Diary of Arthur Seaforth Blackburn, April 1942 - November 1944, Part 10 of 26

until I stood only in shirt, underpants & socks. Whilst
this was going an I heard another commotion from
the direction of the square & several of the guard
rushed out & returned with Major-Gen Sitwell who
received the same treatment as I had had. I was
then seized by the wrists & led along a passage to a
small doorway about 3' x 2' in a very strong wooden
grille. This was opened & I was pushed inside. A
few minutes later Sitwell came past the door in
the grip of sentries & from the sounds it was evident
that he was being put into a similar cell. The
cell I which I found myself measured 12 feet by
6 feet. It had a wooden floor & walls. Three feet
square of the floor space was occupied by a concrete 
latrine which consisted of a concrete slab with 
a hole in the centre. otherwise the cell was absolutely 
bare with no seat or bed or anything. On the wall 
was a notice in Japanese & English setting out the 
rules of imprisonment, the main ones of which 
were that talking, singing, whistling dancing etc were 
Absolutely forbidden, lying down on the floor except 
when permitted to sleep was forbidden & the latrine 
must be kept clean. There was a small screened 
window high up in the wall & an electric light 
opposite to the front shining into the cell. The 
walls were entirely of solid wood except the front 
which consisted of a wooden grille with about 
1 ½ inch space between 9-10 inch uprights. Low down 
in one corner was a small square peephole. An 
armed sentry was posted immediately outside the cell 
with an electric torch & about every 5-10 minutes 
he shone this through the peephole to see what I was 
doing & kept it on me until I turned my face  
towards him & allowed him to shine it into my eyes. 
It was bitterly cold & the cold which I had 
caught before reaching maji was very severe causing 
me almost unceasing coughing. About an hour 
later, a sentry appeared at the peephole & threw in 
my trousers. I found that every button on them 
had been roughly hacked off so that I had to 
hold them up whenever I stood up & could  
not do up the fly. I had had no sleep at all 
the night before & not much (because of my cold 
etc) the night before that & nothing to eat since 
midday. I asked for a drink of water but did 
not receive any - in fact I received no water 
until next morning. I was ordered to sit 
down on the floor opposite to the peephole. I was 
so sleepy that I kept dropping asleep sitting up 
but each time was awakened by a roar from 
the sentry. This went on for some hours until I  
must have dropped asleep sitting up & been allowed  to 
sleep on because the next thing I remember is 
waking up to hear a bugle sounded - which I learnt 
later was sounded every morning at 0630 hrs. 
About an hour later a Nippon Officer & the 
Interpreter came to my cell & asked me why I 
had refused to sign. I said I had not refused 
but had endeavoured to make a protest against 
doing so. I was then asked if I would now sign 
& I replied that I would so so under protest & 
duress. I asked the officer for food & drink. He 
replied that I was to stay there without food, 
drink or sleep.  He then went away.  However before 
he went he evidently relented for a few 
minutes later a sentry came along with an  
enamel mug of cold water which he handed

in to me though the peephole. At about 1100 hrs the 
same officer returned & told me that I must stay there 
until next day. All through this day I was 
alternatively made to stand up or sit down by the 
sentries for varying periods but at midday a 
sentry came along with a "ball"of cooked rice in his 
hand which he passed in to me through the peephole. 
Unpalatable as it was I had no difficulty in eating it! 
I found that the latrine was only cleaned out, from 
the outside of the back of the cell, once a day early in 
the morning & by nightfall that night the smell from 
my latrine was becoming very unpleasant. At various 
times during the day & after dark I endeavoured to 
sleep but was immediately roared at by the sentry 
to make me wake up - and usually made to stand 
up. It was bitterly cold & as there was very little room 
to walk (& in any event I had to hold my trousers 
up as soon as I stood up) it was difficult to get warm 
by walking about. By evening my cough was beginning  
to alarm me & I could only get a few minutes respite 
at a time from it. By the time it was getting dark 
outside I was feeling desperately sleepy & daren't sit 
down for fear of falling asleep. However the sentries 
continued making me alternatively sit down & stand up 
about 2100 hrs the Sgt of the guard appeared at the 
peephole & said "Sleep" indicated that I could lie down 
I have no recollection of doing so & think I must 
have dropped asleep before reaching the floor. I could 
hear all day that Sitwell was going through the 
same experiences in his cell. I slept solidly all night 
until aroused by the bugle call in the morning. 
Soon after, the same Nippon officer appeared & handed 
me my clothes etc and indicated that I would be
released in any hour or two. I dressed and waited for 
about 2½ hours. During this time another ball of  
rice & mug of water was handed in to me. At last 
at about 1100 hrs the officer came back & after  
inspecting my cell lead me out into the passage where 
I found Sitwell waiting. I was then allowed to put on 
my shoes and we were conducted to the guard room. Here 
we had to wait until the forms were brought for  
us to sign. The same officer who had struck me was 
there & pressed a cigarette upon me in the friendliest 
fashion. I suppose because of my fatigue & hunger 
I nearly fainted before I was half way through it. 
Whilst we were waiting for the forms our personal 
belongings were returned to us but not my matches 
(which we were told were forbidden) or my 
cigarettes a request for which was greeted only 
with a grin. We were then taken into a room 
& found that the luggage which we had left at 
the railhead had arrived. We were ordered to 
unpack it all for inspection. A few papers - including 
my delegated powers a Comdr. of AIF in JAVA - 
were taken from me, and my cigarette lighter 
which had been put out of action by the 
guard whilst I was in the cells, was at first 
taken but subsequently returned. I subsequently 
found that a cake of soap had also been taken & 
the glass of my watch broken. We were then taken 
upstairs to the first-floor of a long wooden building 
& taken to our quarters which consisted of a long 
room in which (with Sitwell & I) there were 28 
officers, Americans, Dutch & British. The room was 
just long enough to take 14 beds per side almost 
touching, with tables & forms down the centre. 

at the sides of the room were lockers - each officer 
having two lockers with slide doors & two open 
lockers. The bedsteads are iron with straw 
mattresses & a straw pillow & four blankets each were 
issued to us. I was utterly filthy as I had not had  
my clothes off for about a week , so I immediately had 
a shave & a cold bath - standing naked in the 
wind & ladling water over myself from a big 
concrete tub. I then had lunch at 1200 hrs 
of vegetable soup & rice served in bowls of china 
which were issued individually to us. During the 
afternoon I arranged my bed & clothes etc. At 1730 hrs 
we again had vegetable soup & rice & at 2000 hrs 
stood to our beds for roll-call & then went straight 
to bed. During the afternoon I contacted Major-Gen 
Calligan, Col Kent Hughes, Pigden, Derham, Thyer, Walker, 
Brig Taylor & other Aust. officers. In the camp are 
about 400, English, Americans, Dutch & Australian. All 
army officers are Cols or upwards. Gen Percival is 
here also the Govs of Hong-Kong, Malay, etc & the Chief  
Justices of F. M. S & Singapore upon whom I called & 
paid my respects at the earliest possible moment. 
The routine of the camp is reveille at 0630, parade 
for roll-call at 0700, breakfast 0730, work parade 
on fine days 0900 - 1130, midday meal at 1200 hrs 
work parade at 1230 - 1600. Evening meal at 1730. 
Evening roll call in quaters at 2000, lights out at 2100. 
Smoking is permitted only in quarters & between morning & 
evening roll calls. There is only one kitchen about 
200 yds away. The meals are uniform, vegetable 
soup & rice are brought up to our rooms by two of 
us in turn, served out & eaten in our own room. There 
is not enough to eat & the food has to be divided 
up with scrupulous care. One leaves every meal 
feeling hungry. The latrines are downstairs & at 
thein a separate building in rear. After evening roll 
call & until reveille every person going to the latrines 
has to register his name with a latrine guard 
provided by ourselves. A Jap. sentry is on duty at 
the latrine door to whom we have to bow or 
salute when going in & out. Outside the latrine is 
a large concrete  tub or series of tubs for washing 
clothes or bathing. Alongside the cookhouse is a 
bathroom & twice a week a week hot bathes are allowed. 
each room being allotted 20 mins. The discipline of 
the guards is very severe face slapping being the 
punishment for any suspected breach & these are almost 
daily occurrences. Buying from outside is very 
strictly limited to certain stock articles (cigarettes, 
cigars, tea, pencils, note-books etc) & there is a very 
grave shortage of soap. Fruit, eggs etc cannot be 
procured at any price. 
N.B I feel that I should record matters preliminary to my being 
put into the cells. Maltby spoke to all British officers & 
stated that we should do all possible to avoid signing & 
in any event should not sign anything until satisfied that 
failure to do so would result in serious punishment. 
When Searle was called out I suspected that I would 
follow & so said to Maltby 'What do you want the 
British officers to do Sir?'. My own opinion is that we 
should sign at once. 'We are going to be compelled to 
sign & I consider it more dignified to sign now than 
to put up a useless protest but I will stand by 
your decision & certainly will not let you down' 
He replied "I must leave it to you, but we must make a 
protest" It was because of this that I took the action 
which I did. I learnt subsequently that Maltby & all others 
(except Sitwell) signed without demur!

Febry 4^th Uneventful day we are "quarantined" in our own quarters for 
one week. Meat ration (offal etc from local killing yards in our 
soup) which had been going on from about a month 
ceased today. 
5^th Very cold bleak weather. My cough is no better & keeps me  
awake half the night. Hot bath today. Bath house is about 
200 yards away & is the usual circular bath of hot water 
which is ladelled out & poured over oneself. Hot baths 
are taken by squads 15-20 mins per squad on Thursdays 
& Sundays 
6^th Newspapers printed in English & published in Japan were  
issued today. Russians doing very well advancing towards 
Rostov & have surrounded 6^th Army. Salt issue. 1 months supply 
7^th  Sunday. church service in morning but as we in quarantine  
we could not attend. 
8^th Quarantine ended. 
9^th Attended morning roll call outside with others at 0700 hrs 
At 0930 fell in & were marched out to garden about 1000 
yds away to work. Heavy baggage arrived & was stored. 
Sugar issue - 1 months supply. New system of payt accounted 
to come into operation at once. No money whatever will 
be handed to us, but our pay will be placed to our credit & 
agst it we will be allowed to buy what articles the Japs 
approve - mainly cigarettes etc. They supply a list of articles 
which we are permitted to purchase. It includes no 
foodstuffs. 
10^th  Sgt Kavanagh (U.S.A) died today. Worked in garden in 
afternoon. Cold, bleak weather continuing. We were all 
photographed today with a big placard showing our P.O.W 
No hung around our necks. My number is 370. 
11^th  Anniversary of founding of Jap dynasty . Muster parade 
in morning when Jap declaration of  war against England & 
America was read. 1 pig & 18 chickens were added to the 
evening soup & extra rice was issued. The food generally seems 
inadequate. I am perpetually hungry, even immediately after 
a meal. 
12^th  Sgt Kavanagh's funeral today. Japs appear to have relaxed 
cremation rule & allowed body to be buried by ourselves. 
13^th  Meat (gristle, windpipe, offal etc) from local killing yards 
in soup tonight. Announced that this will continue of 3 
days. Sir Mark Young & others slapped by sentry this evening. 
Return put in of Singapore & Java money in our possession. 
14^th  Very bad head-ache all day, developing to intense pain 
at night. Obtained aspirin from AVM Maltby & got to sleep 
attended church service 
15^th  Headache gone. More newspapers 25^th Jan - 5 Feby, issued. 
News of Russia's great success agst 6^th Army & that Tripoli occupied 
by British 
16^th  Heavy baggage issued to us after close inspection by Japanese. 
My map which I had kept to locate australian graves in  
Java was seized also a personal account of my movements 
since leaving Palestine - also a torch, a primus stove, a
pair of pliars, all matches, torch batteries & my boots. During 
work period today squad leaders were called in for 
conference with Jap officer. Took opportunity to point out 
that food was quite inadequate. Singapore & Java money 
called in. 
February 17^th  Spent all day cutting my mattress down to fit my 
bedstead & restitching same. Used surplus flock to repack 
my pillows & gave balance to numerous other officers 
for same purpose. 
18^th  Everyone had their fingerprints taken today. Every 
finger was done as well as whole hand. Played 
bridge in the morning with Gen Percival, Simmons & AVM 
Maltby 
19^th  All Jap money in our possession was handed in today & 
placed to our credit. I paid in 26 yen 50 sen. Issued with 
strip of cloth upon which is written my POW No 370 & my 
name in Japanese. This must be worn at all times on the 
right breast.

Feby 20^th  Cigarettes made available agst cash credits. Until now I have 
had to exist on borrowed cigarettes. I secured 400 & 9 cigars. Very 
cold blustery day. No work. Washed all the dirty clothes I 
brought in my heavy baggage. Issued with a printed post -  
card to send to our homes. 
21 Attended Church Service conducted by Percival. Earthquake shock 
occurred last night. Very loud rumbling & building shook 
severely. Hot bath today but water was almost cold. Am 
trying to get plot of ground for private garden but so far 
without success. 10 more pigs & 15 rabbits arrived for our 
livestock farm. This evening I was punched & slapped by 
Jap. Sentry for no apparent reason. Having neuralgia I had 
a woolen wrapper around my head. A sentry came into 
the room & I immediately removed my wrapper & stood up & bowed. 
The sentry walked straight up to me & spoke in Japanese & then 
struck me in the face sending my glasses flying (but fortunately 
not breaking them). He then struck me again 3 or 4 times. 
22  Fire drill in the morning. Work in the afternoon from 1300 - 1600 hrs 
Another issue of salt in the evening. Extra rice sweetened &  
with sweet potatoes in it at evening meal. 
23  Wet day.  No work. In evening after roll call sentries 
came around & quite a lot of officers were slapped & kicked 
for trivial & in many cases unknown offences.  Order 
issued that nobody may appear outside his room with 
any button of his coat undone; also that we are not to 
sit or lie on our beds between reveille & evening roll call. 
As there are not seats enough except unbacked forms which 
just tol hold us all each man touching the other, it is 
going to be very uncomfortable. 
24  Dull cold day. Worked in morning. No work in afternoon 
25  Work all day. Good rich soup at night with small 
quantity of fish in it. First time we have had any fish 
since we arrived here. This evening a sentry saw one 
of the Generals in his room with a button undone. He 
immediately came in & cut off the button & handed it to 
the General. 
26^th  Still cloudy & cold. Work in the morning. Made a start at 
sewing the garden. Sewed bean seeds in one area. Squad 
Chiefs Gens & Governors called together in afternoon & told that internees in 
our respective countries were being very cruelly treated. 
They were then invited to write their respective Govts 
urging that internees be better treated & it was hinted that  
our treatment would greatly improve if we would do 
so. Nobody offered to do so & conference broke up at 
once. No work in afternoon. Reported that fish soup 
will continue for 3 more days. Traded a pair of stockings 
for a cake of washing soap. Soap shortage is very acute. 
Shortly after conference as above, Jap officer returned from 
Camp H.Q & went to Guard & spoke to guard. Immediately 
strictness prevailed. Large number of officers were beaten 
up for various reasons. I was twice rigidly examined 
by sentries to see if I had any buttons undone. Just 
after evening meal I saw four men severely slapped 
by sentries for various reasons. 
27^th  "Heat" is well on. Many officers severely smacked 
& knocked about last night including Lt-Gen Wainwright 
(U.S.A). This morning Gen Heath (British) was very s XXXX 
knocked about. He has one arm withered at birth & it 
looks as though it is snot out straight when he 
stands to attention. For this he was apparently hit. 
His eye is very inflamed & going black. Staton (British) 
was hit with a rifle butt, kicked & slapped. Many 
others totalling probably 50 - 60 have been slapped & 
punched. Work this morning. Fine warm day. At 
about 1400 hrs I was standing in my room & two 
sentries came along. "Kigoski" was called & I stood 
to attention & as they came to door I bowed in the 
manner ordered. One of the sentries walked straight