SURVIVORS OF H.M.S. EXETER

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24676, 20 September 1945, Page 4

SURVIVORS OF H.M.S. EXETER

* N.Z. MIDSHIPMAN NOW IN SINGAPORE WORKED IN NICKEL MINE (Official War Correspondent, R.N.Z.N.) SINGAPORE, September 17. A survivor of H.M.S. Exeter. Midshipman R, J. Rae, who was born in Auckland, was one of 22 New Zealanders flown from Java to Singapore. The Exeter was sunk in the Battle of the Java Sea. Midshipman Rae had a worse time than most of the officers, as immediately he was captured he was sent to work in a nickel mine at Pomale, in the Celebes, where the day’s work lasted from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Casualties from the Exeter were surprisingly light. Six hundred and fifty men were picked up by the Japanese and removed at once to the Celebes, where the treatment followed the usual pattern. The men were overworked, underfed, given shocking living quarters, and beaten up time after time. Of the 650 Exeter survivors. 183 died. “When we arrived in Java in July it was just like heaven,” said Midshipman Rae. Midshipman Rae said that most of the Exeter’s survivors were guarded by navy men. who treated the prisoners considerably better than the civilian guards. One guard named Yoshida, however, was as brutal as the worst. He was at the camp for three years and worked his way up to high rank. “I think he was mad,” said Midshipman Rae. “He would work himself into a rage and scream and bark like a dog. He kept the camp in a state of terror. We seemed to lose all spirit when we heard he was about.” “Played Out” The worst period was from Christmas to the time of release. The prisoners were getting very low in condition, and constantly exasperated by the silly tasks given them, merely to keep them hard at work.

Flight Lieutenant Wellington, who was one of a party of Air Force officers who spent all the time in Java, said thev considered themselves lucky not to be sent to the islands, where overwork and starvation killed, many. Thev had what he described as “not a bad time.” though food was always short and generally below subsistence level. An officer was not required to do regular heavy work, but the iob of keeping the camp sanitation going and a mvriad of other tasks of the sort actually kept them verv hard at work. “We are all very tired.” he said. Must played out. I helped to scrub the hospital floor yesterday and felt exhausted after it. We all look well, but have no stamina left.” AH the evacuees were touchingly clad of news of home. None had heard from his people the whole time he was interned. The evacuees will Slav in Singapore for a few days and will then be flown home.