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The World War 2 Japanese Prison Diaries of
Alexander John James
Singapore to Korea
August
The Fukai Maru, as we subsequently discovered this vessel to be called, is a 3,800 ton cargo boat with four holds. Built in 1919 at Yokahama, with a quadruple expansion steam engine. Each of the ‘tween deck spaces was adapted for troop carrying, being divided horizontally by a wooden framework, making two ‘layers’ each with about 4’ 0” headroom. On these ‘layers’ two rows of troops lay lengthwise between the hatchway and the ship’s side. Unfortunately as they are built for Japanese and not British troops, the measurements are fixed according to Japanese physical needs, and there is not nearly enough room for two of us to be feet-to-feet without a considerable overlap. The number of men in each hold varies from two hundred to four hundred.
Having arrived in No.3 hold, we sat on our kit on the hatchway, and surveyed our uncomfortable surroundings. There was not room to sit down properly, let alone lie down; on deck every available nook and cranny was occupied. It looked as though we were in for a tough trip. I went forward, and found that the Special party had been crammed on to the deck around No’s 1 & 2 hatches. Their position was worse if anything than ours.
At dusk I fixed up my hammock to two of the hatch beams, and then opened and ate a tin of sardines, my first bite of food since 6:30 am. We then fell in on the quay for a roll call, which took some time, as nobody seemed to know how many of us there ought to be. Actually we are 1,500 strong as near as I can estimate. At about 11:30 pm the Jap crew started to prepare a meal for us, which was most eagerly consumed at 1 am, it consisted of rice and a little stew. The rice was of a far better quality than that which we were getting at Changi. After the meal, I retired to my hammock and slept fitfully, in spite of a few rain showers until dawn.
17th - After a wash and shave, we attempted to produce some sort of order out of the chaos that reigned in our hold. At about mid-day they started preparing a meal for us. We queued up by holds and it was dished out at the galley. I got mine at 1:30 pm ate it, and promptly joined the queue and collected another.
During the afternoon, the ‘Special’ party went ashore with all their kit, and waited on the quay for embarkation on another vessel. A certain amount of reshuffling followed, and we – the RASC party moved into No. 2 hold, where we secured a position on the upper layer on the starboard side, a bit cramped but not too bad. While we were in the midst of our move the ship started moving out of the harbor, and anchored about two miles offshore in the bay.
Our second and last meal of the day was produced at 6 pm, by which time, we had been divided into messes of 15. It appears that we shall get only two meals a day throughout the voyage, rather a poor do. After supper, just to show that the conditions did not affect our spirits, we had an excellent sing-song on No. 3 hatch, much enjoyed by ourselves, the crew and the guard.
18th - Lay at anchor in the roads all day. During the afternoon, a ship came out of Keppel Harbour with the Special party on board. They are almost certainly under conditions similar to ours, which will shake the Brigadiers and Generals a bit.
19th - Wednesday. Weighed anchor at 8 am, and steamed on a N.W. bearing. The sea was as calm as a pond all day. On the two following days it was a bit choppy, but there were no cases of sea-sickness.
22nd - At 11 am we dropped anchor a mile or so offshore at Cap SV. Jacques, close to the mouth of the Mekong river which serves as the chief trade route for Saigon. Wooded hills flanked a picturesque sandy bay along which a village straggled. It looked particularly nice at night with lights all along the front. At 10 pm under a bright moon, another convoy arrived, including the ship bearing our other party. During the night some commotion was caused by a rat running over several of us, it was only the first of many similar experiences, and by the end of the voyage we were quite accustomed to their nocturnal activities.
23rd - Very hot all day, stifling below decks, and burning hot on deck. At 2 pm we weighed anchor and left with ten other ships.
Thereafter the weather deteriorated, we had a following wind and sea, and a great deal of rain making it necessary to have the hatch covered most of the time. As a result the atmosphere down below was appalling, and we were subjected to continual dripping from the condensation on the underside of the deck plates. I spent as much time as possible on deck, preferring to be wet through all day, to being half suffocated down below. Fortunately the fair weather at the beginning of the voyage has had a good effect, and there is practically no sea sickness in spite of the heavy rolling.
Our two daily meals are served at 9 am and 5 pm approximately; they both consist of a plateful of rice with two spoonfuls of stew poured over it. The rice contains a percentage of barley, and is very good, but we are always very hungry, even after meals. There is tea available almost all the time, but it is pretty foul stuff, stewed, not boiled, by means of steam injected directly, consequently it tastes more of ‘engine room’ than anything else. I very seldom drink any. We occasionally get a sugar issue, about two dessert spoonfuls per man, and sometimes a bag of sweets is issued to each man.
29th - Weather now very rough, the Fukai Maru is rolling all over the place, and pitching too much for comfort. At 10 am land was sighted, and at 11:30 we dropped anchor outside the entrance to the port of Taikao (now known as Kaohsiung Harbour) in Formosa. The entrance is flanked by a thousand foot hill on the north side, and low cliffs to the south. Two moles project seawards, and form an effective barrier for the swell. In the early afternoon, we steamed in through a narrow passage that appears to have been blasted from the cliff, and moored fore and aft at buoys in the harbor. The latter is quite large and fairly busy, there are a few large godowns on the quays, and we hear plenty of railway activity. Preparations are being made for discharging our cargo of bauxite, derricks are ready for use, and lighters brought alongside to receive the ore. As there is about 4000 tons of it on board, it looks like a longish stay here.
30th - On Sunday we had an early breakfast, and packed up our kits in each bed space, and prepared to go ashore. At 8:45 am we embarked on small pontoons, which were taken by tugs down the harbor, past a large aluminum producing plant – the destination of our cargo - and along a narrow channel to some coal yards. At one of these we disembarked, and were neither surprised nor amused to see a pile of shovels, and a pile of baskets. We officers at once decided that now was the time to take a firm stand, and accordingly we were not made to work; the men were employed in shifting the coal from one side of yard to the other, sheer useless coolie work. The native coolies carried two baskets each at a time, but our men carried one basket between two, immediately dividing the work done by four, added to which they only half-filled each basket, and were as slow as possible about everything. We sat under a burning sun, and endevoured to improvise some sort of shelters out of groundsheets. At midday two buckets of rice were divided between the 180 men, and a half a cupful of tea per man was brought. We returned to the Fukai Maru at 5:30 pm. Our troops had started discharging the bauxite from all four holds, but had not made very much progress.
September
1st -Yesterday was spent in the same manner as Sunday, but today we went to a new place that appeared to be a large naval stores depot. The men shifted timber, and various bits of machinery. We spent most of the day sitting in a hut reading, and walking round to depot, looking at Jap ‘E’ boats, and landing craft. There was a bit of face slapping over some nosmoking rule. We got quite a fair helping of rice at mid-day which is a very welcome addition to our early breakfast, and supper on the ship.
6th - We have been ashore every day to the same place, and spent the days in much the same way i.e. reading, playing patience, washing clothes, or walking around the depot. Every morning boats come alongside selling bananas, and in order to obtain money with which to buy them, many people are selling cloths, watches, fountain pens, and anything else that the Japs will buy. Our clothes are of a far superior quality to anything available locally, and there is quite a demand for them; but people are accepting the most ridiculous prices for garments that will be invaluable in Japan or wherever we go.
There is still about two day’s work to be done before No.2 hold will be ready for loading up with rice, which is to be our cargo from here to Japan. All the other holds have been emptied of bauxite now, and loading will start tomorrow.
Number 2 hold was the scene of a gruesome display of dentistry this evening. Captain Bill, a Brisolian, had a terrific struggle in removing a very obstinate eye tooth for an unfortunate O.R., who fainted once during the operation. A very pleasant change was provided by Peter Court’s gramophone which Dick Vining borrowed for the evening.
10th - We now have a case of diphtheria as well as the numerous dysentery cases on board, and Arthur Butler alias Gloria d’Earie, our number one singer, is a suspect for diphtheria. As a result of this, we had no sooner arrived at the ordnance store ashore this morning, then we were sent back, and spent the rest of the day, and all the following days while the ship was in port, on board. We are slowly but surely loading up with rice, Nos. 1 and 4 holds being full already. Rumour says we shall move off in 3 or 4 day’s time. The second officer told Dick Vining that we are going to Korea, and will be divided into two parties, one going to Keijo (Seoul) the capital, and the other to another town. Naturally endless discussions and arguments arouse from this statement.
11th - Work today was interrupted by intermittent rain which continued all night and the following day, necessitating the closing up of the hatch which made life pretty unbearable below. Fortunately they are still keeping up the three meals a day, and we are getting a sufficient quantity of food, but the quality still leaves much to be desired. As a result of an organized complaint, we are getting microscopic portions of vegetable in the stew, and a few lumps of pork fat. The complaint arose on account of the sudden increase in the number of beriberi cases.
September 12th - A typhoon is passing on the east side of the island, and its effects are being felt here. It rained hard and blew harder all day, and no work was done at all. I spent some of the day on deck getting wet and cold, and the rest down below getting asphyxiated.
14th - Monday weather much better to-day, and after a hard morning’s work, the loading was finished during the afternoon, and the hatches fixed and the derricks stowed, and all made ready for an early start tomorrow. Everybody is pleased at the prospects of being on the move again.
15th - Weighed anchor at 8 am and steamed out of Takao harbor, Formosa. We steamed up the west coast of Formosa, and during the afternoon joined a convoy off Taiwan near a small archipelago, and steamed on northwards in convoy.
16th - Got up early, and witnessed, while washing and shaving, a grand sunrise, but on the port instead of the starboard side. We had turned around during the night, and were going southwards. The archipelago we passed yesterday soon came into view, and at noon we dropped anchor some 2 or 3 miles off the largest island. We lay at anchor, rolling gently under a sun that made the ‘tween decks’ a breathless furnace, and all metal untouchable, until 5 pm. Then with another ship that had joined us we weighed anchor and restarted, eleven ships in all, with no escort.
17th - At dawn the northernmost tip of Formosa was just visible, but was soon left behind. Very hot again all day, I took advantage of the sun to do some washing. We are now back on the original diet of two meals a day, but yesterday I managed to buy bread from the purser, a luxury much enjoyed.
18th - A strong wind has produced a very rough sea, and many of us are feeling a trifle seasick. On the two following days it became rougher than ever, and much colder, especially at night. The Fukai Maru behaved fairly well under the circumstances, but took one or two real green seas right over the bow, and shipped quite a bit of water over the bulwarks. Everything on the forward deck had to be lashed, and the hatches battened. Lieutenant Bloor was only rescued in the nick of time to prevent strangulation, when a wave came aboard and shifted a water tank, pinning him against a foremast stay.
22nd - Tuesday at dawn we found ourselves off the coast of Korea, and rapidly approached the land. The sea was still very rough, and the wind had only dropped a little, and was still very cold. We entered a bay by an entrance 3/4 of a mile wide, and at breakfast time dropped anchor just outside the entrance to Fusan harbor. It was a great relief to be in calm water once more, the hatch covers were removed, and everybody perked up. The country has a very rugged aspect. The town sprawls around the bay between wooded hills, 1,500 to 2,000 feet high.
During the morning some Japanese medical officers came on board, and held a brief inspection on deck. As a result of this inspection, coupled with the large number of cases of dysentery, it was announced that the ship would proceed to Japan – presumably to Shimonoseki or Nagasaki – for a further medical test. This announcement was received with mixed feelings, most people wanting to get on land as soon as possible, and go far far away from the Fukai Maru. However, the trip to Japan was later cancelled, and in its place we had yet another stool test, the usual glass rod affair, which took place in the ‘tween decks at 11:30 pm
23rd - Weather much better, no rain, wind down a lot, and warm sun all day. Fresh rumours about our immediate future came out of thin air throughout the day. After sifting them, it appears that we shall disembark tomorrow, and go by train to Keijo, and some of us will go to another camp nearby. The field officers will be separated from the rest of us.
24th - Thursday we weighed anchor and docked at 7:30 am close to another vessel which was loading up with troops and equipment. There were dozens of guards all over the place, all with fixed bayonets. Various bigwigs came aboard to arrange disembarkation details, and a newsreel photographer got busy with his camera. After breakfast we brought up all our kit and stacked it on deck, and awaited developments, while a party cleaned up each hold. At 11 am we started disembarking, field officers first, then Loyals and Australians, and after them odd units and 122 Field Regt. R.A. (Royal Artillery) We lined up on the quay, and were given numbers on cloth to be pinned to our chests. We were assembled in two parties and subjected to a fairly intensive kit search during which I managed to keep all my possessions. We sat on our kits, and ate the rice given to us for lunch, while press photographers buzzed around; I managed to get a good close-up photo taken in case any of them find their way into the neutral press and hence home.
Lt. James, Lt. Robinson, Capt. Sinclair, Lt. Brake, Lt. Shaw,
Capt. Vining, Capt. Raund, Capt. Hayden, Lt. Stevens, Capt. Mackay
Christmas 1943, Jinsen POW Camp, Chosen
T. G. Sinclair collection (photo and material courtesy of James Sinclair, son)
At 1:30 pm we started off gaily on what we had been told was to be a 3 kilometer march to the station. As soon as we reached the streets it was evident that our arrival had been widely advertised for propaganda reasons. The streets were packed with spectators controlled by police, and all traffic was at a standstill. It was quite apparent that we are the first batch of prisoners to come to Korea, and the interest shown by the local inhabitants showed that Europeans were but seldom seen here. The young girls were dressed in very gaily-coloured blouses and skirts, and like most of the womenfolk had very fair, almost white complexions. The men were mostly dressed in normal European style, and were nearly all either under or over military age. One point was common to both sexes, and almost all ages, that was their complete lack of expression or emotion. We were all the time chatting and laughing, and gave every outward sign that we were enjoying the proceedings, while they returned a vacant gaze with their large brown eyes, and betrayed no sign of emotion whatever, not even a smile. We marched along the main street, and after about a mile and a half passed what looked suspiciously like a railway station, however we turned away from it, and shortly afterwards left the street for a side road which led to a large school, where we halted and had a half an hour’s rest. The break was very welcome, as the sun was very hot, and our packs very heavy, and we had no exercise for five weeks.
On resuming our march it gradually dawned on us that we were not marching to the station direct, but were doing a tour around the town for the benefit of the local inhabitants. This was confirmed when the cine’ cameras came into action again. As time went on the march grew more tedious by reason of repeated short halts, and our packs seemed to get heavier and heavier. What cars we saw, and there were not many, were mostly American, and many were running on “producer” gas. The police used ancient Harley Davidson combinations. Single deck electric trams of a fairly old design were in operation. The streets appeared fairly normal by Western standards, many shops were empty and food shops seemed scarce.
At last at about 3:50 we came in sight of the building that we had previously correctly suspected to be the railway station, and grateful for a rest we sat on our packs in the station yard. After only a short delay we were marched off to the train, which to our amazement consisted not of cattle trucks, as we had expected, but of third class carriages. At a quarter to five we entrained, Adams, Thomas, Vining and myself occupying a pair of seats by one window. Fortunately the carriage we occupied was quite comfortable, much better than some. At 5:20, after food had been placed aboard, we moved off, and on the way past the docks, had a glimpse of the Fukai Maru steaming out of the harbor, bound for Japan. The track wound its way out of Fusan through the hills, and then followed the left bank of a largish river for some way. All the way along interested spectators, who had evidently heard of our coming, gaped at us, and some of the children even shouted and waved.
At 6:15 we were treated to a glorious sunset, and shortly afterwards the full moon arose from behind a range of hills. When, at 7:30, our meal was produced, we were very agreeably surprised; for it consisted of a chop box of rice, and another of assorted vegetables and pieces of fish, a tremendous difference from Fukai Maru fare. During the evening, the official photographer took a flashlight photo of the interior of our carriage. The scenery continued to be very interesting, but unspectacular, the light of the moon giving a fair range of vision. The Japs have no intention of allowing anybody the opportunity of making a dash for it, there are guards at the end of each carriage, and we are forbidden to put our heads or hands out of the windows, whenever the train stops, additional guards get out, and stand outside the carriages. We spent an uncomfortable night with little sleep, but fortunately it was not cold. At dawn I washed and shaved just before roll call, the second so far. At 8am we stopped in a large town, and took on more food boxes, and consumed breakfast as soon as we restarted, it was a similar meal to last night’s, very good. During the morning, the interpreter informed us in broad American that we should reach our destination at about 2 pm. He must have spent a long time in America, as he speaks the language faultlessly.
The country was now more flat, with a lot of paddy fields, some maize and barley, but no wheat, and very few cattle or poultry, nor did we see many orchards, in spite of hearing of the abundance of apples in this country.
At 1 pm, after a lunch similar to our previous meals, we stopped at a large town, which proved to be Keijo (Seoul), the capital of Chosen (Japanese word for Korea). Here the train was divided and after a short wait our half went off on a branch line going westwards, towards the coast.
After about three-quarters-of-an-hour, we reached Jinsen, our destination. We formed up outside the station, where the local inhabitants were all ready for a good gape, and marched off, accompanied by our guard; the sick were taken on a lorry. Fortunately it was only about a mile-and-a-half before we came to a stockade enclosure, with electrified barbed wire running around the top of the stockade. Wondering how many months it would be before we saw the outside world again, we marched through two large doors into the Jinsen P.O. W. camp.
We formed up on the exercise and parade ground, a piece of land approximately 120’ by 50’, and were subjected to a harangue by a squeaky-voiced major, who proved to be the camp superintendent, and was shortly afterwards christened ‘The Mad Major’. He informed us that we were the scum of the earth etc. etc. , most of the translation was inaudible except to those at the front, but as nobody paid much attention to the speech anyway, it mattered little. We then had to sign a form which stated that we promised not to try to escape, some people argued about it, but it was unavoidable. After filling up a further form, giving our name, nationality, rank and unit, we were split up into groups of officers, N.C.O.’s, and men. Unfortunately captains and lieutenants were separated, so I parted company with Adams and Vining. At about 6 pm we were marched away in parties of five. I was with Allison, Barrie, and Farmer, all R.A.O.C. and Frazer, A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force), we were taken to a small room in the centre of number 3 hut, a room intended for three N.C.O.’s We settled ourselves in, and found there was more room than on the Fukai Maru, but not a lot more. Blankets were produced, at first five each, later reduced to four, I was lucky in getting four good ones which should be ample. At 7:30, a meal was produced, stew and a five or six ounce loaf of bread, very good. After roll call an hour later we settled down for the night.
26th - On Saturday was reveille was sounded, at 6 am and roll call took place ten minutes later, after a wash and shave, we breakfasted at 7:30 – rice and stew. At 9:30 we all paraded for a long speech by Colonel Noguchi who is in charge of all P.O.W. camps in Chosen. He spoke about the war, and blamed the Allies for it, saying that Japan desired only peace etc., and went on to say that we would receive the same treatment as Japanese soldiers. On the whole the tone of his speech was infinitely better than that of the Mad Major given yesterday.
We spent the remainder of the day making ourselves acquainted with all that is within the confines of the camp. Captain Horner came out of hospital and into our room, making us more crowded than ever, until later in the day when, due to a general reshuffle, Allison was taken out and put in the large officer’s room in No. 3 hut.
We are to get three meals a day, for the consumption of which bowls and plates have been issued today, two meals consist of a plateful of rice, and a bowl half-full of watery vegetable stew, and for the third meal a small (about six ounces) loaf replaces the rice. We shall certainly not get fat on these rations.
28th - Most of our luggage turned up this morning from Keijo, my case and valise are here, but my wooden box is still missing. Before taking our kit away, we had to lug it all out on the ground by the guard room, for an organized search by Japanese officers. Fortunately there was ample opportunity for cheating the searchers, and consequently I only lost my primus stove and a file, neither of which would be much use here anyway.
Thereafter a grand unpacking took place, and clothes and shoes which last saw the light of day at Changi were given a much needed airing. There are no such amenities as cupboards here, nor any other place for clothes, so they will have to live in my case and valise indefinitely.
29th - Another load of luggage, including my box, arrived, and as it was raining hard at the time, all was put into No. 4 but, which is unoccupied now to await searching prior to issue to the owners. I took my box away, and removed from it all tools, books and various other odds and ends. When the search took place I willingly surrendered the box and most of its contents which is all useless here.
I did some washing, in spite of the rain, as a lot of my clothes smelled pretty much of mildew.
October
1st - A series of parades began to-day, the men doing PT under the Japanese, the officers learning Japanese words of command for drill movements. After a few days both men and officers were practicing all drill movements to our disgust.
5th - Today we filled in a form giving full particulars of ourselves and next of kin. The information of our whereabouts may be sent home by Red Cross via Russia, if so it will be the second chance since the capitulation of our relatives knowing whether we are alive or dead.
7th - Sapper Smith died of dysentery early this morning, and the funeral service was held in the afternoon. The Japs were very decent about it and went to a lot of trouble to let us give him a Christian burial, though it was in a Japanese soldiers’ cemetery. We were all struck by their courtesy throughout the whole affair, and Major Houlahan wrote them a letter of appreciation.
14th - After an inspection of the huts and after attending a couple of drill parades, the Mad
Major had one of his periodic fits, and ordered a saluting orgy forthwith, all British to salute all Japanese whenever seen. The drill parades also were made more hectic, and culminated in an inspection by Colonel Nagouchi from Keijo which brought an official raspberry on the head of Ware Ware (alias the M. M.) for having made officers drill.
On the following day we had no drill, but PT and games instead.
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