Thrale history

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21.—SUNRISE ON THE BEACH, SINGAPORE. In the schoolboy paints of my Chinese friend.

22.—ON THE BEACH, STRAITS OF JOHORE. We were allowed to bathe bere at irregular intervals. (Red pencil on notepaper).

22a.—THE SAME BEACH.Showing the limbless bathing. The artificial limbs and crutches lying around were made by P.O.W.s. A scene so macabre that my soul said "hurry." (Red pencil on notepaper).

22b.—THE SAME BEACH. (All Beach Scenes have faded away).

23.—THE BRITISH CEMETERY. SINGAPORE. Most of the boys lying here were casualties from the Battle of Malaya. Two years later, this was the only piece of ground the Japanese guards left untouched (almost in the centre of their massive aerodrome). This cemetery is now quiet beauty. There is now another beautifully laid out, and is a picture of large cemetery in Kranji, and the remains of my friends are reverently watched over by members of the War Graves Commission. The Chinese boy's paints on notepaper. (I must mention that the Japanese officer charge of the aerodrome was educated at the University of Oxford, and to be fair, must add he possessed humanity). (The brown from clay. Green from crushed leaves).

24.—SUNSET OVER THE STRAITS OF JOHORE.— This piece of paper cost me two dinners— genuine cartridge paper—A great find. I tried to fill it with beauty, but my material could never do justice to the loveliness I saw and felt at this sunset—to satisfaction I got did offset the gnawings in my stomach.

25.—THE JAVA LINES, SINGAPORE. So called because all P.O.W.s in transit from Java to the Hell Railway in Siam were halted and concentrated here. Many Gunners passed through the Java lines — many never returned. In the foreground can be seen an erection which was used as a theatre. Whilst painting this picture I was interrupted and distracted by the sight of a British Officer receiving a bashing, for no apparent reason, from a loathsome Korean guard. "Bashing" is the right word—we were never merely "beaten". There was nothing I could do about it.

26.—TRANSPORT IN CHANGI, SINGAPORE. Four-wheeled tractors were used, dragged. by P.O.W.s. In the early days, the British Corps of Military Police were still in evidence, and carrying on under Jap orders as a police unit. My picture shows two on guard at the sub-area gate. At this time they were smartly dressed in contrast to other prisoners, whose clothing had been reduced to rags by the heavy work. My picture also shows a British Officer in charge of the party. They retained the smart appearance associated with their rank as long as their clothes held out. Officers were not expected to work at this stage, but were responsible to the Japanese for the carrying out of the work allotted. Their efforts to alleviate the lot of their men were few. Japanese privates took a keen delight in exploiting the animal passions in bashing the men. The waggon load is wood from the jungle, fuel to cook our damnable rice. (Red pencil, black paint, and green tint from crushed leaves. On Japanese notepaper).