Charles Richard Trick - Life and Times

1945 Diary

January

  1. New Years day. Br: rice and soup, Dinner: rice and soup, Supper: rice and soup. Issued with 1 more Red Cross parcel, each also 5 oranges and 1 vitamin pill. 3 alerts last nite. Great day.

  2. Very cold.

  3. Bought 2 pks cigs.

  4. Nothing new.

  5. 2 alerts last nite. Cold.

  6. A bit of snow fell today.

  7. Nothing new.

  8. One man hurt at work today.

  9. Air raid at 1400 hrs. We don’t come in from work now for an air raid they just jam us all in the mess hall.

  10. Big inspection today. Very cold. The stoves were up for the inspection but no fire in them. Our supper is very small now. Just a cup of rice and potatoes mixed a turnip soup.

  11. Today is a holiday and nearly freeze. I weigh 63kgs. Had hot bath. Issued with ½ cup soap powder. Red Cross parcels pretty well finished.

  12. Nothing new. Warmer.

  13. Very cold. Pay day.

  14. About 25 letters came in. Also a bit of tea, coffee and cocoa in canteen.

  15. Letters released. Very cold.

  16. Nothing new.

  17. 3 small oranges for supper. Also 5RC parcels released to the officers.

  18. Some blankets came in. We sure need them.

  19. The fires were lit for the 1st time this year. Big inspection tomorrow.

  20. The inspection came off OK. Each man got a blanket and we sure need them.

  21. A bit of tea and coffee in canteen. Hot bath.

  22. Nothing new. Very cold.

  23. Cold. Nothing new.

  24. We were allowed to bring in wood from factory for stoves tomorrow. We had 2 fires for 2 hours in the evening.

  25. Today is a holiday. I weigh 61.5kgs. Had fires for a while today. Hot bath.

  26. Very cold day. Fires in evening.

  27. 3 air raids last nite and one this afternoon. Very cold. Fires. Temp at 6PM: 37.7.

  28. Small fires at nite.

  29. No fires. Nothing new. Stool tests.

  30. Had our stools tested today. 15 cigs at nite.

  31. Nothing new.

February 1945

  1. Warmer.

  2. About 2” of snow fell last nite and it was still snowing when we fell in for work so we were dismissed. I weigh 64.5kgs. Had fires. A few letters given out.

  3. I got a letter from Helen dated Feb 44.

  4. Very, very cold. No fires.

  5. Slightly warmer. Nothing new. Rations good.

  6. Nothing new.

  7. Came in with mumps to hospital. Hot bath.

  8. Today was holiday but everybody had to work all day getting ready for an inspection tomorrow.

  9. Big inspection today, Meat in the soup for dinner.

  10. Nothing new.

  11. 1pk cigs per man.

  12. Pay day. Letters in.

  13. Received 2 letters today, 1 from Helen and 1 from mother.

  14. Nothing new.

  15. Work party came in early on account of air raid.

  16. Spent nearly all day in air raid shelters.

  17. More air raids today. No work party.

  18. Three air raids last nite.

  19. 1 air raid this afternoon. The work party came in from factory. We could hear the bombs falling. 3 pks cigs per man.

  20. Nothing new.

  21. Came from hospital.

  22. Today is a holiday. Hot bath. I weigh 60.5kgs. Lost 4 kgs in hospital. I got a letter from Lillian.

  23. Another great day. We got another Red Cross parcel when we came in from work.

  24. Nothing new.

  25. We just got to work and had to come in on account of air raids. No work today.

  26. We went to work at 9AM on account of snow.

  27. Very wet on the feet, slush over our boot tops. However we are enjoying the parcel. 2 pks cigs at nite.

  28. We got a new Camp Commandant today. We came in for dinner and he have us a speech. Very wet.

March 1945

  1. Cold and very wet.

  2. Still cold and wet.

  3. Lovely day. A few Red Cross clothes issued. 34 articles between 40 men. I did not get anything.

  4. Snowed. Air raid in AM.

  5. Rain and sleet all day. Very cold.

  6. We lined up to go to work but didn’t go on account of rain. Worked all afternoon bailing (?) out air raid shelters.

  7. A nice day. Nothing new. Received 2 letters, 1 from Mother and 1 from Helen.

  8. A holiday, that is we didn’t go to the factory. We bailed out and fixed air raid shelters.

  9. A lovely day. Nothing new.

  10. Colder. 3 pks cigs for 69 Sen, also 3 oranges for supper.

  11. Came in at 1:30 on account of air raid.

  12. Red Cross supplies in.

  13. Cold. Changed our metal money for paper.

  14. Released Red Cross supplies. I got ½ bar soap, ??, 2 pencils and a comb.

  15. Cold, dull day.

  16. Nothing new.

  17. Nothing new.

  18. Nothing new.

  19. The Camp Commandant took 4 Red Cross parcels. We got a spoonful of stuff made from them for supper.

  20. Guard changed today.

  21. Area hospital prisoners got 2/5 of a parcel last week. 1 pk cigs.

  22. A holiday and very warm. I weigh 63.4. Hot bath.

  23. Very warm.

  24. Word of 150 men leaving this camp and I’m on the list.

  25. Nothing new. Warm.

  26. Hot bath at nite. Lots of wood now. Some of the boys are ???

  27. We had a small bun for supper tonite. The soups are poor. Clear at noon and nite.

  28. Nothing new.

  29. 95 men back from H.Q. (?) Camp. Got 3 letters. Go word I am leaving in the morning for another camp: 200 men. Up till 2AM getting clothes checked, etc.

  30. Up at 4AM, had breakfast and left. On train all day. No water. Little to eat.

  31. Travelled all nite and all day till 5PM when we arrived at new camp. No dinner today. Had good supper and bath.

April 1945

  1. No work. Laid around.

  2. Same as yesterday.

  3. Nothing new.

  4. Cold and dreary.

  5. Started work. I’m working on mine machinery.

  6. I like the work. A lot of the boys are working underground and work hard. We have to get up at 4.30 and lights out at 8PM. It’s a long day.

  7. Nothing new. Rations same as last camp.

  8. Nothing new.

  9. (no entry)

  10. Today is a holiday. Had to carry wood in afternoon. Concert at nite.

  11. Cold.

  12. Warmer.

  13. Colder and had to carry wood after working all day. We left camp at 6AM and got back at 17:30, a long day.

14-19 (no entry)

  1. Supposed to be a holiday today but put it off till 22nd.

  2. (no entry)

22. A holiday, had to go to hills and carry wood.

27 Big inspection today. New Commandant.

30 Holiday today. Nothing to smoke and little to eat.

August 1945

15 The Big Day has come at last. The War is Over. We went to work as usual and when we came in at nite rumours had it and so died the news that the war was over at 12 o’clock noon. Some believe it and some don’t. It’s hard to believe. Didn’t sleep at nite. They brought about 373 prisoners in from Camishe (Kamaishi - ed) (a port about 12 miles from here) and put them in a theatre (?) just outside the camp. A lot of them are wounded and burned (?) from air raids.

16 Just laying around today and it’s great. No more mine.

17 Nothing new. A real rest.

18 The camp was turned over to our officers tonite. They take the roll call and look after administration

19 Sunday. We had a little church service in the evening. Our first peaceful Sunday in nearly 6 years. It was very nice.

20 Got in a lazy day.

21 Nothing new, just laying around.

25 Supposed to be an aerial drop ??? Rations fairly good. At 1210 about 15 American aircraft ?? circled back and forth our camp. It was sure a thrill after 3 years and 8 months to see our own planes so close. … dropping packages of Lucky Strike cigarettes and packages of safety matches. A note was attached, reading:
Ens. W. F. Harrah
2221 Newton
Seattle, Wash
It will only be a few more days

26 The sick men in hospital were moved out today where we don’t know. I went to Camishe on a baggage party. We have lots of smokes, etc. We got our first issue of toilet paper in 6 months, also tooth powder. We are getting a lot of beans and we’re not hungry now which is a change.

27 USN planes drop 5 ?? of food over our camp.

28 USN planes drop 12 bundles of supplies over our camp (unreadable)

29 Very quiet. (Windy)

30 10AM. Large transport dropped loads by parachute. One load was too far into the mountains to get. In the hills all day looking.

31 Four large transports dropped loads of food today right over camp. The camp was damaged and one man slightly hurt. A sign was then painted on the roof “Dangerous no more” The food is really lovely.

September 1945

1. Small fighters were over at noon but nothing was dropped.

2. The Japanese signed full unconditional surrender on board the battleship Missouri in Tokyo harbour today. The guards left and all we have now is 2 MP soldiers. We can roam around now. 6 B29s dropped loads of foodstuffs over here this morning 6.30AM.

3, We can go out now and … all over. We were at the mine today.

4. Raining. No planes.

September 1945

  1. (until 8 Sep) Very quiet nothing doing several boys left camp for Tokio.

  1. A B29 dropped more food supplies today just 1 load. Our first visit for 1 week. We are busy trading clothes and blankets to the Japs for food.

11 Left this camp for Tokio unofficially. Had to walk 6 miles. Took train at 4PM

  1. Arrived in Tokio met some marines then went on to Yokahama. Had our first meal sure great. Given a show and dissenfected. Also given new clothes. Put on board USS Hyde troop transport. Went to show at nite.

  2. Still on boat. Supposed to fly out tomorrow.

  3. Started for airport but had to return. Planes grounded.

  4. At last we left Tokio Airport at 11AM on 50869 C54 carrying 30 men. Our last sight of Japan. Arrived in Guam 8PM, 7PM Tokio time. Big supper and a lovely clean bed.

  1. (until 19 Sep) Finished medical in this time.

  1. We leave and go on board USS LAMAAR. A trooper and are we ever packed.

  2. 9AM Set sail for Frisco.

October 1945

  1. Our 4 yr wedding anniversary. There are 24 hours here. Cross the international date line 6AM

  1. Landed in San Diego. Went to Haan Camp, Riverside Calif.

  2. Left for Las Angeles by bus. Boarded train and left 11PM for Frisco

  3. Arrived Frisco 2PM, left 7PM. Had a car ride.

  4. Arrived Portland 6PM, left 12PM

  5. Arrived Seattle and stayed 24 hrs.

  6. Left Seattle on CP boat for Victoria. Canadian soil. Had a medical, etc.

  7. Hanging around camp.

  8. Told I’m a dissentry carrier and put in hospital.

  9. Boys I came with leave.

  10. Still here.

  11. Leave for Wpg

24 Arrive home