B. W. Thompson's Diary​
Below are shortened notes of the diary kept by B. W. Thompson during the war. It gives comprehensive and unprecedented detail about the ups and downs of life in the camp.
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Diary from B. W. Thompson, Dec 1941 to Nov 1943
Interned as a Japanese POW
Dec 1941
Scots, Middlesex Regiment and Canadians fighting the Japanese; Chinese army will arrive soon. Japanese have cut electric supply and water to the POW camp. Many bombs flying near camp and destroyers.
12 bombs came within 60 yards of Thompson, two around him died.
Had a Christmas dinner. Most other meals consist of bully beef and biscuits. Thompson stocked up on food in case the Japanese starve in the future. Started to feel very hungry. By the end of the month, the Japanese have been feeding POWs with rice for 10 days and the men look in a terrible state.
Chinese army could not hold out much longer; should have surrendered instead of wasting more lives. Thompson is now looking for an opportunity to escape.
Some Chinese looted the camp- took nearly everything including doors, windows, taps, furniture. Only bare huts left. They then sold army bedding across the barbed wire which had been looted from the camp.
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Jan 1942
Thompson doesn’t think they will stay in the camp much longer because the British are killing Japanese in Malaya. Russians are also advancing rapidly.
He was continuing to plan his escape but wanted to wait until the Chinese army got closer. Many Chinese selling food and other necessities across the wire at exorbitant prices and were stealing money and goods from the POWs.
Thompson also looted goods and sold them. Prices of goods were continually rising during this period.
Most of the food Thompson got during this time was rice, vegetable water, turnips, some tuna, beans, and sugar. Some tea came in later.
The Russians were now within 100 miles from Berlin and thousands of Japanese were captured in Malaya.
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Feb 1942
Casualties in the camp now around 40 killed, missing and wounded. There were some rumours that the Japanese were going to start a canteen in the future.
Thompson had bad diarrhea during this time; likely had dysentery.
Canteen was eventually set up but there was not much use to it after a short while because there was very little money in the camp and the Japanese would not give the POWs any credit.
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Mar 1942
Many people starting to get beriberi by this point. The rice diet was heavily affecting the POWs; many were constipated.
Japanese requested some better food for the camp, including bread, margarine, tea, sugar and milk. Some beef came in which was meant to last 2 years but ran out in less than a month. The food quickly became worse; the Japanese couldn’t stick to their promise.
General feeling of optimism in the camp as the Germans were said to have been near collapse.
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Apr 1942
Japanese brought flour for the first time to the camp and lots of bread. Main issue is still food.
However, conditions seem to be improving.
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May 1942
General opinion is that things are beginning to look up outside. Food is continuing to get better, Thompson feeling healthier. Western troops now landing on the continent- Americans in India.
Japanese then stopped amenities, rations, parcels. No more meat came in.
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Jun 1942
Thompson started taking French lessons.
Food started to get bad again around this time as there was only meat twice a week and beriberi had broken out worse than before. Thompson thinks his stomach has contracted. Many of the men are resigned to having to stay in the camp for a long time.
Everybody’s mouths were now full of ulcers- appetites were failing. Thompson having trouble getting down food. Started having a bad cold.
Total camp deaths: 30
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Jul 1942
From Japanese newspaper: Americans landed on Java
12th July marked 200 days in captivity.
Strong rumours in the camp that the POWs are being moved to Japan before Christmas.
Started to be fed a little better- more meat than ever before, Thompson had been feeling pretty healthy in the last few weeks.
Bad typhoons during this period.
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Aug 1942
Now Japanese weren’t bringing in any more meat.
Ration parties still going on.
Total camp deaths: 104. Ailments in the camp: pellagra, beriberi, diphtheria, septicemia, jaundice, dysentery, malaria, syphilis, ringworm, gonorrhea.
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Sep 1942
Having tough time- bugs in everything- boots, overcoat, blankets.
Thompson’s heel turned septic- not feeling too well. Had diarrhea, suspected dysentery.
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Oct 1942
Lower morale in the camp- especially those in hospital.
Rumour that the Lisbon Maru has been sunk.
Last ration party
HK was raided for 2 hours; it was allied bombing. Bombed all Japanese barracks.
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Nov 1942
Some Red Cross parcels came into the camp
Thompson’s eyes started failing
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Jan 1943
Jan 17: Told to pack and to get ready to leave the camp at 10:00. The next day, Thompson would be on the boat to Japan. Ship was overcrowded and air was thick and hot; Thompson was one of 200 in the afterhold.
Jan 21: Arrived at Nagasaki at 11:30.
Started taking some Japanese lessons.
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Feb 1943
Did lots of manual labour on the camp, including unloading coal all day with little break. Struggled with the meagre rations despite tough work. Already 25-30 men in the improvised hospital. Factory was in bad condition, everything was rusty.
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Mar 1943
8 Red Cross parcels came in, including cocoa and extra rice.
Thompson was starting to feel better, conditions seemed to be improving.
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Apr 1943
Another lorry load of Red Cross parcels: boots, fruit, cocoa, sugar.
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Jun 1943
Conditions were getting very bad now; getting beaten for things he had never done. Japanese had lost heavily in the Aleutian Islands (Alaska) so Thompson thinks they were taking it out on the POWs.
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July 1943
Some good news abroad- Allies have taken places off Italy and are now attacking Italy itself. Thompson thinks he has a reputation for being the fittest man in the camp.
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Sep 1943
Now 4 years of war in total. The men are infinitely more cheerful because of developments in Europe.
Italy capitulated on Sep 10- the Japanese started getting very worried.
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Nov 1943
Completely new staff, now run mostly by civilian officers, previously had been the military.
More Red Cross stuff came in.
Thompson also wrote letters to his parents, wrote poems, did drawings.
Read Shakespeare and some books
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