Swimming in the Johore Straits

[Lou Barron]

when the Japs put us aboard the ex chinese river steamer it was for us guys to but the ship back in order they were six jap marines in charge as we at that time could not pick the japanese names of the marines we made up nick names for them .To start with the boss jap we called him the bugle man as he use to have a bugle to start the day with and hoisting the jap flag which we had to face and bow to the other names as follows No Balls .buckteeth . bottle man .rope end and dog face.When they had shore leave they use to go to Singapore and they would come back pissed that is when they use to give us a hard time .One trick they played on us they said we was to have a swimming race and they would give us cigarettes little did we know what they was up to ..So a few of lined up on the lower deck naked one of the japs stood along side of us but the other japs was on the upper deck what happened was as we got the word to start the japs up top flush all the toilets so when dived in it was crap every where they thought it a great joke there were a a couple of our guys was wanting to have a go at the japs but the was stopped by some of the more level head guys as it would have been not to good for all of us

[Jacyn Wade]

Hi Lou. I tried to post to your last thread but had problems so I'll try again now. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you to recall these memories but they are very much appreciated. I believe someone in the other thread said something about pain for nothing because there is still conflict in the world. I know I'm young and perhaps a bit naive in ways, but I don't believe it was pain for nothing. Can we imagine what the world would be like if Hitler had won?? Your stories help to ensure the horrors of WWII will not be forgotten... and they must never be forgotten. Thank you!

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Lou.
In the local RSL club they were giving tickets for a draw everytime you bought a beer, the prize was a trip to Japan,my wife and I told them we wern't interested and one of the staff asked us why, we said we didn't like the japs, she said your racist. I found out that her father had been to sea in the MN and told her to ask him about the ship Behar where the japs beheaded the crew. She has never mentioned it since.
I know the war has been over for many years, but imbeded in my mind is a picture of our nieghbour standing at his door looking like a skeleton, he didn't live long after.
Cheers Des

[Lou Barron]

i have several reasons with my telling of my pow days when i came home in 1945 the doctors told not to bottle up i thoughts but me being young and starting to get a lot healthy my thoughts was chasing girls (not that i got many)and booze going back to sea helped me no end but in 1947 when i landed in NZ and got married i got myself a very good job that i stayed till i retired not that i gave up my drinking and i love to have good parties but my family came first having a lovely wife of 63 years and a very great family i think i have been very lucky but getting back to my story telling my daughters have encouraged me to to tell these stories and since i have had the laptop and trying to bring the efforts of the merchant navy to light so like a lto of the very good people on this wonderful site i find it helps me to keep my brain active so i hope not to bore you all

[Jacyn Wade]

Congratulations on being married 63 years, Lou. That's wonderful. And by no means are your stories boring!! They're very, very interesting, enlightening and essential, I think. Keep them coming.

Cheers!
Jacyn

[happy daze john in oz]

Lou, we along with the rest of the world need to hear your stories no matter how trivial you may consider them. We need to hear from you, not some media reporter who will put their spin on the issue, so that the truth will prevail. Future generations need to understand the sacrifices made so that they may enjoy the freedom we all know today.
i understand it can be hard to speak of some matters, a neighbor of mine was in Changi but would not speak of it, too hard on the memory he would say. Un fortunately he took his story to the grave, but I have no doubt in my mind he suffered some horrific events.

[Tony Wilding]

HELLO LOU, I for one look forward to your stories, some stories should be told, otherwise lessons are never learned, better to hear them from a personal experience, my opinion of the Japanese people is best left unsaid. but there actions should not be forgotten.

[Lou Barron]

EH wait a minute i keep telling my stories abou t my pow days what about the the people in BRITAIN during the war they had a very hard time with the air raids no doubt some of our members would remember those bad days i can go back to the time in LONDON in late 1940 i was a galley boy on a ship called the LECH we was in DEPTFORD and the germans was given us the works then when i came home when i was on the DUCHESS of BEDFORD coming to LIVERPOOLin1941the docks was a mass of flames where my mother lived was not far from the river mersey inthe street they had built air raid shelters were the people use to go into the near our house was nice and handy but the neighbors had put in a old piano with the pub just on the corner it was no problem to stock with beer and they use to have a bloody good sing song that was the spirit of the people of BRITAIN in them days

[Jacyn Wade]

Hi Lou. Funny you should mention the people in Britain during the war. If you lads can hang on for a few weeks/months, I will have my hands on a bunch of letters written by my great-grandparents during the war, complete with censor markings on the envelopes! My grandparents lived in Kent, I believe, during the time and my mum has just rediscovered these letters and is typing them out so we can all read them. As writing paper, among other things, wasn't easy to come by in those days, my grandmother wrote very, very small and covered every square inch of the page so they're a bit difficult to read at the moment. I'll be happy to share some with you, if you're interested.

But don't stop telling your stories, Lou. I think we'd all miss them! Cheers...

[Tony Wilding]

hi lou, i was born in 1939, but i remember seeingV1 Doodlebugs in 44/45 we lived in Doodlebug alley as it was called, seen many fly over making a weird sound, was like a deep growel, then silence, seen them dive to the ground when engine stopped, luckily after they had passed, certainly made a bang , was AA guns in the church fields , often saw them firing at V1,s was on a bus going to catford, air raid warning sounded , bus driver stopped and legged it to nearest shelter, passengers just sat in the bus and waited for the all clear, driver came back and we continued. remember many bombed buildings, but that was normal to us, never knew any different. amazing what becomes normal when innocent.