Captivity
This third page covers their time as POWs, the many locations where they were ‘employed’ and endured, including some information of the many tragic deaths. Plus, those who had managed to escape, or had been rescued, and acts of bravery, of resistance and sabotage.
What is not covered in too much detail is the brutality of the camps. This has been described and analysed elsewhere, but focuses on their desperate battle for survival of three and a half years of captivity.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a veteran.
Captivity and life as POW’s
At dusk on 15/2/1942 Singapore falls, with hostilities ceased as of 20.30 hrs, and the Regiment are taken into Japanese captivity.
Maj Turrill (BC 251 Bty) had the following to say – “We were ordered to destroy our guns and after some hesitation and prompting from higher authority we did so. After a subsequent order to resume full resistance had been countermanded, we moved out of action to the coast of Singapore Island to try and get sufficient boats to transport the Battery as a formed unit – carrying its small-arms – to Java or Sumatra. Unfortunately, this proved to be impossible and two days later we marched into captivity at Changi.”
On 17/2/42, the Regt are marched to Roberts Barracks, nr Changi, along with many other units.
After the surrender of Singapore, in July 1942 a small team of the Malaya Command staff which, under the guise of a camp information office, set up Changi Bureau of Records and Enquiry (BRE) in the mess at No. 1 Temple Hill. Later, in the month of October, Capt David Nelson, a New Zealander volunteer in the SSVF, attached to HQ Malaya Command took charge of the BRE office. The team clandestinely and meticulously recorded the movements of over 100,000 Allied POWs, many of whom passed through Changi between 1942 and 1945, as well as processing over two million letters to POWs and internees. The BRE’s first task was to tell all unit commanders to draw up nominal rolls for their units for 8 December 1941 – the first day of the Malayan campaign – with details of casualties. As the Japanese had banned the use of paper, records were kept on anything from office ledgers to toilet paper. As the war progressed the BRE kept nominal rolls of those who left Changi for work parties elsewhere in Singapore or to other parts of the Japanese empire such as Thailand or Japan. The 85th AT Regt RA was Roll No 33. After the war these records were taken over by Southeast Asia Command, then at some time ended up at TNA. In 2011, researchers at the National Archives in Kew found what they described in the press at the time as the ‘Holy Grail’ of documents relating to the internment of POWs in the Far East.
Changi Pow Camp was opened after Singapore’s fall on February 15th 1942 and was the main camp for the captured British and Commonwealth forces. For most of the war, Changi was one of the least brutal Japanese prisoner-of-war camps, particularly compared to those on the Burma–Thailand railway. Changi was not just one camp but up to seven prisoner-of-war (POW) and internee camps. Its name came from the peninsula on which it stood, named in turn after a village there for some time before British rule. The Changi Peninsula had been the British Army’s principal base area in Singapore. As a result, the site had a well-constructed military infrastructure, including three major barracks – Selerang, Roberts and Kitchener – as well as many other smaller camps. Singapore’s civilian prison, Changi Gaol, was also on this peninsula. Changi also had a hospital block. Around 500 detainees were women who had been separated with their children and marched to the cramped prison camp from their homes. These women and also girls sewed quilts for the prison hospital.
After the fall of Singapore 50,000 British and other Empire troops were gathered there, but very quickly work details gathered several thousand men from Changi and these were sent to various projects on Sumatra, Burma, and Thailand and other Japanese occupied territories. All POWs leaving Singapore did so from Singapore’s Keppel harbour.
The IJA (Imperial Japanese Army) now has the problem of what to do with all these thousands of POWs. A few hundred or so are used to go around in parties, repairing roads and the general infrastructure. Some are sent to the docks area to continue unloading supplies remaining on the ships. In early April 1942, some of the 85th is marched to a derelict hutted camp on River Valley Road. Around this time, the first groups of prisoners begin to be moved to northern Malaya to build prison camps. In early October 1942, preparations for the closure of River Valley Road camp take place.
River Valley Camp/Havelock Road camp (Malai 3) These two camps were only separated by a small river/canal with a bridge built across it. At some periods up to 5,000 POWs were housed here: these camps acted as transit and despatch sites for POW work parties. Their tasks involved the cleaning up and repairing of war-torn parts of the city and the badly bombed Chinatown area. There is some evidence that POWs here received the most humane treatment from their Japanese captors and were given a significant number of privileges not found elsewhere. The POWs lived in huts about a hundred feet long with wooden sleeping platforms that could accommodate up to 150 POWs. Unknown to the Japanese, there was a radio secretly hidden by the POWs on the grounds, which provided them with news from the outside world.
The men were then formed into Labour Battalions of mixed units (not all from the same regiments) of 600 in each, under a Group Commander. They were taken in lorries to Singapore Station and loaded onto freight trains, 30 men to a ‘cattle’ truck, with no room to sit. The journey took 5 days and 4 nights, with one stop per day. The stops were at Johore Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Penang, and the Thai border, arriving in Ban Pong. From here they are marched further north, journeys which take 6 or 7 days depending on their destination. Their destination would be one of many camps from which they were set to work clearing the jungle and creating a path for the new railway line. The Thailand/Burma railway was a 258-mile (415 km) route covering the distance between Ban Pong in Thailand to Thanbuyuzayat in Burma. This route was to follow the line of the River Kwai Noi, and the ‘official’ date for completion was to be 15th August 1943. In April 1943 the “Speedo” period starts, when rapid construction on the railroad begins when it’s realised the ‘completion-date’ is rapidly nearing. With men taken from hospitals to make up the totals where large numbers of men have died in the numerous Labour Battalions. 50,000-60,000 POWs were used in this construction, with around 13,000-16,000 dying as a result. The railway was started from both ends at more or less the same time with Australian POWs and Dutch internees being shipped to Burma to work from the northern end.
The new railway route commenced building on 22nd June 1942 and completed in mid-October 1943. The first wooden bridge over the Khwae Yai was finished in February 1943, followed by a concrete and steel bridge in June 1943. The two bridges were successfully bombed on 13th February 1945 by the RAF. Repairs were carried out by POW labour and by April the wooden trestle bridge was back in operation. On 3rd April a second raid by Liberator bombers of the U.S. Army Air Forces damaged the wooden bridge once again. Repair work continued and both bridges were operational again by the end of May. A couple of years later, a second raid by the RAF on 24th June 1945 put the railway out of commission for the rest of the war. Disregard for human life and suffering built this railway, nothing else would have done so.
Some mention of camp conditions and slave labour…
Conditions in the Death Railway (Thailand/Burma Railway) camps were abysmal. Poor sanitation, disease (beri-beri, diphtheria, malaria, dysentery, cholera, tropical ulcers, to name but a few), lack of medicine, malnutrition and forced heavy labour all led to a high death rate.
Although most of the camps managed to achieve some sort of ‘hospital facilities’, with perhaps a hut or tent used solely as such – not all had a doctor or even trained nursing staff. There were a few camps which had been labelled as ‘Hospitals’, and though they did have trained doctors and nursing staff, they most certainly didn’t have the equipment, or huge amounts of medicines and drugs one would expect to find in European hospitals.
Nakhon-Pathom – Primarily a hospital POW camp, it housed around 7,500 POWs mostly from the US. 60 km west of Bangkok and on the direct communication line of the Japanese Army.
Tarsao (Nam Tok) – A headquarters camp located near to the River’s edge; this housed a large hospital building and 3 cemeteries. Often used for staging POWs up and down the railways’ line, the hospital was a base from November in 1942 until April in 1944. 15,029 men were treated in the hospital and 806 died and were initially buried here.
Mid-October 1943 and the railroad’s officially completed with an elaborate ceremony near Konkoita. It is believed that an average of six trains per day operated for the life of the line, well below original Japanese expectations but still a major contribution to their strength on the Burmese Front.
Later, most of the POWs who had been working on the railway and survived were concentrated in 7 base camps near the southern starting point of the railway. Conditions at these camps (Chungkai, Tha Makhan, Kanchanaburi, Tha Muang, and Nong Pladuc) begin to improve, but only slightly. During 1944, about half of these were taken to Japan to work in the coal mines, docks and factories, releasing Japanese men for the military. Those who remained worked in maintenance groups, cutting firewood for locomotives, etc. Others were used to build or repair airfields or roads in Thailand. From May 1944 onwards, working parties are sent back up the line repairing damage caused by Allied bombing. Up to the end of May 1944 most of the casualties were related to working on the Thailand/Burma railroad.
During 1942 these casualties were fairly small in comparison to later years, but still amounted to 25 for the whole of the 85th with the batteries deaths being three for 45 Bty; five for 251 Bty; six for 270 Bty; four for 281 Bty; three for RHQ; one for the LAD (REME); and two RASC. Also recognised as one of ‘ours’ who died is Lt NH Sands of the SSVF (Straits Settlement Volunteer Force), serving in the Johore Volunteer Engineers and was attached to the 85th AT Regt. These deaths occurred at Changi hospital(4), Roberts hospital(3), Ban Pong camp(2), Tonchan camp(11), Chungkia camp(3) and one each at Kinsaiyok and Lower Kannyu camps.
In 1943 the number of casualties increases greatly with a total for the Regiment tallying 115, and the numbers for the batteries being twenty-three for 45 Bty; eighteen for 251 Bty; seventeen for 270 Bty; twenty-six for 281 Bty; five for RHQ; four for LAD; and twenty-two for RASC. These deaths occurred at Tonchan camp(2), Kinsaiyok camp(5), Chungkia camp(30), Changaraya camp(4), Tonchan Sth camp(7), Tha Khanun camp(13), Tarsao camp(12), Nikki camp(1), Songkurai camp(10), Swinton’s Camp(1), Tha Makhan camp(4), Upper Kannyu camp(1), Malay Hamlet camp(2), Hintok River camp(1), Thanbaya camp(5), H Force, Kanchanaburi camp(4), Krian Kri camp(1), Kanchanaburi hospital(4), Heito, Taiwan(2), Taichu, Taiwan(2), plus three in camps not known. These figures are for deaths, but we have no accurate numbers for injuries from beatings, accidents, etc. The lack of a reasonable diet, virtually nil medical facilities (though the Allied medical staff worked miracles with what limited resources they had) all did not help with survival rates.
After the Thai/Burma railroad had been finished in mid-October 1943, many of the ‘healthier’ men of the 85th were sent to mainland Japan and other Japanese territories via the ‘Hellships’ and endured countless suffering whilst forced to work in factories and docks, down mines, etc. Even the passage on those ‘Hellships’ wasn’t without its dangers. The prisoners were crammed into the holds of these ships, with hundreds and thousands at a time, with barely room to stand let alone lie down, very little food and water, inadequate sanitation, and no medical help. Many men died in these terrible conditions whilst enroute to their new destinations. The Japanese had refused to mark these ships as ‘Internationally-Recognised’ POW ships, and the Allied forces attacked them believing they were Japanese troop-ships. This caused more hundreds of prisoner deaths, either by aircraft bombing raids or submarine attacks on the Japanese convoys.
The numbers of casualties caused during passage in the ‘Hellships’ were two from 281 Bty (who had originally made their escape to Sumatra from Singapore after the capitulation) on 26th June 1944 whilst en-route aboard the Harugiku Maru from Medan to Pakanbaroe, Sumatra; and thirty-four (from all Bty’s) on 12th & 21st September 1944 whilst en-route aboard the Rakuyo Maru and Hofuku Maru to Japan and Formosa (Taiwan), respectively.
In 1944 the Regt’s casualties began to appear in other countries where Japan needed POW’s to carry out their work. There were still deaths occurring in Thailand with nine recorded deaths. Recorded are three in Japan, two in Taiwan (Formosa), one in the Philippines, and another in Borneo. Including the thirty-six who died in the Hellships, there were a total of 57 deaths recorded for 1944. These totals for each Bty are twelve for 45 Bty; ten for 251 Bty; eleven for 270 Bty; sixteen for 281 Bty; four for RHQ; and four for RASC
In 1945, the numbers begin to drop but there were two in Singapore, two in Thailand, one in the Philippines, two in Japan, one in Indo-China, four in Taiwan, two in Borneo, and sadly one (Gnr Waldron of 281 Bty) who died in an aircraft crash on 10th September 1945 (post armistice). He was on a Repatriation flight from Okinawa, Japan (where he had been held at Osaka) to Luzon in the Philippines. The plane went down (due to bad weather) near Taiwan killing the crew of 6 and 20 British POW’s. He was the last man of the 85th AT Regt recorded as dying whilst in captivity. This brought the total for 1945 to 15 casualties. These totals for each Bty are three for 45 Bty; four for 270 Bty; five for 281 Bty; one for RHQ; and two for RASC.
The locations where men from the 85th AT Regt had been sent during their captivity are Sumatra, Taiwan (Formosa), Philippines, Borneo, Indo-China (Vietnam), Japan, and of course Thailand and Burma.
Including the 19 who died during the fighting in Jan-Feb 1942, and the 8 men reported missing (and presumed to have been killed in escape attempts), plus the casualties during captivity (either through ill-treatment in the camps or killed whilst on the Hellships), the total number of casualties for the whole of the 85th AT Regt was 204 – (for 45 Bty – forty-six; 251 Bty – forty-two; 270 Bty – forty-four; 281 Bty – fifty-one; RHQ – sixteen; LAD – five; and RASC – thirty-five). The figure of 204 casualties amounted to approximately a third of the Regiment’s officers and men who were sent to Singapore.
Whilst mentioning all those who died, both prior to and then becoming prisoners, we should not forget those who did survive. Some barely, with many receiving urgent treatment enroute back home. When speaking with some of the survivors of 251 Bty at reunion events, I was told of how they suffered from sleepless nights, nightmares of returning memories, incapacities and more. They may have survived, but not without their own personal problems.
Moving on to more brighter topics…
Escapees
There were some success stories of men who had managed to make their escape before becoming prisoners when ordered to capitulate: –
2/Lt Nesfield of 270 Bty, had been reported missing on 15/2/42. However, it is also reported that he left Singapore by boat on the night of 15/2/42. Lt Carpenter (251 Bty) received a letter stating that Nesfield had reached Colombo, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and was safe. At present it’s not known where he continued to serve, but in the British Army Lists, Oct 1945 he is listed with a Regular Army Emergency Commission as W/Lt, 18/7/42; then T/Capt, 8/4/44.
Gnr Dyer of 281 Bty, had been reported as missing on 15/2/1942, but thought escaped by boat (along with Gnr Walden). He next appears [in available records] when he made a statement (dated 19/5/1943) about Singapore – he is now a L/Bdr in 284 Bty, 24th LAA/AT Regt, RA part of 39 Indian Div in Burma, and then later in the 7th Indian Div in Aug 1943. In Sept 1944, the 24th LAA/AT Regt became the 24th AT Regt, RA. Dyer was reported as wounded on 5/4/1945 (Remaining at Duty) whilst serving in Burma.
Gnr Walden of 281 Bty, had been reported as missing on 15/2/1942, but thought escaped by boat (along with Gnr Dyer). He next appears [in available records] as mentioned in a statement given by Gnr Dyer (dated 19/5/1943) about Singapore. He is mentioned as serving with 228 Bty, 82nd LAA/AT Regt, RA. Walden’s records show he arrived at the RA Depot, Deolali, India on 10/3/42; sent to 82 AT Regt on 19/3/42, posted into 228 Bty on 11/12/42; sent to British Base Reinforcement Camp, India on 19/1/45 until 23/10/45 when he was sent to RA Depot, Deolali. Returned to UK on 31/10/45.
Dvr Garlick of the RASC, had been reported missing 15/2/42. He appears to have escaped to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and then in May 1942 corresponded with the authorities re the fates of missing men (he had no info). At present it’s not known where he continued to serve.
Sgt Pettitt of the RASC, was reported as missing 15/2/42. It’s recorded that he “Went to the docks, evening 14th Feb, and was last seen working on a tug on the nights 14th and 15th Feb”. Dvr Trott (RASC) spoke to him on 15/2/42 (am), “said going away on a tug with the RE’s”[Royal Engineers]. He appears to have escaped to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and then in May 1942 provided a list of 35 RASC officers and men attached to 85th AT Regt. At present it’s not known where he continued to serve.
Dvr Turner of the RASC, was reported missing 15/2/42. He appears to have escaped to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and then in May 1942 corresponded with the authorities re the fates of missing men (he had no info). At present it’s not known where he continued to serve.
It is thought that most POWs probably didn’t attempt escapes due to the threat of severe beatings, even being shot dead when re-captured; as well as the remote locations of most of the railroad camps and being totally unfit, injured or just severally ill. However, not all escapees were shot and below are some who did escape, then re-captured and lived to tell their tale.
[1] A recent find is an attempt of escape – 15 other ranks of 281 Bty, 85th AT Regt had found themselves on the island of Sumatra. However, it seems that they may have made their escape from Singapore in individual small parties and then linked up after they had arrived. Though it’s believed that 9 escaped together, and become part of the Sumatra Bn. These were 15 men who, following the order of surrender, decided to get away and continue the fight. At this time Allied ships were still arriving at Padang on the western coast of Sumatra. A few thousand of Allied troops had boarded these ships and made it to Columbo.
These 15 men of 281 Bty had made their way to Padang and joined up with other Allied soldiers where they eventually became POWs of the Japanese on 17th March 1942 when the Japanese invaded the island. Of these 15, two died later when being transported on the Harugiku Maru hellship on 26/6/44; nine had been in the British Sumatra Battalion (lead by Capt DP Apthorp, 2nd Norfolks), a force of 498 British and two Australians (one of these died at Kanchanaburi working on the Thai/Burma railroad on 28/12/43); the other four men were employed by the Japanese on Sumatra at various locations.
The British Sumatra Battalion left Sumatra by sea aboard the England Maru on 15/5/42 for Burma; initially at Mergui Airfield to build new runways; then sent, on 10/8/42 aboard the Tatu Maru, to Tavoy; on 21/10/42 sent to Moulmein and then by train to Thanbyuzayat; all these locations were in Burma. These were the first working parties on the Thai/Burma railroad, with their first camp at the 18-kilo Camp at Helpauk. They worked at several other camps on the railroad.
After the railway was finished, the British Sumatra Battalion, in March 1944, were split up, 140 had died, 190 were at Kanchanaburi Hospital and forty were still in camps along the railway line. The Japanese wanted parties for Japan and out of 2034 Dutch, Australian, American and British prisoners, seven work parties (Kumis) were formed. Each Kumi consisted of an officer, medical orderly and 150 other ranks. The British Sumatra Battalion helped form the 51st Kumi Party bound for Saigon, French Indo China.
[2] When the POWs were eventually released at the end of hostilities they were asked to complete a Liberation Questionnaire (LQ) [which ‘ELTZ’ now have all existent copies]. From these LQs I have found others who had made escape attempts and lived to tell their story.
One such group of eight escaped on 6/6/43 from Songkurai camp, Thailand (about 20km from the Thai/Burma border) where they were part of ‘F’ Force working on the railroad. Amongst them were two brothers (Bernard & Ian Bradley) of 45 Bty with the remainder from other units. It’s reputed they were heading for China. On 12th July it had been decided that they would rest in caves to await the recovery of Ian Bradley and one other, who had developed ‘jungle-fever’. Ian recovered, but the other man died on 13th September. At the end of September three men (including the one who spoke Thai) went looking for food. Whilst they were away, on 2nd of October, the remaining four (including the Bradley brothers) were captured by the Japanese. The other three were also captured soon after. All seven men were given life sentences in a Japanese Court Martial held at Bangkok (despite the Japanese prosecutor pleading hard for a death sentence), and transferred to Outram Rd Military Prison, Singapore, on 27/10/43. Sometime in the Autumn of 1943, Ian the elder Bradley brother was sent to Changi Jail hospital with extreme ill-health then later released to Changi POW camp in Aug 1944. The younger Bradley (Bernard) died of beri-beri and starvation in Outram Rd Military Prison on 31/7/45. Nothing is known of the other five men. All of the eight men were awarded the Mention in Despatches in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field for this action. [Ldn Gzte 37787, p5606, 14/11/46]
[3] Bdr Gordon from 251 Bty attempted his escape with a Private from the 2nd Loyal Regt on the night of 19/2/42. Unlike most men, who gave the sparsest of detail in their LQs, Gordon gives quite a detailed account on his LQ. They left Changi area, swimming and pushing a patched-up boat to the east coast of Johore Bahru, dodging Japanese patrol boats and snipers. After landing they walked around the outskirts, noting strengths and positions of the Japanese, and destroyed a store by fire. They then travelled to the west coast of Johore. Whilst walking through a rubber plantation (looking for a native fishing village in the hope of getting a boat to travel to Calcutta, India) they were re-captured by a Japanese patrol at 02.30 on 23/2/42. Then taken to Johore Bahru for interrogation and then on to Pudu Prison in Kuala Lumpur. Bdr Gordon must have been released later that year as he was at Non Pladuc Camp on the Thai/Burma railroad in September 1942. He is also one of many who had caused a lot of sabotage of various forms in the camps where he had been working.
Rescues
There were two men who had been aboard the Rakuyo Maru hellship when sunk, then rescued by the Allies :-
Gnr Armstrong of 251 Bty, and A/L/Bdr Hudson of 270 Bty. Both had been POWs aboard the hellship Rakuyo Maru which left Singapore on 6/9/1944 as part of Japan Party 3, bound for Yokohama, Japan. It was sunk six days later on 12/9/44 by the submarine USS Sealion II, with the loss of 1159 of 1318 POWs.
More information has since come to light about these two men and their rescue. Although both Armstrong and Hudson had been together on the Rakuyo Maru they had been rescued by different US submarines on different dates. Armstrong had been rescued by USS Sealion II around 16.00 on 15/9/44 after spending 3 nights and 4 days adrift on a raft; whereas Hudson had been rescued by USS Queenfish around 16.00 on 17/9/44 having been adrift for a further 2 days and nights.
When it was known that POWs were being found as survivors in the water (being rescued by USS Sealion II and USS Pampanito submarines), a further two US submarines (USS Queenfish and USS Barb) were re-directed off their patrol to help with the rescue arriving 2 days later. Between these four subs a total of 60 British and 91 Australian servicemen had been rescued, though four of the British later died onboard the submarines after being rescued. These men initially arrived at Saipan Island on 20/9/44 (from the first two subs) and on 24/9/44 (from the second two subs) then sent to the US 148th General Hospital on Saipan for further medical treatment. On 28/9/44, the Australian contingent of 86 men embarked for the SW Pacific and Australia. On the same day the British contingent of 57 embarked on a different ship for Honolulu and onward passage to the West Coast of the US, then onwards to the UK. The remaining 5 Australians and 3 British survivors were kept in the hospital at Saipan until fit for onward passage.
This later information came from a report written by Capt DNC Tuffnell, RN who had flown from Pearl Harbor to Saipan to make contact with all the survivors. Those of the men who were up to being questioned helped to compile this initial report, but were hopefully expected to recall further details during their return to their respective destinations. From this and further questioning later after returning home, much information previously unknown had been found out about their lives as POWs in Japanese hands.
Acts of bravery
One act of bravery, mentioned by two members of the 85th, is that of Bdr Joseph Harper, 251 Bty (grandfather of one of the ‘ELTZ’ members). Mentioned in the LQs of Gnr’s Hays & Turner, both of 251 Bty. “On 8/12/1944, a train carrying POWs was bombed by Allied aircraft whilst at the 190 km post on the Thai/Burma railroad. Bdr Harper returned to the train and rescued a wounded POW (Pte McConnell, 9th Coast Regt RA) who sadly died a week later from his injuries at the Tha Makhan camp. One of the reports state that the rescue was under m/gun fire. Capt Edwards (RAOC) was a witness.” On 12/9/1946, Bdr JF Harper was awarded a Mention-in-Despatches (MiD) in recognition of gallant and distinguished services while a POW. [Ldn Gzte 37720, p4574, 12/9/46]
Another act of bravery was that of Sgt Charles Tower, 251 Bty. Mentioned in the LQ of Gnr Ratcliffe, 251 Bty. “In January 1945, whilst working on Tha Makhan bridge, night work, Bdr Nicholson, 125 AT RA fell into the river and would have been swept away by very fast current running, had not Sgt Tower, 251 Bty, 85th Anti-Tank Regt RA, brought off a timely rescue.” It is assumed that this work on Tha Makhan bridge was repairing damage following a bombing of the wooden bridge by the Allies.
There are several mentions in these LQs of officers and men standing up against inhumane treatment being dealt out by their Japanese and Korean guards, despite the threat to themselves.
A further act of bravery, which is found mentioned in a lot of the LQs, was the making and using of small radio receivers. Not only the process of manufacturing them, but being able to conceal, or dismantle into unrecognisable parts to enable them to be taken with the men when moved to different camps along the railroad. To obtain the parts of a receiver-of-the-day would present an almost impossible task, but on occasions this did happen with valves and headsets appearing. A lot of the parts were made from locally sourced material like coils of wire wrapped around cardboard rolls, etc. Plus, an electrical source would be required. But a lot of the receivers were probably of the type of Cystal sets many amateurs had been making prior to the war (and were still doing so post war – who can recall Radio Luxemburg of the 1950’s ? I can remember, in my youth, listening to this station in the evenings using a Crystal set)
A few names are mentioned as being the prime operatives making and using these receivers – Capt Max Lear Webber (FMSVF) and his brother Lt Donald Harry Webber (Malaya Regt); Maj Murdock McKenzie (125 AT Regt) and Capt Watts; Lt Thomas Douglas (R Sigs & ex BBC engineer). There may have many more who not only manufactured or operated the receivers, but others would have been needed to help with the hiding and moving the parts between camps. Then with whatever news was heard, this had to be disseminated amongst the POWs. All this was done knowing that if discovered their lives were definitely at risk. Both of the Webber’s, McKenzie, and Douglas were awarded the MBE In June 1946 in recognition for their gallant and distinguished services while POWs.
Resistance and sabotage
The names of both officers and soldiers who could be listed here are too numerous, but let it not be said that the POWs didn’t try to disrupt their captors at every opportunity. There are many men who’ve listed their daring deeds. From loosening caps of petrol and oil drums, then rolling them around to empty them, to actual damage to railway engines and rolling stock; throwing items into the sea whilst unloading ships, to damaging small-arms when working in repair w/shops; dumping sand into engine sumps and bearings, to burying bits of trees and undergrowth into railway embankments, hoping they would collapse later when rotted down – and the list goes on. They did what they could whenever the opportunity presented itself. They may have been beaten, injured or just weary through malnourishment and mistreatment, but these actions may have helped with retaining their sanity and hope – they were getting back at their enemy whenever they could.
This ends the period of the 85th AT Regt’s Captivity. They are now getting ready to return home.
When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today.
John Maxwell Edmonds
Now go to the next page [Japan’s Surrender and POWs Repatriation] to read of the Japanese Surender and how our men made their way back home.
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