Letters and Postcards written by John Slater, 1942-1945 - Part 2

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2019.7.16
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

2 This brough us to the 15th Oct. a several stops we managed to bey sone bananas or pomeloe from natives when he pap guar ere not + this heeped a litle Maney was raind by selling same article of clothing to the naties, although the language (Thar) wa rate a problem. We finally arrived at BAN Bvo at about Sam on the 16th Oct after about 87 hours in the train witout a washt marched 2 niles to a came which was just above plood level a I had been raining for weeks beforehand, be had to trudge arund ank deep in mid Here we were given faly dece meal whic teveret ang actaugh that t have t ba a open muddy padifield. We Trested on the 17th at 730an Any the 18th Oct we had to set ofg on a narch of 30 kecometed (abint 20 miles) in a westerly diection town the Burna bordn Unfortunately, our that Morning I hed slipped to her ny righ tace afer marching 1o miles caning about 80hs not collapard & had to be picted up by a noth long which was trailing betintyo that purpose after the long was fll we passed te ta bo (we were 1o00 stang) & were cmped at the and where we were to spend the night. At 730 and the nex & marning by three was much
an andng lepne he herget g on thit day all am bgonge toto be cerrity panting t eat th pially t alep tant 1 lang s the distence lo not gute sope, 20 teat to wat a bikely cald neght t any one & enly miles We arrived at the camp about sp in anket a she from the privis nigh the afternan a were given i tent which hed rain In the morning, he discouced that her ch or ur recon wich was about 170, were t go tanther cam a few mile so not of in slept in the open. This camp was down rivn by large, so afte resting on the as the lus of to re rad it nave soude 25th 126t we as o by harge on te norg like Kanslin Bure. The next day, 20th Oct be of the 27th & two heud lates arrived it on nated & te presuing nowing b as ya Taybeak; hes time cauing our baggage steaton the place I am haw wring pon maded t the nemeo thich I have now discoured is ugh t readed& tugle all de e Hare P Tnt BBup there we had te dee of flan nice The been sene time geting this mush britter, but I have been very ie with danteyt As for at we could gater, I name bal have not guite recoveret st. The foos hee is Caljn & was on the benk of a large rive tnble bd Iam fueling take weak at the some We rested on the 22nd were sle t wask s s will confine tnu subt onthe river b the 23rd w se of again in the ne fuling al at f agon, but it it plen wat se his ll Cane Jta i is an to 1t Las & Ia gain a marched 20 ka in the rain & through up to ans to amnight of Apety, the saps hee tes f tember pss ins fer d the f ta be he when we had no stelter i I has to tule be di h Ieas apgid has thee, hll be near a fee all night to keep warm. bn the 22th We set off an our lest march to a lege very aae hepe be an theig anges any in the pingle & by a ree which we cee a p i tills the is apri eced qp in be neaulight famhere & was alle t prsent that
had happened to has kactens. He wal kiend on the 31st Dec tgeter wit p hile in to same an hush I had been caught in Garron, the other member of the crew was captined + lodged in K.L. gasl & patterly sent sent to Bingapore other up here with Lie Bills part. One pice i with the same part. In this san, I am in charge of D0nen Naman them are many Angle Chiks pegu, they are.- tasidy, Dordon Teming, See Deakin, Sice Whitchanch Bieg James, Ken Wasswort, Grian Kiles, Dong Jeng Pck Thurling, Ky Tharling, rant hapier Jhn Kershall m may be teape fu a goving who is also from D. Cas Office), so there is quite a representative gathering. We have finally decided that position is nt knoe pi langly 56 Miles Iue Bar of Bor an the Gurna Cast There are has new in this camp t be expect another tos anyday. We are engages on building a racty Which the paps interd to connect with the funa cailwy samewhere hea thauliin. There are simlar camps spread along the prante. The Workinghams are from gan 1p N23/ 6630 pe & one day off after ten worling days.
our day is as fallons Revritle at Boan, Bfart a Sam (rlee& ppacfueangen) gou Work, Tiffin rice & tea, 220 63p work, you Puppe cupper of vegetatle stes & pice. Ep poll-call & at is is then dont by this tire te p sxaras & fare till we feel like slep. Yesterday was a hed leter day, We had one pig cooked in the ser for 00 mew &I certainly flavoured it, even if my share wa a 5case of p. Over a thir of the cam are de ill & I think that ou heals will inprove a little therwise there will not be and e avis wok. shis is all tap I have left so I will cave I f fute he Denle set tnbe Aun ccan annumcan & jus tieve ments since Iwas Cilledip. I have been thinking of you all day Boay & sincerly hope that I will be bith you, well bepe ou next annwersay. I am now filling quite wlll as the faos he informed a little & we are able to big bn occasionall egg a borand See Received word from up pive that fiew hiees had dies aft an operatin for appendicities, it has been a great shock tome 8Tee. Today we were given a holiday, as the tap are cilebrating he first annweran of their atack on the Allied Tos in te
6a Sea Agt Drater a langlin ae t ht is pece. Auhe day b a halidg be b suce his happines sc p of p rete tore put the al, a deapp in pe, bt te ataly an inprovenet. II lan yo an be iking his all an e sen to be o sod b be an is an strate d poda conete I do awe to gevan in personably good heath. hd y be b hetas concer given by nenbet of ou of te cot wi that hes take good I cauetbut but heal of os has e wlln tothe ta e cand be hate t a ca and to h t tt t have for e he & now en vailing to be escoet tat a any none festerday y 30 bet e of an lep an bing wases like his Tonenon ay oste a chance twrite b Barer te f till be wore in a thought, if auc a te could be pe a eyt no all the ve bithey a mey all you tiil came time. her ack as be an ably tadi any goo a sts an te fu t hew late a langlue since Iadded anghing. but i he een te l t b seep work ast that is assilable. I have been t keeping guite i escep an shat be We keep a heing runsut of tt as p nothing has tinet up recept but sesterday hd as there wad letes pr a at ha t he as to when they will eventally arie, tho knws? I am suply naving tor just ae n ou to know that ou were bell see angus dnse thee is ap that he tree be naring tan vey storly & Ien apai tat is will be mac pirte into the p t b go owig the difficulty giding supplie through te dos sweetee pepegitting ea heet ban se i f fte t ed yor the ye t w tome the sly seem bihter, sakes wenhing bearable I can few any herth now knang bet you are pese here dy ane title bing man, nete fo o ho etin anyig of len en an i the wst Ia ll, can a no re o t s came, bu if Ica go a late po you reccesinally raing hils be alight bil fo l Dd not reeive any al are pt dipptes, but is stated not be bng new. bey 5th Lep Doupe D Tarche ant & a lang taken the saw fem tere so Fie andt this bity all ay bust writes I lave
keights ough ay You are alwars in Chenes i Dailing Sweteas. Always this 15. H Venade & Kangn 13. Las Ment, then wencter Tersn, & stee there in hardH. To Samllaugh 27th Ap fied litt from Aune a Duch 7/2/st. Cungage paturely ophiniates here. begtt, ford nmabl I have gid good j Am fut 44 ba 2
th1 0 H Sco DES PRISIMMLERS DE OUERRE MES J.C. SLATER. ED CENTRE ROAD, EAST BRIGHTON MELBOURNE, HUSTRALIA.
28
From Name J.SLATER Nationality BEITS Ant Scaccmnve Camp NEAC) HHALANO Lo. M J.C. SIATER. 80 Cerrac RoAD ERST BRIGHTON. MELBOURRE, HUSTRALIR.
MPERIAL JAPANESE ARNY I am interned in Ne 46) PO.W. CAmE THAILAND M health is a usua I am working for pay. Please see that MMERis taken care or AWAYS HINKINC OFVOu. Do Nor NOREV. Mlore to N

9 This brought us to the 15th Oct. At several stops 
we managed to buy some bananas or pomeloes 
from natives when the Jap. guards were not looking 
& this helped a little. Money was raised by selling 
some article of clothing to the natives, although, 
the language (Thai) was rather a problem. We 
finally arrived at BAN PONG at about 8am
on the 16th Oct. after about 87 hours in the
train without a wash & marched 2 miles to a 
camp which j was just above flood level & as 
it had been raining for weeks beforehand, we 
had to trudge around ankle deep in mud. 
Here we were given fairly decent meals which
revived our spirits, although I had to have 
my bath in an open muddy "padi" field. We 
rested on the 17th & at 7.30am on the 18th Oct 
we had to set off on a march of 30 kilometres 
(about 20 miles) in a westerly direction toward 
the Burma border. Unfortunately, on this
morning I had slipped & hurt my right knee & 
after marching 10 miles carrying about 80lbs, I 
just collapsed & had to be picked up by a motor 
lorry which was trailing behind for that purpose. 
After the lorry was full we passed the main body 
(we were 1,000 strong) & were dumped at the 
camp where we were to spend the night. At 
7.30am the next morning, my knee was much 

 

10 better & I was able to march again, especially as 

on this day all our baggage was to be carried by 

lorry & the distance was not quite so far, 23 kilometers.
We arrived at the camp about 3pm in 

the afternoon & were given 4 tents which held 

18 men each for our section which was about 170, 

so most of us slept in the open. This camp was 

at the end of the main road & its name sounded 

like Kanchin Buri. The next day, 20th Oct. we 

rested & the following morning we set off at 

daybreak, this time carrying our baggage, & 

marched through the jungle all day & 

reached our nights stopping place at about

6pm. where we had a meal of plain rice. 

As far as we could gather, its name was 

Lahja & was on the bank of a large river.

We rested on the 22nd & were able to wash ourselves 

in the river. On the 23rd we set off again in the 

rain & marched 20km. in the rain & through 

mud up to ankles to our nights stopping place 

where we had no shelter & I had to huddle 

near a fire all night to keep warm. On the 

24th we set off on our last march to a large 

camp in the jungle & by a river which we 

reached at 9p.m. in the moonlight.

 

11 It was about midnight before we managed to get

something to eat & then finally to sleep about 1am. 

It was a bitterly cold night & my one & only 

blanket was still damp from the previous nights 

rain. In the morning, we discovered that 600 

of us were to go to another camp a few miles 

down river by barge, so after resting on the 

25th & 26th we set off by barge on the morning 

of the 27th & two hours later arrived at our 

destination, the place I am now writing from, 

the name of which I have now discovered is 

WANG PO. Today is the 12th November, so you can 

see that I have been some time getting this much 

written, but I have been very ill with dysentery & 

have not quite recovered yet. The food here is 

terrible but I am feeling rather weak at the moment 

so will continue tomorrow perhaps.  

Well Anne, Sweetheart, it is now the 18th Nov. & I am 

now feeling almost fit again, but it is slow work on this 

terrible food, in fact it is due to the food that we have 

so many cases of dysentery, three chaps have died since 

we arrived here & I am afraid that there will be 

many more before we are through. I managed 

to receive a note from Lieut Mills who is up river 

from here & was able to find out what

 

12 had happened to Max McCracken. He was 

killed on the 31st Dec. together with Sgt. Milne in 

the same ambush I had been caught in.

Barron the other member of the crew was captured 

& lodged in K.L. gaol & latterly sent sent to Singapore 

& then up here with Lieut. Mills' party. Eric Price is 

with the same party.

In this camp, I am in charge of 50 men & among
them are many Anglo-Oriental people, they are:-

T. Cassidy, Gordon Fleming, Ted Deakin, Bill Whitchurch, 

Bill James, Ken Wadsworth, Brian Miles, Doug. Yews, 

Jack Thurling, Ray Thurling, Frank Napier, John Marshall, 

Tom Oxley, & Hunter. The Lieut. in charge is Cecil 

Boving who is also from A.O. (Head Office), so there 

is quite a representative gathering. We have finally 

decided that our position is on the NAM KWA NOI river 

roughly 55 miles due East of TAVOY on the Burma Coast.

There are 1,200 men in this camp & we expect another 

400 anyday. We are engaged on building a railway 

which the Japs intend to connect with the Burma 

railway somewhere near Moulmein. There are 

similar camps spread along the route.

The working hours are from 9am-1pm & 2.30pm 

to 6.30pm. & one day off after ten working days.

 

13 Our day is as follows: - Reveille at 7.30am, B'fast at 

8 a.m. (rice & spoonful of sugar), 9am - 1pm. work, Tiffin - 

rice & tea, 2-30 - 6-30pm. work, 7p.m. Supper - 

cupful of vegetable stew & rice. 8p.m. roll-call & as 

it is then dark by this time we just sit around & 

yarn till we feel like sleep. Yesterday was a 

red letter day, we had one pig cooked in the 

stew for 1200 men & it certainly flavoured it, even 

if my share was a ½" cube of fat. Over a third 

of the camp are down ill & I think that our health 

will improve a little, otherwise there will not 

be enough men available for work. This is all 

the paper I have left, so I will save it for further news, 

Darling.

30th November Our second anniversary, & just twelve months since 

I was called up. I have been thinking of you all day today 

& sincerely hope that I will be with you, well before our 

next anniversary. I am now feeling quite well as the 

food has improved a little & we are able to buy an 

occasional egg or banana.

5th Dec. Received word from up river that Lieut Mills had 

died after an operation for appendicitis, it has been 

a great shock to me.

8th Dec. Today we were given a holiday, as the 

Japs are celebrating the first anniversary 

of their attack on the Allied Forces in the East.

 

14 14th January

Well sweetheart, it's rather a long time since I last 

"put pen to paper" but nothing much of importance has happened

& paper is scarce. Christmas day was a holiday & we were

given several pieces of peanut toffee by the Japs & rather 

more pork than usual, a dessertspoonful in fact, but it 

was certainly an improvement. I know you must be 

thinking that all my news seems to be of food, but when 

one is on starvation diet, food is a mighty big consideration, 

& I do want to get out in reasonably good health. 

New Years Day was also a holiday & on New Years eve we 

had a concert given by members of one of the Scotch regiments, 

which was rather good. I could not but think of our New 

Years Eve walk out to the Gap & how I wished that we 

could be together, in fact I miss you terribly. At the 

moment I am in a camp about 15 miles from Wampo whe 

where I have come for dental treatment & now I am 

waiting to be escorted back at any moment. Yesterday 

was my 30th birthday & I feel rather wild that the best years 

of our life are being wasted like this. Tomorrow I may 

not have a chance to write but rest assured, Darling, 

that you will be more in my thoughts, if such a thing 

could be possible, so may I write now, "All the very best for 

your birthday & may all your wishs come true". 

News, such as we are able to get, is very good & I am 

very optimistic about the future.

15th March Rather a long time since I added anything, 

but it has been the usual monotonous round of 

sleep, work & eat what is available. I have been

 

15 keeping quite fit except for one short bout of 

fever. We keep on hearing rumours of letters, but 

so far nothing has turned up except that yesterday 

I heard that there were 2 letters for me at Ban Pong 

but as to when they will eventually arrive, who 

knows? I am simply craving for just one 

word from you, to know that you were well & safe 

would make a great difference. There is a possibility 

that we be moving camp very shortly & I am 

afraid that it will be much further into the jungle 

& that means less food owing to the difficulty of 

getting supplies through. Must close now Sweetheart, 

paper getting near the end & must save it for further news. 

May 12!  Today I received a letter from you & Moms! You 

have no idea, Darling heart, just what your letter meant 

to me, the sky seems brighter & it makes everything bearable. 

I can face any hardship now, knowing that you are safe. 

There is only one little thing wrong, neither you or Moms 

mention anything of Ken & I am afraid I am imagining 

the worst. I am well, but can see no relief for some time 

to come, but if I can get a letter from you occasionally 

everything will be alright. Bill James & Gordon Fleming did 

not receive any mail & are rather disappointed, but it 

should not be long now.

May 15th Left Wompo for Toucha south & my 

diary taken up the story from there so I will

end this with all my best wishes & love

 

16
You are always in my thoughts, night & day

Cheerio my Darling Sweetheart.

Always

Your

John

June '43:- Sth Douchan to Kanyu No 3. Had Cholera, then evacuated to

Tarsoa ^July '43 & still there in March '44. So I am through 27th April/44.

Rec'd letter from Anne & Dick 15/9/44. Everyone extremely optimistic here. 

Am  feeling very fit, food reasonable & I have quite a good job.

June 19th/1945 Left Tamuang arrived Bangkok 23/6 left Bangkok 

25th & arrived [[Den Chai?]] via Saiburi 26th

PR03294

 

1
Sce DES PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE

MRS. J.C.SLATER,

89 CENTRE ROAD, EAST BRIGHTON,

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

 

7950.

SERGEANT.
J.C.SLATER.

MY DARLING WIFE, 

I AM WELL.

THINKING OF YOU ALWAYS.

GIVE MY LOVE TO MOTHER.

GOD BE WITH YOU.

JOHN SLATER.

PR03294

 

From:

Name J. SLATER

Nationality BRITISH

Rank SERGEANT MAJOR

Camp No 4 (1) THAILAND

To: MRS. J.C.SLATER,

89 CENTRE ROAD, EAST BRIGHTON,

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

 

IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY

I am interned in No 4(1) P.O.W. CAMP. THAILAND.

My health is excellent. usual. poor.

I am ill in hospital.

I am working for pay.

I am not working.

Please see that MOTHER is taken care OF.

ALWAYS THINKING OF YOU. DO NOT WORRY. 

My love to you JOHN

PR03294

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