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| - Dark Side of the Sun - George Palmer's Journey From Prince Edward Island to Hong Kong and the Omine Camp in WWII His Story Chronology Capt. Wilson Interview Dr. Gingras Interview |
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| MARCH 140 new arrivals here today, few Americans, rest British. They are from Formosa. Planes are now bombing every day and night. We have crossed the Rhine and are at on Mar. 27. Battleship King George V and carrier Illustrious are taking part in the fight at the Ric Kiv Islands. Russians are only 25 miles from Berlin, they are also at Vienna. The Americans have landed at Okinawa. APRIL Air raids regular now. Reported that Germans have asked for terms on April 30th. Hope its true. Reported that Hitler and Mussulini are both dead. We have been given a collection of old horse heads and other bones to make soup, it makes very good soup. We make soup twice with them and then send them on to another camp. We also got 50 or 60 large snakes for soup. I detest the darn things. One time we got wheat, barley, rye and and some millet and now only rice. We were in the mine 18 hours on account of the planes. Germans packed up on 7th or 8th of May, we got the news by stealing the Jap papers and one guy can interpret it for us. Three more men killed today. The weather is lovely, May is like July at home. MAY One plane came down almost to the roof tops last night, lucky the bombs didn't come through the roof. Planes very low again last night. One Jan 29th, 500 B29's raided Yokohama, they had figher escort. 2nd June to 8th, terribly heavy raids on over all the cities. A fellow by the name of Hoffmaster, commander of the 3rd Division is reported to be in charge of the show over here. 100,000 Canadian air force is reported on way over here. Queen Mary and Elizabeth and Acquatania are reported carrying troops home from Europe and the way to the Far East. JUNE I watched the bombers for about 4 hours last night, they certainly gave someplace a pesting, the sky was just a vivid blaze of fire. 100 more come here today, 90 Aussies, 10 British. June 20th, they had been in Burma and Thailand. Out of 50,000, 16,000 died of malaria, cholera and dysentry. They were working on a railroad and averaged about one man per tie, also 50,000 Indians died. 145 more British, Aussies, Americans and Dutch came here today, they came from Nagasaki on this island. 8 men have been hurt in the last 24 hours, broken legs, arms, and backs, terrible state. These new fellows were sunk when about 60 miles from shore, about 700 were drowned, what luck, some couldn't swim and just perished like rats. Prisoners Nips and all in the water together. We have about 5 raids every day now, its great, as many as 2,000 planes at one time. Have shelled many ports and towns lately. Churchill is said to be out and Atlee in his place. Much rain lately. AUGUST I had a narrow escape from falling rock today. The raids continue to get worse. This is our day off, I counted 294 bombers and the fighters were so thick they looked like flies. Two Jap planes went up and a fight took place. The Japs were shot down in flames. There were over 600 planes up there at one time. Its their turn now, darn them. It's just hell on earth now, our planes smashing everything to pieces. When we go down in mine now we can't tell when we will get up again. Our Air Force is using some new and terrible kind of bomb or mine, its a super machine of destruction, just deadly, wipes out whole cities, it explodes about 3 or 4 hundred feet in the air; causes concussion of the brain. It is dropped by parachutes, the most deadly thing ever used in any war. The Nips are terrified of it. Have day off and something is wrong. The Japs are crying, I believe the thing is over. Russians are in the war against the Japs, but its not that. They tell us we don't go down in the mine. It must be over. Don't know what to do. Out of mine again, must be over because we are not down again. When we are not in mine, we can't get any papers or news. They won't tell us, but it must be over, not a bomber overhead; can't write, can't do anything, can't sleep, everyone is almost mad. Won't be in the mine any more thank God. We are all crazy, can't sleep or eat. We have to have roll call under the Nips, but will soon change it. Still here, but we are almost free. Nips don't come around at all. We are now our own bosses. Very hot, but no news. 4 or 5 of the boys went over the fence, caused a big fuss. Just goes to show how we could have gotten out, had we any chance of getting away. We have killed the pig and all the hens and chickens, also the rabbits. We play volley ball, ping pong, tennis, chess and cards. Very hot. No news of when we will get out, this is very monotonous. Occupation army is supposed to arrive here on the 26th. and Navy on 28th. Looks like we may be here for awhile yet. I was bitten by a centipede today on the foot and did it hurt, foot all swollen up and burning like fire. Very hot. We went for a walk today, 30 of us. We went out through the rice fields, also had a swim. Supposed to have an air victory flight over here tomorrow. We have the camp marked with two large P.O.W. signs. Very hot again this morning. Seven P38 went over this camp at 10 a.m., not very low. 10 bombers passed, went right on. Getting tired and food is very bad, just rice and squash three times a day. Very quiet. Some of the boys are talking about going over the fence and going any old place they like, but that would be bad, the people are very hostile and would cut our throats in a minute. They may riot at anytime, if we had arms would be okay, but are helpless like this. Fierce gale and rainstorm, most of the fence is gone, the wind blew it away. No trouble to get away now, but what's the use. Food is awful, just squash and rice, wish they would hurry. Fine. 50 of us went for a walk under guard and had a nice swim, came back at 11:30. The greatest sight since I am in this camp, dozens of U.S. bombers were over and we got a large mirror and signalled to them and they started dropping food supplies to us, also medicines, it made us feel so good to see huge flistening bombers, all B29s come down a few hundred feet from the ground and drop supplies by parachute; large gasoline barrels with all kinds of food even fruit salad. Much of it was destroyed when hitting the ground. The Japs eyes just popped out! Planes overhead, but didn't drop anything at this camp, but we could see them dropping food about 5 miles from here. A lot of planes dropped us more food today, tons of it. Some Japs were killed by the large packs, big gasoline drums. They go right through the roofs of houses and go 4 ft into the ground. Fast fighters were right down near the ground. I think they were Mustangs. Not hungry, but anxious to leave. SEPTEMBER Rain and fog. Planes overhead, we spread out a lot of yellow, red and blue parachutes to attract them when they come over. More rain and fog. We can hear planes, but can't see them. Our food is low, hope the weather clears up soon. Very quiet. Rain all day. Very tiring. S.C.M. Eldon and myself left for some of the other prison camps today; visited camp 23, camp 24 - 200 Aussies, 200 British, camp 12 - 200 Chinese, camp 11 - 200 Dutch and 150 Americans. Got lost many times, visited camp 4 - 300 mixed, camp 3 - 1157, 630 Americans rest Aussies, Chinese, Indians, Dutch, 2 Arabs, 2 Canadians. Camp 21 - 650 Dutch, Aussies, British and 3 Americans. Back at camp. Some of the areas that were bombed are completely flat, 200,000 were killed in 16 minutes. Still burning in many places, air drop 2 planes. Six of our boys died of poison booze, supposed to be wood alcohol, 4 British and 2 Canadian. Clem Cyr from New Richmond was one of them. Funeral today, we cremated them, put them in one pile, put coal and wood over them - they burned for four hours. Feeling sick. Doc says I have Malaria - what bad luck. 11 American evacuation men were here today. Col. Martin in charge, took 17 men away with them. Feeling sick. Air drop two planes B.29's. Heavy rain. No planes. Still very sick but we have lots of medicine. Rain again today. Some planes over again, they dropped parachutes about 4 miles from here - where there is a camp with 200 Dutch prisoners. Still cloudy. 4 fighters passed over here this a.m. They gave us as demonstration of flying this afternoon. We have orders that we won't be moving until the 2nd. and they by boat from Nagasaki. Fighters over camp. I went to a show, not much good. Went for a trip by car, what roads. Takes hours to get over the hills, road just winds round and round until it reaches the summit of the mountains and go down the same way. Raining hard this afternoon. I am trying to get back to Kawasaki where we are camped. There is a typhoon on, water is up in the trains, we left the car about 25 miles from here, had to swim one place, bridge was gone. Lost our boots. A lot of people must have lost their lives. The typhoon has just about blowed itself out, but what a mess. Some of the boys had to stay in the school hourse. I stayed there. Planes dropped us all the food we want - 2 men were killed, hit by falling boxes. We have lots of food, not hungry, leaving on the 22nd. Preparing to leave, can't get going too soon. English leave at 10 o'clock tonight and Canadians and Aussies in morning. 4 o'clock, we are at railroad, left at 6 o'clock going through bombed towns and every mile or so there is a tunnel, just out of one into another. We will get to Nagasaki at 12:30 and then the boat that takes me home. We are now at Nagasaki and it is completely ruined, even the hills are all twisted for miles around. That bomb is a deadly thing. What misery the people are in now; hungry and when the winter comes on it will be terrible. We were disinfected about a dozen times. Covered with powder, went through showers, powder in our hair and ears, we looked like snow men. All our clothing were burned, all new American army clothes and now we are on the British air craft carrier H.M.S. Speaker. There are a lot of war craft here, also the American Red Cross ships, the U.S. Sanctuary and the U.S. haven. Sailing along nicely. Arrived Okinawa 4:30. 1,000 ships in and around this place. There was fierce fighting here this summer. Sunday and we have church service. The first Minister or Padre since leaving Hong Kong. Hymns sung were O God our Help in Ages Past, Onward Christian Soldiers. As it happened the first hymn sung after our capture were the same as after our release. The day is nice and fine, we left harbour at 3:00 p.m. There were hundreds of war ships in harbour and the American occupation cops were landing in these invasion barges, thousands of them. I wonder what the Japs think. We met two more large air craft carriers and 3 destroyers outside the harbour, also many air craft over head. Had a show last night and one tonight. Getting off this ship this morning, don't know what ship will take us from here. May go from here to the Phillipines. Okinawa. This is where the last big fight took place. Now on U.S. troop ship Rainville, 16,000 tons; 1,700 of us on board, very crowded and hot. Left this place at 5:30 p.m. now going southward. Are supposed to pass Formosa today, but we won't see it because they keep in deep water all the time on account of the mines. Heavy rain squalls, getting hotter all the time. This ship is very steady, 17 hundred on board. We see many islands and lots of flying fish and sharks. We are now off the Phillipines on the west coast of Lauzon. Get to Manilla today. Passed by the hard fought port of Corrigidor and Bataan, can see the big holes made by the bombs and shells. Rain squalls. Thousands of ships in this bay, also many sunken ones, some upside down, others just the masts out. Still on same ship. OCTOBER We docked at 11:30. This place badly battered. The Filipinos much like Japs except they are darker. Got off ship and were taken in U.S. army transport to about 18 miles south of Manilla. Americans have lots of equipment here. There are some Jap prisoners here, they work under guard, are very servile now. Heavy rain last night. We got American army clothes today. Had a medical inspection. Australian Doctor and the nurses were nice, also got 3 needles. We are now being interrogated about how we were treated while prisoners of war of the Japs. Not much rain today, but the mud is awful. Planes are spreading some kind of stuff from the air to kill mosquitos. We were paid today. $100 in American currency, this will be deducted from our pay. Raining all day. Many Red Cross workers and nurses here. Went down to Manilla to a show at Times theatre, back at 11:30. City is a ruin. Went on a sight seeing tour, left in morning, drove for miles through coconut palms and banana plantations, saw many places where fighting took place, planes shot to pieces, tanks smashed up, etc. This is my birthday, very hot, have been told that we may leave tomorrow. It is now 12 noon. Don't think we will leave today. Rain all night. The 5th replacement troops are sent all over from here, place is known as . Left camp at 6:30 a.m. for Manilla, went right on board and sailed out of harbour at 6:30 a.m. Are on British air craft carrier Glory. Had a good night. This morning we are going through the Strait of San Bernado, at the southern end of Lauzon. Headed out in the Pacific this a.m. and the Phillipines were lost in the distance. Rough at times, the carrier rolls and pitches. This ship is 690' and 19,000 tons. This a.m. at 8 o'clock we were about 100 miles north west of the Jap base and stronghold of the island of and around 4 pm. were about 10 miles north of the forward Pacific base of the Pacific fleet, the . Many huge units of the U.S. Navy in the distance. Passed about 200 miles south of Guam at 8 o'clock this morning. We are now in the wide Pacific, just missed a very bad typhoon, it hit Okinawa, the worst is the islands history. Americans may have to evacuate their troops from the place. We are now in the trade wind belt, at this time of year it blows from east to west. At 8 o'clock this a.m. we were 200 miles north of the Jap stronghold of Truk where the Americans had a hard time taking it, and lost heavily. It's a coral island with a lagoon all around it. Wind not so strong. One of our hospital cases died last night, buried him this p.m. This evening we passed close to the Marshall Islands. Wind very strong, but we are going along fine. We were at Longitude 173 this morning. We have one extra day going east as we cross the 180 meridian or international date line. So we have two Wednesdays or two Oct 17ths. Rough last night, some sick. Nice today. We were about 900 miles from Hawaii this a.m. One fellow was arguing that we were only 5 miles from land, ocean only 5 miles deep here. Sun wasn't too hot today, so I strayed up on the flight deck and watched the flying fish. We received 1 Australian pound today as a gift from the Australian Government. It is now about 8 o'clock p.m. about 200 miles from Pearl Harbour, will arrive there in morning, a good time to dock. Docked Pearl Harbour at 8 a.m. Allowed off at 1:30, were supposed to stay in dock area, but most of the boys boarded trucks for Honalulu about five miles away. I went to a Navy Recruiting Club, we had a gang of girls sing and dance the hula hula for us on board the carrier. They dance the hula hula in grass skirts and are accompanied by singing and playing the Hawaiian guitar. They certainly got rythmn. Their hands and hips are the chief elements of the dance. Left Pearl Harbour at 0800 hours this a.m. Nice and fine. This is a powerful base, many submarines based here. The old Arizona is still lying on her side. It wouldn't be safe for the Nips to attack this place now. There are hundreds of planes overhead all the time, real rast ones. We notice a cooler tang in the air already. I just came from the show in the hanger, the picture was Scatter Brains. One month since we left Japan, another 4,000 miles to go. Getting cold, or maybe we notice it more on account of being in the tropics for the last while back. Fairly rough this a.m. Have seen many gulls. We notice the cold very much already - what will we do in January. Getting anxious to get on dry land, this is our last night on ship - rough. Early morning, we are in sight of land and I know its Canada, but it is real chilly. We came in port, the naval base at 0900 Esquimalt got off ship at 120 hours, then taken in bus through Victoria to Gordon Head camp, are now drawing our clothing. I got letters from Mamma, Meda, Aunt Bessie and Betty. |