In the year of 1942 lives changed for many, 30 000 Australian solders were captured and forced to move to Changi camp in Singapore by the Japanese. this camp was not only one camp whereas seven camps . These other camps were used to transfer the solders that were moved for forced labour by the Japanese. This id due to the Japanese issuing a 'no surrender' clause, explaining that it was more honourable for Japanese solders to die in battle rather than surrender. therefore the solders had little respect for human rights of prisoners. The Japanese considered surrendering troops morally weak. The name Changi came from the peninsula on which it stood, prior to his war Changi had been the British Army's base area.
These camps were made to fit 1000 people but was cramming up to 7000 people with each single men cell containing 5 to 6 people. very little workers from the red cross arrived leaving the men held captive to rely on their own to survive.The Japanese were very disorganised and early on the prisoners as they looked after themselves. This was not a blessing as they often had to provide their own sanitation,food and water as Sargent Walter Holding recalled: ''on the Tuesday morning they decided we had to march out to Selarang Barracks, which was in the Changi area. When that march commenced there was close to 80000 troops-being Australian, Britain and indian. On the road to Changi it was a pretty busy road and were forced to carry all our belongings.we settled into our quarters and then we just sat around. we did not know what to do. it was a bloody terrible set up-or so it seemed at time."
" Changi is on the south-east coast of Singapore Island and there was nowhere to escape to, other than the waters which were shark infested and patrolled by the Japanese air force. It was impossible to blend in with the Asians, unlike in Europe where they could disguise themselves easily. The few prisoners that did try to escape were mostly caught and beheaded or tortured, or both" once said by Willoby Wharton.
At the beginning of the prisoner’s life at Changi, they were only provided with rice, only being half the amount of food one needs to survive. Prisoners were eventually able to grow vegetables but there was very little. As time progressed, they were only given food if they worked at other camps. As there were many unable to work, those who did shared their food with others. The lack of foo led to malnourishment.
There were many major health problems in the prisons such as syndromes, dysentery, malaria, tropical ulcers and cholera disease. There were very little medical services at Changi; the only hospital facility was Changi General Hospital, known as the RAF hospital built in the military base.
Prior to the imprisonment the surviving POWs carried emotional and physical scars. The family of those who passed away were never informed of what had occurred to their loved ones. After the war POW survivors attempted to gain government assistance to explain that their previous treatment had permanently undermined their health.
These camps were made to fit 1000 people but was cramming up to 7000 people with each single men cell containing 5 to 6 people. very little workers from the red cross arrived leaving the men held captive to rely on their own to survive.The Japanese were very disorganised and early on the prisoners as they looked after themselves. This was not a blessing as they often had to provide their own sanitation,food and water as Sargent Walter Holding recalled: ''on the Tuesday morning they decided we had to march out to Selarang Barracks, which was in the Changi area. When that march commenced there was close to 80000 troops-being Australian, Britain and indian. On the road to Changi it was a pretty busy road and were forced to carry all our belongings.we settled into our quarters and then we just sat around. we did not know what to do. it was a bloody terrible set up-or so it seemed at time."
" Changi is on the south-east coast of Singapore Island and there was nowhere to escape to, other than the waters which were shark infested and patrolled by the Japanese air force. It was impossible to blend in with the Asians, unlike in Europe where they could disguise themselves easily. The few prisoners that did try to escape were mostly caught and beheaded or tortured, or both" once said by Willoby Wharton.
At the beginning of the prisoner’s life at Changi, they were only provided with rice, only being half the amount of food one needs to survive. Prisoners were eventually able to grow vegetables but there was very little. As time progressed, they were only given food if they worked at other camps. As there were many unable to work, those who did shared their food with others. The lack of foo led to malnourishment.
There were many major health problems in the prisons such as syndromes, dysentery, malaria, tropical ulcers and cholera disease. There were very little medical services at Changi; the only hospital facility was Changi General Hospital, known as the RAF hospital built in the military base.
Prior to the imprisonment the surviving POWs carried emotional and physical scars. The family of those who passed away were never informed of what had occurred to their loved ones. After the war POW survivors attempted to gain government assistance to explain that their previous treatment had permanently undermined their health.