ERNIE'S STORY
Chapter Six Keeping Hope Alive
As the war dragged on into 1943, hope of victory over the
Japanese and eventually being free again became hard to believe.
Many men simply lapsed into lethargy and refused to eat, wash, or
leave their bunks. Ernie told the family this story:
"I was lying on my bunk, too weak and discouraged to
get up. Dr. Crawford came over to me and said "Goodbye Ernie". I
was surprised and asked him where he was going. He said that he
wasn't going anywhere but I would soon be leaving for a grave if
I didn't get up and eat. Dr. Crawford just wouldn't give up on me
and literally nagged me into getting up and eating something. He
saved my life."
So for the second time Ernie survived a brush with death. Dr.
Crawford was responsible for saving many lives during those
terrible years in the P.O.W. camps. Some of the conditions in
which he worked are described by Ted Ferguson in Desperate
Seige:
"The disease and work injury toll remained high. Dr.
Crawford and others performed sugery on a wooden bench; the few
instruments were boiled in the kitchen pots. Chloroform was the
only anesthetic, sulfa drugs the principal antiseptic for
wounds."
Dr. Crawford eventually learned how to talk his captors into
giving him more medicine.
"A direct request, however reasonable was
automatically rejected. Then I discovered that by taking a
different tack and making a personal request, a Japanese officer
could be placed in a position whee a refusal would result in a
'loss of face'. After I made that intriguing discovery, I
conducted all my dealings with the Japanese along these
lines."
Dr. Crawford learned other useful methods to get drugs. The
Japanese guards didn't want to go to their own medical officer
for the treatment of venereal disease for fear of punishment. The
Canadian medical team agreed to treat them in exchange for black
market medicines. One Japanese sergeant agreed to supply drugs if
Dr. Crawford would help him with his English. Dr. Crawford had
read him aloud scenes from Romeo and Juliet! (Desperate Siege, p.
234).
Dr. Crawford was certainly an interesting man and a dedicated
doctor. He survived the camps, testified at the war crimes
trials, and died in Ottawa at the age of 92.
The Canadian P.O.W.'s had access to the local newspaper The
Hong Kong News. The paper contained daily Japanese lessons (see
Chapter Four) and Japanese reports on the war. These reports gave
the impression that not only was Japan on its way to victory but
that all of East Asia supported Japan. Here are some excerpts
found on the back of the Japanese lessons that Ernie saved:
Tokyo, Nov. 29 - Mr. Iguchi ... stated that it is
remarkable that the enemy can blandly speak of their
humanitarianism and do just the reverse as in India where they
are plundering ... necessities of the suffering Indian people for
their own armies and to satisfy their selfish needs. The
spokesman pointed out that the situation in Greater East Asia
offers a sharp contrast. Freed from the ruthless heel of
Anglo-American imperialism, the peoples "are basking in the glory
of a new life, tilling the soil, mining the minerals,
manufacturing articles by their own efforts, not to fill the
pockets of their late alien masters but to enrich their own life
... Japanese experts are helping ... the peoples of East Asia ...
and their welfare is materially enhanced.
Manila Aug. 22 -- Mr. Hilario Lara revealed that at the
training institute released war prisoners, along with spiritual
reorientation, receive vocational instructions, fitting them for
a new life as worthy members of the New Philippines ... The
Welfare Bureau renders them solicitous care. It gives freely
medical care where it is needed ... free transportation and ...
employment.
Other headlines give the same happy prosperous picture:
- Bumper Rice Crop in Thailand - Large Quantities to be
Exported (Tokyo, July 13)
- Great Progress in Celebes (Macassar, July 17)
- Liberation of Burmese Now at Hand - Japan fighting for
benefit of Asia (Tokyo, July 23)
- China's War Contribution Appreciated (Hsinking, Aug.
18)
The other theme in the Hong Kong News stories was the
worsening state of the Allies, particularly the United
States.
Ignoble War Aims of the United States' Vile
Dream to Dominate and Shackle Whole of East Asia
Tokyo, July 28 - Referring to the soiled pages of American
history, the Professor (Kamikawa) pointed out that the world has
often heard the names of avowed imperialists such as Theodore
Roosevelt, former President, Rear-Admiral Alfred T. Mahan, ...
but the first and foremost imperialist of the United States was
William Seward ... [who] launched the United States on its
aggressive mission in the Pacific and East Asia. Japan was forced
to rise in arms not only for self-defense but also for the
defense of the entire East Asia against Anglo-American invasion
as well as the emancipation of all Asiatic peoples from the
fetters of Anglo-American imperialism. The Asahi declared that
Anglo-American theories as to their war aims and of a new order
in the world, which are regarded as typical of their crafty
propaganda and strategy have proven to be a complete
failure.
America and Chungking Disillusioned Expected too
Much of Each Other.
Lisbon, Nov 8 - It is reported from New York that Nathaniel
Peffer, well known writer on Oriental affairs, in an article
published in the New York Times, pointed out that both the
Anmericans and Chungking people have over-rated each other.
Peffer declared that the tendency to expect to much of each other
resulted on the American's part in a stream of deprecatory
reports regarding the Chungking Army and Chungking politics,
while the Chungking people naturally found the American
performance far below par.
Other headlines told of economic problems and racial tensions
in the United States, leaving the Asian readers to draw their own
conclusions about the treatment they could expect should the
Anglo-American alliance be victorious.
- Big Shortage of Newsprint in America - Lisbon Aug.
19
- U.S. Racial Discrimination Belies Democratic [Ideals]
Negroes Swindled to Fight U.S. Correspondents Duped Japanese
Internees On Strike (in U.S.)
- Self Seeking Policy of Britain - Responsible for Famine in
India
- Britain and U.S. Against Justice - Exclusion of
Asiatics
- State of Emergency in New Jersey - Tomatoes are Rotting
due to Serious Labour Shortage!
All of these news reports were clever propaganda in that they
always contained a bit of truth e.g "U.S. Racial Discrimination
Belies Democratic Ideals". Most readers knew this to be true and
might therefore believe the rest of the article.
Another example of this propaganda technique is "Britain and
U.S. Against Justice - Exclusion of Asiatics". Their limits on
Asian immigrants were well known. So it is easy to make all East
Asians fear their fate unless they supported Japan.
One of the most blatant examples of this propaganda has to be
the item from Tokyo, Nov. 29 describing the peoples of East Asia
tilling the soil, mining the minerals etc. "to enrich their own
lives". We know they were working as slave labour in inhumane
conditions but the readers in Hong Kong probably didn't know
this.
Perhaps supporting Japan against the Anglo-U.S. allies was
right for East Asia? Even the P.O.W.'s, after years of suffering
and humiliation, might have started to believe this except they
had another source of news.
In chapter four, Dr. Stanley Banfill tells of a radio smuggled
from North Point to Sham Shui Po. The hero of this story is Ernie
who again showed great courage. Here is the account by Ted
Ferguson in Desperate Seige:
"Grenadier Major Ernie Hodkinson was involved in the
dangerous operation of a camp radio. Smuggled into Sham Shui Po
piece by piece, the radio was assembled and hidden with another
contraband item, a battered typewriter. Hodkinson took shorthand
notes of the newscasts' highlights and typed them on a sheet of
paper. The paper was surreptiously passed from hand to hand. The
Major continued his furtive nocturnal activities even after three
other Canadians were inplicated in the radio conspiracy and
executed without trial."
The courage to do this night after night, year after year,
took tremendous inner strength and tenacity. These were some
character traits that Ernie showed all of his life as he
faithfully worked in Scouts, Militia, and the Church and helped
to support his mother. The charge against the police station at
Wang Nei Chong Gap was an act of great courage but the ongoing
operation of the radio required an even greater degree of
bravery.
So with the help of the newcasts from Ernie's radio, letters
from home, and the occasional parcel, the P.O.W.'s were keeping
hope alive that one day they would be free to go home.
Ernie told the family that in early spring of 1945, there was
a noticable change in the behaviour of the Japanese towards the
P.O.W.'s. It got worse! But the Canadians with the help of
Ernie's radio knew why. The war was going badly for the Japanese.
American bombers caused the city of Yokohama to burn. Then on
August 6th and 8th, the Americans dropped atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The tremors were felt by Canadian
P.O.W.'s in coal mines 500 miles away (Valour and Horror, p.
52).
Back in Sham Shui Po, things changed almost overnight. On
August 13th, according to a list of events recorded by Ernie,
Tokanaga (the Japanese officer in command of the camp) summoned
the Canadian officers and announced that "hostilities ceased at 3
a.m. 13th of August 1945". For the next two weeks, the prisoners
were left to fend for themselves. The Japanese guards left the
camp and the Americans flew over dropping a leaflet telling the
P.O.W.'s that:
"An official representative is on his way for
humanitarian purposes and liason with this headquarters. He will
be an initial, pre-Allied occupation representative in the
interest of welfare needs and general conditions in the area or
camp to which he is sent." (from A.C. Wedemeyer, Lieut. General,
U.S.A. Commanding).
Leaflet dropped over Sham Shui Po after Japanese surrender
Ernie began writing a letter to Irene on August 23, 1945. No
one had arrived to advise the P.O.W.'s. In his usual understated
style, Ernie writes:
23rd Aug. 45
Dearest Irene:
I am writing this in the hope that relief will be here very
shortly now and some means of delivery will be available
quickly.
The news and suspense of the last 12 days here has been so
exhilarating and excitment so high that my head is in a whirl and
it seems incredible that we are free.
Our hosts have not been able up to the present to make our lot
much better, although we have received 15 pkts of cigarettes and
2 lbs of sugar - a rarity - since their surrender. However we are
all hoping Sat. 25th is the big day and will be up bright and
early looking for the Fleet.
At present we have a short wave set in camp and I have secured a
job as news reporter owing to my shorthand ability so am fairly
busy keeping the camp posted on present world events. - - -
Au Revoir my love
Irenian
always yours in
all ways
Ernie
P.S. 24th Aug. We are now in the early stages of a typhoon.
Barometer falling, wind backing blowing about 40 M.P.H. in gusts,
rain heavy squalls. So it would appear we are in for some heavy
weather. Hope it only lasts 3 or 4 days.
Love
Ernie
In this letter, Ernie also speaks happily of being home for
Christmas and sends his regards to family and friends whom he is
looking forward to seeing once again. He also gives news of a sad
event:
"One paragraph of extremely sad news and no more I
promise in this letter. Harry who spent all his time with me
during our captivity was taken ill early in May this year and
passed away on July 7th with spinal meningitis. I trust the
Japanese have already informed Ottawa of this calamity and Mrs.
Hook has been officially notified, if not you could possibly
visit her and make the news a little easier. He was extremely
courageous and cheerful and the best friend a man could find in
good times or adversity; sharing, caring, and carrying more than
his share of all things during our incarceration -- a very
pitiful end for a genuinely true, honest, sympathetic,
sacrificing, noble character."
Ernie and Harry Hook had been good friends since before the
war.
The British Fleet did not arrive by August 25th as Ernie had
hoped, perhaps because of the typhoon. Here is the account from
the South China Morning Post and Hong Kong Telegraph, August 30,
1945.
Extra Fleet Entering
The first communique from the Hong Kong Government to the people
of Hong Kong since December 1941 was issued this morning at 11
o'clock as follows:
Rear Admiral Harcourt is lying outside Hong Kong with a very
strong fleet. The Naval Dockyard is to be ready for his arrival
by noon today ... The capital ships will follow as soon as a
passage has been swept ... The fleet includes the merchant
cruiser Prince Rupert, Canadian registry and the Hospital ship
Oxfordshire.
A considerable number of other ships will follow in a day or
two.
What a welcome sight the Fleet must have been to Ernie and the
P.O.W.'s at Sham Shui Po! After nearly 4 years of trying to keep
hope alive in spite of starvation, torture, and disease, they
were free and almost able to go home. Of course the P.O.W.'s were
in no shape to undertake a long voyage. Those four horrible years
had taken a severe toll on everyone's health.
All suffered from a severe loss of weight. Ernie's medical
records show: Dec. 41 - 189 lb. -July '45 118 1/2 lb. He also
suffered from malaria, peptic ulcer, and severe dental problems.
So it would be a few more days before Ernie and his fellow
P.O.W.'s were able to leave camp. His joy at being free even if
still in the P.O.W. camp is expressed in a letter to Irene:
2 Sept. 45
Shamshuipo Camp
Hong Kong China
My dearest darling Renee
Hows that for a start - Good - well just wait a little longer
and then you'll learn a thing or two. ... It sure is wonderful to
be free, admittedly we are not running around anywhere or
everywhere but there are no guards around, barbwire means nothing
except a symbol of farming in Canada, but most marvellous is
getting up and cooking 3 eggs, some sausages with brown bread and
coffee for breakfast. I never complain about having to concoct it
myself.
Remember me to all our family and friends Love to Sydney,
Spencer & Joan.
All my LOVE
always in all ways
Ernie
In his little notebook, Ernie records that he left aboard the
Sham Shui Po Ferry for the Empress Australia at 0900 hr. on Sept.
9th 1945. He had at long last taken the first step in the journey
home to Winnipeg and Irene, Sydney, and Spencer.
Chapter 7
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