PRISONER OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 62, 11 September 1945, Page 7

PRISONER OF WAR

VISIT BY LADY MOUNTBATTEN Recv. 9 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 10. Lady Mountbatten is at present visiting prisoner of war camps in Siam. She received an enthusiastic welcome at Nakonpathan, 40 miles from Bangkok, where she met New Zealanders, Australians, British, Canadians, and Dutch. The camp, which was supposed to be a medical one, was described as a miracle of resource and courage. The prisoners of war, inspired by an Australian lieutenantcolonel, improvised the equipment, and hundreds of operations were performed with instruments fabricated from scrap metal.

According to Singapore radio, about 6000 prisoners of war have left Singapore for Britain and India out of 227,000 in the SEAC area. A Central News agency dispatch received in Chungking from Tokio reports that while British and American prisoners of war are being dramatically released from Japanese camps, thousands of Chinese prisoners and conscripted labourer remain forgotten.

MESSAGES BY RELEASED PRISONERS Rec. 9.30 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 10. Cable and Wireless, Ltd., in the past 24 hours, has received over 2000 messages from released prisoners of war and internees in the Far East, making a total so far of 6000. Relatives have sent back more than 1400 replies. WALKED OUT OF CAMP NAGASAKI, September 10. More than 500 prisoners of war in north Kyushu are roaming the countryside awaiting the arrival of the occupation forces. One commander of a camp containing 70 Allied prisoners said that, of more than 1200 | prisoners in a dozen camps, only about ! 700 remained. The others, mostly Americans, are believed to have become impatient and walked out. THAILAND BECOMES SIAM AGAIN WASHINGTON, September 9. The Thai Legation announced that i Thailand will again be known as Si am. By a notification of the President of the Council of Ministers in June, 1939, the words "Siam" and "Siamese" were officially changed to "Thailand" | and "Thai" respectively. This ~ action brought the official nomenclature into conformity with popular usage, as the inhabitants, who had always been known as "Thai" or "The Free People," preferred to call their country "Muang Thai" rather than "Sayam" or Siam. JAPANESE LOSSES AGAINST RUSSIANS Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 10. Moscow radio reports from August 8, when Russia declared war on Japan, the Japanese lost 674,000 men in prisoners, wounded, and killed in the Rusisian theatre. Booty captured by the Russians in the Far East during August and up to September 9 included 925 aircralt, 379 tanks, and 1226 guns. CURRENCY CRISIS AT SINGAPORE Rec. 10.15 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 10. A currency crisis developed after the official announcement that the Japanese currency was worthless, says Reuters Singapore correspondent. The great majority of the inhabitants are unable to buy food, as the new Allied currency is not yet circulating in any quantity. The free distribution of rice, sugar, and salt relieved the situation somewhat, but there is much criticism that the declaration invalidating the Japanese money was premature. Singapore radio reports that the military government has lifted the curfew which was imposed four days ago. Rec. noon. SINGAPORE, Sept. 10|

Eight tons of currency have arrived in. Singapore to replace the currency issued by the Japanese.