Burma Railway Man: Secret Letters From a Japanese Pow Page 11

  Red Cross goods bought with British Govt. money through the Swiss Consul arrived – ½ bar soap and 1 biscuit per man!

  June 1944

  Invasion of France seems successful and has put great heart into us. Wish we were there! Sick being sent out to work. One man (Dutch) collapsed and died.

  A large party left the Camp en route for Japan via Singapore

  With the railway completed and supply trains running up to Burma, the Japanese looked to use their captives on other labour-intensive projects like factories, mines and airfield construction. Charles was lucky to remain in the relatively comfortable Nong Pladuk Camp, at least for the time being.

  I am very fortunate in having held the job for 6 months. It has resulted in my being very fit, although I am officially sick with eye trouble to prevent the Japanese claiming me for outside work.

  The Canteen is very big now and turns over money at the rate of half-a million a year! Almost 100 employees. Anything from a cigarette to a meal – cakes, toffees, meat, pies, fruit – everything that human originality can devise. I have had my pay put up and am living comfortably. This is a very good experience. There are a number of Dutch on the staff who specialise in sambals and Javanese dishes. I should like to show you round as I have done to so many Jap officers.

  August 1944

  My Dearest,

  Further parties of men are leaving for Japan. I wonder when I shall go? If I do, I’m afraid that I shall lose these letters because the search is a very thorough one indeed and papers are all destroyed. Conditions in Singapore are reported to be appallingly bad with regard to food. Housing is OK, of course. The idea is, I believe, to put us to work in factories. To this end, everyone had had to put down one’s trade. (This must have perplexed the Japanese to find that the British were a nation of hairdressers.) We have also been tested for cholera (glass tube method – I must tell you some laughable incidents here). Some day …

  The 137 Field Regt RA is strongly represented in this Camp. It hails from Blackpool and has many of its original TA members in it. It came out here on ‘Dominion Monarch’ just before the Nip war began and it was in action the whole way down Malaya. It lost heavily at Slim River, which was one of the bad patches of the campaign.

  The men in the 137 are a good crowd and mix well with those of the 135. I get on fairly well with Lancashire people and have made many friends and acquaintances.

  Bowing to pressure from his canteen commander, Charles agreed to move into the canteen to keep a twenty-four hour watch on what had grown into a money spinning enterprise, the significance of which he could not reveal in writing for fear of discovery.

  I have at last capitulated and have moved to the Canteen, where I am sleeping in the toffee factory!!

  Whenever August comes around, I always remember with great happiness our last leave but one in August ’41. I enjoyed that leave more than our last because it was the last we had together all the time. The weather was delightful – do you remember picking the apples in the orchard? And I, for one, was really happy. Thank goodness we took plenty of photographs to keep those memories forever!

  Chapter 10

  Bombed by the RAF

  The routine of camp life, which had Charles struggling to write about anything interesting, was suddenly shattered, not by the Japanese, but by the Royal Air Force. With the Allies gaming control of the air, it was inevitable that the railway would become a target. Unfortunately, in targeting a depot like Nong Pladuk, the RAF seemed unaware that the POW camp was situated in its centre and resultant carnage caused great resentment.

  Letter 140 Nong Pladuk 7 September 1944

  My Darling,

  This is terrible …

  We have had Allied aircraft flying overhead on numerous occasions. Sometimes the Free Indian AA opens up with their Bofors from their nearby camp. This morning at 2 am, I was awakened by the Indians firing and the steady drone of aircraft overhead. And then the bombs came shrieking down. I was petrified in my half-awake condition. Fortunately I was only about 6 inches off the ground. Bombs seemed to explode all around the Camp. Splinters whistled through the flimsy bamboo and attap of the huts. One chunk passed directly over me. I rolled out of bed and laid on the ground before the next stick fell.

  I then went over to the Gunners’ hut to see if anyone was hurt. Here there were only minor injuries. The RAF then turned their attention to our oil dump near by and great fires were soon blazing.

  As soon as it was possible to move about, we found that four bombs had been placed directly across the centre of our Camp, while another stick had fallen down one side. The scenes were gruesome in the extreme as the bombs had exploded while the POWs were lying asleep, tightly packed in the huts.

  At the moment I am waiting to take part in a mass burial. All day, the victims have been dying, until now there must be 80 or 90 laid out on the blood soaked ground on hastily made stretchers. The IJA refused to allow a light during the night for emergency operations. No Jap was injured. The Nip Sgt, on seeing the rows of seriously injured said ‘OK-speedo finish’. They think it is very funny for our own planes to bomb us.

  We don’t: this camp has been here for 3 years now – is our intelligence service so bad as to think that this is a Nip camp? We are feeling rather bitter towards the RAF today.

  The prisoners had suffered over 400 casualties including over ninety killed or who died of wounds. As Charles noted, there were no Japanese casualties. The fates certainly seemed to conspire against the weak and helpless. Frustration and resentment threatened to boil over and the Japanese were quick to allow the prisoners to dig slit trenches but would not resite the camp away from the railway. They did, however, take the precaution of moving their own accommodation a safe distance from the railway.

  Letter 141

  The funeral was the most appalling ceremony ever. The Nips promised transport – then altered their mind when it was growing dark. About 350 men then picked up the bodies on the rice sack stretchers to carry them to the cemetery – a mile away. This was the signal for a tremendous rainstorm, which caused the stretchers to come to pieces and caused the bearers great difficulty in carrying the bodies, which slipped out.

  Overall was the realisation that if the RAF came back that night, many more would be in the same position the following night. It was ghastly. The Thais fled at our approach. The stench of the broken bodies appalling.

  Trenches have been hastily dug in the Camp and a system of alarms instituted. The whole camp was out in the trenches during the night because a diesel train passed along the railway. Everyone’s nerves are raw because the Japs have threatened to shoot anyone who breaks out of the Camp to reach safety. It’s an awful feeling to be cooped up in a small area with the knowledge that the RAF think we are Nips.

  The Japs will not allow us to mark the Camp with the Red Cross. Darling, if we ever meet again, I’m going to tie myself securely to your apron strings …

  The consequences of the bombing continued to dominate the prisoners.

  Letter 142

  My Dear,

  Sjt. Norris (344 Bty) died today. He was in the Hospital, which suffered very severely indeed from the bombing. There is a rumour that the BBC have broadcast a report on the successful bombing of a Nip Transit Camp … Casualties are now nearly 100 dead, very many badly damaged with legs off, etc. It is an awful thing.

  We are spending a lot of time up now at night but hope that when the moon goes down we shall get some sleep.

  Col.Toosey has written to the Nip Officer commanding all POWs, asking for the camp to be marked and the British Govt. notified that we are here.

  Letter 143 Nong Pladuk October 1944

  The next Camp to us (Nong Pladuk II) has been amalgamated with this one and IJA staff from there have taken over here. I am being retained here.

  The Canteen is now very large, with a cigarette factory, quick lunch bar, supper bar and a whole host of amenities.

  The Dutch had established the ‘Fag Fabr
ik’, which produced rough hand-rolled cigarettes of coarse native tobacco wrapped in rice paper. These were variously named ‘Sikh’s Beard’ or ‘Hag’s Bush’ and were a great inducement to kick the habit.

  The Officers, with their 50 dollars a month are the chief customers, although men who steal from the IJA on working parties and sell to the Thais, have a lot of money – and they spend it.

  These notes are now being buried deep down, in view of the incriminating words.

  Letter 144 November 1944

  The Accounts of the canteen now have to be kept in Japanese fashion, which is rather amusing because even the IJA can’t understand them.

  A Jap Colonel has arrived from Japan to take over all groups of POWs. Reported to have beaten up a Jap Major at a bad camp up country.

  Supplies of Canteen changed by Nips from Chinese to Thai. Lorry arrives every morning with a cute little Thai girl in charge. About 21, not more than 4′6″ tall, perfectly proportioned – gives us all naughty thoughts, but an armed Korean guard with her … She obviously knows she is IT! But does she know she is raped – in imagination by about 3,000 men per day?

  A lot of staff cutting. Parties still going up country, sick coming down. I seem permanent. More mail arrived – thank you, darling – more than I can ever say.

  The routine was again broken by another RAF bombing raid which, although it only caused minor casualties, frayed the nerves of men already close to breaking point.

  Letter 145 November 1944

  My Darling,

  They’ve done it again!!

  We were in the trenches all last night and although no bombs fell in the Camp, the RAF missed the railway line and the bombs fell on the roadway by the Cookhouse, which was partly blown down and set on fire. Only a few minor injuries this time, thank goodness.

  I looked up once and saw a huge 4-engine bomber pass across the face of the moon – straight over the Camp. The black silhouette seemed to represent all that was evil in the world – and yet – they are our own planes, with our own flesh and blood – perhaps Ken himself–inside them. This is a ghastly mix up. The Dutch are inclined to panic. It takes a lot to keep still.

  Charles’s younger stepbrother, Ken, volunteered for the RAF with the expressed intention of liberating his beloved sibling. He was not, however, involved in the bombing raids on the railway.

  There was also a tightening of security by the Japanese, not to prevent escaping, but rather to restrict nocturnal black-market trading. This just added to the tension and frustration felt by men about to enter their third year in captivity.

  Letter 146 Nong Pladuk November 1944

  My Dear,

  The IJA have ordered that all valuables have to be handed in. I am one of the few with a watch left – but have hidden this below ground and handed in a cheap broken one which I bought for a few dollars. Pencil and pen are also below ground. I shall be shot if these notes are ever found as no diaries are allowed; besides, the possession of pens and pencils is forbidden, I hate giving in to these bastards on any point. We are not likely to see these valuables back if I know the IJA. As I can’t use mine any more, I think that I shall sell it by ‘underground’ methods and possibly change the proceeds into a sterling cheque through a ‘hard-up’ officer.

  Restrictions are becoming very severe. At last the IJA have got a POW administration working – and mighty uncomfortable it is, tool Each hut commander must report every two hours during the day where all his men are! And during the night, each hut must have two guards on duty (sin bars) to stop men escaping! Every hour, a Korean guard comes round and attempts to count the bodies lying in rows. He usually gets muddled up and finds a man in the latrine whom the ‘sin bars’ didn’t know was out and then it’s slap, slap, bash, bang for the bloke on duty.

  These Koreans ought to be punished severely for these crimes. The gunzo here now is named Takashima. He is inordinately vain and is known as Handsome Charlie. He is an expert at pinpricking. He is quiet and never bashes anyone himself but is the most infuriating man I have ever met. He will cancel a concert ten minutes before it begins or suddenly announce that there must be no talking on the stage, no laughter among the audience. Or he will stop a football match if he sees the Koreans enjoying it. Or, perhaps, send half our staff out to work without notice. I’d like to kill him!

  We have a Major Chida, the No.1 Group Commander in the Camp now. He is known as ‘Dad’ or the ‘DOC’ (that’s naughty, I admit). He is very ancient, almost bent double and puts one in mind of an old chicken. He gets drunk regularly and, in spite of his senility, is a lad with the girls who attend him regularly. He is not seen for a day or so after a visit from one of the Comfort girls, who come from Ban Pong to minister to his needs. He is terribly absent minded. One day he fell down a disused latrine.

  Charles’s hopes of making a profit from selling his watch were soon dashed.

  It looks as if I have dropped the proverbial clanger. I sent my watch out by a man who contacts Thais and now the working party on which the man goes is now cancelled owing to cholera at that particular Japanese Camp. It looks as if I have lost my watch … PS. It won’t worry me as long as I get back to you. The Japs can have all my belongings, the Government can have all my credits. I shall be content to get back in my birthday suit … I’m sure you won’t mind!

  Charles launched into one of his frequent declarations of love, which the lengthy separation had not diminished.

  My Dear,

  I sometimes think we shall be here twenty years and get correspondingly downhearted. But however long it is, Louie, nothing is going to be altered as far as you and I are concerned, This poem rather fitted with my mood.

  Let Her grow lovely, growing old,

  So many fine things to do,

  Laces and ivories and gold

  And silks need not be new.

  There is beauty in old trees,

  Old streets a glamour hold;

  Why may not She, as well as these,

  Grow lovely, growing old?

  So even if we are in our seventies when we meet again, darling, you will still be 21 in my eyes!!

  Charles and his comrades had to endure yet another Christmas in captivity.

  Nong Pladuk Christmas 1944

  My Dear,

  Another Christmas apart!! When is this going to end? Looking back, it seems amazing that we could live on hope in 1942. And yet now, almost into 1945, we still hope from day to day. I am even still shaving daily, so you see that I haven’t become a savage entirely yet.

  The IJA have given everyone a tiny portion of saki (which we have paid for out of Canteen profits). They are extraordinary people. They have now moved from their Administrative building, which is near the railway and put POWs in there to sleep. Every time an engine starts up in the night, the whole hut flies out of the doors and windows and into the trenches. Some have taken up the floorboards to facilitate hurried exits.

  The Cookhouse is now moved to a safer quarter. I hear the new Canteen is to be built further away from the railway.

  I wonder what you are doing today? My thoughts are with you. However long this enforced parting is going to be, we’re going to be back together some day.

  If Christmas at Nong Pladuk was dull, the RAF made certain that New Year got off to a bang.

  Nong Pladuk 31 December 1944

  My Dear,

  Once again the RAF has paid us an unwelcome visit. I was just finishing my tea, when I heard the bugle and heard men running. I went out to the trench and saw a sight which froze my blood.

  Approaching from the East, in perfect formation, in broad daylight and at not more than 5,000 feet were 12 four engined bombers. The AA opened up and I dived. Then came the bombs. Although apparently overhead, most of the bombs fell on Hashimoto’s railway yard and only a few fell on the camp. One lump of red hot metal fell between me and Mr. Fullerton. After they had passed, came second and third waves; the first two dumped high explosives, the third incendiaries. The Dutch
panicked after the first wave.

  There was indescribable damage at Hashimoto’s. In the Camp, too. Major Sykes and another officer were killed besides several men. The Hospital was burnt completely down. Two other huts were almost destroyed. The Cookhouse was completely destroyed. Men are walking about with just a ball bag on, having lost all other kit. Many men with mental disorders. The strain of being Aunt Sallies is rather great.

  I was to have a further thrill.

  The Cookhouse was burnt down but we had a lot of four gallon tins on a range there. As we took over the job of brewing tea for all the Camp until a new Cookhouse was established, I went down with my coffee man – Sjt Mayes – at about 3am to look for any undamaged cans. Vain hope! We returned unlucky. No sooner had we returned to the Canteen, when a tremendous explosion shook the Camp. A delayed action bomb under the Cookhouse had blown the debris to smithereens.

  A lucky escape, for we must have been standing on it!! Somehow I feel sure that I am ordained to come back to you …

  It seemed incomprehensible to the POWs that British Intelligence had not found out that the RAF were frequently dropping bombs on their own men. Instead, the raids continued on Nong Pladuk, with the odd stray bombs continuing to cause casualties and distress in the Camp.

  January 15 1945

  My Dear,

  We have moved today to a big new Canteen built at the back of the Camp. Things should be safer here, although a higher water table doesn’t allow such deep trenches. We are still visiting these on moonlight nights and often during the day. The RAF are very heavy handed.

  There are rumours that all the officers are being taken away from us.

  For Charles, the most significant anniversary was upon him again, and again he had not yet celebrated it with his wife. He expresses a nagging worry that affected most married prisoners – would their relationship have changed by the enforced lengthy parting? Sadly, for many, the long anticipated reunion would soon turn to dust. Many released POWs were badly scarred by their experiences at the hands of the Japanese and their wives and families, who had also suffered great anxiety, were unable to offer the sort of succour needed.