SUMMARY
P.O.W. JOURNALS OF VICTOR JOHANNES MARIA VERMIN
NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES (INDONESIA) AND JAPAN
Translated by Dr R. V. J. Vermin (Varman)
31 March 2009
Comment
This is a summary of the journals as translated, basically dates, places and major events. The final draft of the complete journal in Dutch and in English has been completed.
Captured at Buitenzorg, 1942
At the time he began writing my father had been rounded up by the Japanese but remained in captivity for a while in the area of residence, Buitenzorg (now Bogor), West Java, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia). Father had been drafted into the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (KNIL)) as an emergency measure three days before he was captured by the invading Japanese. He had been living in the country as a civilian since 1937. My mother and her children Peggy and Peter remained in the family home at Buitenzorg. Many of the wives were permitted to remain at home until at a later date all European women and their children were rounded up and put into P.O.W. camps for women and young children.
THE JOURNAL IN SUMMARY
6 March 1942
Buitenzorg (Bogor), Java. Captured by the Japanese and kept in a cell at the prison.
7 March 1942
Marched 600-700 metres from the prison? To a grassed circle at the start of the Handelsstraat and Botanical Garden exit. Then into the Botanical Garden to the Governor General’s (G.G.) palace, Buitenzorg. Then to the Police Bureau where they became the responsibility of the Dutch Inspector of Police, Buitenzorg, where they stayed till April 1942. Once he visited his wife at their home at the Bataviascheweg 66 from the Police Bureau.
10 April 1942
Depart Buitenzorg.
11 April 1942
Arrive at Soekaboemi (Sukabumi).
22 June 1942
Depart Soekaboemi (Sukabumi).
23 June 1942
Arrive at Tjimahi (Cimahi), at the Kale Koppen Kampement (KKK).
20 Oct 1942
Depart KKK, Tjimahi.
ca 21 October 1942
Arrive at the Pete-Koan school, Batavia (Jakarta).
Father wrote later (17 Jan 1943) ‘We were at the Pete-Koan School (Batavia) for two and a half months, we saw nothing but filthy white walls. The soldiers that accompanied us were older men and very decent. We had absolutely no problems with them’.
17 January 1943
Departed the railway station (Batavia) and headed eastwards instead of to the port, Priok.
Traveled via Tjekampek (Cikampek) and by evening arrived at Cheribon (Cirebon). Left Cheribon during the night.
18 January 1943
Traveling through middle Java after the night via Djocja (Jogja) and Soloh (Solo).
The train journey lasted thirty-six hours.
19 January 1943
Arrive at Soerabaya (Surabaya) at 3 o’clock in the morning. To the High School (H.B.S.), described as a large, magnificent building that at first gives the impression of a monastery with large verandahs (galerijen) with arched entrances.
25 (sic) January 1943
We are progressing well with the garden, the ground has been turned and I am collecting seed. I have about 15 men working for me.
22 January 1943
We fetched two school benches and put them near our room and now sit in the glorious sun working our aluminium (making decorated objects?).
31 January 1943
Leave H.B.S. Soerabaya at six o’clock in the morning. Arrived at the station (and ended up at the harbour).
We saw the cranes and the harbour. We saw our boat, about 9,000 ton. …in the end there were 800 men in one hold and we were with 2000 men who were divided among the other holds. At last we departed.
The voyage is said to have lasted ‘three nights’, arrival recorded as 3 February.
3 February 1943
Arrived at Priok, Batavia (Jakarta). There were three ships at anchor. There was no life left in Priok (the port of Batavia).
NOTE
[The journal was discontinued between 3 February and 2 April 1943, resuming at the Dutch division at Changi prison at Singapore. The departure for Singapore was from Priok, Port of Batavia.
An account by Ronald Scholte, ‘Orlogsherinneringen van Militie Soldaat 8924’, part II, in summary mentions that:
- he (Ronald) had also been to Tjimahi (Cimahi) camp.
- for two months he was at the camp of the 10th Battalion barracks at Batavia (Jakarta) where the notorious lieutenant Sone was (later of Tjideng (Cideng) camp fame… and very much remembered by my mother).
- he went from Batavia by train via Djokja to Soerabaja (Surabaya) and was interned at the former H.B.S., like my father was (and who also met a Tjimahi camp friend from six months before). He was told by his friend, van Steenbergen, that this camp was only for short-term stays. He also only stayed a couple of weeks.
- at Soerabaja harbour he was put aboard the Maebashi Maru apparently at the same time as my father (the situation was similar as described by my father and the dates seem to agree). Arrived at Batavia.
- Left Batavia at some time apparently on the same ship as father.
- Arrived at Singapore on 9 February 1943 and taken to the Dutch compartment of Changi camp along the Johore street.
- On 2 April 1943 he and van Steenbergen (as my father was) were sent to the harbour at Singapore and were loaded into the Hawaii Maru (said to be much the same arrangement as on the Maebashi Maru) and arrived at Modji (Moji) on 24 April 1943].
2 April 1943
Was still at Singapore. Got up at 4 o’clock in the morning. Loaded into a truck. ‘a lot of bombing by the Jap in Singapore’. At the ship at 10 am but waited at the quay till 5pm in the blazing sun. Loaded into a ship of 8000 or 9000 ton. 1000 men divided into one large hold and two small holds.
3 April 1943
Departed from Singapore on the hell ship, ‘Hawaii Maru’.
5 April 1943
Arrived at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city), French Indochina (Vietnam). It was a lovely view to see green and the hills again. Continued to anchor off Saigon.
One man, a certain de Kok, disappeared by the following morning. We were anchored about 1200 metres from the coast so it was possible to swim but the sea was riddled with sharks. If he had reached the coast, well, he’d have reached French Indochina . What then? It’s also possible that he sprang overboard and drowned. He was always a strange
sort of a man, you could expect something like that from him. In any case it was a strange affair.
8 April 1943
Departed Saigon. Strong winds.
9 April 1943
Storm began and lasted until Formosa and got much worse.
Five days and nights of continual storm.
11 April 1943
Beginning of dysentery. Two very ill in the hospital hut.
12 April 1943
Admitted to the little hospital shed with seven others.
13 April 1943
Arrived at Formosa (Taiwan). ‘Arabia Maru’, hospital ship anchored there. Hatch area hospital set apart.
15 April 1943
Blood no longer in faecal matter and toilet frequency declined a bit.
17 April 1943
Departed Formosa.
18 April 1943
It was probably this date that the very sick boy of 22 died of the dysentery during the early morning hours and buried at sea that evening/night.
20 April 1943 It was around this date that ‘a young strong’ man who took the place of the previously departed, also died.
24 April 1943
Arrived at Modji (Moji), Japan. (according to Ronald Scholte).
25 April 1943
Arrived at the Niihama Fukuoka No 13 camp, established a few days earlier on the 22nd. Elsewhere father described the journey from the ship to the camp:
‘If there was one who was in awe of the Captain during our journey from ship (‘van boord’) to here, then it certainly was me. What he achieved with all those sick people on the way here bordered on the unbelievable; carrying, supporting men, half dragging, swearing, reviling and comforting. Why didn’t he continue like that? Before he used to deliver those stimulating and humorous speeches but we don’t hear them anymore.’
NOTE
[They had arrived at Modji (Moji), Japan on the infamous Hawaii Maru on the 24th April 1943 Arriving the next day at Zentsuji camp, Niihama, with about 300 men, 250 of which were Dutch. According to sources (www.japansekrijgsgevangenkampen.nl/Niihama.htm) the camp commandants were Lieutenant Suematsu and captain Murikami with about 20 Japanese military and the unpopular interpreter Okada, otherwise known by the Dutch name, Pietje. The Dutch camp leader was Tielenius Kruijthoff. The Dutch doctor was Dr Hansen].
[The POW Research Network, Japan http://homepage3.nifty.com/pow-j/e/list/pdf_e2/hiroshima/hiroshima_2b_niihama_e_001.pdf mentions that the camp was established on 22 April 1943 as Fukuoka No 13 Branch Camp at Ehime-ken, Niihama-shi, Isoura. On 14 July 1943 Jurisdictional control was transferred to Zentsuji No 3 Branch Camp. On 13 April 1945 Jurisdictional control was transferred to Hiroshima No 2 Branch Camp. It was terminated in September 1945. Hiroshima 2 B was located at Ehime-ken, Niihama-shi, Isoura, Niihama is the town].
JAPAN
The account resumes a few weeks later:
15 May 1943
It was a 20 minute walk (from barracks to work area). We came to the quay which is located directly across the entrance of the harbour. There stood factories and cranes etc.
17 May 1943
The rooms are pleasant with the soft rush mats and everything made of wood.
26 May 1943
We established a water pipe from the factory over the land (terrain) to our workplace. The garden has been expanded.
27 May 1943
This evening it was announced that tomorrow a man of very high status (Tojo expected?) is to come here for an inspection. The Japs are very nervous.
28 May 1943
We went below and put on our shoes but out of the hundred and fifteen men only sixty had to go to work. I had to scrub clean the house, the Japanese guard house and the wash area…. The big wig didn’t come.
1 June 1943
Swartwoud de Hoog who I helped a lot during his illness died yesterday as a result of his weakness. He didn’t eat enough. I hope this is the last one in line (rijtje).
NOTE
[Willem de Hoog SWARTWOUT, or de Hoog Willem SWARTWOUT, rank of (Dutch) sergeant, ID number 45094 is recorded as having died on 30 May 1943, aged 49, of colitis (note records, ‘Swarthout?’) at Hiroshima No 2 Branch Camp (Niihama). Reference: The POW Research Network, Japan http://homepage3.nifty.com/pow-j/e/list/pdf_e2/hiroshima/hiroshima_2b_niihama_e_001.pdf ].
3 June 1943
Today carried pipes and then went with a cart on a long trip to the village to deliver rails, it was a long trip.
20 June 1943
Inspection today. We cleaned our entire workplace. Swept the entire terrain. The colonel arrived at 11 o’clock.
23 June 1943
Had to shift a few sheds. A small factory is going to be built on our terrain (field).
14 July 1943
Jurisdictional control was transferred to Zentsuji No 3 Branch Camp.
8 September 1943.
We saw them all but from a distance and none of us were spoken with. When they were gone the captain had to sign something to witness that the Red Cross had been here. From 8 September to 26 September we ate miserably there was not enough, perhaps they took into account the (Red Cross) package we received.
26 September 1943
The 26th of September was a Sunday. All supervisors (handshows)……were ordered to go to the other camp by the Jap captain who delivered a speech there. They received cigarettes and coffee with sugar. They heard that the men worked well. As of October 1, if they worked even better, they would get more privileges, among other things, better pay and recreation….. The bad workers would get the opposite. In the other camp the bad workers had been already identified, they were paraded and after that had to shovel shit.
It was asserted that on 25 October we would go to the other, that is, new camp which is fairly large and where they are hard at work.
1 October 1943
We began by digging a discharge channel that emptied into the sea. We stood in the water and had had to shovel sand and stone and toss it up to a height of two and a half metres.
4 October 1943
In this hole Niihama (Nieuweyama) a large discharge channel must be constructed from one end of the village so that it can discharge into the sea. …We have to excavate this channel and we’ve been busy for days digging this unforgiving ground composed of gravel, sand and stones. We’ve been digging for days shoveling out upwards three to three and a half metres above us and not all of it in the dry. It’s already fairly cold now that it’s October and we stand up to our crotches in the mud and water the whole day long. Known as the Martyrs Channel, see 18 October - 25 October 1943.
Moving on, we sometimes also work at the new camp which is fairly nearing completion but I won’t get ahead of myself. When we live there I will describe the whole situation to you.
23 July 1944
At last they have started on a burial ground for our dead who for one and a half years have been stored in urns in a warehouse (goedang).
24 July 1944
We have been working in the factory for a year.
30 July 1944
It was made known on 21 July that there was a change of cabinet. Two days later there were rumours …. that the Japanese prime minister Tojo resigned.
13 August 1944
We had to go with our overseer to the factory warehouse to fetch some porcelain. When we arrived I went with Veur, the store foreman…
15 August 1945
The terrible bombardments, the sirens going off day and night, and the nights that I couldn’t sleep because we might have to evacuate. We saw towns on fire (glowing) during the night. The ground shook and rumbled for hours because of the heavy bombardment and it continued into the day. We had days where we did nothing else but run in and out of the factory to the bomb shelters.
26 August 1944
Red Cross goods. Moreover three people were severely thrashed in an attempt to find out who stole the Red Cross goods.
27 August 1944
There were a lot of Red Cross goods stolen but then again they should have issued them. You must understand that we are hungry all day long.
28 August 1944
Inspection from a Jap officer accompanied by a Jap interpreter who spoke good English. … interpreter from Tokyo. He asked if we preferred to work in the camp or in the factory.
6 September 1944
There have been more measures drawn up for the reception of new prisoners of war. Ten km from our camp a new camp was established for these people. Perhaps we’ll get the sick ones in our camp.
10 September 1944
This morning the new men arrived, 300 of them. They are probably Hollanders, we saw them from a distance wearing green clothing. They are going to another camp about eight km from here.
13 September 1944
The new people in the other camp came from Singapore and spent 70 days on board a ship. There are at least 400 of which 50 are Hollanders and the rest Australians. Three people died on board of beriberi but many others suffer from it.
5 October 1944
Seems like we are about to receive a major inspection from outside the camp. Had to get up at a quarter to five in the morning so as to clean everything in and around the barracks.
7 October 1944
We received Red Cross goods this evening…By lot I received a quarter tin of corned beef, a half tin of coffee, five lumps of sugar, a quarter packet of Maggi, five Chesterfield cigarettes, and a one-fifth tin of Klim (powdered) milk. Some received salmon, butter, chocolate etc.
9 October 1944
The production at the factory is gradually declining. At present one-third of the factory has shut down because of the lack of copper ore availability.
10 October 1944
We got back four kilos of it (meat), which they couldn’t finish. That’s four kilos for 350 men.
9 November 1944
We receive 48 kilo of yams per 350 men per day but 20 kilo of rice are withdrawn from the ration in exchange.
15 August 1944
Our factory was dangerously located at the quay of the harbour.
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very long gap in the journal account
13 April 1945
On 13 April 1945 Jurisdictional control was transferred to Hiroshima No 2 Branch Camp.
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15 August 1945
Jap captain had gone to the main Island to receive instructions.
17 August 1945
At 9 o’clock in the morning we had to hand in our Jap pocket book. At 3.30 we were officially informed by our captain that assemblies (appel) would from henceforth be conducted in the Dutch manner. Again something new, instead of the assembly (appel) at 5 o’clock it will be at 6.30. A room guard has been established.
All day long you see the Japanese going out of the gate with packets and boxes. We got 80 kilo of calabash from our garden. An hour later the Jap soldiers were out the gate taking our entire 80 kilos …. This evening at assembly our captain announced that the war was over and that it was the will of the Emperor that all was surrendered and that he didn’t want the country to be burned out.
18 August 1945
The Jap house workers packed their stuff and are ready to depart. They took everything away out through the gate. We received ten cigarettes with the information that these were the last of the cigarettes we would get. They stole the rest. The rice store (goedang) is nearly empty also which is incomprehensible because a month ago the supply was sufficient for a half a year.
19 August 1945
An hour later the Jap captain arrived furious at our captain and demanded to know who gave the order to slaughter the pig. I told our captain that it was because the men were hungry. The Jap captain in a fury said that the war was not yet finished and that he was still the boss. We …. took it directly to the kitchen. It smelled completely delicious. Actually, what a situation, the Japs are harder than hard or otherwise they ignore everything. They are the losers but let us starve as if the war hasn’t yet actually finished. It’s quite busy in the skies at present but they are Japanese aircraft. We still haven’t seen any Allied aircraft.
20 August 1945
At 11 o’clock in the morning we unexpectedly had to assemble in the food barrack so that the Jap captain could make an announcement through a civil interpreter (tolk). We were intensely stressed, at last we would know what our position would be. Anyway, he told us that the negotiations were underway and that the struggle had been delayed and so the war was not yet finished. What I find so miserable is that aircraft fly over here at regular but then when you check them out, they’re Japanese. The military exercise aircraft took to the air this afternoon. If it is really an arms cessation then this would be an impossibility.
21 August 1945
There are many aircraft in the air but they are all Japanese aircraft.
22 August 1945
They stole five bales of Jap rice out of the warehouse and replaced it with five bales of sand. We could do that easily when it became known that in the newspaper there was news of the landing of the Americans on the 25th. Now we know for sure that it will be finished. At first we were in fear because nothing was happening and there was a lot of Jap aircraft in the air. Now the situation is becoming clear.
23 August 1945
Camp permitted to have its own governance and provide guard for the gaol.
24 August 1945
Japanese order (to put up POW signs that can be seen from the air).
25 August 1945
That’s how come we saw the Jap captain, usually in his greatness with his sword, but now in his unsightly civilian clothes and a large bag on his back and one in his hand. He was out the gate with other soldiers, loaded up a cart and so on.
27 August 1945
Everyone in the whole world is now liberated but we are still subject to the Jap. We don’t notice it much, though we do remain locked behind fences. We would rather be free.
This morning our camp leaders addressed a telegram to the Red Cross to ask what the situation is and to report that the situation here is disappointing. I don’t know if the Jap will send on our telegram.
28 August 1945
Two four-engine transport aircraft dropped the first parcels to the great joy of all. There were many such deliveries over the last days of the camp.
29 August 1945
At 9 o’clock two Spanish priests arrived. P-38 (Lockheed P-38 Lightning) flew over twice and boosted morale.
This afternoon at 3 o’clock the Jap guard was disbanded and withdrew, now we are completely free at last.
2 September 1945
It was made known that at 3.15 in the afternoon that the peace was signed on a battleship (USS Missouri) in the bay of Tokyo.
3 September 1945
Comrades bodies exhumed and removed from the camp. The Jap colonel from Dentuji came in the camp yesterday and asked our captain if they would be treated with honour and dignity.
4 September 1945
A deputation from the Red Cross arrived, a Swede for the Dutch and a Swiss for the English. A Buddhist deputation came to the camp and spent an hour bowing and muttering for our dead.
9 September 1945
Last journal entry.
10 September 1945
Camp evacuated.
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NOTE
Johanna Cornelia Vermin-van Bommel, Jopie, his wife, wrote in Dutch at the time of her 1984, 1985 transcriptions:
“From 10 September Vic stopped writing his journal. They were transported to Manila by ship. All their clothing was burned and there weren’t allowed to take anything from Japan. They received new clothes. They were all treated for lice and fleas.
They stayed in Manila for about three weeks. There was an abundance of food and drink (beer). Vic said that several people died as a result of eating too much. One man ate 20 eggs and then died. There was nothing to do but eat, drink, enjoy shows and mostly rest in bed all day. They waited for transport to Java, that was by ship or by aircraft. Vic went to Balikpapan, Borneo, in December 1945. In Manila Vic received news from the Red Cross that his wife and two children were doing well in Batavia, at the Tjideng camp. The following day there was a telegram from the Red Cross that Peggy died in 1944.”