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21 September 2025
Following a period of rest & recuperation in the US (San Francisco) Harry finally returned home arriving in Southampton and travelling up to Oban, Scotland to be reunited with his family. Eventually, he would settle in Liverpool, buying up two shops, one with a milkshake bar (US influence perhaps) and
20 September 1945
Reveille 4am. Parade 5:30am. Entrained 6am. Left Miyata 6.24. Reached Nagasaki 12.50. It is absolutely incredible but Nagasaki is in a worse condition than Quetta was after the earthquake (1935). In the whole town, which is very extensive, there are not the shells of half a dozen
19 September 1945
Busily cleaning up and packing ready for moving tomorrow. Now, at 10 o/c to cap it all, the planes are over and dropping loads of 10 in 1 rations. Six drops were made and 500 packages of these rations collected. They will not be of any use to us
18 September 1945
The gale has blown itself out and everything is peaceful again and things are looking shipshape now that the Orderlies have got busy in cleaning up. Have been informed that we parade at 0515 hrs on 20th ready for ,moving off and reach Nagasaki round about midday.
17 September 1945
The Delegates turned up today and we have just been along to fill in the forms required, we were told we leave on 19th. Some more relief goods came in today. lt has been miserably wet these last three days and tonight there is a proper gale blowing. I think
16 September 1945
A couple of days back we got news that a Chinese Civilian Camp was badly off for food, cigarettes, they had received no relief goods whatsoever so we made a collection of cigarettes for them yesterday and sent them over today. We are now going to send, as soon as
15 September 1945
The Commission did not turn up yesterday. Went out on a jaunt in a car and had a picnic lunch on the side of the road, managed to buy 3 eggs apiece and some onions. Two eggs with the evening meal was a great change. The 10 stretcher cases left
14 September 1945
Four members of the Allied Evacuation Committee are visiting the Camp today, and I believe a slap-up lunch is being prepared for them. I understand No. 3 Camp have been ordered to send their surplus goods to us as their Camp is being cleared out. Some lorries have been sent
13 September 1945
At last word has come through regarding our evacuation. We move by ship from Nagasaki and leave this Camp on the 19th. Some camps begin evacuation tomorrow. It appears that everybody is being sent to Manilla where they have 4 Camps about 30 miles outside the town capable of accommodating
12 September 1945
One of the fellows got a note from one of the party that left yesterday for Fukuoka. He says that roughly 250-300 are being evacuated daily by plane at the present time as they only have 4 planes overall that they can operate. They are widening out an aerodrome on
11 September 1945
With all these good things we are getting it is now possible, with the larger loaf from the cookhouse, to cut out rice altogether which I heartily agree is a wonderful change. I, myself, have drawn nothing from the cookhouse except soup and hot water for making cocoa and coffee.
10 September 1945
Another lorry load of stores came in about 3 o/c this morning. Had another jaunt to Orio today and visited No. 6 Camp. Had a very good lunch there and met a couple of lads from the old 11 Div. Sgts Mess who gave me all the matches I
9 September 1945
We were able to get a bottle of beer per head for each Officer from the Mine Authorities today, I'm sure going to enjoy it this evening. Had another jaunt to the local town for a haircut and on return found another bottle of beer had arrived, this
8 September 1945
We've had more meat today than we've had in months or even years altogether previously. Another jaunt out this afternoon to another small town which we reached by bus (no paying of fare) managed to get a bottle of soy sauce which will make a very
7 September 1945
Had another run out today to the small town we first arrived at on our way to this Camp; it was just as dead and poverty stricken as the village we visited yesterday. We could not get anything to eat or drink and the only useful thing procurable was a
6 September 1945
Our first breath of freedom and three of us had a quiet stroll as far as the local mining village and what a glorious feeling to know that one could walk about without fear or restraint or molestation. It is such a poverty stricken hole that one could not even
5 September 1945
A nice clear day so we may get the planes over again. Some American, Dutch and British Officers from two other PoW Camps have arrived on a visit and they say they have had supplies dropped on their Camps every day. They have received so much that they have given
4 September 1945
Well nobody can say they went hungry for breakfast. We had one large bowl of rice, loaf of bread and portion of stew; this I augmented with a portion of my tin of pork and beans and just managed to get through it all except the bread which I have
3 September 1945
The great day for the occupation of the Island. From tomorrow we may have as much rice as we want.
2 September 1945
Paraded by the C.C. at about 1.45 and told the Armistice was signed at 9 o/c this morning and that we were now no longer Prisoners of War but that each and everyone was a freeman and that we would now be responsible to our respective Senior
1 September 1945
The planes are on the go in the vicinity of where we believe other camps to be and it has been radioed that they are dropping wireless sets, medical supplies, and foodstuffs for all the camps, so we are looking forward to their next visit. For midday meal we had
31 August 1945
Rumour is circulating that Gen. Wainwright is taking over command of the whole of the occupying forces. If such is the case he knows exactly what we have had to undergo as he has himself personally experienced it even to the carrying of Benjo (human manure). Got a tin of
30 August
Everything is now quiet since we have had some concrete news. There is now an air of patient expectancy. Four large planes passed over in the vicinity of the camp about 8 0/c this morning and we are hoping more may follow. Hoping they will drop some cigarettes -American