Evening star., 1942-09-01

Wnlie prisoners
Women Forced to Endure
Mistreotment;; Food
Was Meoeer and Bod
Gioen Dep, young American
,Driter, iuos among the prisoners
taken by the japanese at the tnli
OF Hong Kong last December. She
has just returned to Ne,p York on
the liner Gripsholm and relates
here the story OF her experiences.
NEW YORK, Sept l (NANA) -
The Japanese general questioning
we prisoners held in Repulse Bay
Hotel was not easily satisfied that
there were no soldiers among the
remaining guests He could not un-
derstand why the British soldiers
had gone away. He finally sent the
group back to the hotel with the
words, "Well, il your soldiers won't
protect their women and children,
we will"
I will never know why we were
not all massacred at this point.
The Jap soldiers were victorious.
Their comrades had been killed by
guns fired from inside the hotel.
We were their first big captive prize
in Hong Kong.
Nurse Protects Wounded.
A number did step toward the
emergency hospital in the lobby,
marked by a Red Cross flag. On
the cots were two wounded men.
They started toward them with their
bayonets. Nurse Elizabeth Mosley,
white haired and veteran of the
last war, stepped in front of the
bayonets. You are not going in
there. Or, at least, If you do, you
will have to kill me first" The
Japs may not have understood the
words-they did understand the
meaning!
These wounded men were lucky
because at Fort Stanley, when the
Japs arrived, they bayonetted sc
wounded soldiers, attacked and
killed three British nurses. killed
two British doctors and attacked the
other nurses who were left. This
was on Christmas-the last day o1
the war in Hong Kong.
Following surrender of the hotel
squads of Jap soldiers arrived tt
take possession, and stood at ever,
doorway. We we're instructed to pill
up all the equipment the British
soldiers had left. broken guns, boots
helmets, gas masks. and stack it W
for the Japanese to take away. W.
had to clean up the dining room
which had borne the brust of th'
attack and fighting, for it stretched
across the front of the hotel.
Threatened With Bayonet.
At night, by candlelight, the Jap
| took roll call. One slightly drunke,
one ran a bayonet back and forth
across my neck, making gesture!
| that he might cut deeper. He wa
trying to break my nerve, and
blessed a good poker face for contro
Of my feelings!
We had food at 2 that Afternoon
and were about to have a hgh
| breakfast at the next morning
when we were all ordered onto th'
lawn. Baggage inspection was made
and then the group was broken up
neutrals, British and American ant
Dutch, Chinese men and women.
without warning as to what wa!
going to happen we were given Il
minutes to pack an emergency bal
and get back on the lawn. 1t tool
almost that time to reach our rooms
Then we were told to start march
ing. The Chinese women were or
dered left behind, and their hus
bands were frantic. The neutral
were also kept back. The rest Q
us began our march through Geth
semane at the point of bayonets.
think If we had known what wa
ahead we would not have been abl
to face the trip.
| 1t was almost unbearable. w
marched through lanes OF dea
British Empire soldiers with break
ing hearts. The grinning Jap guard
prodded us on with bayonets.
Allowed Sip Of Water.
| At the top of the gap we were al
lowed to get sip of water from
broken water pipe. Many of us ha
not had a drink since the day be
fore, due to the lack of water in tn
hotel.
Soon we branched off from tn
highway, and began the descer
through a military path. We coul
see hundreds of Jap soldiers /
camouhaged gun emplacement
scores of tanks and trucks, hun
dreds of army mules. The jar
had dug in for good. 1t was in tn
valley that most of the Canada
soldiers were killed, as well as the
leader.
Eight miles we were marched
men, women and children, the Ole
est. 83, the youngest. months. A
one point we were halted to watc
the mistreatment of captured CHI
nese and Indian men. We wei
walked through crowded Chimes
section so that they could witnes
the symbols of the fall of the Brit
ish empire in Hong Kong-whit
, men and women at the point OF
} japanese bayonet
At the end of our march we wei
each given a sip of water and or
lump of sugar. This was the fir
food since the day before at 2, an
it was now the following after
. noon. We were lined two dee
. against a wall as though we wei
to be shot. For two hours v
squatted on a dirty sidewalk whi
some of our members were ques
toned, slapped and kicked. TT
sun was hot and everyone was sic
with fatigue We did not Cal
whether we were killed or not.
. At dusk we were walked into
] vilely dirty looted paint factor
, 20 in room. A few people ha
S chairs, the rest laid or sat on