Osaka POW Camp #5-D Maruyama

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Osaka 5-D Kawasaki
(Kawasaki Jukogyo) [Kawasaki Heavy Industries]
KOBE-shi, HAYASHIDA-ku, MARUYAMA-cho 2-1
Satellite location
Relief map - Position relative to other camps in area


Timeline:
8 Dec 1942: Established as KAWASAKI Branch Camp
18 Feb 1943: Renamed 5-B KAWASAKI
15 Oct 1943: Renamed 5-D KAWASAKI
11 May 1945: Camp closed; POWs transferred to Fukuoka area POW camp (Camp #22 Honami) and to a Hiroshima POW Camp (not determined yet).
(This site was later used as hospital for POWs from Kobe Hospital after the city was bombed.)

Information:
From Tony Banham, historian of the Hong Kong forces:

On 28 Feb 43, British POWs at Kobe start talking about their sick comrades being sent to a place called 'Kawasaki' or 'Kowsaki'. Here's an example:
Bill Poulter, Middlesex Regt, at Kobe House: “Spent all day spring-cleaning. Our hospital is going to move up into the hills to a place called Kawasaki."

See these excellent photos posted by Banham showing work at Kobe job sites.

From Wes Injerd, historian of the Fukuoka Area camps:

This was #5-D, Kawasaki Heavy Industries being the company "employing" the POW labor. It was up in the hills at a hospital, now Maruyama Hospital. Dr.Glusman was there.

 Labor:
Ship building and material movement (Stevedore)
Work:
At Kawasaki Jukogyo Kansen Koba - Heavy Industry and Shipyard located at Higashi Kawasaki-cho, Hyogo-ku, Kobe City. The POWS worked building ships and transporting materials.

Hell Ship:
Many POWS transferred here from other camps. First group, Aussies and British, arrived from Singapore on the Kamakura Maru

Morita Report:
Prepared by Morita, Hirouki, employee of the Central Demobilization office, Osaka. December 1945.

Fifth Branch: Kawasaki or Maruyama Camp
Address: 2 Chrome, Maruyamacho, Nogata-ku, Kobe City
History: Camp was established 8 December 1942. Full capacity of camp was 600 POWS. On 10 May 1945, the American, Dutch, Australian, and British POWS were transported to Hiroshima and Fukuoka and the camp closed on 11 May 1945.

Japanese Camp Commanders:
8 Dec 1942 -20 June 1944: Capt Yasuji Morimoto
20 June 1944 - 10 May 1945: Lt. Kokichi Asokawa

Deceased:
External Link

Rosters:
American segment pending; others not found yet.

Known: Australian Richard Dalley Stewart, 2/19th, sent to Honami 11 May 1945. SHort memoir available upon request.

OSA-05D Hospital rosters, deaths (RG 407 Boxes 125,189)
Osaka Hospital records, asst. (RG 407 Boxes 167)