| Tokyo POW Camp #16-B Kanose (Showa Denko) Carbide Mill |
| Tokyo-16-B-
Niigata (Kanose) (SHOWA DENKO) NIIGATA-ken, HIGASHI KAMBARA-gun, KANOSE-mura Satellite location Area map - shows position relative to other Tokyo camps Timeline: 15 Apr 1944: Established as Tokyo #16 Dispatch Camp 16 Apr 1944: 100 POWs arrive from Tokyo 2D Mitsushima Camp (later known at 12B). Included 50 Americans. The Commonwealth men also had arrived in Japan in late November 1942 on the Tofuku (Tojuku) Maru. The Americans had arrived on the Nagato Maru. 12 June 1944: Dr Liang (Ship's surgeon on the SS Nankin) and two medical orderlies (Kingen-Yank; Wilkinson-Brit) arrive from Shinagawa hospital. 29 June 1944: Second group (103) British arrive under command of Capt. Janis. All from two camps along the Burma - Thailand death railway. 28 Jan 1945: Capt. Donald W. Robinson, USA MC, arrives at Kanose 5 June 1945: Ninety Dutch arrive from Tokyo #2 Branch Camp, Kawasaki [Mitsui Futo Soko] 9 June 1945: Fire accident at carbide mill, three British serious burned; all eventually die from burns Aug 1945: Renamed Tokyo Branch 16-B Sep 1945: Rescue Effected |
Labor: Slave labor in a carbide mill owned by Showa Denko Co; manufacture of carbon rods. Many injuries due to complete lack of eye protection and lack of proper footwear. Hell Ships: Not applicable as most men transferred here from Mitsushima POW Camp, Tokyo #12. Americans arrived on the Nagato Maru. First group of British arrived on the Tofuku (Tojuku) Maru. Second Group of British arrived on the unknown hellship with no losses en route.. Rosters: The men were transferred to this camp from Tokyo Branch #12, Mitsushima (known as Tokyo 2D at time of transfer. 288 men- 50 American, 152 British and 86 Dutch Americans: (includes one deceased) British: Two groups; first group (50) arrived 16 April 1944 and second group on 29 June 1944 (102). Note: Bdr Arthur Frank Compton was killed in B-24 plane crash in Taiwan (ex Okinawa) en route home 10 Sept. B-24 44-40491 "Ginny" Dutch: Arrived on 25 July 1945 from Tokyo #2 branch at Kawasaki (Mitsui). Deceased: External Link- PDF files for all Tokyo camps Roster (RG 407 Box 115) - American, British, Dutch, Canadian Spreadsheet Prelim rosters (RG 407 Boxes 105, 188) Books: "Behind the Fence, Life as a POW in Japan 1942-1945", by Les Chater. Simply the best book on this camp with fairly accurate rosters or British & Americans and an almost daily diary. His first camp in Japan was Tokyo 12B. Video Interview See American roster in book "Horyo" by Major Richard Gordon, p 249. Indicates dates of death of Americans. Sparrow - A Chronicle of Defiance: An epic account of The Sparrows - Battle of Britain gunners who defended Timor in 1942 as part of Sparrow Force by Grant McLeod McLachlan - Impressive and well-researched story of Grant's grandfather, Charlie McLachlan Photo and Video Collections Photo collection with annotations (PDF file courtesy of Grant McLachlan) Videos (Grant McLachlan YouTube site) |