My brother, John was on the Empress of Asia, when it was bombed on Feb 5th, five miles off the coast of Japan. He was picked up with the other survivers and battled on till the fall of Singapore. Taken prisoner he was kept at Changi untill his journey to Thailand to build the Burma - Siam Railway.
He said the Korean guards were worse than the Japanese. If two prisoners were friends, a sport was to make them fight each other. If they tried to go easy on each other, the guards would beat them untill they were unconcious.
By agreement if a redcross parcel did get through, it was arranged to pick it up in rotation and share it. Previous to this a parcel would be thrown to the men to fight over.
My brother managed to get a pair of pants and when possible embroided his various friends names on them. They were greatly admired by all. One night the camp was bombed and he lost them, he was so upset he cried like a baby.
When John was repatriated, he was admitted to hospital suffering from malnutrition and hook worm.
John Creighton Harrison, 125 Anti Tank Reg R.A.
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