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are dozens of cases on record, aged as well as young who had no mattresses "or blankets, and were consequently forced to sleep on concrete and wooden floors, Many obtained rice sacks, when available, and made their own mattressos, and it was not till January 1943, just one year after internment that the Japanese Authorities issued 500, camp beds and cotton mattresses, and a fow blankets. Even with this issue, there were still many who were still forced to sloop on wooden boards, brokop doors and on the floor itself.
a
Recreation and entertainment facilities in the Camp were very limited, however, through the never-to-be-forgotten kindness of the International Red Cross delegate, occasional extra supplies of food and sports and entertainment equipment were sent in to the internees. There being no Swiss Consular Office in Hong Kong, the Japanese Authorities would not recognize any delegate appointed from Switzerland, and it was many months before the Japanese themselves appointed a Mr. Zindel, Hongkong businessman, and even then he was only just tolerated by the Japanese, and had no free reign to act on his own. Only on rare occasions was he permitted to visit the Camp, and then in the presence of the Authorities. Contact by mail with the Prisoner of War Camps in Hongkong was very difficult, and it was only through the efforts of Mr. Zindel that news could be obtained as to the welfare of relatives in these Camps.
The Canteen, originally run by the Camp Commandant, a Chinesc by the name of Chen, who was later replaced by a Japanese, was finally taken over and run by ourselves, but up until April 1943 when the first comfort allowance came through, fow persons could avail themselves of it. The allowance of Military Yen 25.00 and 12.50 for children did not go very far. Prices were exhorbitant. A 16 oz. tin of corned beef cost MY8.50, while local products such as jam sold for MY.3.00 for a 12 oz. tin; peanut oil MY 4.50 per half pint; peanuts MY 3.65 per half pound and brown sugar as high as MY 2.80 per half pound. These prices may not appear so high, but when it is considered that we were forced to exchange our Hongkong dollars for Military Yen at the rate of 4 to 1, thus putting the yen on the equivalent of the U.S. dallar, some better idca may be gained as to how far our money went.
A 10% sur- charge was placed on all articles bought in the Canteen, and this profit went to the purchasing of additional food supplies for the Camp, such as soya beans, etc., which helped to augment our food rations.
Although parcels for a time were permitted to be sont into the Camp from the outside, the recipients of these only totalled a small minority of approximately 10% of the Camp. Those who were receiving these additional food and clothing supplies regularly, suffered few physical hardships, and barely knew what it was to be interned, however, when the Authoritics stopped these parcels for a few months, messages having been found in some of them, all were forced down to the same level of existence.
Up until July 1943, through devious riëans,. and Bamboo wireless", news was coming into the Camp regularly, however, this fact soon became known to the Japanese, and they made a sweep of the Camp, arresting eight men internees, whom it iş believed, had communication with the outside. Some days later several Japanese returned with one of the men, and in a section of the rounds, dug up a large receiving radio set. This man had been beaten badly, and looked in a very serious condition, from the bruises on his face. Eventually two others were permitted to return to the Camp, but they had no doubt boon threatened, as they refused to talk of their experiences, and they looked very shaken up and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It was apparent that the Japanese third degree had been very effective.
One thing must be said for our captors, apart from the instance mentioned above, at no other time during internment, no one had suffered personal injury at the hands of the Japanese within our boundaries. In the early days there were many cases of face slapping by the Indian guards who were unsympathetic to the British and Americans, and took advantage of their position in the Camp. Originally Chinese had been placed within the boundaries to act as guards, but when it came to the attention of the Japanese that they were being very helpful to the internees in many cases, selling us cigarettes, etc., they were all very promptly replaced by Indians. When the pendulum bogan to swing in favor of the Allies, a definite change was noted in the behaviour of the Indians, Whereas before they had been bulldozing. and insolent, they suddenly became quite friendly with internces, even going so far in
cases as to impart news to us.
some
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