Diary pages from this date

The fourth draft of Prisoners of War sent to labour in Japan leaves Hong Kong today when 470 men sail off on the Manryu Maru.

The only officer in the draft is former Stanley internee Lewis Bush. Bush has a Japanese wife and speaks the language fluently. He's allowed special privileges and uses his position to do as much as he can for the rest of the draft.

The men end up in Oeyama and Niigata-Rinko, two of the camps with the worst survival rates.

Source:

Tony Banham, We Shall Suffer There, Kindle Edition, Locations 1928-1953

Note: for more on Bush see:

http://gwulo.com/node/9858

http://gwulo.com/node/14388

Alton / Rose

Nice weather but low cloud.

((G))

Bunch of Jap planes (21) came over E to W 11.15am.

Talk with Steve pm. 

((G))

No concert in Hall. Drown indisposed.

The weather has at last cleared up and it is hot and clear.  A bunch of planes came over today, very high, but I think they were Japs as the Fort didn't fire at them.  No news yet though we all think that repatriation is getting nearer - probably the Canadians will get away first - it doesn't matter if the boat brings us food.  They have started a meatless day on top of our low rations  - they just can't get the food, no one will sell for worthless paper Yen and ships take stuff  to Macao instead where they are still paid in H.K. dollars.

The newspaper is obviously not giving us all the news but we can see that things are going well - Sicily  nearly cleared  up and Russia going strong.  I think it will be over in Europe this year and another year or even only 6 months should finish Japan.

I had a blood count yesterday, quite good still 4,140,000 and Haemoglobin 82% - and then I had another injection  - so I keep going.  I'm very thin however  - even Lin called me  a scarecrow the other day  and wondered how you'll  like me!!

CheerO Honey - I'll fatten up quickly I'm afraid!  

AML  AML      B.B.