The other 60 per cent were primarily miners and businessmen. Thai prisoners work for little money and often, to survive in prison, they need outside funds. The number of deaths which occurred when Japanese "hell ships"unmarked transport ships in which POWs were transported in harsh conditionswere attacked by US and Royal Navy submarines were particularly high. Suga was based at Batu Lintang internment camp, although he was usually elsewhere at the other POW camps under his jurisdiction. 2) by an air raid, 31 POWs were killed in Toshiba Tsurumi Branch Camp (Tokyo No. G-Japan leftChangi and sailed from Singapore for Japan on 26 April 1943 on theKyokko Maru. In 1918 she was acquired by the Johnstone Line of Liverpool, who renamed her Hartmore in 1920 and sold her in 1921 to the Anglo-Oriental Navigation Company (part of Yule Catto), Liverpool, who renamed her Sureway. At the time, he expressed his deep concern for his son at the prison because of the poor food provided to prisoners and the prevalence of Aids. One significant point is that Lance and his family will not have pay the 3.3 million in fines originally imposed by the Thai court in 2015. Now both young men are still only getting into the stride of what will still be very long and painful prison term even if both are eventually transferred to home prisons. On 12 February 1942, the merchant ship Vyner Brooke left Singapore just before the city fell to the Imperial Japanese Army. 12 0 obj Prisoners are locked up rigorously under a strict regime for 13 hours a day and it is understood that the tedium of this is difficult to bear mentally. <> In 2016, Lances dad broke down to the press when his sons 50 year prison sentence was upheld. Some POWs testified that they had never received any pay in any form. Ordinarily, the POWs carried a lunch box to work, and in some cases, the companies provided food for the POWs. 9 0 obj <> He spent time in three jails, including Bang Kwang, the notorious "Bangkok Hilton". 15 0 obj The registers refer to camps numbered 1-4, the identity of these had not previously been established but it is now believed that these refer to: No 1 PoW camp - Changi, No 2 PoW camp - Serangoon Road Camp, No 3 PoW camp - River Valley Road Camp and No 4 PoW camp - Adam Road Camp. 2-300 Australian & British POWs along with up to 5,000 Dutch POWs were forced to help build the road into the interior nearly 70km long between Blangkedjeren & Takengon. Fifteen US soldiers and sailors were killed as well as thirteen merchant seamen rescued from the sunk freighter American Leader. 7 0 obj Note: Hellships were frequently renamed or known by other names -AKA in these listings means 'also known as'. The ship was later part of a convoy sailing on 3rd June 1944 from Batavia, Java towards Japan with 772 Australian, British and American prisoners of war on board. Besides returning with Japanese officials and other civilians, these ships carried back mail and relief supplies for Allied nationals held by the Japanese. Later that day Suga formally surrendered to Brigadier Thomas Eastick, the commander of Kuching Force (a detachment from the Australian 9th Division) at Batu Lintang camp. The gun batteries on Blakang Mati were later destroyed or deliberately broken up to prevent them from falling into Japanese hands. While there, the prisoners were afforded no sanitary conditions whatsoever. The shots wounded the four but did not kill them. Recently, some prisons in Thailand provide the option for family abroad to have video call with prisoners in prison. Furthermore, the Japanese Government had been very negligent in keeping records of such historical facts during the war. Briton freed after 17 years in Thai jails feels 'let down' by FO Duncan Campbell Tue 15 May 2007 20.53 EDT A Blackpool businessman who spent more than 17 years in jail in Thailand, including. The list below is not definitive, however, there is some information on every ship that it was possible to find data on immediately. Westerners, often taller than most Thai prisoners, admit that overcrowding is a horrendous problem. However, living conditions were difficult. The first time I walked into my cell was like heading into the lions den. 4 0 obj At least, prison yoga is available to free the mind and ease the pain. Up to 180,000 Asian labourers and 50,000 POWs were used in this construction, with around up to 90,000/13,000 - 16,000 respectively dying as a result. Mark Rumble, 31, was extradited back to the UK from Thailand on January 27 Suga attended the official surrender of the Japanese forces in the Kuching area by their commander, Major-General Hiyoe Yamamura, onboard HMAS Kapunda on the 11th September 1945. The more interesting material is often the returning POW questionnaires found within WO392/23 (A-D) WO392/26 (R-Z), these were collated by MI9, the British secret service department responsible for escape and evasion. To-151 Kamioka Prison (Gummyoji) Yokohama. Sailed from Manila to Davao departing on 1/7/42 the journey lasted 8 days and had 200 POWs on board. POWs were then transferred to the Tamahoko Maru which was sunk 24/6/44 in Nagasaki bay with only 212 survivors. The first project for the prisoners was to clean the building. 2 0 obj A Dutch-built ship of 2071 tonnes, launched in 1900. Also organised trips to Thailand twice a year. A set of 3 ships carried around 2200 POWs to Moji however. The average number of cards which the Japanese allowed being sent out was from four to five for the whole period of captivity, and only some of these reached their destinations. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.56 842.04] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Visiting prisoners in the Bangkok Hilton. Liberation came between the 24th and 30th August 1945 when the POWs were transported to Pekanbaru, although too late for the near quarter of all allied POWs who died from disease, malnutrition, starvation and brutality. The rail line was built along the Khwae Noi (Kwai) River valley to support the Japanese armed forces during the Burma Campaign. Don't miss a thing! This is the reality for more than 15,000 foreigners from over 100 countries, as of 2020. The standard work schedule was eight hours a day with one day a week off, but POWs were often forced to work longer. Took over 1000 Australian POWs from Changi POW camp Singapore (probably Selerang barracks as that was the Australian camp) sailing on 15th May 1942 for Belawan/Medan in northern Sumatra. In the prison camp and on the way to work, guarding the POWs was the responsibility of the Japanese Army soldiers and camp staff. And 13 are on death row in nine different countries for murder, terrorism, drugs offences and blasphemy, Freedom of Information figures from the Foreign Commonwealth Office show. Now I could afford to buy proper food for myself, I didnt have to live solely on the inedible prison food any more. There were Japanese civilian doctors or medical officers who came around the camps, or there were the POW medical officers in each camp who conducted treatment. After the Japanese surrender, Argyle Street Camp became a centre for displaced people returning to Hong Kong. The POWs were already in weak condition before embarkation, and they had to endure terrible conditions while aboard the transport ships (hell ships'). It was a place of starvation, torture and terror, a place of madness and, for many, death. Usually though, you couldnt even identify it. endobj His mother, Debbie Caswell, who updates readers on a Facebook support page, recently revealed that one of the prisoners walks on her sons back to help him cope with the pain he suffers from constantly sleeping on a hard surface. River Valley Camp/Havelock Road camp (Malai 3). It is reported that least 1,000 of these inmates are foreigners normally held in Building 2.The institution is a huge prison complex housing both men and women. Brutal inmates often target foreigners and subject them to abuse. 1600+ British POWs arrived here on May 20th 1943 from a 300-mile march from Ban Pong. 13 & 3 Camp, Cherison, Bandoeng, Java, JC /255 1 Allied Group Hospital, Lyceum, Bandoeng, Java, JC /156 Taiping Jail Perak ( amalgamated with ) Ipoh, Malaya, JC /288 Ipoh ( amalagamated with JC /156 ), Malaya, JC /296 Sungei Bulow, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, JC /316 Oesapa Bezar, Timor, Netherlands East Indies, JC /313 Los Banos and Santo Tomas Camps, Manila, Philippines, JC /1 Kanburi, Kanchanaburi, Khan Buri, Siam, JC /2 Pungyisho ( south of Tarsao ), Siam, JC /5 152 kilo railway camp, Hintock River Camp, Siam, JC /26 Tamuang,Taenvang, Tam Wang, Siam, JC /27 Wanyei, North Tarsao, 125 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /34 Takelin, 101 kiol railway camp, Siam, JC /40 Linson, 202.5 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /42 Kanyu, 140 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /48 Pran Kashi, 208 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /49 Tarkenun, 203 kilo railway camp and 211 kilo, Swinton's Camp, Siam, JC /50 Tampii, Arrahill, Jungle Camp, Siam, JC /53 227 kilo railway camp and 245 kilo, Siam, JC /55 Vajiravugh College, Bangkok, Siam, JC /56 Takanon, 228 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /61 Klikrie, Klien Kli, Tarkenum, 240 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /62 Ladya Railway Suppy Camp, Kanburi to Tarsao Road, Siam, JC /70 Bankow, Bangkao, 96 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /71 Wampo South, 110 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /72 245 kilo railway camp and 227 kilo, Siam, JC /81 Rin Tin, 82 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /86 Tampii Camp, 147 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /96 North Wamps, Wamps, 114 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /99 Lampoe, 32 kilo north of Chieng-Mai, Siam, JC /126 230 kilo railway camp and 245 kilo, Siam, JC /133 Tamajo, 229 kilo railway camp, and 234, and 239 kilo, Siam, JC /137 Kachu Lu, Katchu Mountain Camp, Siam, JC /143 Bangan Camp, 9 kilo north of Brencasi, Siam, JC /159 Tarkenun,Swinton's Camp, 230 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /164 Tarrua, 102 kilo railway camp, Siam, JC /178 Tagerry ( Burma/Siam border ), Siam, JC /190 Bontilon Camp, ( on Wampo to Tavoy Rd ), Bonti, Siam, JC /3 Kranji No. . So when money started appearing in my account, around 1,800 baht (35) each month, I was very surprised. The survivors of the sinking of the Oruku maru (see above) were held for several days in an open tennis court at Olongapo Naval Base. We assist British citizens during their incarceration, and we also help family and friends affected by a relative or loved one's imprisonment. This is less than the percentage for Japanese run camps as a whole and brings into stark contrast the fact that for this to be 10% officially, the other camps, notably on the Burma-Thailand railway were far higher than the average death rate of 27%. Inatsuki (Yamano) Branch Camp (Fukuoka 8-B), Osarisawa (Hanawa) Branch Camp (Sendai 6-B), Hiraoka (Mitsushima) Branch Camp (Tokyo 12-B), Kumamoto Branch Camp and Fukuoka Branch Camp (Fukuoka 1-B), Kawasaki Ogimachi Branch Camp (Tokyo 2-B) (aka The Mitsui Madhouse), Nagasaki Mitsubishi Dockyard Branch Camp (Fukuoka 14-B), Fushiki Hokkai Electro-Chemical Branch Camp (Nagoya 6-D), Toyama Nippon Soda Branch Camp (Nagoya 7-D), Toyama Tateyama Heavy Industry Branch Camp (Nagoya 8-D), Toyama Nippon Express Branch Camp (Nagoya 9-D), Fushiki Sea and Land Transportation Branch Camp (Nagoya 10-D), Toyama Nippon Soda Iwase Ironworks Branch Camp (Nagoya 11-D), Niigata Sea and Land Transportation Branch Camp (Tokyo 5-B), Niihama Isoura Branch Camp (Hiroshima 2-B), Nishi Ashibetsu Branch Camp (Hakodate 4-B), Yakumo Detached Camp (Hakodate 1-Detached), Yamashita Camp see Yokohama Ship Loading Dispatched Camp (Tokyo 19-D), Mitsubishi Heavy Industry Yokohama Ship-building Dispatched Camp (Tokyo 1-D), Nippon Steel Tube Tsurumi Ship-building Dispatched Camp (Tokyo 3-D), Osaka Ship-building Yokohama Dispatched Camp (Tokyo 10-D), Nippon Steel Tube Asano Ship-building Dispatched Camp (Tokyo 13-D), Yokohama Proof-brick Dispatched Camp (Tokyo 18-D), Yokohama Ship Loading Dispatched Camp (Tokyo 19-D), Zentsuji Headquarters Camp & Zentsuji Subcamp 3 (Hiroshima area POW Camp). Brutal inmates often target foreigners and subject them to abuse. 15 [Omori] left no doubt of their identity for our B-29 airmen, or the gratitude of the starving prisoners. In 1943, when the International Red Cross agent in Singapore complained to a senior military official concerning his continued non-recognition, he was arrested and interrogated by the Japanese military police as a suspected spy. POWs reported various atrocities of these types in their testimony before the War Tribunals after the war. "On some occasions there were 24 of us in a cell of 26 sq metres and on a couple of occasions the guy beside me died," he said. Arrived at Moji in Japan where POWs were sent onto Taisho sub-camp, one of a group of camps around Osaka and Kobe. endobj Nevertheless, the standard of living in the camps here and in the capital was better than that of most local Koreans. This wasnt the last dead body Id see there and as I soon discovered, every day would be a struggle for my own survival. The case of the Oryoku Maru collectively covers the seven-week voyages and fate of Allied POWs held in the Philippines, who survived the sinking of that ship in Subic Bay in December 1944, and the bombing of a second ship the Enoura Maru, in the harbour of Takao, January 1945, and the Brazil Maru which transported the last surviving Allied POWs to Moji, Japan. C- Japan, Left Singapore on 28/11/42 and arrival was split into those that went onto Kobe (Kawasaki) camp and Naoetsu (number 4 Tokyo camp). Sailed back from Manila to Japan on 20/9/44 with 1289 POWs. Prisoners of British nationality imprisoned by an authority other than that of the United Kingdom. She revealed that while walking past a flower shop on Valentines Day recently, a young girl presented her with rose for her son. The survivors were put aboard the Brazil Maru which arrived in Moji Japan, on January 29, 1945. It was commonplace for a senior Japanese officer to strike his subordinate officers who then passed the same treatment down the chain of command to their non commissioned staff and down to the lowliest Japanese soldier who then invariably took this out on prisoners under his control. However, on January 9, the Enoura Maru was bombed and disabled while in harbour, killing about 350 men. There is some evidence that POWs here received the most humane treatment from their Japanese captors and were given a significant amount of privileges not found elsewhere. (Other reports state 548 POWs and no survivors. While the attitude of the Japanese authorities regarding prisoners' mail seems to have been one of indifference, their attitude regarding visits to prisoner-of-war and internment camps was much more positive. MORE than 2,500 Brits are locked up in prisons overseas, the Daily Star Sunday can reveal. 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