Thrale history

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most cherished pictures, and forever destroyed the earthly visages of some of my friends. I got him down on paper by sly study of his hated face. From my estimate of this animal's mentality, my pictures will probably be distributed among the Geisha girl quarters. I suppose my lack of wisdom in not distributing them among my friends was responsible for this loss, but then the friends were lost also—it would have been the same. (Paints obtained from Korean guard, who was an amateur artist). In 1952 two studies were seen in a Geisha Girl's house.

58.—SUNSET AFTER THE MONSOON IN SIAM. We prisoners literally drank these sunsets—our only glimpse of beauty.

59.—PORTRAIT OF A DUTCH PRISONER'S WIFE. Copied from a precious photograph. I did two of these, one of which, I hope my Dutch friend managed to keep. There is a story attached to this picture. A Jap lent me the paints with which this picture was painted, on the understanding that I was to do some pictures for him. I did some, and stole his brushes before returning the book, replacing them with those made with my hair, but lost them a few weeks later. Some time later I met a fellow prisoner, who had been commissioned by the same Jap to do some more pictures—the same brushes were loaned, but the prisoner was unable to use my home—made brushes, and told his customer so. He received a bashing, and was told they had been used before without complaint. On American notepaper.

60—KOREAN GUARDROOM AT ENTRANCE TO P.O.W. CAMP, SIAM. Showing bamboo being brought into the camp for more huts. Note the two prisoners bowing to the guard. We bowed for 3½ years to all ranks of the Jap Army. It was bowing, or bashing.

61.—DYSENTERY PATIENT, BURMA HOSPITAL, SIAM. It was about this time that I was asked by the Medical Officer in charge to execute a number of sickness studies for record purposes, which I understood were intended for the British Medical Association, and have since been used in books. (In pencil on tracing paper).

62.—DAVID. MY BEST PAL. I lost him. He went abroad the most perfect physical specimen I have ever seen, but died of malnutrition. (Black shoe blacking and sediment on grey paper).

63.—FOUR MORE CHUMS. Three died. They had only one shirt between them, and I put the same shirt on each. Since I became a free man, have had the pictures photographed, and a copy has gone to each of the parents. (White sediment and pencil).

64.—*F" FORCE HOSPITAL AT THE BASE, SIAM. In the evenings we amused ourselves by listening to talks on any subject one of us was conversant on. The talks varied from painting to plastering, from botany to burglary. This picture shows an "Aussie" giving a lecture on Australian Law. He wears a towel around his middle, having lent his trousers to a fellow prisoner who was out on a working party. (In blue pencil).