"Today we evacuated a Jap hospital which had our lads in. The sight I will never forget. All very thin with legs as big as my arms."
This letter has been handed down to me via my father Robert G I Moore (Herbert’s brother).
Herbert served in the Royal Navy in WW2.
I think this letter about the rescue of Japanese prisoners of war in 1945 is an important piece of history and would love it to be preserved for years to come.
The photo is of Herbert Moore.
Transcript:
Today as been a day of days. I've had a busy time but am proud to feel my little bit has been comforting to a lot of our poor boys.
Today we evacuated a Jap hospital which had our lads in. The sight I will never forget. All very thin with legs as big as my arms. Some were so full with water from continually eating rice they weighed 18st. It was a most pathetic sight. 96 were stricken cases. I've never seen men more grateful. They have been starved, torchered and badly treated since singapore fell Feb 13th 1942. A hospital ship came in and in less than 4 hours all were in sheets on baord. The boys have really slaved hard to do it.
The life for these chaps has been terrible, food being rats, cats, dogs, snails and many horrible things like it, we had two on board to give us a talk. Men dying has been made to work. Punishments were many and varied. One was to put them in a hole with just the head out, fill it up so only the head shew, put a glass of water just out of their reach, pour salt, sugar and treacle over the head and put a nest of ants on it to torment them. This went on 48 hours or so in the open, so the sun could shine nicely on them. Others were to dreadful to tell in a letter. We assisted in getting them on board a bit and can assure you it was a pleasure. A band played and good words were passed. Movie cameras were used here to make films. One chap was told that we hoped he had a nice trip while he was being carried aboard. He said "the navy is here and I am safe, the trip will be a pleasure, and good bye Formosa and a --- goodbye for ever I hope, it's been a ---".
Here has been worse than any place we believe. Two camps they will not allow us to enter, so it must be bad there, we will probably see more, as we are moving to-morrow. I can't say where until I'm there. You'll be interested to learn anyway. One tale was, that every month the Jap [unclear C in C?] inspected the place, it was full of all good cheer, when he left it was all removed to Jap quarters. One medical orderly I spoke to said H.Os and orderlies were killed, [unclear] and badly fed. This chap had had wet Beri Beri two years then dry Beri Beri 6 months, dysentry five times, Pneumonia, Bronchitis and pleaursey all at once, he was fitter then, than many hundreds of others he said, talking he nearly cried with joy (he was thin). They still control the place and we are covered by some big guns, so [unclear] all is quiet. Some tried to stop the train to-day but got Beaten up. The hospital is no more. It was a sad sight and many hearts are aching with joy tonight. Two died this morning they were too bad. They said two months more we would have found less than a 100 instead of 1500. 2/3rds have already died. In the trip from Singapore 186 were buried at sea, out of 1000. Salt was put in their water to make them thirsty and no water was allowed.
One chap pinched a banana so they said he was hungry so he had to eat 180 then as he was sick he had to eat more. Then he had his mouth plastered up and tied and laid on his back while Japs in full kit danced on him for 2 hours. That was only some as I [unclear].
Well I am safe and thanks to God I am. I've written and sent to you. Please let mum and all see it as it's too awful to write again. I will send her a line but say she must [unclear]
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