When we left Hong Kong the Jap military had made some effort to equip us for our journey. Evidently we were regarded as a source of labor by someone in authority and therefore our rating was now higher then when we had been left to idle and starve in the camps of Hong Kong. Before leaving we were all provided with overcoats.
How?
By taking the military overcoats away from those left behind. We were also given a generous supply of bully beef and beef stew ration. Most of us carried several tins of this in our baggage, which consisted of a bag of some sort or sack that could be carried.
We anchored out in the bay and were taken ashore in tenders. Here we got quite a reception. On the wharf to receive us was a party of the Emperor’s Household Guards. They had smart new uniforms, peaked caps, and carried the new short rifles then being issued to the Japanese Army. They were bigger men then ordinary Japanese. Their Sergeant-Major was a huge man, over six foot, with a large red sash and a black pointed military moustache. They were also of a much milder disposition then the combat troops we had met. The big Sgt.-Major himself helped others and me up the ladder to the wharf. Here we all squatted and were sorted out into our respective companies. The guards were all smiles and we thought that this was going to be much better then Hong Kong. This impression was strengthened when the guards served us each five hot buns made of pure white flour. They must have plenty here, we thought, to give the prisoners such delicious food. Possibly this was a gesture on the part of the Emperor. He had welcomed us to Japan and was soon to be through with us.
The Imperial Guards stayed with us till we reached Tokyo. They made some of our boys understand that all was not well where we were going and that we would encounter some very bad actors. They told us that any extra food we might have upon us would be taken away. Most of the boys decided to eat as much as they could. Some gave tins of beef to the guards.
The coaches were small with hard straight seats, but at least we all had one. The following afternoon we reached Tokyo and pulled into the huge modern station. We were detrained and marched a short distance to another train, passing through a subway in doing so. It must have been suppertime for the station platforms were crowded with Japanese commuters, each almost an exact replica of the other. Cheap fedora hat with feather in brim, dirty white collar, black string tie, black morning coat, baggy gray pants, white dirty socks and Oxfords or rubber canvas shoes. Here we had the white-collar brigade, each a caricature of a London banker. They swarmed about the platform like beetles. They pushed and swayed. Some were eager to see the prisoners while others were more concerned in keeping their feet and position. I saw several fall off the platforms onto the tracks and scurry to get back before the trains came. I saw few women.
On the new train was a different detail of guards. We were back to the old style. These were shabby and ill equipped and treated the prisoners harshly. I have often noticed that trait in human nature that gets satisfaction from having someone else in a worse position or condition. If the guards are well fed and satisfied with their job they treat prisoners fairly well. If the guards themselves are cold and hungry they see to it that the prisoners fare worse.
Finally we came to a small station on the outskirts of Yokohama. Here we detrained and were and were told to get our bags. All was confusion. The guards gave us no time to find our own bags and cuffed us around. At least our luggage was put on a couple of trucks, and with a Jap officer on horse back in the lead, we marched two miles to our new camp. The district was a poor one and given over to industry. Everything looked dirty and dilapidated. There were bits of rusty machinery scattered around and evidently a lot of small sheds were used to house machines that did subcontract work for the shipyard nearby. We saw few people.
