Changi Jail

[Lou Barron]

When we was put into the jail in October 1944 one of the first jobs i and a couple of my mates was detailed to was take a big trailer with rubber tyres and go outside the camp and get firewood for the cook house so they could cook the rice .
It took about 15 of us to pull the trailer .We would load up then it took us a few hours to do this with the guards shouting Speedo all the time .
Then back into the jail at the back of the cook house and unload the wood .
The good thing about this job we would get what we called legees that was to scrape the big containers that they used to take the cooked rice to the different cells for the the guys to get their ration .The containers always had a coating of rice in them and us guys who had towed the trailer got the job of scraping out the containers out and scoffing the skin i only got that job a couple of times

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that should be October1944

[John Albert Evans]

Lou,

Have you written a book about your experiences, if so where can I buy a copy and if you haven't then, with respect, you should.

John

[John Pruden]

the film THE RAILWAY MAN depicts some of what prisoners went through its a true story and very moving I hope you have watched it lou.jp

[Keith at Tregenna]

When we was put into the jail in October 1944---times

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that should be October1944

All and every respect mate K.

[Lou Barron]

Well regards to my book i have just about finished it with the help of one of my daughters we have most of it on tape the thing next is to get someone to edit it .
i do not know it will be done

[happy daze john in oz]

Have only seen it from the outside when in Singapore and have no desire to go in. Apparently they have about 55 executions per year in there, always in a Friday at 0600 hours.

[Lou Barron]

I believe that the old jail was pulled down and a new one built .My
late wife and i did visit it in 1993 on our back to NZ after a holiday in the UK we stayed in Singapore for 4 days
We went out to the jail and i had no desire to go inside even though i was talking to the guy on the gate and he said that i could go into some parts of the jail with a escort but i declined .
It was nothing like it when i leftin 1945 it was all very tidy and clean

[Doc Vernon]

Well regards to my book i have just about finished it with the help of one of my daughters we have most of it on tape the thing next is to get someone to edit it .
i do not know it will be done

Hello Lou
Are you after a Publisher! If so just have a look at this Link and see what you and your Daughter think!
Hope it may help mate!
Cheers

http://www.balboapress.com.au/LP01F0...FQx9vQodtbMAGA

Here is another that you can look at!

http://www.chooseyourpublisher.com/f...Fc58vQodPRcAvA

Few more general advice sites!

http://www.elseware.co.nz/TFS/Conten...Publishers.htm

http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/Writer...or-Writers.htm

http://www.authors.org.nz/wa.asp?idW...&idDetails=213

http://www.selfpublish.com.au/editing.html

[robpage]

I was there in 2009 and a large amount of the old jail was pulled down , just one watchtower standing . I went to see where my late father landed in 1945 , and to look at the museum , the pictures on the wall were heartbreaking , and it told me why the subject was a no go area with my old man ,I sat in the chapel for. Quite a time in the hot sun and it sickened me to see the pictures , so I lit a candle and had a quiet prayer , thanking The Lord for nuclear science that saved so many lives by unleashing hell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki , and as my old man was driving the petrol tanker off the LCT , for my prescience on the planet , as the Royal Marines arrived the day after surrender .

I have told one of his oft repeated stories about a released Sherwood Forester and a Bren gun that gave the soldier some revenge on the imperial army , but the old man was a marine mechanic , driver and security to the Principle Medical Officer Surg-commander John Vincent-Smith , whilst waiting for his boss one night , the colour Sgt in charge of the hospital ward called the old man over , you have 50 jabs to give out marine , he told dad , I'm a machanic , not an orderly he told the colour , good shouted the colour Sgt , and 50 Japanese soldiers were innoculated by a marine mechanic .

[Lou Barron]

Thanks Vernon for the info about a publisher i will keep this in mind as i have one or two local people who want to help .