Fukuoka 17
Encyclopedia
Fukuoka #17 Branch Prisoner of War Camp was a Japanese
Prisoner-of-war camp
located at the Mitsui Kozan Miike Kogyo-Sho coal mine and Mitsui Zinc Foundry in Shinminato-machi, Omuta-shi
, Fukuoka-ken
, Japan, during World War II
.
n, American
, British
and Dutch
. The British, Dutch and Australians were survivors of the Burma Railway construction in Thailand
(Siam). The last group to arrive were all Australians, in June 1945; they had formerly been held in the Fukuoka 13-D Oita POW camp.
The site was originally the labourers' quarters built by the Mitsui Coal Mining Company owned by the Baron Mitsui. The camp was gradually expanded with further buildings constructed over the years.
The canteen was run by what became known as the "American Mafia" led by Lieutenant Little. There were two meals served each day, usually one cup of rice and some radish soup. Protein was rarely provided.
The camp commandant was Asao Fukuhara, who was executed after the war for war crime
s. The camp doctor was an unidentified Japanese surgeon who forced men to work even when critically ill.
The prisoners knew the guards by nicknames. These included the Sailor, One-armed Bandit, Pig, Smiley, Long Beach, Riverside, Flangeface, Fox, Screamer, Devil, Wolf, Blinkey, Mouse, Big Stoop, Gold teeth, Turtle, Devil, Billy Goat, Rat, Greyhound, Wingy, Pretty Boy and The Bull.
Baron Mitsui's company leased the POWs from the Japanese Army, who received payment from the Company of about 20 yen per day. The American, Australian and Dutch POWs all worked in the Mitsui coal mine whilst all the British worked in the nearby Mitsui zinc foundry. Pay for privates and NCOs was 10 yen per day and all POWs received about 5 cigarettes each day.
The camp was liberated on 2 September 1945, by which time most of the POWs were in a desperate state of health. Many POWs were suffering from severe beri-beri and were only 50% of their normal weight. Camp survivors were evacuated via the destroyed Nagasaki about ten days after liberation.
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
Prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
located at the Mitsui Kozan Miike Kogyo-Sho coal mine and Mitsui Zinc Foundry in Shinminato-machi, Omuta-shi
Omuta, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 127,126 and the density of 1,558.87 persons per km²...
, Fukuoka-ken
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
, Japan, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The Camp was opened 7 August 1943 and was gradually populated by 1735 prisoners of war of mixed nationalities, mostly AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The British, Dutch and Australians were survivors of the Burma Railway construction in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(Siam). The last group to arrive were all Australians, in June 1945; they had formerly been held in the Fukuoka 13-D Oita POW camp.
The site was originally the labourers' quarters built by the Mitsui Coal Mining Company owned by the Baron Mitsui. The camp was gradually expanded with further buildings constructed over the years.
Description
The camp measured 200 yards by 1000 yards and was surrounded by a 12 feet high wooden fence fixed with heavy gauge wire. There were 33 barracks, all one story buildings 120' x 16' with ten rooms to a barracks. Constructed of wood with tight tar paper roofs, and windows with panes. Officers were billeted three or four per room measuring 9' x 10', with four to six enlisted men accommodated in rooms of same size. There was no heating whatsoever, which was a serious problem in the winter months as the men were living on starvation diets. Each room had one 15-watt light bulb.The canteen was run by what became known as the "American Mafia" led by Lieutenant Little. There were two meals served each day, usually one cup of rice and some radish soup. Protein was rarely provided.
The camp commandant was Asao Fukuhara, who was executed after the war for war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s. The camp doctor was an unidentified Japanese surgeon who forced men to work even when critically ill.
The prisoners knew the guards by nicknames. These included the Sailor, One-armed Bandit, Pig, Smiley, Long Beach, Riverside, Flangeface, Fox, Screamer, Devil, Wolf, Blinkey, Mouse, Big Stoop, Gold teeth, Turtle, Devil, Billy Goat, Rat, Greyhound, Wingy, Pretty Boy and The Bull.
Baron Mitsui's company leased the POWs from the Japanese Army, who received payment from the Company of about 20 yen per day. The American, Australian and Dutch POWs all worked in the Mitsui coal mine whilst all the British worked in the nearby Mitsui zinc foundry. Pay for privates and NCOs was 10 yen per day and all POWs received about 5 cigarettes each day.
The camp was liberated on 2 September 1945, by which time most of the POWs were in a desperate state of health. Many POWs were suffering from severe beri-beri and were only 50% of their normal weight. Camp survivors were evacuated via the destroyed Nagasaki about ten days after liberation.