wind
THORNE
Daily Mail
24 NOV 1942
JAPS TREAT
US WELL
British Captives Send News
By OLIVE MELVILLE BROWN
GOOD news for their mothers and wives and relatives
from our men in Japanese war prisons has reached this country at last.
Letters from Hongkong, Shanghai, and Central China which have arrived in Britain during the last few weeks. all bear the same message: Our prisoners are well treated, the food is moderately good, and there are no extreme
cases of hardship.
Miss Christine Knowles, head of the British Prisoners of War Funds, Carrington House, W. 1, read me letters to prove this when I met her yesterday. Some were dated as far back as May, the latest was a cable received last month.
One came from an officer who escaped from North Point Camp,| Hongkong.
Writing from Canada, he said: "When I left prisoners were re- ceiving enough food to remain healthy. There were no cases of officers, nor men, for that matter, being ill-treated after hostilities ceased.
All Are Fit
"We were placed in prison camps and more or less left alone by the Japs, and from the time of sur- render to the time I left we had marvellous weather and everyone! looked and felt fairly fit.
"So you can be quite confident] that if they continue to receive the same treatment that we had when I left they will all return home none, the worse."
a
Miss Knowles showed me a post- card from a naval officer in Singapore prison: "I am still whole and very fit and in the best of spirits. We occupy the time in work, concerts, and plenty of games. Conditions are good and the food fair.'
The tenor of all the letters, Miss Knowles said, suggested that the Japs had calmed down since the fighting stopped. "We hear that the prisoners are allowed to send one letter a month, though not all the letters get through.”
Petrel Heroes.
Over the week-end Miss Knowles had called a meeting of relatives to pool their letters and news from our Far Eastern prisoners. Four hundred men and women turned up from great distances, carrying a postcard or a brief letter to read to others who had not heard.
Mrs Kit Gander, a W.R.E.N., had a batch of letters written by her husband, Able Seaman Ronald W. Gander, of the gunboat Petrel, from a prison camp in Central China.
He reported no harsh treatment in his camp, and quoted a comment that the Japanese had shown ad- miration for the British fighting spirit. The Japs," he said, saluted whenever the Petrel's name was mentioned."
Stop Press news came in a prisoner's cable dated Hongkong, October 18 Well. Treated well.
adving
Canteen avail-
54112
35
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.