| Haroekoe Island (Also known as Haruku POW Camp) |
Part of a complex of POW camps on Ambon, Haruku and Ceram Islands,
Netherlands East Indies
Main Page Main Camp List
| Labor camps
staffed mostly by
Australian and British soldiers captured in Malaya. Dutch soldiers only
on Ceram Primary purpose was to build an airstrips using crushed coral. Major sub-camps known in area: LIANG [airfield construction and Naval base] LAHA [existing airfield on Ambom] RUMAH TIGA [transit?/] WAIJAME [ex native camp - transit for POW] SAPARUA- [Seashore camp on South Ceram Island] Carl Patterson Memoir - Journey maps (courtesy of Alan Patterson) "My
father was in the Royal Navy and participated in the Battle of the Java
Sea, alongside American and Dutch Naval forces. From the age of 21, he
was held prisoner by the Japanese for 3.5yrs and released in 1945 to
return to the UK for rehabilitation. Here is his memoir as well as his
map of his movements, once having been appointed to HMS Jupiter and subsequent capture and
transportation by the Japanese."
Related research: Shot Down in Bay of Biscay and Became Prisoner of the Japanese by Arthur Arculus |
| Recommended Books: "Darkest Hour- The True Story of Lark Force at Rabaul" by Bruce Gamble. Extraordinarily well done narrative using pre-war writings and official history. He brings to life the individual men and covers their bravery under the lack of support. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED "Spice Island Slaves" by L.J. Audus [ISBN 0951749722] is a very detailed account of the journey on the Amagi Maru, camp life in Amahai on Ceram[all Dutch prisoners], Haroekoe, Liang [on Ambonia], Ambon itself and the ship transports back to Java. Its available by mail order from: L.J. Clark 5 Barrons Close Ongar Essex CM5 9BJ England Price £14.80 including airmail delivery "My Life with the Samurai" (How I survived the Japanese Death Camps) by Anthony Cowling, 2nd Edition - includes a roster of 200 British at the Semarang POW Camp plus good description of the Jaar Market POW Camp (former Dutch barracks)- contains excellent map of NEI camp locations. Links: Tom Pledger's War Diary - 
Pledger's diary is the most extensive account covering the use of Gull
Force being sent to Ambon. Fortunately for Pledger, he was moved before
the later massacre of the POWs to a camp on the west coast of Hainan
Island (Haisho,
now Basuo).Death in the Spice Islands and Prisoner Under the Rising Sun [complete transcript of book] Haruku Island Story- Excellent narrative of the story of Flight Sergeant Eric "Johnny" Johnston Story of L.W. Abbs- RAF ground crewman (Photographer) from Java taken to Haruku and then to the Sumatra Railway |