27 Mar 1943, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

Submitted by brian edgar on Fri, 12/21/2012 - 22:49

Lewis Bush, a Japanese-speaking Volunteer Naval Officer, leaves Camp for Shamshuipo after repeated protests that, as a uniformed Volunteer, he is in the wrong camp:

Lieut. Bush sent in from Stanley, Alan Barwell very fit. But there is some friction there with the families, only to be expected.

Bush's own account:

One morning...I was told to pack my kit. At the camp office a host of friends saw me off escorted by a Japanese major. I was sorry in many ways to leave the many good friends I had made at Stanley, but was eager to join my comrades, and looked forward to hearing how they had fared and being able to relay the tidings from Stanley to husbands, fathers, brothers, sweethearts and friends.

Sources:

Bush and Barwell: Diary of Staff-Sergeant James O'Toole: http://www.far-eastern-heroes.org.uk/James_OToole/html/dairy_1943.htm

Bush: Lewis Bush, The Road To Inamura, 1972, 162

Note:

Writing in the early 1970s, Lewis Bush dates his transfer to 'one morning, in April'. James O' Toole's wartime diary is almost certainly correct, and is supported by Bush's own post-war statement.

For the circumstances of his assignment to Stanley, see http://gwulo.com/node/9858

Date(s) of events described