Pork Stew
It was probably in 1943, that somehow the Japs had been conned into
giving us a little pig to raise. Where the extra food came from to feed the
pig is a question I can't answer, because we had little enough for ourselves.
giving us a little pig to raise. Where the extra food came from to feed the
pig is a question I can't answer, because we had little enough for ourselves.
The plan was to feed him and butcher him at Christmas time and cook him
for our Christmas dinner. You can imaging how a little pig could feed
about 2000 starving prisoners!
for our Christmas dinner. You can imaging how a little pig could feed
about 2000 starving prisoners!
The long-awaited meal finally arrived! I can remember looking down into
a glorious stew in my mess tin. It was about one inch deep, no lean meat,
but bits of rind with a few bristles, floating in a grayish, oily liquid.
a glorious stew in my mess tin. It was about one inch deep, no lean meat,
but bits of rind with a few bristles, floating in a grayish, oily liquid.
I had saved some salt, and had carefully picked the balls of mud out of it.
I fully intended to enjoy this meal!
I fully intended to enjoy this meal!
Well, I did enjoy it. Like everyone else, I sat on the edge of my bed in the
hospital ward and silently savoured the delicious stew. Then, like everyone
else, I scrubbed out my dish with sand and water, hung it up over my bed
and went to sleep.
hospital ward and silently savoured the delicious stew. Then, like everyone
else, I scrubbed out my dish with sand and water, hung it up over my bed
and went to sleep.
During the night I awoke with an uneasy, urgent feeling. Before long I
realized that a system accustomed for so long to a diet of rice and greens,
and not much else, would react violently to a sudden dose of "fat" food.
realized that a system accustomed for so long to a diet of rice and greens,
and not much else, would react violently to a sudden dose of "fat" food.
I got to my feet, slipped on my wooden clogs and my old "khaki drill"
jacket, and set out with all muscles clenched.
jacket, and set out with all muscles clenched.
The latrines were a good distance from our hut, past the morgue, past a
sweet potato patch, past the showers, and over by the sea wall.
sweet potato patch, past the showers, and over by the sea wall.
There was a curfew in the camp, of course. No one was allowed outside
after dark, but the Jap quarter guards recognized certain emergencies,
and permitted access to the latrines if necessary.
after dark, but the Jap quarter guards recognized certain emergencies,
and permitted access to the latrines if necessary.
On this particular Christmas night it was dark: so dark that I couldn't see
anything when I stepped outside. It was also cold. I would guess about
forty degrees, which is cold when all one has on is a fandochi and a cotton
jacket.
anything when I stepped outside. It was also cold. I would guess about
forty degrees, which is cold when all one has on is a fandochi and a cotton
jacket.
The darkness didn't bother me. I knew the way to the latrine, about two
hundred fifty paces away, and knew I had to cross the floor of a burnt-out
building. .Fifty paces beyond the showers lay the object of my journey.
hundred fifty paces away, and knew I had to cross the floor of a burnt-out
building. .Fifty paces beyond the showers lay the object of my journey.
I had hardly taken ten steps when something cold and hard caught me
across the throat, accompanied with a loud "KURA"! Those Japs moved
as silently as mice on their rubber soled sneakers.
across the throat, accompanied with a loud "KURA"! Those Japs moved
as silently as mice on their rubber soled sneakers.
My clenched muscles faltered a little, but I recovered before much was
lost, and answered, "BENJO,BENJO, BIOKI". Toilet, toilet, sick!
lost, and answered, "BENJO,BENJO, BIOKI". Toilet, toilet, sick!
After a few more "kuras" from the guard, and a few "benjo, benjo"s
dommy, dommy, bioki, from me, I was allowed to move on. I crossed the
old cement floor and headed for the potato patch, a little faster now,
because I had lost precious time with the guard, and my needs were
becoming more urgent.
dommy, dommy, bioki, from me, I was allowed to move on. I crossed the
old cement floor and headed for the potato patch, a little faster now,
because I had lost precious time with the guard, and my needs were
becoming more urgent.
Suddenly my wooden clogs struck something unfamiliar, and I realized
that the owner of the potatoes had chosen that day to dig them up.
that the owner of the potatoes had chosen that day to dig them up.
My muscles failed me again, but again I was able to recover enough to
make the rest of the trip worthwhile. I decided that the best thing to do
was to detour around the potato patch, rather than to risk stumbling
through the middle.
make the rest of the trip worthwhile. I decided that the best thing to do
was to detour around the potato patch, rather than to risk stumbling
through the middle.
I went past the showers at a fast clip, and headed into the home stretch.
Only forty or fifty yards to go! By the time I reached the door of the
latrine, I was breathing a sigh of relief.
Only forty or fifty yards to go! By the time I reached the door of the
latrine, I was breathing a sigh of relief.
The Latrine
The latrine was a long narrow building, with about twelve or fifteen stalls,
each about three feet wide, on each side of an aisle that ran the full length.
Each stall had a supporting bar, and under the bar was placed the "honey
bucket".
each about three feet wide, on each side of an aisle that ran the full length.
Each stall had a supporting bar, and under the bar was placed the "honey
bucket".
All of the stalls were not in use, and the practice was to remove the
buckets daily, dump them and wash them out, wash the floor and place
the buckets on the other side of the aisle.
buckets daily, dump them and wash them out, wash the floor and place
the buckets on the other side of the aisle.
The next day the latrine detail would reverse the process. The vacant stalls
would be barred off with a strand of barbed wire, leaving only the
operating stalls open.
would be barred off with a strand of barbed wire, leaving only the
operating stalls open.
This arrangement was further complicated by the fact that not all of the
stalls were in use, only about six of them. Three or four stalls on each end
of each side were permanently barred off, so that only five or six on each
side were in regular use.
stalls were in use, only about six of them. Three or four stalls on each end
of each side were permanently barred off, so that only five or six on each
side were in regular use.
In my anxiety, as I turned into the pitch-black interior of the latrine, I
bolted immediately for what I thought was the side in use for that day. I
ran into a strand of barbed wire and realized my mistake, but not before
suffering another minor mishap in my fandochi.
bolted immediately for what I thought was the side in use for that day. I
ran into a strand of barbed wire and realized my mistake, but not before
suffering another minor mishap in my fandochi.