be inspected and finally approved.

  My duties are to stop men selling their kit to the Chinese and regulate the Chinese Canteen opening hours: also stop stealing if possible. For two men in a camp of 2,000 this is nearly impossible, but the general idea is to let the men sell to the Chinese, but to watch everything that goes through this – the only channel with the outside world. On the other hand, if the Nips catch me allowing the men to deal with the Chinese – well, I cop out. A complicated situation!!

  Letter 113

  The Chinese have attempted to bribe me with food, but I am not having any. We have been fairly successful in picking up some stolen goods by keeping a watch on stuff flogged. The RSM here is RSM Sandy MacTavish of the 2 Argyll’s – a very good bloke indeed. I get on well with him.

  The Secretary of the NCC (Nong Pladuk Cycling Club) has died and have become Hon. Sec. in his place. I gave a lecture on ‘My First Tour’ t’other evening. Some lectures are very good. We have Australian and Dutch cyclists as members besides British. Quizzes are very popular.

  The Canteen is small, but makes pea soup out of tangy beans – this is rich in B1 and costs only 5c for 1/3 pint. Eggs are 10c.

  Nov’43

  I am out of work again. The IJA suddenly cut down the inside staff and have replaced me with another officer. Many Cookhouse people thrown out, too.

  Never mind. The work is not hard and I am always in charge of the party anyway. The Camp band plays us out to work here and the other afternoon we were photographed. I have just come out of hospital after an attack of malaria. Better now, thanks.

  After two years, which must have tested Charles’s resolve, he received his first letter from Louise a moment he noted with a rare dated response.

  Letter 115 Nong Pladuk 8.11.43

  My Dearest Darling,

  This is one of the big moments of my life. Today I came in from work to find some mail waiting for me. One letter from you, one from Shirley, 2 from Bow.

  I read your’s first, then gave the men’s out to my section. Oh my dear, I cannot put my feelings on paper. I have become uplifted. I cannot eat. I simply laid down on my blanket and trembled like a leaf. Laugh if you will, but that’s the effect your letter had on me. To know you are well and alive last September ’42. Oh my darling, how could I doubt you when I had no news in the first lot of mail? This one letter has made all the difference. One day I shall return to you. Nothing will stop me. I will myself to live for that day. I love you dearly, Louie sweetheart.

  A little while later, he continued.

  My Dear,

  Being a little calmer, I must thank you for my first letter for over two years. You don’t know what it means to me. I wish you could have written in more detail but undoubtedly the censors would have objected. I wonder where your Course took place?

  Honestly, darling, I do feel an awful ‘Has been’ when I read your letter. Nevertheless, I love you deeply.

  December at Nong Pladuk brought another change for Charles. Once again he found himself involved with the administration of the all-important camp canteen, something that was to prove a turning point of his captivity. It also coincided with the reappearance of his old commanding officer, Colonel Toosey, who arrived from Tamakan on 11 December, and was instrumental in appointing Charles to his Staff.

  Letter 119 Nong Pladuk Dec’43

  I am on the Staff again!

  A few days ago there was a big scandal in the Canteen. A Bdr employed for maki
ng soup was caught making more soup than he was ordered, selling the surplus and pocketing the money. I’m ordered to prevent this sort of thing, I have been asked by the PRI (Major Featherstone) to become manager of the PRI, with all the varied branches. The PRI Canteen has to be able to swallow up the many thousands of dollars paid by the IJA to the men every 10 days.

  At the moment I am learning the ropes on the Cooked Foods side. The PRI is Major Featherstone (Baluches). The Canteen officer is Lt. Fullerton (RA) and the officer i/c cooked foods is Lt. Cowie (FAISUR).

  The IJA had taken over the prisoners’ canteens in September and put a stop to all profits being made. These small profits had enabled the hospitals to purchase medicines on the black-market, but with this source of revenue closed, another method of fund-raising had to be implemented.

  With Charles managing the canteen, he had become party to a scheme that channelled thousands of dollars away from the Japanese and into a secret fund that financed drugs and medicines for the sick. This involved what is now euphemistically described as ‘creative accounting’ and took the form of two sets of accounts; one for the Japanese and the prisoner’s own true ledger. As this eventually involved thousands of dollars kept from the Japanese, Charles refrained from mentioning this in his letters until he was liberated.

  Meanwhile, another all male Christmas was celebrated.

  Letter 120 Nong Pladuk Christmas ’43

  My Dear,

  We had an Air Raid warning today!! A fine time to know that our boys are about!!

  At the same time we shall begin to dig trenches!!

  Christmas once again, away from the world. How many more…?

  At the Canteen we have cooked over 120 Christmas puddings – mostly rice, I’m afraid, but successfully disguised with plenty of limes and cloves and bananas. 10c a slice with sauce. We have worked hard all day today and I haven’t had time to see the pantomime, ‘Cinderella’.

  We have some fine ‘women’ for the finale leads. In the evening, we had a combined units RA Christmas Dinner in the Gunners tent amongst all RA WOs and Sjts. We invited Col. Toosey, who has been transferred from Tamarkan, Col. Gill (137), the Camp Padre and the MO. I made the toast to ‘The Guests’. The food was quite good and included some ‘wine’ made from fermented rice. It was suprising how many different RA units were present; AA, Anti-Tank, Field, Coast, all kinds.

  Here’s to Christmas next year with my darling. God Bless Her!!

  Herewith, the recipe for POW’s Xmas Pudding, if you are interested in ERSATZ productions. 400 portions 32 gallons cooked rice

  12.5 kgs potatoes

  48 limes

  1.5 kgs green ginger

  4.5 kgs pork fat

  200 bananas

  18 kgs rice flour

  6 coconuts

  18 kgs brown sugar

  cloves etc.

  The Nong Pladuk Camp was gradually enlarged until it housed about 8,000 prisoners. A small hospital was built and sports were allowed. Overall, conditions were gradually improved and vastly better than the jungle camps that most of the men had endured. Rations were still monotonous and the Red Cross comforts were systematically plundered by the guards. It was not only the Red Cross supplies that were not reaching the prisoners but it was common knowledge that the Japanese and Korean NCOs ran rackets which involved the pilfering of the prisoners’ rations resulting in great reduction in their food.

  There are rumours that a hospital is to be built at Nakom Paton to house the sick of all groups. All POWs are organised into 6 main groups ( 2 in Burma and 4 in Thailand). This will be a good thing if the Nips give medicines, drugs etc to keep it going. Knowing the Nips, this doesn’t seem to ring true.

  Charles seems to have suffered a depression after the euphoria he experienced after Louise’s letter. In fact, during January, he wrote only one short note.

  January 8 ’43

  My Dear,

  What a delightful New Year gift!! My second lot of mail – but how disappointed I was when I missed your handwriting! Some from Bow, some from Shirley and one from the Aunt in Yorkshire, but none from the person I really want to hear from. I do hope nothing is wrong.

  We also had some so-called Red Cross comforts: ½ tablet Chinese soap and 19 unsmokeable native cigarettes. What a farce it is! I do hope you are not being pestered (by the Red Cross) for something at home. One might as well make a donation to the Jap Army Corps.

  A desperate Charles Steel wrote in February;

  A few men have been allowed to send full length letters home. These were decided upon by ballot. I ‘bought’ two lines in a letter written by a Gnr.Butler, in which he asks his wife to get in touch with you. I wonder if they will ever get home?

  His ‘black’ mood continued with news of another atrocity.

  The full story of the murder of two British Officers by the Japs at Kanburi (sic) has just come out. The Japs found a radio that was made of odds and sods and promptly beat up the officers concerned until they were dead!! Nice people in charge of us!!

  The discovery of a hidden radio, which received the nightly news from Delhi, resulted in the killing of Captain Hawley RASC and the severe beating of Major Slater RA. After the war, the Japanese major responsible for this crime and the general ill-treatment of POWs was found guilty and executed.

  Letter 126

  A few notes from this Camp.

  A few items of sports gear received from YMCA. Nips take up sports.

  Many inspections by ‘high Japanese Officers’ – usually Majors. An officer and OR sent to Singapore and Bangkok to broadcast.

  Spate of lectures. We are running lectures in the Canteen after closing hours. Lectures almost every night. I gave one, ‘Eight months in France’.

  Col.Toosey cleaning up camp rapidly.

  PRI changed. Now Major Marsh (RAOC)

  Apple Dutch-type cake very popular at Canteen.

  Meat pies 10c gaining in popularity. Enormous quantities of pea soup sold.

  Concert party excelling itself with productions. ‘Hi Gang’, ‘When Day is Over’, ‘Eosapado Argentina’. I usually get a seat in the wings.

  Radio broadcasters return. Interesting lectures about conditions in Malaysia.

  HURRAY – letter from Louie – it’s worth its weight in gold!!

  With the receipt of Louie’s letter, Charles’s mood became more upbeat. He did report, however, an incident that later had unpleasent repercussions.

  Letter 128 Nong Pladuk April ’44

  My Dearest,

  We have just moved from Hut 5 to a new bamboo and attap hut at the back of the Camp. I could live in the Canteen if I wished, but prefer to have somewhere to retire to. One gets no rest in the Canteen.

  Incidentally, I have just had a rather exciting night. Eggs and soap have been missing from the Canteen, so I stopped up all night and at about 5–30am caught the Australian cooks who are on the staff, helping themselves. They left that day!! It was quite exciting in the dark.

  In stopping the Australians’ little racket, Charles had made a couple of enemies who sought immediate revenge, so forever souring Charles’s opinion of Australians.

  Letter 163

  On two consecutive nights following the one on which I caught the Australians stealing from the Canteen (at Nong Pladuk), I found scorpions in my bed. On one occasion I didn’t find it until morning. Nevertheless, I was not stung.

  Charles then waxes lyrical on the attributes of bamboo, the mango and the virtues of mosquito nets.

  Bamboo is the most remarkable wood in the world. Anyway, it really is a giant grass. It is circular and consists of hollow sections. It is very strong and sharp, if broken. From bamboo, one can make cups, pots, scoops, brooms, pencil holders, pens. One can build the complete framework of a building, make the roof of split bamboo and move in within a few days. One only needs string or ties to hold the bamboo together. One can split the inside and use the white inner surface for writing upon.

  A Dutchman in the camp is now m
aking single and double water pumps out of bamboo and odd pieces of shoe leather. They work well.

  The Japs use big male bamboo for water pipes and chimneys. They use the small thin ones for beating up purposes!!

  The mango – the grandest of the many tropical fruits to my mind.

  The mango is of a peculiar shape and has a large stone. In good varieties mangoes, the stone, although as long as the fruit, is very, very narrow and there is, consequently, plenty of luscious meaty fruit on both sides. The flavour of the mango is between that of a peach and an orange.

  IT IS DELICIOUS … but some people, who have lived in the East for many years, say that it causes skin diseases. Strangely enough, the scent of the mango is irresistible to flies.

  Dysentery is certain. Buy them green and let them ripen under cover from flies. For some years now, I have slept under a mosquito net – a thing one doesn’t think of in England. I am fortunate in saving mine at the Capitulation – people who haven’t got them are suffering terribly from malaria.

  There are many kinds.

  British Army IP type.

  Japanese and Dutch type.

  British Officers type.

  If one is resident in a place like Malaya, one has a wire cage installed in one’s bedroom, so one can sleep without a net close to one’s person. They are inclined to be hot.

  I’d love to be inside a net with you …

  Charles had definitely recovered from his bout of depression!

  Letter 133 Nong Pladuk May’44

  Some notes:-

  Parties still going up jungle – whenever possible, people who haven’t been before. Great new theatre built. Permission given by one Japanese Sjt. Permission refused by t’other. Great argument between the two. A great failing of the IJA; no two departments ever work together.

  Rumours of a landing in France.

  Chinese Canteen closed to POWs. We like our noodles and other Chinese dishes. Some USA Red Cross received. One individual parcel given to over 10 men. Nips living like lords. I do wish the Red Cross could see what is happening and stop sending this stuff to the Nips.