Subterfuge
Many ingenuous ways were devised to conceal a radio. One of them was
to build it inside a wooden stool. If a nose-count was called in the middle
of the night, or at any other time, a designated "sick" man would carry the
stool to the parade square.
to build it inside a wooden stool. If a nose-count was called in the middle
of the night, or at any other time, a designated "sick" man would carry the
stool to the parade square.
It gave us great satisfaction to know that while the Japs were scouring the
huts in search of a radio, it would be on the parade square inside a
wooden stool where they least suspected it would be.
huts in search of a radio, it would be on the parade square inside a
wooden stool where they least suspected it would be.
Sometimes the object of a search was a pair of wire cutters or a pair of
pliers. We used to think that the searchers had a one track mind, in that, if
looking for a radio, a pair of wire cutters would go unnoticed, and vice
versa.
pliers. We used to think that the searchers had a one track mind, in that, if
looking for a radio, a pair of wire cutters would go unnoticed, and vice
versa.
And so it went. Day after weary day, marching out to the work site in the
morning and back at night; two weeks at a time, with no time off to wash
our clothes or to recharge whatever batteries our frail and emaciated
bodies still possessed.
morning and back at night; two weeks at a time, with no time off to wash
our clothes or to recharge whatever batteries our frail and emaciated
bodies still possessed.
Getting on in 1945, probably after the collapse of Germany, we began to
get better food. Some water buffalo meat was brought in with the rations.
Heavenly flavour!
get better food. Some water buffalo meat was brought in with the rations.
Heavenly flavour!
Liberation!
One day the word flashed through the camp that something big had
happened in Japan.A bomb the size of a grapefruit had been dropped with
devastating effect.
happened in Japan.A bomb the size of a grapefruit had been dropped with
devastating effect.
Sure enough, the guards began acting differently, and after a day or two,
work parties were cancelled, and the guards seemed to have abandoned
their posts.
work parties were cancelled, and the guards seemed to have abandoned
their posts.
What had happened? Had Chiang Kai Chek finally ridden his white horse
over the hills and liberated us?At any rate, whatever had happened, we
were sure it was in our favour.
over the hills and liberated us?At any rate, whatever had happened, we
were sure it was in our favour.
We then assumed that the war was over, and, perhaps foolishly, boldly
approached the guardhouse at the main gate to tell the Guards. T hey
were still armed, and had nothing to lose by exterminating all of us. Why
they didn't react in that way is something to be pondered.
approached the guardhouse at the main gate to tell the Guards. T hey
were still armed, and had nothing to lose by exterminating all of us. Why
they didn't react in that way is something to be pondered.
One glorious day an American fighter plane flew low over the camp and
dropped a spanner with a flag and a note attached.In the note, the pilot
told us that we were to be liberated and that food and medicine would be
dropped into the camp.
dropped a spanner with a flag and a note attached.In the note, the pilot
told us that we were to be liberated and that food and medicine would be
dropped into the camp.
He advised us to clear a space to the west side of the camp and to stay
clear when the big planes came over to drop supplies.
clear when the big planes came over to drop supplies.
What a marvellous sight to see those huge red and white parachutes land
with bundles of goodies attached!
with bundles of goodies attached!
Fortunately, most of the chutes landed inside the camp, but some fell
outside. They were immediately rushed by Chinese civilians, who
probably had not fared much better since 1941 than we had, and seized
the opportunity to help themselves.
outside. They were immediately rushed by Chinese civilians, who
probably had not fared much better since 1941 than we had, and seized
the opportunity to help themselves.
Free!!
Those were days of jubilation in ShamShuiPo! The realization that we
were no longer prisoners-of-war is a feeling that cannot be experienced
by anyone who has not suffered the privation, hunger, sickness, and
humiliation for almost four years. Long, long, years.
were no longer prisoners-of-war is a feeling that cannot be experienced
by anyone who has not suffered the privation, hunger, sickness, and
humiliation for almost four years. Long, long, years.
No more hunger! No more malaria! No more festering sores! No more
rice and bak choy! No more lining up in the rain at midnight! No more
blows across the back from a bamboo rod! No more digging tunnels in
the mountain! No more dreams of roast beef and mashed potatoes!
rice and bak choy! No more lining up in the rain at midnight! No more
blows across the back from a bamboo rod! No more digging tunnels in
the mountain! No more dreams of roast beef and mashed potatoes!
No more waking up from a dream of home, only to find that home was as
far away as ever!Plans for going home! Plenty of ice cream, and peanut
butter, and BEER! Will Sally still be waiting? How are Mum and Dad?
far away as ever!Plans for going home! Plenty of ice cream, and peanut
butter, and BEER! Will Sally still be waiting? How are Mum and Dad?
First thing I'm gonna do is buy a car! Will the government pay us for all
the time we spent in POW camps? Oh joy! Oh unbounded joy! The
indescribable happiness!
the time we spent in POW camps? Oh joy! Oh unbounded joy! The
indescribable happiness!