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

  Typical menu – Breakfast Rice, tinned carrot, tea

  Tiffin Rice, jam, coconut mixed

  Evening Rice, stew, tea

  We have made carts from old lorries for transport of rations, wood etc. and are building a hairdresser’s shop. Canteen facilities are non-existent. Swimming is stopped. I have 97 men in my Troop. After parade, either I or the Troop Commander read to them or organise lectures. Last night I borrowed a gramophone from a sergeant in the 148 Field Regiment and gave them a recital -classical first half, dance music second half. Although our main job is, as the Colonel said at the Capitulation, to keep ourselves alive, it is up to us to keep men from sinking to the lowest levels of existence.

  I am fortunate in having you behind me – always.

  This relatively up-beat letter was quickly followed by a tragic postscript;

  I have just seen a gunner die from dysentery and feel so upset that I feel I must say how bitter I feel against the Nips, who have caused an epidemic like this by crowding men together like cattle at the end. Once started, a thing like this is hard to stop. Warburton was quite unrecognisable. He could only have weighed six stone – just a skin covered skeleton. This is worse than dying in action. Forgive my mood.

  Food became the all-consuming topic of conversation and its acquisition the greatest activity.

  Dearest

  A Black Market has started in the absence of canteen facilities and the non-existence of European rations. Adventurous spirits are getting through the wire (which we have ourselves put up) and are contacting Chinese who, with true commercial instinct, are charging enormous prices for tinned food. Corned beef – small tins-are about 5 Straits dollars (8/-to 10/-in Sterling), Milk is 5–6 dollars (11/-to 13/-) per small tin and so on. And yet, the craving for food is so keen that many people are only too willing to pay these prices. Bread rolls about 5″ long are 1 dollar (2/4d). I have a Gunner Lloyd who has rapidly become a rich man through these activities. He is converting his stock of notes into rings etc. A dangerous game to play with the threat of shooting if caught by the Nips outside the wire.

  The only conversation amongst the men is about food. The female sex has been completely ousted as a topic of conversation. Men are smoking leaves in lieu of tobacco. Some men who have been heavy drinkers are already going down with beriberi. BSM Murkin (499) died from dysentery today.

  The only occasions that the Japanese made their presence felt during this strange period of unreality was when they called for the prisoners to be paraded for visiting dignitaries.

  Since we became P.O.Ws, we have had to line the roads to Changi three times. On the first occasion, high Japanese Military officers inspected their ‘bag’, on the second it was the Jap Navy and on the third, the new civilian administration of Singapore, who lounged back in their British and American cars and stared at us. One’s blood boils but anger does little good. If one were in German hands, one at least would have an organisation with which to deal. There is none here.

  After about six weeks, the Japanese began to make use of the huge pool of labour they had idling away at Changi. Charles wrote his tenth letter in April;

  My Dear

  During the last ten days the unit has had to send a working party to Singapore each day. I went on three of these parties and thoroughly enjoyed the change. On each occasion we were transported – 50 in a small lorry from Changi Gun Park to Singapore Town at breakneck speed which seems typical of Nip driving.

  My first trip was to the Docks area where we were engaged all day in unloading empty petrol drums from lorries and stacking them. The Japanese were quite friendly. It was incredible to notice the leg wear adopted – British Army gym shoes, white Indian socks – suspenders-and shorts!! The Japanese Army seems to depend upon supplies filched, stolen or won locally. Two of our men were slapped – a curious Nippon punishment – for attempting to enter a shop to buy food.

  On the second trip, we went right into the docks and were forced to unload bombs from lorries and pile them by the quayside. Nip soldiers did a flourishing business by getting tins of marmalade from the ruins of a warehouse (a ‘go-down’) and selling them to us at a dollar each. One Japanese NCO came up to Major Banham and myself and asked where we went to school etc.

  The third day saw us at the station where we piled empty petrol drums. We found a box of British Army biscuits and managed to steal most of them. They were like manna from Heaven!! I felt a new man with something solid inside me again! One’s teeth are inclined to ache with such solid food however.

  There are rumours that we are to move from Changi to a place called Bukit Timah, near Singapore. I should like to get out into the world again: this is like a perpetual TA Camp, with no chances to get out or satisfy one’s hunger.

  Never mind – we’re going to have a North Cray breakfast again … some day!!

  A few notes about conditions here.

  A few cigarettes and a little soap issued by the Nips.

  One can get anything for cigarettes. Am laying in privately, medical supplies and toilet requisites.

  ‘Limed’ rice issued. Many men sick.

  High standard of internal organisation. Rgtl Gardens, Rgtl Educational Scheme, Changi ‘University’, Div 1 Concert Party. Church Parades all in being.

  Organised with Bty Captain, a Battery Arts and Crafts Exhibition. Did not win prize with bamboo serviette rings. Rgtl Exhibition followed, judged by Major-General Beckwith-Smith 118 dist.

  Grave problems of worn out footwear

  Grave doubts about allowing of Red Cross.

  No fresh vegetables. Beri-beri cases increasing.

  Dysentery dying down – thank God.

  Major Banham gives his WO’s and Sgts a lecture on news and memories every Weds. Very depressing.

  Regtl Diary of Action written.

  Rice grinder constructed. Rice biscuits made. Cake made from artificial manure … not bad.

  Man claiming to be a Seer giving out prophecies in the Beds/Herts Rgt. Said his CO would be in hospital in a fortnight’s time. Was punished for spreading malicious rumours, but … his CO went down with dysentery.

  ‘Singapore Post’ Foot Scabies, Tinia Ringworm increasing.

  General Heath inspected all RA units – 5th, 88th, 122nd, 135th, 137th, 148th, 155th Says the Field Artillery did magnificently under terrible conditions. Japanese admit superiority of British gunners, suffered heavily.

  Visited Roberts Hospital 2/5/42 to see wounded, sick etc

  Received orders to move 4/3/42. Moving on 5/5/42.

  With so many men confined together, there was bound to be a wide range of skills and talents. The ‘Changi University’ became established and had faculties of modern languages, English Language and Literature, History, Geography, Mathematics, Economics and Theology. Each faculty had four or five lecturers offering lectures every day, as well as tutorials. The University proved very popular and helped to keep the inmates’ minds off their empty stomachs.

  The 18th Division even managed to form a symphony orchestra, which played prison-made instruments and were led by a former London Philharmonic musician.

  The Japanese realized that the daily transporting of work parties from Changi was wasting too much time, so a number of temporary camps were built near the work sites. As Charles revealed, the 135th left on 5 May for Bukit Timah and …

  We have arrived here after a terrible march of 26 miles in the full tropical sun. Many fell out and are still coming in. Finished, but felt pretty faint at the end. Living in damaged RAF camp.

  Some 3,000 prisoners were sent to Bukit Timah, in the centre of the island to help build a Shinto shrine, named Shonan Jinjya, to commemorate the Japanese victory. It was to be constructed on a small island in the MacRitchie Reservoir on the Singapore Golf Course close to the camp, from where Charles wrote;

  My Dearest

  This is definitely a move for the better. We, with the rest of the 53.1.B have been installed into an ex-RAF camp – at one time Far Eastern
H.Q. It consisted of attap roofed wooden bungalows on a series of hills surrounding a small valley. When we arrived, the camp was just as the fierce fighting around here had left it. Many of the bungalows are now just concrete slabs in the ground with debris upon them. Almost all huts have shell holes in the roof. A giant water tower lays where it crashed on the top of a hill and our noses tell us that there are still many unburied.

  The march from Changi was a real endurance test. The Japanese brought us through almost the most crowded parts of the city of Singapore – a dreadful loss of face to ourselves and a gratifying exhibition to our captors. And yet one could see that not all the enormous Chinese population had turned against us. One fat old Chinese woman came out of a shop and, through her action, caused a galling scene. She threw the rolls to the men, who, hungry as they were, scrambled for them. A feather in the cap of the Japanese to see Englishmen scrapping in the gutters … The last part of the journey was hilly and caused much trouble.

  However, here we are. With the other two 336 WOs, I am installed in a small room at the end of the bungalow and am having a bed made from planks. No water or sanitation, of course.

  The work here is to be the construction of a Shrine to the Nippon dead on a hill on the Bukit Timah Golfcourse, nearby. The work is being designed by Nippon REs (Engineers) and done by us.

  This is known as No.2 Camp. No.1 Camp is in Adam Park, not far away and contains Australians, Gordons, Leics and East Surreys. No.3 is the 54 IB, Norfolks, Suffolks and 148 Field Regt RA. There is still no POW organisation and only a Nip RE (Engineer) Sjt is responsible for us.

  I think, if more food comes, this will be a good camp.

  During their efforts to make the camp habitable, some unpleasant relics were unearthed.

  Darling Wife

  A most upsetting day today. A gunner came in with an AB64 (Army Book 64 – Soldier’s Pay Book) which he said he had found in a pipe stuck in the ground. I went and found that the stick was stuck into a ditch partially filled in. I had two men dig and quickly came across the remains of some poor fellow who had been partially blown to pieces. The head was separate and the skull quite clean, but the body had been foolishly buried in a groundsheet and had not decomposed. We buried as many parts as could be sorted out and held the customary service. We buried him as I. Cambs. His hometown was in Stowmarket. How futile war is! A simple country lad like this – his home amid the cornfields of Suffolk, dragged to the other side of the world, butchered, and put in a hole under rubber trees so far and foreign from his own lovely countryside!

  He was not the only one. A pile of clay on some asphalt near the cookhouse disclosed another. Three – two British and one Japanese – were found near the MI Room. Four in another hole, What misery it is!

  These harrowing discoveries obviously got to Charles for he, almost desperately, feels an overwhelming desire to declare his love and persuade himself that he will eventually be reunited with Louise.

  …Oh my darling, I dare hardly to open my heart to even you. Only one thing matters. I must see you again. I will see you again. I will. I WILL. Nothing is important besides that.

  However black the outlook is, your memory shines through like a star … my guiding star, a star which will remain with me like the millions of shining specks which have shone in the tropical skies forever and forever. I love you dearly.

  By the next letter, the fifteenth, Charles had regained his composure and even allowed himself a little optimism.

  Dearest,

  A short description of the work here.

  Bukit Timah Golf Course is to be converted into a Shrine with a memorial as its focal point. A series of roads will be laid out and flowers and trees planted. Hump backed Japanese bridges will be built at three points.

  For the first week we had to march long distances each way at the other end of the glorious lake – the MacRitchie Reservoir, which lays amid perfect surroundings on the golf course area. Hard to believe that one is in the tropics at first sight, so rigorously have palm etc been excluded.

  The work is done Oriental fashion, that is with no mechanical aids other than spades, chunkols and baskets for carrying earth. A terrible soul destroying occupation. We are nothing better than slaves or the coolies whom you see in pictures of China.

  After a week or so, the Japanese pioneers were removed and REs (Jap Army Engineers) took their place. They are a better lot. On the first day, all our officers got beaten up as a spade was missing at the end. This has not reoccurred although many men have been slapped and punched. Unfortunately, efforts to stop this are met with amazement as it is the same to the Jap Army as CB (Confined to Barracks) is to us. A Lt-Col. will slap a Major’s face in front of the Troops if he wishes. One cannot help thinking of Queen Elizabeth’s habit of boxing her Minister’s ears!!

  The men work very slowly indeed. We are taking the view that if they do not wish to work, they need not he forced to but must take the consequences from the IJA. Very unsatisfactory as some men are born workers.

  The Japanese must rank among the foremost landscape gardeners in the world. The steps leading to the Shrine are granite. The bridges of teak with brass knobs.

  I am glad that the IJA have put us to work because it offends no Hague Convention or Red Cross dictates. One is in the open and is hungry for even the swill which we call food. There are rumours of pay – 10c per day all ranks. A fair number of men are left in camp for Camp organisation. I take parties out about two out of three days.

  Things could be a lot worse – so lets look on the sunny side!! It won’t be long now.

  His last upbeat comments refer to a persistent rumour that, as the Japanese could no longer feed them, the prisoners were to be sent to neutral Mozambique for repatriation. He continues in a hopeful vein with his description of Singapore and even ends with a little flirtatious teasing.

  Although I have never visited Singapore Town as a free man, I have seen enough of it to be able to describe to you that famous Junction of the East.

  The European part of Singapore is clustered around Raffles Square and St. Andrews Cathedral, which are near the water front. Behind this quarter, there extends for thousands and thousands of yards the native quarters, predominately Chinese. One can only liken this part of the city to a gigantic ant hill. Along each side of the streets are hung the vertical Chinese advertisements, while in narrow streets bamboo’s stretch above one’s head from window to window carry all the family’s washing. The shops, except those in the European quarter, are open, bazaar type. The owner sits on a chair in the pavement. Under Britain, hawkers were not allowed in most main streets but now the Chinese coolies sit everywhere, chewing betel nut and displaying their wares – perhaps a chicken or a small bunch of onions or half a dozen pomelous. It is incredibly fascinating. Oh my darling, how I wish I was free and had you here with me. More and more I feel that anything done without you with me is so much wasted.

  I should like to see the Raffles Museum. I should like to go into St.Andrews Cathedral and Raffles Hotel. I should like to go to the famous Cabarets – the Great World, the Happy World, the New World. Singapore was the amusement centre of the Far East. Also, the centre for all kinds of vice, too. I have heard some amazing stories from fellows who had been in Singapore for long periods. From distant glimpses of the beautiful Eurasian girls who live in such numbers in Singapore I can quite understand the temptation!!

  I should imagine that more men are unfaithful to their wives here than anywhere in the world except Shanghai, where there are so many White Russians. Never mind – you have no need to worry over yours!! And I mean that.

  In May, the Imperial Japanese Army started paying their prisoners for their labour, something that would deeply involve Charles as his years of captivity ground on.

  We are going to be paid. Officers & WOs 25 cents

  Sjts & Bdrs 15 cents

  Gunners & L/Bdrs 10 cents

  WOs will now take their turn with junior officers in taking out parties.
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  The Malay currency system is that which most sensible countries have already adopted.

  (Charles was an early advocate for decimalisation) 100 cents to 1 Straits Dollar (2/4d)

  ½ cent and 1 cents are square coins with rounded corners.

  Silver 25 cents, 50 cents and 1 dollars are being withdrawn and paper money introduced for 50 cents and 1 Dollars.

  The Japanese are issuing paper money for amounts down to 1/5 cents like postage stamps and worth 1/3 farthing.

  The Japanese note for 1 Dollar upwards are fairly decent productions, each featuring a tropical fruit or tree. Rather effective.

  The prisoner’s new found wealth could be spent at a canteen that was organized. Captain Northcote, the Adjutant, was escorted into Singapore Town once a week to purchase extra quantities of food, soap and tobacco. This combination of an improved diet and fairly easy work resulted in an improvement of the men’s health.

  There was another small morale boost for the 135th.

  Col.Toosey has been awarded the DSO on behalf of the Regiment and on account of its behaviour in action. An emergency reward made by the Divl.Cmdr. (General Beckwith-Smith), which has pleased everyone tremendously. Probably the result of Wavell’s visit to the unit during the battle.

  The staple diet was rice and Charles let his opinion of this particular cereal be known.

  My Own Darling,

  As a rice – eater – no, not an ant-eater, but something slightly lower in scale, I am amazed at the different varieties of rice which have come our way.

  To start with we had the normal polished white type, which we know in England. Then came the ‘Yellow Peril’, rice with lime. On objections being raised, the Nip reply was; ‘Well, it’s your own rice and you put lime into if. So we did, but it wasn’t meant for human consumption (condemned).

  Wholemeal rice came along at Bukit Timah – rice with the husk on. Good for (Vitamin) B.1 content, but, oh, how sore on the throat!!