Diary pages from this date

Raining cats and dogs.

Just when it was light, a large grey ship with big white cross on either end, crept past the Fort - so near that I could see the crosses.  It later anchored where the last repatriation ship did, but moved off at quarter to eleven.   Every one thinks it's the food ship... hoping, anyway.
 
The plays went off quite well. 'The Last Meeting' was the worst, they all spoke too quickly. The Shakespeare play went off fairly well; 'Her First Dance' was best. Kristine (Thoresen) looked beautiful, wearing Sheila's bridesmaid's dress; Mavis Thirlwell very good too.   A small audience, due to the rain I hope. ((I don't remember who the Sheila was who lent the bridesmaid's dress, but that almost certainly was Sheila Haynes who was a great friend of mine. She married policeman Patrick Cullinan in camp.))

A stye coming on my eye.

Talk by Rev. Sandbach.

The Awa Maru delivers Red Cross supplies to Hong Kong. Captain Hamada's ship has been given safe passage by the American navy; it has already delivered Red Cross goods to Formosa, and will now proceed to Saigon, Singapore and Batavia. At Saigon it will take on 480 survivors of Japanese merchant ships sunk by the Americans and in Singapore loads about 1,700 businesmen and officals who are returning to Japan.

On her homeward voyage she's observed by a number of American planes and submarines which note the white crosses she's covered with or have been informed of her protected status and allow her to proceed.

Late on the night of April 1 the Awa Maru was spotted by the American submarine Queenfish, mistaken for a destroyer and sunk. There were a few survivors but only one accepted the offer of rescue. It took him six hours to recover and be able to tell the Americans they'd sunk a ship that had been granted safe passage.

A court martial found the commanding officer, Charles Loughlin,  guilty of negligence but not guilty of two more serious charges. He received a letter of admonition.

The American Government formally apologised to the Japanese and offered to replace the ship with one of a similar standard if it was agreed to only use it for humanitarian purposes. Negotiations about this offer were going on at the end of the war.

The Awa Maru was in fact carrying war-related material, in breach of at least the spirit and perhaps the letter of its safe passage agreement. Neverthless, this wasn't known to the submariners and had no influnece on the decsiion to sink it, which arose from a tragic series of errors and misudnerstandings.

Source:

David Miller, Mercy Ships, 2008, 136-142

Three one-act plays – “Her First Dance”/ “Trial Scene from Merchant of Venice”/ “The Last Meeting”

Liner with 2 white crosses arrived; left 23rd 8.30 a.m. (great excitement – believed parcels)

Today started extremely well, for, what should we see sailing in from the North but a very nice looking ship (about 20,000 tons) with a couple of very large white crosses on her side – the Awa Maru we presume with our I.R.C. food! There was great excitement and a good deal of surprise that it should have arrived so soon – at least four days earlier than the most optimistic guess. In fact people in the shipping business seem to think this is a new ‘Awa’ which is considerably faster than its predecessor. I suppose too, that it may have started even earlier than its scheduled date of 17th Feb. Some optimists think that it was unable to make its call at Formosa because that island has been, or is about to be, invaded by the Americans! That is I fear, wishful thinking. Well, thank God it has come. We are sadly in need of something cheerful just now – at least, I am. The more incredulous think it might be a hospital ship, but I think if it were it would bear red crosses on a white background.

The weather is still bitterly cold and rain has set in and as I have only one pair of shoes, which are not waterproof, it means that when I go out working I have to go in bare feet – a somewhat uncomfortable condition, especially as they seem to be frozen for the rest of the day. However, “cheer up,” I tell myself, this state of affairs must end one day – though it seems to be taking a hell of a long time about it. To sit cooped up in this room, day after day, just depresses me beyond endurance and I think fondly of a bright fire and crumpets in the grate! Ah well, it can’t be more than a few years now!

Another rotten day, cold & wet.

No 16. very prominent in dreams last night.

Tokyo bombed 100 planes 19th. Taiwan bombed 600 planes 16th & 18th. US forces landed on Iwojima 19th. No E. news whatever.

Vessel about 8,000 tons arrived 7.30am on which 2 white crosses were painted. Probably the “Awa Maru” with the US R.C. supplies & we are all awaiting confirmation.