THE FALL OF MALAYA

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 59, 7 September 1945, Page 7

THE FALL OF MALAYA

"Time For Full Inquiry" Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 6 "The time has come to hold a full inquiry into the fall of Malaya and 'impregnable' Singapore, and publish the results, as America has done in the case of Pearl Harbour," says the "Daily Mail" in an editorial. '.'Such an investigation has always been refused on the ground that there was insufficient evidence. Sir Stafford Cripps said in 1942 that it was something a future Government might tackle. That future has become the present. Those who took the principal parts in the tragic drama are now able to speak freely."

the American cruiser Houston and members of a Texas artillery regiment who have been liberated from Burma. They said that the Japanese took 7000 convalescent prisoners m Siam on what purported to be a trip to a rest camp, but this actually proved to be a 140-mile death march, which took a toll of 3500 lives. They were given stinking, rotten food which inevitably broke down their health, and many of them ate cats, dogs, and snakes to stay alive. They were forced to perform heavy labour and were beaten with gun butts and sticks- if failing strength slowed down their The guards were ignorant, cruel Koreans, who, if prisoners failed to salute, compelled them to stand to attention while they slapped them. For minor infractions of discipline prisoners were compelled to stand ior hours hatless, in the sun. The Japanese gave the victims no medical attention, but a Dutch doctor saved many lives, particularly from tropical ulcers. .It was necessary to hold down the patient while the doctor cut away the infected flesh, sometimes to the bone.

TREATMENT ON WAKE ISLAND Rec, 10 a.m. YOKOHAMA, Sept. 6. Japanese bayoneted to death all wounded prisoners on Wake Island and then heartily banqueted the survivors for a fortnight in an effort to learn military secrets, according to the liberated captives. The Japanese questioned them steadily throughout the feasting and then transferred them to various prison camps, where they were frequently beaten.