Instructions given to POWs

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Instructions given to POWs

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The following is a letter issued to all senior officer prisoners working on the Thai-Burma railway in 1943, spelling mistakes and bad grammer included. It also gives an insight into the Japanese view of the work being carried out by the POWs

This copy was given to Major Peacock at the Tarsao camp who described it as ''the quaintest order he was ever presented with''.

Instructions given to P.O.W.S on my assuming command

I have the pleasure to lead you on the charge of the last stretch of Railway construction Warden with the appointment of present post.
In examination of various reports, aswell as the result of partial camp inspection of the present conditions, am pleased to find that you are in general keeping discipline and working diligently, At the same time regret to find seriousness in health matter.
It is evident that there are various causes for inevitable for this end, but to my opinion due mainly to the fact for absence of firm belief as Japanese ''health follows will'' and ''Cease only when enemy is completely annialated''
Those who fails to reach objective in charge by lack of health and or spirit, is considered in Japanese army as most shameful deed ''Devotion till death is good, yet still we have the spirit ''Devotion to Imperial cause even to the 7th turn of incarnation. The spirit that cannot come void by death
You are in act of charge in colleague with Imperial japanese army.
You are expected to charge to the last stage of this work with good spirit by taking good care of your own health
Besides you are to remember that your welfare is guarranteed only by obedience to the order of Imperial Japanese army
Imperial japanese army, will not be unfair to those who are honest and obey them, but protect such. You are to understand this fundamental Japanese spirit and carry out the task given you with perfect ease of mind under protection of Imperial Japanese army.

Given in Kanchanaburi June 26th 1943
Col Sijuo Nakamura
Commander of P.O.W.s Camp Thailand
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