Page 46 - moondani kyema
P. 46
ndani kyema, My Story - Ray Moore 46
Inevitably the end of the War came. There had been gossip about the War being
over, but no one knew for sure what was happening. At times planes had been seen
flying very high overhead, and people speculated whether they might be American
planes. In May 1945 at midnight, the bell in the tower of Block 23 was ringing. Was
this a roll call at this time of night? On the roll-call field, it became clear that the
Japanese hadn't rung the bell. In fact they were angry that it had been rung because
the bell was their prearranged alarm to call in the Japanese army in case of trouble.
So what was the meaning of the bell, or was it just a prank?
Months before, on a dare, two of the prisoners had made a pact that when the Allies
trounced the Germans, they would ring the tower bell at midnight. And that was
exactly the meaning of the bell waking us up at midnight. The Germans had
surrendered! Our illegal radio had brought the news. The war in Europe was over.
Then on 17 August 1945, about 9:30 am, I heard a plane circle the camp. I rushed
out to see what was happening and could see the front silhouette of a B24 bomber
coming towards the camp at a low altitude. And then parachutes started blossoming
out below the plane.
There was no doubt, this was
the most exciting day of my
life. I was 10½ years old and
for the first time since
December 1941, a month
before my 7th birthday, I was
going to be free. Seven
parachutes floated to the
ground outside the camp.
The whole camp, all 1500
internees, or so it seemed,
rushed down the incline to
the main entrance and
through the gate, past the
Japanese guards who were
still standing there with their
rifles and bayonets, but
obviously unsure how to
react. What did it matter?
Out in the fields we found the
7 Americans, wary, with
pistols drawn, sheltering
Inevitably the end of the War came. There had been gossip about the War being
over, but no one knew for sure what was happening. At times planes had been seen
flying very high overhead, and people speculated whether they might be American
planes. In May 1945 at midnight, the bell in the tower of Block 23 was ringing. Was
this a roll call at this time of night? On the roll-call field, it became clear that the
Japanese hadn't rung the bell. In fact they were angry that it had been rung because
the bell was their prearranged alarm to call in the Japanese army in case of trouble.
So what was the meaning of the bell, or was it just a prank?
Months before, on a dare, two of the prisoners had made a pact that when the Allies
trounced the Germans, they would ring the tower bell at midnight. And that was
exactly the meaning of the bell waking us up at midnight. The Germans had
surrendered! Our illegal radio had brought the news. The war in Europe was over.
Then on 17 August 1945, about 9:30 am, I heard a plane circle the camp. I rushed
out to see what was happening and could see the front silhouette of a B24 bomber
coming towards the camp at a low altitude. And then parachutes started blossoming
out below the plane.
There was no doubt, this was
the most exciting day of my
life. I was 10½ years old and
for the first time since
December 1941, a month
before my 7th birthday, I was
going to be free. Seven
parachutes floated to the
ground outside the camp.
The whole camp, all 1500
internees, or so it seemed,
rushed down the incline to
the main entrance and
through the gate, past the
Japanese guards who were
still standing there with their
rifles and bayonets, but
obviously unsure how to
react. What did it matter?
Out in the fields we found the
7 Americans, wary, with
pistols drawn, sheltering
