and now is the Peace Memorial Park
The
POW Campsite According to Mr. Tom Wade, a British ex-POW
Picture
drawn by Koichi Inomata
From
A
Bridge Across the Pacific Ocean
The
POW Campsite According to Mr. Tom Wade, a British ex-POW
Picture
drawn by Koichi Inomata
From
A
Bridge Across the Pacific Ocean
Chronological
Table Centering on
the
Naoetsu Prisoner-Of-War Campsite
The
original table is from A Bridge across the Pacific Ocean.
The original table is written by
Koichi Inomata.
The items in this English version
are selected, added and translated by Yoshikazu Kondo and Hiromu Yagi,
The three are standing committee
members of the JASJ.
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The Instructions for the Battlefield are
officially
announced.
The Pacific War breaks out with Japanese Navy's attack at Pearl Harbor. |
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Nov.
The Naoetsu POW Camp is opened.
10 Dec. 300 Australian POWs are sent to the camp. In the winter, some twenty POWs suffered from pneumonia. |
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31 Mar.
Lt./Col. A. Robertson dies of meningitis.
Aug.-10 Dec. POWs' transfer from Hong Kong to the Japan mainland starts. Some of them are sent to Naoetsu. During the winter, sixty Australian POWs at the Naoetsu POW camp dies of pneumonia. |
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5 Aug.
Before dawn in Cowra, the suicidal breakout by 1,104 Japanese POWs occurs,
observing the Instructions for the Battlefield, that is, "Don't survive
shamefully as a prisoner; die and thus escape ignominy.(1)" The breakout
results in deaths of four Australian guards and 231 deaths of the Japanese
POWs.
(1)Gordon, Harry. Voyge from Shame:The Cowra Breakout and Afterwards Brisbane: University of Queensland Press, 1978 The Japanese War Cemetery, according to Mr. Graham Apthorpe, a Cowra resident, was open from the day they Japanese were first buried there in 1944. Quoted from his email message: "The Japanese War Cemetery has gone through many stages. Shortly after WWII Australian Returned Soldiers from WWII started caring for the graves. These were Returned Services League members. This was around 1948. 20,000 Australian troops were held as POW of the Japanese and 8,000 were killed or died of maltreatment and neglect. During the late 1950's negotiations took place involving Cowra Municipal Council, the Australian Government and the Japanese Government. It was agreed that the Japanese Cemetery would be upgraded and in addition to the remains of the Japanese who died in Cowra it would also hold the remains of all other Japanese who died in Australia during WWII. These were Internees who came from Indonesia, Tonga, New Caledonia and Australia as well as some Japanese airmen who were shot down or crashed during air raids over northern Australia." |
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June
About 400 American, British and Dutch POWs
are sent to the Naoetsu POW
Camp.
Aug. Two atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 15 Aug. Japan surrenders. Captain Jim Chisholm starts to investigate alleged war criminals with POWs' dictation as a basis. 28 Aug. A B29 comes flying over, dropping some drums of emergency provisions for the POW camp. Some of them hit people and houses around the camp and causes some damages. Sep. The first group of 472 POWs return home and the second of 224. |
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3 May The International Military Tribunal for the Far East opens the court. |
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Feb.
The alleged war criminals are imprisoned.
3 Feb. At the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Yokohama, the alleged war criminals from Naoetsu are sentenced: two to death by hanging, three to lifetime imprisonment, one to 35 years and eight months in prison, one to 17 years in prison, and one to two years in prison. |
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20 Aug.
Seven civilians in service for the Naoetsu
POW camp are sentenced: six
to death by hanging and one to 45 years and
six and half months in prison.
23 Dec. One soldier related to Naoetsu was executed. |
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20 Aug.
Four civilians related to Naoetsu are executed.
3 Sep. Another two civilians are executed. One soldier related to Naoetsu was executed. Mr.Robert C.Crawford, an American ex-POW at Naoetsu, and two of his friends visit Mr.Yasuzo Takeda, who was a medical orderly of the Naoetsu POW Camp in 1945. |
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The war trial ends. |
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Mr.E.McBurney, an Australian ex-POW, comes to Naoetsu and visits the Nippon Stainless Steel Factory (named the Empire Special Steel factory during the war). |
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29 June Mr.Theo M.Lee, an Australian ex-POW, sends a letter and a parcel of books on Australia to Naoetsu High School, saying, "l would welcome any information and photographs on the Prisoners of War Camp and of Naoetsu that you may be able to provide." |
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The Japanese Garden and Japanese Cultural Centre complete and open to the public in Cowra, Australia. |
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Mr.Lee sends his second letter and a parcel of books and begins to exchange correspondence with some Naoetsu High School teachers and English study group members. |
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4-5 Apr. Mr.and Mrs. Lee visits Naoetsu with Ms.Fuyuko Kamisaka, the non-fiction writer who is writing a reportage on the Naoetsu POW Camp, as their guide. They pay a call at the POW campsite and have a talk with some citizens and English study group members. |
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Mr.Jack Mudie, an Australian ex-POW, visits
Naoetsu.
Some members of the English study group shows
him around the city. Mr.Tsutomu
Kobayashi writes three serial articles about
the Naoetsu Camp for the local
newspaper Niigata Nippo.
Mr. Tsutomu Kobayashi writes three serial articles about the Naoetsu Camp for the local newspaper, Niigata Nippo. |
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Apr.-June A serial reportage on the Naoetsu pow Camp titled Kai ni Natta Otoko, (The Man Who Shut Up Like a Clam) by Fuyuko Kamisaka appears in Niigata Nippo and later is published by Bungeisyunju Ltd. |
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19 May At the former site of the Naoetsu POW Camp, a memorial service is held under the auspice of the Cowra-Japan Society, attended by Father Tony Glynn of the Nara Tomigaoka Catholic Church, Tony Mooney, Advisor to the Cowra Japanese Garden (Director, the Cultural Centre), and Mr.Frank Hole, an ex-P0W. Mr.Hole plants three eucalyptus seedlinqs in the front qarden of the Joetsu City Hall. He also leaves a plaque for the 60 Australian soldiers who died at Naoetsu to the care of the city qovernment of Joetsu. (The plaque eventually forms a part of the cenotaph in memory of the Austraiian soldiers erected at the Peace Memorial Park.) |
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21 July Seven
proposers hold an inaugural meeting with
intent to erect a monument at
the former campsite.
21-22 Aug. The proposers give an outline of their project and appeals for contribution at a meeting of the Association to Watch Good Movies. 25 Aug. The Joetsu municipal authorities inform the proposers that the plaque brought by Mr.Hole in 1988 is kept in the City Hall. 26 Aug. The proposers recognize the existence of the plaque at the City Hall and also of a list of the 60 Australian POWs who died at Naoetsu. 17 Dec. The proposers submit to the Mayor the prospectus and request for the erection of the monument at the former campsite. |
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15 Jan.
Mr.Tetsuji Okamoto, a sculptor whose hometown
is Naoetsu, gives his ready
assent to make the Statues of Peace and Friendship.
15 Aug. The memorial service for the war dead is held at the Cowra POW campsite on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the breakout. Mrs.Yoko Ishizuka attends the ceremony. The proposers organize a preparatory committee to form the "Council to Erect Statues of Peace and Friendship at the Former Site of the Naoetsu POW Camp" and draw up a draft of regualations and make a nomination list of the officials and executive committee members. 20 Aug. The inaugural meeting of the Council to Erect Statues of Peace and Friendship at the Former Site of the Naoetsu POW Camp (the Council for short, henceforth) is held. 0fficials of the Council: Honorary president: Mr.Kaoru Miyakoshi, Mayor of Joetsu City President : Mr.Saukji Sato (Ex-mayor of Naoetsu City) Chairman, ex.com. : Mr.Shoichi Shimomura Vice-chairman : Mr.Rin-ichi Kobayashi Chief secretary : Mr.Shoichi Ishizuka Nov. To realize the project, various fund-raising activities starts under the combined effort of the Joetsu Munlcipal Government and the Council of Neighborhood Associations. 8 Dec. -10 Jan. The Council exhibits its materiais about the POW Camp at the festivals held at Naoetsu Primary School, Naoetsu Junior High School, and Naoetsu High School. An expanded exhibition is held at the Takada Public Library under the joint auspices of the Council and the Joetsu Municipal Government. |
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10 Feb.
"The Council to Plan for the Peace Memorial Project on the 50th Anniversary
of the End of World War II," an ad-hoc committee appointed by the Mayor,
issues a proposal for developing the site into a mini-park to preserve
the memory of the Naoetsu POW Camp.
8 Mar. The Council decides to encase two plaques, one for the 60 Australian soldiers and the other for the eight executed Japanese guards, in the pedestal of the statues. 13 Mar. Ms.Fuyuko Kamisaka's "Considering Apologies and War-Renouncing Resolution" appears in the Sankej Shjmbun newspaper. 15 Mar. The Council declares at a press conference that the plaque for the war criminals is receiving due consideration. 29 Mar. The Sydney Morning Herald carries an article that says: Plans for a memorial to Australians who died in one of Japan's most brutal prisoner-of-war camps have been shelved -- because the organizers also want to commemorate eight guards hanged for war crimes. "This is quite unacceptable to me," said Mr.Frank Hole, one of the survivors of the notorious Naoetsu camp. 8 Apr. The landowner of the former POW campsite agrees with the Council's intent. His consent has been crucial in settling the land issue. 27 Apr. The Council holds the first meeting for bereaved families of the executed guards. 10 May The director of the Australia-Japan Foundation visits Joetsu to gain firsthand information about the project. 14 May Mr.Katsumoto Saotome, a writer invited by the Council, delivers a lecture titled "Friendship is the Way to Peace." 25 May Mr.Frank Hole enters a protest against the Council's plan in his letter dated 25 May: I believe it would be a betrayal of their trust in myself if I was to agree to have the names of the convicted criminais honoured alongside the names of their victims. 25 May The mayor of Joetsu City and the landowner of the campsite signs a land contract. 14 June Instead of erecting one monument, the Council decides to erect two separate cenotaphs, one for the 60 Australians who died in the camp and the other for the eight Japanese who was executed after the war. The Council sends a letter to Mr.Hole to notify him of this decision. 2 July The Council holds the second meeting for the bereaved families of the executed guards. They deliberate whether the names of the eight Japanese guards should be inscribed on the plaque. The guards' relatives decide to participate in the first Gathering for Peace on 15 August. 4 July The executive members of the Council discuss with the municipal authorities whether it is legitimate to erect a religious monument on public land, but they cannot reach a conclusion. 10 July Mr.Jack Mudle visits Joetsu accompanied by the crew of Nine Network Australia. He exchanges a firm handshake of reconciliation with Mrs.Akiyama, an executed guard's widow. Just on time for the beginning of the recption for Mr.Mudie, Mr.Hole's letter arrives, saying: However both he (Mr.Mudie) and myself are in agreement that we should support this most worthy project and allow me to convey to yourself and your committee my most sincere appreciation for your efforts in some positive step towards reconciliation between the citizens of Japan and Australia. 11,25 The Council is criticized for uerecting a monument dedicate July only to the Australian P0ws. 6 Aug. The Council holds the third meeting for the bereaved families of the executed guards. Instead of their names, they decide to inscribe the following epitaph: "Eight Stars in the Peaceful Sky." 12 Aug. The Council and the municipal authorities discuss where the two monuments should be erected but cannot reach a conclusion. 15 Aug. The Council holds the Gathering for Peace at the campsite on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. 22 Aug. The Council confers with the municipal authorities about developing the campsite into a mini-park and erecting the monuments in the park. They have reached a four-point agreement: 1. The site is to be divided into two: the "Past" zone with two monuments and the "Future" zone with the Statues of Peace and Friendship. 2. A part of the Past zone where the two monuments are to be erected should be purchased by the Council to avoid a legal concern about politico-religious separation. 3. The Joetsu municipal government is to develop the site into the Peace Memorial Park. 4. The Council ls to hold the unveiling ceremonies
and memorial services.
22 Aug. Mrs.Yoko Ishizuka joins the International Youth Forum held in Cowra and later calls on several ex-POWs to participate in the unveiling ceremonies for the plaque for the Australian soldiers and the Statues of Peace and Friendship. 25 Aug. The word comes that Mr.Mudie and 31 of the ex-POWs and their relatives will visit Joetsu City to attend the ceremonies. 5 Sep. Mr.Bill Paterson, Minister-Counsellor (Political) of the Australian Embassy in Tokyo, visits Joetsu City. 13 Sep. The Council is informed that Dr.Ashton Calvert, Australian Ambassador to Japan, will attend and participate in the ceremonies at the site of the former Naoetsu POW Camp. 17 Sep. The Council holds the fourth meeting for the bereaved families of the executed guards. The Council has a discussion about its preparation for the ceremonies. 5 Oct. The Council is informed that Mr.Kazuo Kodama, chief of the Oceania Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will attend the ceremonies on 8 October. 8 Oct. The Ceremonies of Peace and Friendship are held at the Peace Memorial Park: 1. The unveiling of the monument for the executed 9uards and the memorial service for them (8:30-9:30) 2. The unveiling of the plaque for the Australian soldiers and the memorial service for them (10:30-12:30) 3. The unveiling of the Statues of Peace and Friendship (15:00-16:10) |
っっっっｋっっｊっっｋ
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A Bridge across the Pacific
Ocean:
Out of the Dark Days of Tragic Events at the POW Camps in Naoetsu and Cowra Edited and Published by Council to Erect Statues
of Peace and Friendship at the Former Naoetsu POW Campsite
If you wish to purchase this book, please contact me by emai. yoshi-ko@max.hi-ho.ne.jp |
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Chapter 1: A Former POW Campsite Turned
Peace Memorial Park
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