Click Here To Go To Part One
Home
Click Here
To Go To
Part Two
Home
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I had landed in Heaven again! There was chicken every day, as many candy bars as you wanted, there was beer, there were cigarettes, there were movies, there was music blaring from every lamp post in camp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There were songs by a new singer, one that we had never heard of, by the name of Frank Sinatra. The Andrews Sisters sang "Drinkin' rum and Coca Cola", Bing Crosby sang, "The Atcheson, Topeka, and the Santa Fe", "Don't fence me in", and the biggest tear-jerker of them all, "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas". I cried with joy. When I think of that happy time, tears still come to my eyes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Our prison camp rags were exchanged for American Army clothes. We were fitted out from head to foot with everything from a razor and toothbrush, to shirts, sox, underwear, boots, hats, jackets, everything! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It was interesting to see the Japanese prisoners in the camp, loosly guarded, and seeming quite content, working around the camp, dressed in American Army fatigues with a big white spot on the back of the shirt and a big"P" on one trouser leg and a big "W" on the other. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I went into town once to see what I could see. The city was a wreck, like all other war-torn cities in World War II. It was so unnerving to my sensitive feelings that I was afraid, and I was glad to return to camp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Onward! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Things were so good that I didn't want to leave Manila, but, after five days, transportation was arranged for some of us on a huge American Troop transport called the "Admiral Hugh Rodman". | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The food, as usual, was the best, and in copious quantities. At meal time we lined up and received a tray of food, and stood at a long table to eat it.I have no conception of the number of Americans and others returning home, but the ship was crowded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 41 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the sleeping quarters, bunks two feet wide were stacked five high. I suffered from prickly heat, and got no relief until we got a little further north and the temperature cooled down. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 43 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It's strange why some things linger in one's memory. I can still hear, coming over the ship's loudspeaker. "The army garbage detail, report to the fantail!". Something new to me. Ex-POWs were excused all fatigue duties! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 46 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 47 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After twenty-three days at sea, we finally sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge. Some American fellows in our camp used to say, "Golden Gate in '48". Thank Heaven it didn't take that long! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Page 50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| We were greeted on the dock by a group of ladies from some service organization whose name I don't recall. They were most kind and sympathetic, handing us apples, soft drinks, and words of appreciation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Photo Gallery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Click Here To Go To Part One Home |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| We saw nothing of San Francisco, because we were bundled immediately onto a train and headed north to God'.s Country. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| We arrived in Seattle in daylight and immediately went aboard a ferry to Victoria. At this point I'll have to tell another little story! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the prison camp, Bryce Craig used to talk to me about his girlfriend , Irene, and how he longed to see her again. As the ferry approached the dock in the inner harbour at Victoria, a large group of people were lined up, watching us come in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Click Here To Go To Part Two Home |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bryce and I were standing together, leaning over the rail. Suddenly Bryce said,"There's Irene!" Sure enough Irene was there, in her CWAC uniform, waving to us. Women in the army? Something new for us! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aboard a bus, a group of ladies from some service organization gave us apples and soft drinks. I looked at an apple that one of the girls handed me, and suddenly I was overcome by a rush of emotion. Tears came to my eyes and for the first time since leaving ShamShuiPo, it sank in that it was really over! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gordon Head Barracks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Links | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At Gordon Head we received the same deferential treatment that had been accorded us wherever we stopped. Plenty to eat! By that time most of us had put on a pound a day since liberation, so that on arriving in Canada there was little physical evidence of our years of starvation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| We were fitted out with Canadian uniforms and given a medal bar with four ribbons, the 1939-45 Star, the Pacific Star, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, and the Victory Medal.However, no Defence of Britain Medal! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Please mail me | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Please View My Guestbook | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||