Hi All, I am in need of some help in tracing a group of Dutch POW's held in Rangoon Jail from about October 1942 until roughly April 1943. They came off one of the dreaded transport ships at Rangoon docks, but had originally set sail for Moulmein. I have found several mentions of them in various places and know that over 200 died in the jail, suffering from dysentery. These were buried in the English Cantonment Cemetery, near the Royal Lake in Rangoon. I would dearly like to find out more about these POW's, are there any Dutch connection experts out there who may have some information or advice on where to search? Many thanks. Bamboo.
you could contact NIMH (National Institute Military History) in Den Haag NIMH | Homepage They have a large amount of books and documents
Hi Philip, Thanks for the link to the Dutch site. These POW's are proving illusive to track down. I have collated a large number of Allied prisoners to the jail, which has grown in to a fair sized project. This Dutch group are the last main collection of inmates known to have spent time at Rangoon. I will send off a couple of emails and see what happens. Bamboo.
Steve did you read this article: Horrors of the hell ships Also found this (pages 143 & 144) Eyewitness: Australians write from ... - Google Books
sol, The first link is brilliant, thanks very much. I have seen Rivett's book and writings before, but to have the original newspaper cutting is just fantastic! The site has also given me some more Rangoon Jail info too, especially the story of the journalist held there after the war by the Burmese authorities. Phil, I did get a reply from the Dutch archives, they sent me a list of books and papers that may have info regarding these mystery POW's. I have not had time to follow that lead yet, but thanks for your help in the first instance. Steve.
sol, Thanks again for your input, I have read through both links again (carefully this time) and have picked up a useful piece of info. At first I made the mistake of thinking the Dutch POW ship was named, but have know realised it was Rivett's two ships that are mentioned, and that the Dutch hellship followed his out of Singapore. Reading is one of my big weak points in researching, I seem to scan over large text looking for relevant info, rather than read it all through carefully. A very poor habit to develop. Steve.
sol, Thanks again for your input, I have read through both links again (carefully this time) and have picked up a useful piece of info. At first I made the mistake of thinking the Dutch POW ship was named, but have know realised it was Rivett's two ships that are mentioned, and that the Dutch hellship followed his out of Singapore. Reading is one of my big weak points in researching, I seem to scan over large text looking for relevant info, rather than read it all through carefully. A very poor habit to develop. Steve. I know that feeling Steve, years of last minute cramming for university essays caused me to develop that habit! Following the thread, if you get a chance, it would be great to read a few tid bits.
At first I made the mistake of thinking the Dutch POW ship was named, but have know realised it was Rivett's two ships that are mentioned, and that the Dutch hellship followed his out of Singapore. Rivett was on the Mayehassi Maru and this ship sailed from Singapore on the October 14th. He mentioned that the other ship with the rest of the Dutch POWs sailed a week behind Mayehassi Maru. Shinyu Maru left Singapore for Burma on the October 24th with 500 POWs on board. And I found this 17 Oct - 7 Nov 1942: O 23 patrols the Strait of Malacca. 25 Oct 1942: O 23 attacks a Japanese convoy and damages the freighter ms Shinyu Maru (4621t), one torpedo hits the freighter. The torpedoes fired at a second vessel miss because the ship, warned by the hit on the Shinyu Maru, changes her course. Position: 05°28'N-99°56'E, off Penang. After the war it came out that it was a very 'fortunate miss', because at that time there were 1700 Dutch POWs, transported from Java to Rangoon, on board the second ship. But couldn't find any mention of the name of that second ship and it wasn't listed on the list of Hellship Voyages.
Hi sol, Andy, I had chased the Hell ships a bit yesterday and also come to the Shinyu Maru story. But this led me to another ship which made a very similar journey to the one described by Rivett in his article. The Tacoma Maru: Names Database Any chance this could be my Dutch POW's? What do you think? Andy, apart form the above link (my only real tid bit), the ship was mentioned in the book 'The Story of Changi' which was written by the man who developed the Japanese index card system to record POW movements in SE Asia. Also a story I was told last year by a former inmate of Rangoon Jail about a second group of very ill 'Chindits' that came into the Jail in late October 1942. Of course no such group existed so I have always discounted the story as a mistake on dates. Now, I am wondering whether he simply remembers the Dutch men arriving and confuses their similar appearance and condition with that of the Chindits 6 months later. Steve.
Thanks Steve, that sounds pretty plausible to my un-informed mind. How much contact did POWs have with each other i.e. rec time etc?
Hi sol, Andy, I had chased the Hell ships a bit yesterday and also come to the Shinyu Maru story. But this led me to another ship which made a very similar journey to the one described by Rivett in his article. The Tacoma Maru: Names Database Any chance this could be my Dutch POW's? What do you think? On the same place found this On 20th October 1942 1,600 prisoners on Java were shipped on the Tacoma Maru, north via Singapore, to work on the Thai/Burma railway - "Weary Dunlop" included. So this trip should be mentioned in Dunlop's book.
I just found these links, both are on the Dutch and both talking about Tacoma Maru oorlogsslachtoffers gemeente Buren http://home.iae.nl/users/benschop/birma.pdf The second link (pdf) is personal experience and have many details about trip.
Hi Gents, Thanks again for all the help. Andy, once out of solitary confinement (this was mainly for aircrew and Army officers) the men were placed into segregated blocks. Most of the time this was in groups by nationality. Communication in solitary was forbidden, punishable by severe beatings, inter-block communication was the same, but the men as always found their way around this. Sign language was developed, singing information was common, whistling tunes as a form of warning that the guards were on their way etc. Some of the more ingenius Indian POW's would be able to smuggle in and distribute both contriband goods and information on how the war was progressing, usually getting their info from the Burmese residents outside the jail, whilst they were on work duties. So I would say that not much happened in the jail without the men finding out eventually. Steve.
sol, You are a wonder with Google search, thanks my friend. It seems highly likely now that these are my Dutch POW's. I have a Dutch lady who happens to be the mother of my daughter's best friend so translation will not be difficult. To be honest I can read between the lines on these accounts and pick out the vital words in any case. So our bad habit can be useful sometimes Andy!!
Hi Gents, Thanks again for all the help. Andy, once out of solitary confinement (this was mainly for aircrew and Army officers) the men were placed into segregated blocks. Most of the time this was in groups by nationality. Communication in solitary was forbidden, punishable by severe beatings, inter-block communication was the same, but the men as always found their way around this. Sign language was developed, singing information was common, whistling tunes as a form of warning that the guards were on their way etc. Some of the more ingenius Indian POW's would be able to smuggle in and distribute both contriband goods and information on how the war was progressing, usually getting their info from the Burmese residents outside the jail, whilst they were on work duties. So I would say that not much happened in the jail without the men finding out eventually. Steve. To be honest I can read between the lines on these accounts and pick out the vital words in any case. So our bad habit can be useful sometimes Andy!! As I have learnt over the course of my thesis this year, POWs were ingenious in developing ways around the confines their captors placed in front of them, both physically and mentally! I have Google Chrome as my web browser and it has a nifty feature where it picks up foreign languages and translates the page,..just an idea for future if you don't already have a similar gadget.
Thanks Andy, I desperatly need a new computer, I work on an old Apple IMAC, which will never die bless it. But it is so incompatible with many new software updates it is beginning to hold me back somewhat. In Rangoon the prisoners used to whistle 'The Campbell's are coming' when they knew the Japanese guards were on their way. As you say there was always a way round regulation and rule.
Well things have moved on fast here! Quick update. I have my first Dutch POW who not only survived the Tacoma Maru, Rangoon Jail and the Burma Railway, but went on to serve in a Japanese coal mine too. I have just received an email from his daughter after placing another post on a different forum. My next step will be Military Archives in the Netherlands. We shall see what turns up? Thanks Gents for your help so far. Steve.
