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Nagoya POW Camp #8B
Tateyama |
| NAGOYA #8B TATEYAMA (TATEYAMA JUKOGYO) TOYAMA-ken, TOYAMA-shi, SHIMO-OKUI-machi, No. 1 Banchi Satellite view Area map Timeline: 10 May 1945: Established as Nagoya Branch #8 30 Aug 1945: One POW dies of heart attack. 5 Sep 1945: Rescue effected Affidavits: Dr. Walter Norman Riley, Flt Lt, RAF - Report of the camp doctor and Senior POW in this camp. Describes camp and attitudes of Jap staff. Also read Dr Riley's affidavit regarding prior camp, Narumi. Original affidavits (PDF) - Harold L. Thomas, Nolin Wellman, Walter N. Riley, J. H. Muttock, "Maurice," Orman Jacques Photographs: Aerial photo courtesy of Wes Injerd. Note the camp is located in lower right and has "PW" clearly marked on the roof. Jap Staff: Fully identified - original roster (PDF) Extract of diary by HKVDC POW at Narumi Source: Tony Banham August 29, 1945: 10.00 am Planes heard: great excitement. Circle over then come lower and after a couple of test runs one plane drops first parachute flying very low. Returns for second run and drops a third and on the next run the 4th package drops and then the plane sideslips and crashes 50yds from us. Rush out to find plane has demolished a house and lies upside down. 2 men are brought out - one injured. [USS Belleau Wood] The pilot is dead: a regrettable accident. Cases contain emergency rations, cigarettes, bag of bread and magazines. Had a slice of bread - delicious, just like cake! 30th August Had just appeared for funeral service of pilot when planes appeared; dropped more supplies and note asking for information about airmen and indicating how to convey the information to them. Three men arranged on parade ground: one lying flat (dead Pilot), one sitting up (wounded airgunner) and one standing (uninjured). Sqd Leader indicated that he had got the signal and later when service was held they returned in formation and flew over. Per email from former POW Stanley Wort, author of Prisoner of the Rising Sun: I have read with interest Tony Banham’s report of happenings at the end of the war. It is a very accurate report. The events he describes happened at the Toyama camp to which all Brit POWs in Narumi had been transferred in May 1945. The airplane that crashed was a Grumman Avenger. It flew so low that its wing tip hit a flag pole and it rolled over and crashed upside down. Prior to the crash all the squadron had dropped whatever was in their pockets -- sticks of gum, open packets of cigarettes and even chewing tobacco. They also dropped magazines all of which were stamped “Wardroom USS Bonaventure.” |
Labor: Tateyama Heavy Industries Co; manufacture of small steam rollers, used for building of airfields or roads. See SCAP Report, Item #10. These men all came from Narumi POW Camp, formerly under the Osaka POW Command. Hell Ships: Men arrived from Narumi POW camp; hell ship not applicable to this camp. However, Most of the men had earlier arrived at Narumi POW Camp in a shipment from Hong Kong on the SS Soong Cheong, stopping in Formosa then transferring to the Toyama Maru. SACP Investigation Report: Post war inspection & report by Lts. Breaune and Wills Original reports (PDF) - Laws Governing POWs, Rules and Regulations for Osaka POW Camps, Riley Medical Report on Health of POWs (Narumi), Investigation Report, Camp Layout Rosters: Detailed rosters include service numbers, POW numbers, ranks and other data. Available for the asking. According to Dr. Riley, men came from another camp (Narumi) in the Nagoya area. British Canadian Portuguese, Dutch, French and Russian Original rosters, all nationalities (PDF) Original British roster (PDF) Deaths: Albert Mears (British Royal Navy) died after the surrender on 30 August 1945 from a heart attack. Per POW William Anderson in his book entitled Corporate Crisis: NCR and the Computer Revolution, cause of death is listed as "methyl alcohol poisoning." His ashes were handed over to Royal Air Force Lt. Riley upon liberation on 6 September 1945. |
