Transcribed by Kevin Menzies

I Sydney Richard Wallace of 9 Franklin Street, Greymouth, Telegraphist employed by the Post and Telegraph Department of the New Zealand Government do solemnly and sincerely declare that I left New Zealand on the 13th of July 1941 for Abeiang in the Gilbert Islands Group. I arrived there on the 30th of August 1941. At that time I was in the employ of The Post and Telegraph Department carrying out Coast watching duties. I was the only white person employed at Abeiang on Coast watching. The other inhabitants were Missionaries and natives. I was stationed at Abeiang from the time of my arrival until the 24th December 1941, when the Japanese arrived and took me prisoner.

During my stay at Abeiang, I was assisted by a native operator by the name of Tevali who was trained by Mr R. Morgan at Beriki. There were no trading stations at Abaiang. There was a native Co-operative society on the Island. Its activities more confined to disposing of localy manufactured goods, and obtaining stores for the natives.

I saw no indications on this island of any preparations for war, having been made by the Japanese. The only substantial buildings on this island were two churches and a missionary establishment. Nothing of particular importance was observed by me until sometime in early November 1941, when I observed a Japanese Patrol Plane fly over the Island of Abaiang at a great height. I cannot remember the date, but I reported the incident by radio to the Royal Naval Office at Suva.

The Japanese invaded Makin and Tarawa on the 10th December 1941. I did not see any of the invasion, but some natives came to me from Tarawa and informed me of the invasion. I employed a number of natives to assist with the Coast watching. From the 10th December onwards these natives reported to me that they had seen shipping activity. I did not see any shipping activity myself until the 24th December when I saw the masts of a ship on the western horizon, I had however seen some aerial activity during that period, all of which I reported to Suva. I also reported the the incidents reported to me by the native coast watchers.

The natives that came to me on the 10th December, reported to me that all radio installations on Tarawa had been smashed, that all the larger canoes and shipping capable of putting to sea had been destroyed, this included the trading schooner Nimenoa. They also reported that two natives had been bayoneted to death by the Japanese. I do not know the names of any eyewitnesses to the bayoneting nor the names of the natives who were bayoneted. I sent a native back to the Island of tarawa to contact Mr Morgan or Captain Holland and I sent them letters enquiring the position so that I could report it.

I did not receive any reply for some days, but eventually got a letter from Mr Morgan stating he was maintaining a regualar radio schedule. Befdore I received communication from Mr Morgan IU had received a request from Ocean Island for a report on conditions at tarawa and Makin islands. I replied that I only had native information as to conditions and suggested that I should go and make an investigation myself. I reported that I considered my native operator Tevali to be competent of running the station during my short absence. I was instructed to remain on Abaiang. At about 1 p.m. on the 24th December the Japanese landed on Abaiang.. On the 23rd December, I realised that the location of my radio station had been ascertained by a Japanese plane, which had circled the house at a very low altitude several times.

When I saw the Japanese landing on the 24th I destroyed my equipment. The Japanese arrived accompanied by a Japanese resident of Butaritari. He had formerly been employed by Kenzaki and spoke both Gilbertese and English.

I was taken prisoner and interrogated as to the whereabouts of my code books. I was able to satisfy the ja panese that these had been destroyed. The Japanese dismantled my equipment in my presence with out discovering that I had rendered it useless previously.

I was taken aboard a Cruiser of approximately 10,000 tons. I was palced between decks and kept there under guard until I was further interrogated that evening. I was questioned as to the location of Stations and the codes used. I gave them no information on these points. I was not subject to any violence at the interrogation excepting that I was threatened that I would be beheaded if I did. I received no food until the evening of the 27th December. I was provided with water to drink. As far as I know none of the natives from Abaiang were removed by the Japanese who originally landed. I was kept in the cruiser until the 26th December when I was transferred to a cargo ship at Jeluit in The Marshall Islands. On the 27th decemeber the Coast watching personel from Makin and Little Makin were placed in the same cargo ship as I was in.Their names are as follows. J.M. Jones, M.P. McQuinn, B. Were, J Menzies, M Menzies, L.E.H. Muller and C.H.R Fulford-Williams. We were taken in the cargo vessel to another base in the Marshall Islands and there transferred to larger vessel. On about the 30th December this ship sailed with us for Japan, and we arrived at Yokohama on the 7th January 1942.

We were taken to the Yokohama Racing Club’s building where we were kept for the night. We were transferred to No. 480 The Bluff, Yokohama on the following day. We stayed there until the 14th January 1942 and left that day for Zentsuji on Shikoku Island. We were placed in Japanese army Barracks. I was kept there until the 13th September 1945. I was not ill treated in any way excepting that the food rations were totally inadequate.

The only New Zealander that I saw illtreated or beaten was M. Menzies. On one occasion Menzies took ill and could not work. As he was being brought back to camp he collapsed and the Japanese guard kicked him about the body. Menzies was unable to protect himself in any way on account of the fact that he had collapsed. I cannot recall the name of the Japanese guard who assaulted Menzies. I cannot recall the date or the month in which it took place.

On another occasion I saw Menzies assaulted in a warehouse whilst he was at work. This assault took place at Sokaide. It was an assistant guard employed by the Nippon Transport company that assaulted Menzies on this occasion. The only name I knew him by was "The Colt". There appeared to be no obvious reason for the guards assault on Menzies. "The Colt" was a man about 32 years, 5’ 6" in height, slight build and had a withered arm. I cannot say if it was his right or left arm.

The guards who assaulted Menzies on the first mentioned occasion was known as "Squeaky" owing to his high pitched voice. He was about 28 years, about 5’7" in height, well built. He had a darker complexion than the rest of the guards. I frequently saw another guard named Hoshimoto assault Australian and American prisoners by kicking them on the shins and striking them with his sword, his fists and anything he could lay his hands on. He was a man about 30 years of age, about 5’6" in height, he was solidly built but walk with a stoop. He had a deformed right or left hand and always wore a white glove on it. I saw him assault the following persons whose names I can remember. Captain GRAY of the American Army, an American naval rating by the name of GRAYHART, and an Austrailian Army Leuitenant nnamed Alan Robinson. I witnessed many other assaults by this man but cannot remember the names of the persons assaulted.

I did not supply any information to the Japanese about the location or disposition of troops etc, although I was questioned on that point by Japanese Intelligence Officers at the camp at Zentsuji. I cannot supply further information that is likely to be of value. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the Justice of The Peace Act 1927.

SR Wallce (signature)

Declared At Christchurch New Zealand this 23rd day of May 1946 before me

FJ Glackin (signature)

Justice of the Peace in and for the Dominion of New Zealand