Hell At Stanley Prison

During the time that we were on these rations, as you said, it was something like about two weeks we were confined to the quarters with these Chinese or in the Chinese section and at that time, or during that time, a Major Charles Boxer of the Lincolnshire Regiment and a Commander Craven with the Royal Navy became imprisoned for having been caught with a radio while they were in their, presiding in their camps. And Charles Boxer not only spoke seven different languages, but spoke Japanese very, very fluently, and with the Japanese and speaking it to the Japanese, he never really stopped being a Major, a senior officer, and they began to pay attention to him. So he had us, fortunately, transferred from the Chinese area to the Japanese, where the Japanese prisoners were interned, and the food improved a lot.

Interviewer: During that period of time, were you and the other men still suffering from diseases?


Not at that particular time. Not that it was noted at that particular time, but after we were transferred over to the Japanese, the Japanese side of the prison, the, Sergeant Hardy took very ill and at that particular time also, there happened to be a, a Dr. Solomon Clark who was imprisoned, and, for what, I don't recall what the reasons were that he was imprisoned but some of the better Japanese guards and so on allowed Dr. Solomon Clark to see us periodically and certainly when Sergeant Hardy took sick, they allowed Dr. Solomon Clark to, to see him quite frequently. And even with Dr. Solomon Clark's coaxing, they allowed me to go into and join Hardy in his cell to help to feed him and look after him sort of thing, which I did, and fortunately, he, he recovered.