ONE DAY AS A P. O. W. In Hong Kong

By Edward Shayler

 

This day started at five in the morning. He considered it a good day as it was cold and wet which meant he might escape the hot torrid sun beating down on the Kai – Tak Airport where his work was to began at six o’clock. He had been up twice during the night and he was fairly sure that he was suffering from another bout of dysentery. His feet were burning as the result of Berri-Berri caused by starvation, his teeth were aching and he was hungry. The cold had to be endured, but by wrapping himself in his one thin blanket and an oilskin “Gas Cape” with all of his clothes on, he managed to find some warmth and get some rest. He was wakened often with bed bugs, fleas and lice biting, as they loved the warmth too.

A fast trip to the “Benjo” (toilet), then he responded to “TENKO!!!!” (Fall-in and be counted), “Kioskiiii” (Attention), and “Bengo!!” (Number off). “Ichi, nee, san, see, go, roco, sitchi, hatchi, coo, jew, jew ichi... Yasumay!! Yasumay!!” (Break off).

He washed up and rinsed out his mouth. They had no soap or tooth cleaner, but just cold water to wash with. Then he hurried to get his morning ration.

He got his eating utensils: they consisted of a small green lampshade that had been discarded and a spoon. He had plugged the hole in the light shade where it had been attached to the light bulb with a piece of tin and tar so that it did not leak and he arrived at the line-up for his turn for rations.

He received a dipperful of rice… the dipper was made from a discarded butter tin nailed to a stick. The server had a flat stick to scrape off the amount above the top of the tin dipper. On top of the rice went a dipperful of “green ‘orrer”… a name the Brits coined: a soup made with sweet potato tops, salt and curry. Next he was given a “Binto” (a lunch box about ¾ inch x 2 ½ x 3 ½ inches) filled with rice and a spoonful of “bean curd” pressed into it.

He found a place to sit and eat the morning ration. The rice had weevils and worms in it, but the cliché was “whatever isn’t fattening is filling”. The rice was better since the Japanese allowed the cooks to get some seawater from the bay to cook with.

He washed out the dish and spoon and put the spoon in his pocket so that it wouldn’t be seen. His dish was put with his folded blanket along with his pair of “clogs” that had been had been fashioned out of wood with cloth straps. His jacket made from remnants of cloth joined it.

He had left his “Fandosey” on, which was an oblong piece of cotton cloth about 12 inches by 36 inches with a tie string attached to one end. He put it on by tying the tie string around his waist and bringing the cloth up between his legs and under the tie string in front. This served as underwear. He put on a pair of Japanese issue shoes (Tabbe) that were made like “sneakers” running shoes, except that the big toe had a separation from the rest of the toes and they laced up the back. Orders were that these shoes could only be worn during a work party.  He put on his short pants, and a shirt without sleeves and shirttail, as the shirttail had been removed to be used for washing himself.

He responded to the call “SHINGOTO” (party fall in) and then “Tenko” (number) that called the order to be searched. Then he marched off under armed guard down Nathan Road to Kai Tak Airport. On the way the sky began to clear but they did have a chance to see some of the local people on the streets of Kowloon, and the people also watched them back.

At the airport they lined up again and were counted and turned over to the “Honcho Donnos” (Civilian Overseers) and they were separated into “Bunty’s (work squads) of six to eight men. They were then assigned a foreman who was a Japanese civilian. The word was: “Watch out for these men… some of them are almost sadistic.”

He had been selected as a group that would empty the “Dirt Carts”. This was considered one of the better draws, but nevertheless the toil was still pretty heavy. It meant transporting the soil and rubble dug from a hill at the far end of the old runway to the other end of the newly constructed runway and to dump it over the seawall. The Japanese wanted to lengthen and reinforce the old runway so that it would be suitable for heavy bomber aircraft to use. The cart was about four feet long and about three feet wide and two feet high with four wheels on rails. The rail track could be moved and lengthened. It had to be pushed to the seawall… about a quarter mile… then dumped and returned for another load. The hill was an ancient Chinese graveyard and of course there were many skeletons and bits of crockery in the soil. The dumping part was the hardest and the burden fell to two men per cart. Coming back empty was the easy but the foreman would be standing about half way with a length of “Cab Tire”. Cab Tire was heavy-duty flexible 220-volt electric cable: it had a thick live rubber insulation coat and was used as a whip.

The soldier began to get dysentery cramps again and there was no time to waste. HURRY! “Shingoto San Kudisai benjo?” (Foreman could I please go to the toilet?) The foreman nodded, and now he hurried, almost running, and got to the outhouse that was recently placed there. Ah! Just made it! Severe cramps continue for a few minutes, but finally begin to subside. Yes! Relief! There was blood he noted, and thought he must tell the Doc tonight. He wondered if there was a different treatment this time. He hurried back to catch up to his work party. He had to pass the Foreman who gave him a whack with his whip… not very hard this time but enough to make welts.

The routine of pushing and dumping was interrupted a couple of times with the cart coming off the rails. The last time they felt the Foreman’s whip again. It had become hot and sultry. Finally came the call, “Meshie” to break for binto’s.

The sun beat down and the shade places were all taken up with the Guards and Honcho Donnos but the time of rest was welcome. Eating the Binto took all of five minutes, and was followed by a drag on a “butt” which was a welcome luxury - it helped stem the hunger pains. There was another third of a cigarette left for when work came to an end. That would be the last of the two cigarettes that were rationed to those who were on work parties.

Smoking was almost an art as the only paper that would not leak air was the English squares of brown toilet paper. The paper was made out of rice paper and became a sought after commodity and too much in demand to be used for anything else. Lighting the “fag” was done with a “chink-chink box”. This was a small metal hand made box that had been fashioned to hold a partially burnt cloth used for charcoal and a small rough pebble that would cause a spark when struck against a piece of metal. The spark caused the charcoal to smolder. 

He needed to use the toilet again but didn’t need permission, as it was still break time. Yet there was a different problem: there was only one benjo and a big lineup. Urgency was a consideration so need was always discussed by the latest arrival. Comradeship was important and it was always displayed. He felt he could wait two turns. He hurried to get it over: the cramps would come after he was done.

Now he tried to rest for what remained of the hour. The best way was to sit in a squat and use the shirt for a sun break. Then he got some water from the drink buckets and went back to work for more of the same. He had one more break in the afternoon for water to drink and a fifteen-minute rest, along with another trip to the benjo. They broke off at five thirty, returned all the tools and got ready to leave for camp.

“Davie” had been over and had dropped a balloon - this worried everybody, even the guards and the Honcho Donnos.  Davie was the name used to describe a Chinese army reconnaissance plane that came in the better weather. The pilots were quite brazen and seemed unafraid. The plane was an older propeller driven biplane and rather slow. They knew that some time later the bombers would come, and the airport was a prime target.

The prisoners had just turned in their working tools when “ZZZZZZRRRRRR”, there they came!!!! This time there were B29 Bombers and P38 Fighter planes. The fighter planes came in low, strafing as they came - they were all busy looking for shelter. He ran for the closest air- raid shelter, but the Japanese guards had taken possession of it. The Honcho Donnos were in the shelter at the gate, so there was none for him.

Someone shouted “pamphlets”, but  no!!!… It wasn’t pamphlets: it was “confetti”, a type of shredded aluminum paper that would confuse the Radar. Along with the confetti came the bombs. They could not hear them drop so that meant the bombs were close.

There were two bomber planes side by side. When the bombs were dropped they were called “sticks of bombs” and usually had up to ten bombs in a stick. The bombs started to explode. He saw a man running in circles with fright, so he caught him and knocked him down and landed holding on to him. But he had also landed on top of a manhole cover. The bombs straddled where all of the men had flopped down, but every explosion caused the manhole cover to lift, hitting him in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him.

Now silence fell. An oil drum had been blown up and had gone high in the sky. It had landed right where the men were but missed them all. Everyone began to realize that the danger was over. But where were the guards?

The other plane’s stick of bombs had landed in a direct line with the air raid shelter and the guardroom, and had destroyed them along with the occupants. That left them unguarded.

Suddenly there were some trucks heading their way. They contained Japanese military personnel and they drew up, unloaded and set up machine guns on the POW’s. This action was very frightening to them. After searching out the situation, the Japanese personnel ordered them to load onto two of the trucks, which they did despite the overcrowding. He could tell that the Japanese were not very pleased, and they all tried their best to do as ordered.

They headed back to Shamshewi Po Camp and what a ride! They were sure the driver was trying to dump some of them out, but they arrived safely at the front Gate. They even were a little early! He had a chance to go to the toilets again and then was directed to the doctor after informing the medic of his condition.

The doctor ordered him to get his gear and report to quarantine isolation. On reporting he was shown a space to make a bed and his treatment was started. The treatment was no food until further notice; to drink a pint of warm water every half hour; and to take a heavy dose of Epsom salts. This treatment also meant no sleep.

He had one smoke left and so that would be his last luxury for about ten days. He made up his bed, washed and had his smoke. He then lay down and dreamed of a roast beef dinner and home.

To: Ed Shayler's Story - Day 2

 

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