All language subtitles for [savage_christmas_hong_kong_1941].eng

[ ♪♪♪ ]

YEAH, THAT'S A PILE
OF BRITISH UP THERE.

[ NARRATOR ]: 50 YEARS
AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR

TOOK THEM TO JAPAN,
TWO CANADIAN SOLDIERS

HAVE COME BACK FOR A VISIT.

THE VETERANS ARE PREPARING
THEMSELVES FOR A REUNION.

ALL OUR AUSTRALIAN
BUDDIES UP THERE...

AUSTRALIANS, BRITISH,
EAST INDIANS AND CANADIANS

FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE
IN THE PACIFIC.

THE RETURNING CANADIANS
CAN REMEMBER SOME GOOD TIMES,

BUT HERE THEY ALSO RELIVE

ONE OF THE DARKEST MILITARY
STORIES IN CANADIAN HISTORY.

THEY'VE COME TO SEE 137 FELLOW
CANADIANS IN YOKOHAMA TODAY.

THIS IS
NOT GOING

TO BE EASY,
ROBERT.

ALL OF THOSE OLD COMRADES
LIE IN THIS CEMETERY.

DEAR MUGGS, I'M IN THE SAME
MOOD HOMER MUST HAVE BEEN

STARTING THE ODYSSEY.

WAR ISN'T LIKE
EVERYONE THINKS --

RUNNING UP A HILL, FIRING AWAY.

IT'S MORE LIKE THE TWO
OF US SITTING HERE,

AND SOME SON OF A BITCH
8 MILES AWAY SAYS,

"HEY, LET'S KILL
SOMEONE OVER THERE."

SO THEY FIRE A SHELL,
BLOWS EVERYONE TO PIECES.

THE THOUGHT THAT
MY GOVERNMENT

WOULD KNOWINGLY OFFER A COUPLE
OF THOUSAND OF ITS YOUNG MEN

AS LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER...

IN ORDER TO MEET SOME SORT
OF POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY...

YOU KNOW, ROBERT, WHEN YOU LOOK
AROUND HERE AND SEE THESE GUYS,

NONE OF THEM HAD AN EASY DEATH.

EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS,

IT'S HARD TO COME BACK
TO VISIT THE CLOSE FRIENDS

WHO WERE KILLED
RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

BOB MANCHESTER FOUGHT
AS ONE OF THE OLDER MEMBERS

OF THE WINNIPEG GRENADIERS.

HE WAS 25.

BOB CLAYTON WAS A TEENAGER.

WHEN HE WAS WOUNDED IN BATTLE,

HE PASSED OVER COMMAND
OF HIS PLATOON TO HIS PAL,

MURRAY GOODENOUGH.

HE WON THE MILITARY MEDAL
DOWN AT STANLEY.

IS THAT RIGHT?

HE'S THE YOUNGEST MAN HERE
IN THE WHOLE CEMETERY --

BRITS, AUSTRALIANS --

HE'S THE YOUNGEST MAN.

IMAGINE THAT.

THEY LOOK AT STONES, EH?

WE LOOK AT PEOPLE.

THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED
TO THESE SOLDIERS WERE,

FOR A LONG TIME, SUPPRESSED
BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT.

THE TERRIBLE STORY IS KNOWN
TO VERY FEW CANADIANS.

MANY JAPANESE WOULD ALSO PREFER
THAT IT BE FORGOTTEN.

YAAH!

[ SHOUTING ]

ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM

THE YOKOHAMA CEMETERY,
ANOTHER REUNION...

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

THE 228th JAPANESE REGIMENT.

IN 1941, SOME OF THESE MEN
WERE KILLING CANADIANS,

AND NOT ALWAYS IN BATTLE.

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

A SHINTO PRIEST TELLS THEM
TO HONOUR THE MEMORY

OF WHAT THEY DID IN THE WAR.

THESE REUNIONS WERE
ONCE HELD IN SECRET.

NOW THERE IS AN OPEN
CELEBRATION OF THE SPIRIT

THAT BROUGHT THEM
TOGETHER FOR WAR.

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

[ INTERPRETER ]: YOU MUST
DEMONSTRATE TO THE WORLD

THE TRUE WORTH
OF JAPANESE MANHOOD.

HIS MAJESTY DESIRES TO BRING
PEACE IN THE FAR EAST

AND SET ASIA FREE.

YOU ARE THE POINT OF HIS SWORD.

YAAH! YAAH!

[ NARRATOR ]: IN 1941,
JAPAN WAS INTENT

ON THE EXPANSION OF ITS EMPIRE.

THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY BEGAN

ITS CAMPAIGN WITH A SWEEP
THROUGH CHINA...

LEAVING A PATH OF DESTRUCTION

AND TERROR IN ITS WAKE.

[ SCREAMING ]

BONZAI!

[ SHOUTING ]

THE SEEMINGLY INVINCIBLE
JAPANESE TROOPS MOVED SOUTH

TOWARDS THE CHINESE BORDER WITH
THE BRITISH COLONY OF HONG KONG.

IN EARLY 1941, WINSTON CHURCHILL
SAID PRIVATELY THAT THERE WAS

NOT THE SLIGHTEST CHANCE
OF HOLDING HONG KONG

OR OF RELIEVING IT
IF THE JAPANESE ATTACKED.

EVENTUALLY, HIS MILITARY
PERSUADED HIM THAT IT WAS WORTH

AT LEAST A SYMBOLIC ATTEMPT
TO HOLD HONG KONG.

BUT RATHER THAN RISK
MORE OF THEIR OWN TROOPS,

THE BRITISH DECIDED TO ASK
CANADA TO TAKE ON THE JOB.

[ ♪♪♪ ]

THE FIRST CANADIAN TROOPS
DESIGNATED FOR THE JOB

WERE THESE WINNIPEG GRENADIERS

ASSIGNED TO GARRISON DUTY
IN ANOTHER BRITISH COLONY --

JAMAICA.

INCREDIBLY, CANADA ANSWERED
ENGLAND'S CALL WITHOUT MAKING

AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT
OF THE PERIL,

ACCEPTING THE MOTHER COUNTRY'S
ASSURANCE THAT THE MEN

WOULD NOT BE IN HARM'S WAY.

THE GRENADIERS HAD A LOT OF TIME
TO POLISH THEIR BASEBALL GAME,

BUT FEW OF THEM

HAD EVER THROWN A GRENADE.

SOME HAD NEVER EVEN
FIRED A RIFLE.

BECAUSE OF THEIR
LACK OF TRAINING,

THEY WERE OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED

BY THE CANADIAN DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT AS UNFIT FOR COMBAT.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING ]

BACK IN CANADA, THE GRENADIERS

WERE JOINED BY ANOTHER UNIT
WITH THE SAME CLASSIFICATION,

THE ROYAL RIFLES OF CANADA.

FOR SECURITY REASONS,
THE 2,000 SOLDIERS

HAD NO IDEA WHERE THEY
WERE BEING SHIPPED

OR WHAT THREAT THEY WOULD FACE.

...ABOARD.

IN THE LINE-UP

WAS 21-YEAR-OLD JOHN PAYNE,
AND ARTIST AND MUSICIAN.

HE WAS BORN TO BE A SOLDIER.

HIS FATHER WAS A BRITISH
CORPORAL WHO MET AND MARRIED

HIS MOTHER, A NURSING SISTER,
DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

JOHN'S GUITAR PLAYING
AND EASY-GOING MANNER

HAD MADE HIM A POPULAR SERGEANT.

HE WAS THE APPLE
OF HIS MOTHER'S EYE

AND HAD PROMISED
TO WRITE TO HER OFTEN.

HE ALSO WROTE TO HIS
CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART,

MAGDELENE LIZOTTE.

DEAR MUGGS,

SOMETIMES I DON'T THINK
YOU APPRECIATE

THE WORK I'VE BEEN DOING
FOR THE BRITISH EMPIRE,

TO PRESERVE PEACE AND
DEMOCRACY ON THE EARTH

FOR MANY A YEAR TO COME.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS.

THEY LAUGHED AT COLUMBUS,
POISONED SOCRATES,

AND NOW THE ARMY COOKS
ARE TRYING TO POISON ME.

[ NARRATOR ]: AS THEY
SHIPPED OUT FROM VANCOUVER,

THERE WAS LITTLE SENSE
OF FOREBODING.

FOR MOST, IT WAS AN ADVENTURE.

SOME EVEN LIED ABOUT
THEIR AGE TO GET IN,

LIKE ARMAND BOURBONNIERE
OF ST. BONIFACE, MANITOBA,

WHO WANTED TO SPITE HIS MOTHER.

ME?

I LIKE SKATING A LOT.

HOCKEY? I'M QUITE GOOD AT IT.

BUT MY MOTHER, HEY,
SHE GAVE MY SKATES AWAY.

I GOT SO MAD,
I JOINED THE SERVICE.

OH, IT WASN'T LONG
SHE GOT ME OUT.

I WAS UNDERAGE.

BUT I WENT BACK IN AGAIN,
SO SHE LEFT ME THERE.

ANYWAY, I GOT A BROTHER,
THE OLDEST ONE,

WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT I WAS
BACK IN THERE, HE CAME.

WE'RE IN THE SAME REGIMENT.

KAY CHRISTIE WAS ONE OF THREE

CANADIAN NURSING SISTERS
WITH THE EXPEDITION.

CANADIAN NURSING SISTERS
WITH THE EXPEDITION.

OUTSIDE OUR CABIN, THEY'RE
GIVING THEM LECTURES --

TELLING THEM WHAT THIS END
OF THE RIFLE IS CALLED,

WHERE TO PUT THE BULLET IN.

HONESTLY, IT'S JUST APPALLING.

[ NARRATOR ]:
AFTER THREE WEEKS AT SEA,

THE CANADIANS
ARRIVED IN HONG KONG

ON NOVEMBER 16th, 1941.

THE 2,000 TROOPS
MARCHED IN TO BOLSTER

THE SMALL BRITISH GARRISON.

[ SHOUTING COMMANDS ]

THERE WAS AN AIR OF UNREALITY.

THE COLONY WAS ONLY SIX WEEKS

AWAY FROM ITS CENTENNIAL

AND EXPECTING TO PROSPER
FOR DECADES TO COME

UNDER BRITISH MIGHT.

BUT MOST OF THE BRITISH
FLEET WAS GONE,

LEAVING ONLY A FEW
NAVAL VESSELS TO HELP.

THERE WERE TWO MILLION
PEOPLE TO DEFEND --

THE COLONY SWOLLEN
WITH CHINESE REFUGEES

FLEEING THE ADVANCING JAPANESE.

HONG KONG WAS NOT JUST AN
ISLAND, BUT A CHUNK OF MAINLAND

INCLUDING THE CITY OF KOWLOON.

THE MAINLAND TERRITORY
STRETCHED 40 KILOMETRES

TO THE CHINESE BORDER,
WHERE THE JAPANESE ARMY SAT.

BETWEEN THE JAPANESE AND
MOST OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE

WAS THE MAIN DEFENSE --

STRETCHING FROM
GIN DRINKER'S BAY

11 MILES THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.

A WHITE RIBBON OF CONCRETE,
THE GIN DRINKER'S LINE,

IS STILL ETCHED
INTO THE MOUNTAINS

OVERLOOKING A CRUCIAL
FRESHWATER RESERVOIR.

FOR A BRITISH ARMY GEARED UP

FOR FIRST WORLD WAR-TYPE
BATTLES, THE BUNKERS

AND TUNNELS WITH NAMES LIKE

CHARING CROSS ROAD
SEEMED A GOOD IDEA.

SERGEANTS BOB CLAYTON,
BOB MANCHESTER

AND THE REST OF THE
CANADIANS DIDN'T KNOW

OF LONDON'S EARLIER CALCULATION
THAT THESE DEFENSES

WOULD NOT SURVIVE LONG
IF THE JAPANESE ATTACKED.

BOB CLAYTON REMEMBERS THE
BRITISH MAKING FUN OF THE ENEMY.

[ BOB CLAYTON ]: SOMEBODY
ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW,

IF THEY THOUGHT THE JAPANESE
WERE GONNA DO ANYTHING...

AND THEY JUST SOUNDED LIKE,
HELL, THEY MIGHT MISS A CUP

OF TEA WHILE THEY WERE SENDING
THEM BACK ON THEIR WAY,

BUT THEY WEREN'T
ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

[ BOB MANCHESTER ]:
AND THEY WERE SAYING,

"DON'T WORRY
ABOUT THE JAPANESE."

"THEY CAN'T SEE AT NIGHT;
THEY ALL WEAR GLASSES;"

"THEY HAVE NO AIR FORCE --
IT NEVER FLIES AT NIGHT."

[ CLAYTON ]: WE WERE MORE
INTERESTED IN THE GIRLS

IN WANXIAN THAN WE WERE IN THE
JAPANESE COMING OVER THE BORDER.

[ NARRATOR ]: SIGNS OF
THE LEGENDARY NIGHTLIFE

OF HONG KONG BRING BACK MEMORIES

FOR THE TWO CANADIAN
WAR VETERANS --

MEMORIES OF THE SHORT,
HAPPY THREE WEEKS BEFORE WAR.

PAID BETTER THAN
BRITISH SOLDIERS,

THE CANADIANS WERE ASTONISHED

AT WHAT THEIR MONEY WOULD BUY.

EVERYTHING WAS CHEAP.

BEER WAS 10 CENTS A BOTTLE.

RICKSHAW RIDES WERE 10 CENTS
A CRACK, AND YOU COULD PICK UP

MOST ANYTHING FOR
A GOOD CANADIAN BUCK --

LONG TIME, SHORT TIME, MEDIUM.

HEY, ROBERT,
LOOK AT THIS HERE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE,

THERE WERE THE TATTOO PARLOURS.

THAT'S WHERE BOB CLAYTON BOUGHT
HIMSELF AN INDELIBLE MEMORY

OF HIS HONG KONG ADVENTURE --

HIS REGIMENTAL CREST
AND THE WORD "MOTHER".

HE PAINTS IT ON YOUR ARM,

AND THEN HE JUST
COMES ALONG WITH A...

IT HURT LIKE HELL, TOO.

I GUESS THEY THOUGHT HERE WE
WERE A LITTLE NUTS, YOU KNOW?

AND THE RICKSHAW GUY,
HE'S RUNNING

RIGHT BY THE BRITISH SOLDIER.

HE WANTS TO GET TO THE CANADIAN,
'CAUSE THE CANADIAN

AIN'T GIVING HIM A DIME -- HE'S
GIVING HIM A HONG KONG DOLLAR.

YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS WONDERED
WHAT STRUCK THEM.

NOT ONLY THAT, THE CANADIAN
ENDS UP PULLING THE RICKSHAW GUY

UP THE STREET, THE RICKSHAW
GUY'S IN THE RICKSHAW,

AND THE CANADIAN'S GOT
A HOLD OF THE SHAFTS,

AND HE'S JUST TROTTING HIM
RIGHT UP THERE, YOU KNOW?

IN HONG KONG IN 1941

THE CHINESE WERE ASSIGNED

TO PULL RICKSHAWS AND SERVE
THEIR WHITE MASTERS.

AND JUST TO SURVIVE,
THEY HAD TO LEARN

TO STAY OUT OF THE PATH
OF BRITISH DRIVERS.

IKE FREISEN OF MANITOBA
WAS BRIEFED

ON THE RULES OF THE ROAD
BY A BRITISH OFFICER.

HE SAYS, "IF YOU'RE DRIVING
DOWN THE STREETS IN THE CITY"

"OF KOWLOON, AND
YOU HIT A CHINAMAN,"

"YOU LOOK BACK IN
YOUR REAR-VIEW MIRROR,"

"AND IF HE'S STILL KICKING,
YOU BACK THAT TRUCK UP"

"AND RUN OVER HIM AGAIN."

HE SAYS, "BECAUSE IF YOU SEND
HIM TO THE HOSPITAL,"

"IT'LL COST YOU
THE HOSPITAL BILL."

"IF YOU KILL HIM, IT WILL ONLY
COST YOU $5 FOR BURIAL."

IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

THAT'S HOW MUCH A CHINESE
COOLIE'S LIFE IS WORTH.

THE CANADIANS SAVOURED
THEIR LEISURE MOMENTS

AND WROTE THEIR
FIRST LETTERS HOME.

JOHN PAYNE WAS ENJOYING
THIS NEW ADVENTURE.

DEAR MOTHER,

SO FAR SO GOOD.

I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SAY WHERE WE
ARE, BUT OVERALL, IT'S TOP HOLE.

FOR 60 CENTS A WEEK,
CANADIAN, I HAVE A HOUSEBOY

TO DO MY CLEANING,
WASHING AND ODD JOBS.

WITH THE GUYS,
I CELEBRATED MY BIRTHDAY

OVER AT A PLACE CALLED JINGLES,
WHICH IS SOMETHING

THAT MY POCKETS DIDN'T DO
WHEN I GOT HOME.

TONIGHT I'M READING
DUMAS' BLACK TULIP.

I'M SERIOUSLY THINKING
OF WRITING A BOOK,

IF ONLY I COULD
THINK OF A CLIMAX.

[ NARRATOR ]: AT THE BORDER
WITH THE REST OF CHINA,

THE CURTAIN WAS ABOUT
TO RISE ON A TRAGEDY.

BRITISH INTELLIGENCE

ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE

ONLY 5,000 JAPANESE
SOLDIERS IN POSITION

TO THREATEN HONG KONG.

IN FACT, THERE WERE
10 TIMES THAT MANY:

50,000 BATTLE-HARDENED VETERANS
OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY

ASSEMBLING ON THE BORDER.

THE FIVE-YEAR LAND
CAMPAIGN IN CHINA

GAVE THEM PRECIOUS EXPERIENCE.

SUPERIOR WEAPONS
AND TRAINING GAVE THEM

CONFIDENCE.

[ SHOUTING ]

THE EMPEROR GAVE THEM A CAUSE.

[ SHOUTING ]

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

[ INTERPRETER ]: WHEN
YOU ENCOUNTER THE ENEMY,

REGARD YOURSELF AS IF YOU WERE
AN AVENGER COME FACE TO FACE

WITH HIS FATHER'S MURDERER.

IF YOU FAIL TO
DESTROY HIM UTTERLY,

YOU CAN NEVER REST AT PEACE.

[ NARRATOR ]: IN THE EARLY HOURS
OF SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7th,

THE JAPANESE HIGH COMMAND

ORDERED ITS FORCES
INTO ACTION ACROSS ASIA.

AT 7:50 A.M. CAME THE SURPRISE
ATTACK ON THE AMERICAN FORCES

IN PEARL HARBOR.

OVERSHADOWED AND OFTEN FORGOTTEN
ARE THE OTHER JAPANESE ATTACKS

IN THE HOURS AFTER PEARL
HARBOR -- THE PHILIPPINES,

MALAYA, AND THEN

HONG KONG.

[ CLAYTON ]: I TAKE A LOOK UP,
AND THERE'S THIS "V"

OF AIRPLANES COMING OVER,
AND I HEARD A BRITISH VOICE SAY,

"OH, THEY MUST BE
UP FROM SINGAPORE."

WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HOLY JESUS,

THESE BLACK OBJECTS STARTED
TO DROP OUT OF THE BOTTOM.

WELL, I'VE NEVER
BEEN BOMBED BEFORE,

BUT I'M NOT STUPID, YOU KNOW.

I WAS THE FIRST GUY
IN THE BIG DITCH

THAT'S RIGHT BESIDE THE PLATE.

I WAS IN THERE HEADFIRST, AND
THAT DITCH IS DEEPER THAN I AM.

AT THE CHINESE BORDER,

JAPANESE GROUND TROOPS CROSSED
EASILY INTO HONG KONG TERRITORY.

SOON THERE WAS

AN ARTILLERY DUEL WITH
THE RETREATING BRITISH.

KATONG, TONG, SH-SH-SH-SH...

THE SOUNDS OF HIS OWN SHELLS,
OUTGOING, ARE STILL VIVID

FOR JAPANESE MOUNTAIN GUNNER,
SHIGATOKI HOSOKI.

[ IMITATING OUTGOING SHELLS ]

BUT THE HONG KONG VETERAN
ESPECIALLY REMEMBERS

BRITISH SHELLS, INCOMING.

[ IMITATING INCOMING SHELLS ]

UNDER COVER OF ARTILLERY,
THE JAPANESE BEGAN

A 40-KILOMETRE TREK TOWARDS
THE GIN DRINKER'S LINE.

THE BRITISH CALCULATED
IT WOULD TAKE A WEEK.

BUT 12 HOURS LATER,
THE JAPANESE PATROL,

LED BY AN ENTERPRISING OFFICER,
REACHED THE BRITISH POSITION.

THIS OFFICER

HAD RECONNOITRED AND FOUND OUT

THAT THIS WAS THE MAIN
HINGE IN THE LINE.

WHEN THIS WENT, THE LINE WENT.

THAT WAS THE END OF THE LINE.

UNSEEN AT THE EDGE OF
THE RESERVOIR, THE JAPANESE

SCANNED THIS HILL, LOOKING
FOR SIGNS OF BRITISH TROOPS.

SUDDENLY THEY SAW UNDERWEAR
AND SOCKS WAVING IN THE BREEZE.

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

[ INTERPRETER ]:
TO OUR SURPRISE,

WE SPOTTED LAUNDRY
DRYING ON THE LINE.

WE SOON REALIZED
WHERE TO ATTACK.

WITH GRAPPLING HOOKS,
THEY SCALED THESE CLIFFS

AND SURPRISED THE SCOTTISH
SOLDIERS IN THE BUNKERS BELOW.

[ CLAYTON ]:
THEY GOT UP HERE AND GOT

TO THE VENTILATOR SHAFTS
AND WERE STILL UNDETECTED.

IT WAS A COMPLETE SURPRISE.

AND I CAN JUST IMAGINE
THESE FELLOWS BEING IN HERE --

AND I CAN JUST IMAGINE
THESE FELLOWS BEING IN HERE --

SOME MIGHT BE SLEEPING,
OTHERS SITTING UP

SHOOTING THE GUFF
OR SOMETHING --

AND THESE JAPANESE ARE OUTSIDE.

THEY STARTED DROPPING
THEIR GRENADES INTO HERE

IT MUST HAVE BEEN
AN AWFUL SHOCK TO THESE GUYS.

AND MANY A GOOD SCOTSMAN
DIED DOWN HERE.

[ MANCHESTER ]:
MOSTLY?

YEAH, A LOT OF GOOD MEN
WENT DOWN HERE.

[ NARRATOR ]:
THE GIN DRINKER'S LINE

WAS SUPPOSED TO HOLD OUT
FOR WEEKS.

THE JAPANESE TOOK IT
IN A FEW HOURS.

THE PRECIOUS NORTHERN RESERVOIR
WAS NOW CONTROLLED

BY THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY --

THE COLONY'S WATER
SUPPLY IN PERIL.

THE MOMENTUM OF THE BATTLE
WAS NOW WITH THE JAPANESE,

AND SOON THEY WERE
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF KOWLOON,

THE MAINLAND PART OF HONG KONG.

THE WINNIPEG GRENADIERS
JOINED OTHER DEFENDERS

FIGHTING A REARGUARD ACTION.

EVERYONE WAS HANDED A RIFLE --

EVEN ARMY TELEPHONE LINEMAN,
WALTER JENKINS.

EVERYBODY GETS THE WIND UP, SEE?

HEY, THE JAPS ARE
COMING DOWN THE ROAD.

THIS IS THE MAIN ROAD
IN HONG KONG, RIGHT?

EVERBODY OUT.
EVERYBODY GETS DOWN THERE.

THEY'RE BEHIND
THESE SANDBAGS, RIGHT?

I SAID TO THE SERGEANT --
ALWAYS AN EFFICIENT SERGEANT

AROUND THERE -- I SAYS,
"HEY, I HAVEN'T GOT A SANDBAG."

"AW, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT --
IT'LL JUST GET IN YOUR WAY."

AND I'M THINKING, "WELL..."

"THAT'S WHAT I WANT
THE FUCKING THING FOR."

[ NARRATOR ]: EVERYONE SCRAMBLED
FOR A PLACE ON THE FEW BOATS

BACK FROM KOWLOON TO THE ISLAND.

[ EXPLOSION ]

CANADIAN TROOPS COMANDEERED
THE LAST FERRY.

BUT A 21-YEAR-OLD MANITOBA
FARM BOY MISSED THE BOAT.

JOHN GREY, THE ELDEST
OF SEVEN CHILDREN,

WAS CAPTURED BY THE
JAPANESE AND EXECUTED.

HE BECAME THE FIRST CANADIAN
INFANTRYMAN TO DIE IN COMBAT

IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

SHORTLY AFTER THE EVACUATION,

THE JAPANESE COMMANDERS PARADED
THROUGH THE CITY OF KOWLOON

WITH SOME OF THEIR
OTHER PRISONERS.

AND THEN MOST OF THE COMMANDERS

TURNED THE TOWN OVER
TO THEIR SOLDIERS.

ALL CHINESE WOMEN WERE DECLARED
TO BE PROSTITUTES...

AND FREE.

THE RAPING AND PILLAGING BEGAN.

[ SHOUTING ]

THE CANADIANS JUST ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THIS HARBOUR

COULD HEAR IT ALL.

IT WAS HORRIBLE.

THE SCREAMS AND-- ALL
NIGHT LONG WAS JUST--

I DON'T WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

I GUESS THEY WERE LOOTING
AND EVERYTHING ELSE,

BUT THAT WHOLE CITY WAS JUST ONE
MASSIVE SCREAM ALL NIGHT LONG.

JUST RAISED THE HAIR
ON THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD.

[ NARRATOR ]: THE JAPANESE
PROPAGANDA LEAFLETS

DROPPED ON THE DEFENDERS

PROMISED FAIR PLAY
FOR ANYONE SURRENDERING

BUT ALSO ACCURATELY DEPICTED
THE MILITARY SITUATION:

THE JAPANESE FIRMLY
ON THE MAINLAND,

THE SMALLER DEFENDING FORCES
STRANDED AND SURROUNDED

ON HONG KONG ISLAND.

THEN A PEACE MISSION WAS
DISPATCHED TO THE ISLAND

WITH THE MESSAGE THAT SURRENDER

WAS THE ONLY WAY
TO AVOID ANNIHILATION.

THE JAPANESE DIDN'T HAVE
TO WAIT LONG FOR THEIR ANSWER.

AFTER ONLY 15 MINUTES,
THE BRITISH COMMANDER

SENT BACK HIS
ONE-WORD ANSWER: NO.

[ SHOUTING ]

THE STAGE WAS SET
FOR A DESPERATE SIEGE.

THE CANADIANS HAD OFTEN BEEN
ASSURED THAT HONG KONG ISLAND

WAS AN IMPREGNABLE FORTRESS.

NOW THEY WERE NOT SO SURE.

[ NARRATOR ]: ON DECEMBER 13th,

1941, THE JAPANESE BEGAN

A FIVE-DAY BOMBARDMENT

OF THE ISLAND OF HONG KONG,

SOFTENING IT UP FOR
THE COMING AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.

THE JAPANESE ATTACKERS
WERE OFTEN AS APPREHENSIVE

AS THE DEFENDERS.

SHUICHI KAMATO WAS THERE --
A 22-YEAR-OLD CONSCRIPT

COMMANDING A 25-MAN PLATOON.

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

HE HAD HEARD THAT HONG KONG
WAS A VERY STRONG CASTLE

THAT WOULD TAKE 100 YEARS
TO DESTROY...

AND SO AS HE PREPARED
FOR THE BATTLE,

HE PREPARED FOR HIS OWN DEATH.

THE BRITISH COMMANDERS HAD
ALWAYS EXPECTED AN ATTACK

FROM THE SEA, AND SO HAD PLACED
MOST OF THEIR FORTIFICATIONS

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ISLAND.

THEY STILL EXPECTED A JAPANESE
ATTACK FROM THE SEA,

THEY STILL EXPECTED A JAPANESE
ATTACK FROM THE SEA,

EVEN THOUGH THE ENEMY WAS NOW

IN CONTROL OF THE MAINLAND
ON THE OTHER SIDE.

ALL THE JAPANESE HAD TO DO
WAS CROSS THE HARBOUR.

CANADA'S ROYAL RIFLES
WERE PLACED

AT THE NARROWEST CROSSING
POINT, LYE MUN PASSAGE.

THE BRITISH COMMANDER SAID
THE JAPANESE WOULD NEVER

COME ACROSS THE WATER AT NIGHT.

CANADIANS WERE ASSURED THAT THE
JAPANESE WERE RACIALLY PRONE

TO SEASICKNESS.

BECAUSE OF THEIR EYE SHAPE,

THEIR NIGHT VISION
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE POOR.

BOTH SIDES REDUCED THE ENEMY
TO A RACIAL CARICATURE.

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

[ TRANSLATOR ]: WESTERNERS THINK
THEMSELVES VERY SUPERIOR PEOPLE

BUT ARE REALLY VERY EFFEMINATE
AND VERY COWARDLY.

THEY HAVE AN INTENSE DISLIKE
OF FIGHTING IN THE RAIN

OR AT NIGHT, SO THAT
IS HOW WE ATTACK.

[ NARRATOR ]: AT 10:00 P.M.,
ON DECEMBER 18th,

THE JAPANESE CROSSED
TO THE ISLAND

ROYAL RIFLEMAN JOHN STROUD

WAS IN HIS TRENCH WAITING.

IT WAS DARK.

WE HEARD SOMEONE COMING,

BUT HE SAID,
"DON'T WORRY. IT'S ME, JOE."

AND THEN HE LUNGED AND THRUST
HIS BAYONET INTO MY LEG.

[ SCREAMING ]

IT WAS A JAP, BUT HE SAID,

"IT'S ME, JOE," IN PERFECT
ENGLISH, NOT EVEN AN ACCENT.

AND THEN THE JAPANESE
WERE ALL OVER US.

[ GUNS FIRING ]

[ NARRATOR ]: THE CANADIANS
FOUND THEMSELVES

UNDER FIRE IN THE PITCH BLACK.

JOHN PAYNE PHONED BRITISH
HEADQUARTERS TO REPORT

THAT THE JAPANESE
HAD COME ASHORE.

I GOT A BRITISH STAFF OFFICER

AND TOLD HIM
THE JAPANESE HAD LANDED.

I SAID WE NEEDED ARTILLERY
SUPPORT AND QUICKLY.

HE TELLS ME
THERE'S NO POSSIBILITY

THE JAPANESE ARE ON THE ISLAND.

WE'RE COMMANDED BY THESE
BRITISH IMPERIAL TYPES.

SOME OF THEM JUST DON'T
TRUST US COLONIALS.

HE ACTUALLY TOLD ME
THAT I MUST BE DREAMING.

[ NARRATOR ]: ON THAT
FIRST NIGHT OF THE INVASION,

AS BOB CLAYTON WAS WALKING UP
THIS ROAD AT LYE MUN,

HE HAD HIS FIRST
ENCOUNTER WITH THE JAPANESE.

[ BOB CLAYTON ]:
MY PLATOON OFFICER SENT ME

DOWN TO PICK UP A FLARE PISTOL.

THIS IS 1:00, 2:00
IN THE MORNING, DARK.

I'M COMING BACK UP THE ROAD

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
RIGHT IN FRONT ME,

A SHEET OF FLAME COME UP
AND HIT ME IN THE FACE.

[ GUN FIRING ]

I SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES.

I LANDED DOWN ON THE ROAD.

I DIDN'T FEEL ANY PAIN OR
ANYTHING, BUT I COULDN'T GET UP.

I CRAWLED UP THE ROAD.

I CALLED FOR MY PLATOON OFFICER,
AND IT'S PITCH BLACK.

AND HE SAID, "DID YOU
GET THE FLARE PISTOLS?"

AND I SAID, "NO, SIR."

HE SAID, "YOU'LL HAVE
TO GO BACK AND GET THEM."

I SAID, "I CAN'T,
I'VE BEEN HIT."

[ NARRATOR ]: CLAYTON WAS
DRAGGED INTO A SMALL BUNKER

AT LYE MUN AND LEFT ALONE.

ABOUT 10 MINUTES GO BY,
AND I THOUGHT, "BOY,"

"WHEN THOSE JAPS GET IN HERE,
I'M GOING TO GET A SHORT SHIFT."

"I'M GOING TO GET THE BAYONET."

SO, HAH, YOU GET
THE WIND UP, YOU KNOW.

I HAD A HAND GRENADE STRAPPED
ON HERE, AND I THOUGHT, HELL.

I TOOK THE HAND GRENADE OUT
AND TOOK THE PIN OUT.

I THOUGHT THIS IS EASIER
THAN THEM GETTING HERE.

I WAS GOING TO LET THE LEVER GO

AND PUT THE GRENADE
AGAINST MY CHEST,

AND THEN I HAD SECOND THOUGHTS.

AND I THOUGHT THAT'S A GODDAMNED
COWARD'S WAY TO DO IT.

I SHOULD TAKE SOME
OF THOSE BASTARDS

WITH ME WHEN THEY GET HERE.

THE NEXT THING, IN WALKS THIS
LIEUTENANT SCOTT, AND HE SAYS,

"I COME BACK TO SEE
IF YOU WERE HERE."

HE SAYS, "GET ON MY BACK,"
AND I DID.

WE WENT OUT THE DOOR,
AND WE STARTED UP THE ROAD,

AND I SAID, "MR. SCOTT,
I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU"

"AS LONG AS I LIVE."

HE SAYS, "WE'LL
HAVE A DRINK SOME DAY."

[ NARRATOR ]:
CLAYTON WAS BROUGHT

TO A NEARBY
BRITISH FIELD HOSPITAL.

I STILL GOT THE HAND GRENADE
IN MY HAND.

IT WAS AN OLD MAJOR THERE,
A MEDICAL OFFICER, YOU KNOW.

AND THE OLD ARMY
MAJOR'S BENDING OVER ME,

FINALLY HE SAYS,
"WHAT YOU GOT IN YOUR HAND?"

I SAID, "I GOT
A HAND GRENADE, SIR."

HE SAYS, "WILL IT GO OFF?"

I SAID, "SHE'LL GO OFF
IF I LET GO OF HER, BOY."

HE SAID, "HOLY JESUS!" AND SO
THE NEXT THING, THEY COME IN

I THINK IT WAS MALKEY
TOOK THE GRENADE.

HE MADE SURE HE HELD THAT LEVER.

AND THAT OLD LIMEY OFFICER,

HE'S JUST MADDER
THAN HELL THEN, YOU KNOW.

HE SAYS, "WHATEVER YOU DO,
ANYBODY WHO COMES IN ANY MORE,"

HE SAYS, "I WANT TO HAVE THEM"

"SEARCHED BEFORE
THEY COME IN HERE."

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, JUST
ABOUT A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER,

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, JUST
ABOUT A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER,

I HEARD THAT GRENADE GO OFF.

THIS BUNKER WAS ON THE SIDE
OF A HILL, AND I GUESS

THEY WENT AROUND THE CORNER
AND THREW IT DOWN THERE,

AND I HEARD
THE DAMN GRENADE GO OFF, EH?

SO IT ENDED UP, IT WAS FUNNY,
BUT IT WASN'T VERY FUNNY.

BUT I'LL NEVER FORGET
THAT MR. SCOTT.

HE WAS A VERY, VERY BRAVE MAN,

BECAUSE I'D HAVE DIED
THAT NIGHT IN THAT--

WHAT HAPPENED
TO HIM?

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?

WELL, WE NEVER
GOT OUR DRINK TOGETHER.

THEY FOUND LIEUTENANT SCOTT
AND LIEUTENANT LISTER

AND THREE OF OUR PRIVATES ALL
TIED TOGETHER AND BAYONETTED.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.

[ NARRATOR ]: BY THE TIME
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS

ACCEPTED THAT
THE ATTACK WAS REAL,

THE JAPANESE HAD
LANDED 7,500 SOLDIERS

ON THE ISLAND OF HONG KONG.

THEY STREAMED OVER IN BOATS
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION.

SEASICKNESS WAS NOT A PROBLEM.

MANY OF THE JAPANESE
SOLDIERS RATHER ENJOYED

THEIR SHORT BOAT RIDE
OVER TO THE ISLAND.

SOME EVEN REMEMBER
SINGING ALONG THE WAY.

[ SINGING
IN JAPANESE ]

INFANTRYMAN SHINSUKI ADAKI
RECALLS SINGING A SENTIMENTAL

SAMURAI SONG ABOUT A SOLDIER
PINING FOR HIS MOTHER.

THE JAPANESE FORCES SWEPT ACROSS
THE CHANNEL FROM THE MAINLAND

AND ROLLED THE DEFENDERS BACK UP

THE MOUNTAINS IN
THE CENTRE OF THE ISLAND.

A KEY BATTLE TOOK PLACE

AT THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN PASS
CALLED THE WONG NEI CHONG GAP.

TODAY IT'S STILL THE ONLY WAY

THROUGH THE CENTRE
OF THE ISLAND.

SERGEANT BOB MANCHESTER'S
FIGHT WAS HERE

WITH THE WINNIPEG GRENADIERS.

[ BOB MANCHESTER ]:
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN

AT LEAST A DOZEN OFFICERS,
NCO's AND OTHER RANKS

WHICH OPERATED
THIS COMMAND POST.

THIS IS WEST BRIGADE

COMMAND POST.

[ NARRATOR ]:
THE CANADIAN COMMANDER

WAS KILLED AT
HIS HEADQUARTERS HERE

EARLY IN THE BATTLE.

HANDFULS OF GRENADIERS STRUGGLED

TO KEEP THE HIGH GROUND
AND SURPRISE

THE JAPANESE BELOW THEM.

THE BATTLE IS
BLOODY AND DESPERATE.

A HUNDRED GRENADIERS ARE HOLDING
OFF TWO JAPANESE REGIMENTS.

THE GUY'S WHO'VE
NEVER THROWN A GRENADE

ARE ACQUIRING SOME EXPERIENCE.

THE JAPANESE MACHINE GUN
ON TOP OF THE HILL,

HE OPENED UP AGAIN,
AND JUST AT THAT TIME,

I GOT SMACKED IN THE ARM,
AND THE MARKS ON MY FOREARM

ARE STILL HERE.

THERE ARE FOUR HOLES THAT
WENT THROUGH AT THAT POINT.

I...I'M...I GOT HIT.

I'M BURNIN'.

I'M NUMB.

JAP SNIPER GOT ME.

SO I'LL JUST LIE
QUIET HERE FOR A WHILE.

JAP SNIPER COME OUT TO SEE

IF YOU DIE OR IF YOU
GOT GOLD IN YOUR MOUTH.

I'M WAITING FOR HIM.

I GOT A NEW MAGAZINE
IN MY STEN.

SO LET HIM COME.

LET HIM COME REAL CLOSE.

[ SCREAMING ]

I EMPTIED IT IN HIS BODY.

I GOT HIM RIGHT HERE.

I MADE A HOLE RIGHT HERE.

BUT I WASN'T SATISFIED,
SO I TROMPED HIS HEAD IN.

AH, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THE
GRUDGE YOU GET AFTER A WHILE.

[ MANCHESTER ]:
WE WERE OUTNUMBERED BY

50 TO 1 AT LEAST.

WE HAD HUNG ON
IN THIS PARTICULAR POSITION

FOR ABOUT FOUR AND HALF DAYS,

AND WE WERE NOW RUNNING OUT
OF AMMUNITION AND FOOD.

[ NARRATOR ]:
THE JAPANESE SOLDIERS

WERE ORDERED TO MAKE A SERIES

OF SUICIDE ATTACKS
AGAINST THE CANADIAN POSITIONS.

OF SUICIDE ATTACKS
AGAINST THE CANADIAN POSITIONS.

THEY SUFFERED 800 CASUALTIES
TO WIN THE BATTLE

AT WONG NEI CHONG GAP.

WHEN THE JAPANESE DISCOVERED
HOW FEW DEFENDERS

HAD CAUSED THIS DECIMATION,

THE FIELD COMMANDER WAS FORCED
TO APOLOGIZE TO HIS SUPERIORS.

THE GRENADIERS AND OTHERS
ROUNDED UP AS PRISONERS

WERE NOW IN DANGER.

SOME JAPANESE SOLDIERS
WANTED REVENGE.

[ MANCHESTER ]:
THE JAPANESE CAME IN,

MOVED US OUT OF THE COMPOUND.

THEY TOLD US THAT THE WAR

WAS OVER AS FAR AS
WE WERE CONCERNED.

WE ASKED ABOUT THE WOUNDED
AND COULD WE TAKE THEM WITH US.

AND THEY SAID,
"NO, DEFINITELY NOT."

"LEAVE THEM HERE."

"WE'LL TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM."

SO THEY DID --
REAL GOOD CARE OF THEM.

THEY WENT IN AND PUT
BAYONETS IN THEM, SHOT THEM,

AND THEN THEY BURNT
THE WHOLE WORKS THAT WERE LEFT.

[ NARRATOR ]: AFTER THE WAR,
WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATORS

WENT LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
OF THAT EXECUTION.

HERE, NEAR THIS STREAM
IN THE WONG NEI CHONG GAP,

THEY FOUND THE BONES

OF THE MURDERED CANADIAN
AND BRITISH SOLDIERS.

JOHN OSBORNE WON
THE VICTORY CROSS,

THE EMPIRE'S HIGHEST
AWARD FOR BRAVERY,

FOR HIS PART IN THE DEFENSE
OF WONG NEI CHONG GAP.

HE WAS A WINNIPEG GRENADIER,

KILLED TWO DAYS
BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN 1941.

THE BATTLE WAS STILL NOT OVER.

MANY MORE CANADIANS WOULD
JOIN HIM IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

[ NARRATOR ]:
THIS IS ST. STEPHEN'S COLLEGE,

A HONG KONG PRIVATE SCHOOL
IN THE BRITISH TRADITION.

DURING THE SEIGE
OF HONG KONG IN 1941,

THE GLEAMING FLOORS OF THE
LIBRARY HERE WERE COVERED

WITH ALMOST 100 BADLY WOUNDED
BRITISH AND CANADIAN SOLDIERS.

IT WAS A TEMPORARY
FIELD HOSPITAL

STAFFED BY TWO DOCTORS
AND 11 NURSES.

THIS IS WHERE
19-YEAR-OLD BOB CLAYTON

WAS BROUGHT TWO DAYS
BEFORE CHRISTMAS, 1941.

THE JAPANESE GRENADE
THAT EXPLODED AT HIS FEET

MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HIM TO WALK.

HE WOULD SPEND A WEEK IN THIS
BUILDING, AND DURING THAT TIME,

HE WOULD WITNESS AN EVENT
SO CRUEL, SO BRUTAL,

THAT HE WOULD BE MARKED BY IT
FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

SORRY.

OK.

WHERE DID THEY PUT YOU
DO YOU REMEMBER,

WHEN YOU WERE BROUGHT IN?

YUP.

WHERE THEY LAID YOU DOWN?

I, UH, I'D BEEN WOUNDED IN BOTH
LEGS, AND THEN COMING UP HERE,

THEY FIRED ON THE AMBULANCE, AND
I GOT WOUNDED AGAIN IN THE FACE.

SO I GUESS I WAS
ALL COVERED IN BLOOD.

AND, UH...

THEY BROUGHT ME IN HERE,
PUT THE STRETCHER ON THE FLOOR.

OR MAYBE IT WAS A BED.

I DON'T KNOW.

AND, UH...THIS LADY COME OVER.

SHE WAS A VOLUNTEER NURSE.

I GUESS SHE'D BE 40 YEARS OLD.

AND, UH, SHE COME OVER AND KNELT
DOWN BESIDE ME AND LOOKED AT ME.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET
THE LOOK ON HER FACE.

I JUST CAN'T--
I'LL NEVER FORGET IT.

IT WAS LIKE SHE WAS SAYING,

"BOY, OH, BOY, WHAT'S
THIS KID DOING HERE?"

AND THEN SHE WENT AWAY,
AND SHE COME BACK

WITH A BUCKET OF WATER,

OR A PAIL OF WATER
OR WHATEVER IT WAS,

AND WASHED MY FACE ALL OFF, AND
WASHED MY LEGS ALL OFF, AND...

ASKED ME IF THERE'S
ANYTHING THAT I'D LIKE.

AND I SAID I'D LIKE TO HAVE A
HOT CHOCOLATE, IF THEY HAD ANY.

SO SHE WENT AND GOT ME
A HOT CHOCOLATE.

SHE SAID, "YOU TRY
TO GO TO SLEEP NOW."

THIS YOUNG LAD, BUD SWEET,

FROM BATHURST, NEW BRUNSWICK,
WAS ASLEEP IN MY WARD...

WITH FRECKLES ACROSS HIS NOSE
AND A LOCK OF HAIR.

HE LOOKS AS THOUGH HE SHOULD BE

OUT PLAYING MARBLES
OR SOMETHING.

AND HERE HE IS WITH HIS LEFT ARM
OFF RIGHT UP TO THE SHOULDER.

AND HE DOESN'T KNOW YET.

AND I'M THINKING, "DEAR GOD,"

"WHAT AM I GOING TO TELL
YOU WHEN YOU COME TO?"

BUD BEGAN TO STIR.

HE LOOKED...AT HIS SHOULDER...

AND HE SAID, "HOW AM I DOING?"

I SAID, "YOU'RE
DOING JUST FINE."

HE SAID, "YOU MEAN WHAT'S
LEFT OF ME IS DOING FINE."

I SAID, "THAT'S EXACTLY IT."

HE SAID, "WELL, THAT'S KIND
OF THE WAY I FIGURED."

AND HE JUST TURNED ASIDE
AND WENT TO SLEEP.

[ NARRATOR ]: OUTSIDE,
THE BATTLE RAGED ON.

EVERY HOUR BROUGHT MORE JAPANESE
TROOPS ON TO THE ISLAND.

ON CHRISTMAS EVE, 1941,

AMONG THE WOUNDED,
THE DEAD AND THE DYING

AT ST. STEPHEN'S HOSPITAL,
WAS LAURIE MACKAY.

CHRISTMAS EVE.

THE PLACE WAS FILLED WITH BEDS,
PEOPLE HIT REALLY BAD.

THEY WERE BEATING
THIS ONE FELLOW,

TRYING TO BRING HIM
OUT OF SHELL SHOCK.

YOU COULDN'T SLEEP.

WE COULD HEAR MACHINE GUN FIRE
AS THE JAPANESE GOT CLOSER.

"JEEZ," I WAS THINKING,
"I GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE."

BUT I WAITED TOO LONG.

[ GUN FIRE ]

BOB CLAYTON WAS UPSTAIRS
IN ST. STEPHEN'S

WHEN THE JAPANESE CLOSED IN

ON THE HOSPITAL AT 5:30 A.M.
ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

SO OUR WOUNDED WERE
LAYING IN BED THERE,

AND JUST BEFORE THEY BROKE
INTO THE HOSPITAL,

THERE WAS A HELL OF
A COMMOTION OUTSIDE,

AND I HEARD A GUY HOLLERING,
"FOR CHRIST'S SAKE,"

"DON'T LET THOSE BASTARDS
GET IN THIS HOSPITAL."

WHEN THE JAPANESE
CAME THROUGH THE DOOR,

THE DOCTORS MET THEM,
AND THEY HAD THEIR HANDS UP.

THE DOCTORS TRIED
TO SURRENDER THE HOSPITAL,

BUT THEY KILLED THEM.

THEN THE JAPANESE SOLDIERS
STARTED KILLING ALL AROUND ME.

I SAID, "OH, MY GOD,
THIS IS IT."

I PULLED THE BLANKETS
OVER MY HEAD.

ONE JAP RAN OVER ME TO BAYONET
THE GUY IN THE NEXT BED.

AND I ROLLED OFF MY MATTRESS,
AND I MADE A RUN FOR THE DOOR.

AND I WAS HIT OVER THE HEAD.

I WENT ARSE OVER TEAKETTLE.

I DON'T REMEMBER A THING
TILL I CAME TO.

AND THIS RED CROSS NURSE
WAS TRYING TO STOP

THIS JAPANESE SOLDIER
FROM KILLING US.

SO THE SOLDIER GRABS HER BY
THE THROAT AND DRAGS HER AWAY.

THE SURVIVING
NURSES AND SOLDIERS,

LIKE LAURIE MACKAY
AND BOB CLAYTON,

WERE DRAGGED DOWN THIS CORRIDOR

IN THE SCHOOL'S DORMITORY.

IN THE SCHOOL'S DORMITORY.

SEPARATING THE NURSES, THE
JAPANESE JAMMED MORE THAN 60

WOUNDED AND TERRIFIED
SOLDIERS INTO THIS DORM.

ONE AFTER THE OTHER,

SOLDIERS WERE TAKEN OUT,

TORTURED AND DISMEMBERED
WITH SWORDS.

THE RAPING OF THE NURSES BEGAN.

THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO
THE ROOM AND FIRING INTO IT.

THE FEAR HAD REALLY SET INTO ME.

I HAD MY HEAD DOWN, AND THIS OLD
FIRST WORLD WAR VET SAYS TO ME,

"LOOK, KID, WE'RE
GOING TO DIE TODAY."

"BUT ONE THING
WE'RE GOING TO DO."

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE
LIKE CANADIANS."

"DON'T BE SCARED OF THEM."

IT WAS CHRISTMAS DAY, AND
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOME,

AND I THOUGHT OF MY MOTHER A
MILLION TIMES, AND I KNEW SHE'D

BE GOING CRAZY, ABSOLUTELY
CRAZY, WHICH I FOUND OUT AFTER.

ANYWAY, YOU DO STUPID THINGS,
AND I WAS SITTING THERE

ON THE FLOOR, AND I KEPT SAYING,

"MA, I'M ALL RIGHT.
MA, I'M ALL RIGHT."

THEN THIS JAP SOLDIER CAME IN...

HE SAYS, "CANADA!"

AND I SAYS, "YEAH,
THE HELL WITH YOU."

"GO AHEAD, YOU BASTARD."

"KILL ME."

HE LOOKS AT ME.

HE STARTS KICKING ME,
AND THEN HE SAYS, "CANADA!"

"COWBOY?"

I SAYS TO MYSELF,
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

SO I SAY, "YEAH...COWBOY."

SO HE STEPS BACK, AND HE TWIRLS
HIS HAND OVER HIS HEAD

LIKE A LARIAT, AND HE YELLS,

"WHOOOHOOO! HOO! HOO!
HOO! YIP! YIP! YIP!"

AND THEN HE TELLS
ME TO STAND UP...

AND QUICK DRAW.

ALL NIGHT, HE KEPT
BRINGING BACK HIS FRIENDS

AND TELLING ME TO QUICK DRAW.

[ NARRATOR ]: 5,000 MILES
ACROSS THE PACIFIC,

IN TORONTO, IT WAS
EARLY CHRISTMAS MORNING.

MY MA AND DAD,
THEY'RE LAYING IN BED,

AND MY MOTHER SHAKES MY DAD
AND WAKES HIM UP, AND SAID,

"ROB, BOBBIE WAS
RIGHT IN THIS ROOM."

"HE WAS SAYING, 'MA, I'M ALL
RIGHT. MA, I'M ALL RIGHT.'"

UH...MY, UH, DAD TOLD
HER SHE WAS HEARING THINGS.

SHE SURE DID.

SHE SAYS AFTER THAT,
SHE NEVER WORRIED AGAIN.

AND SHE NEVER DID.

HE CAME BACK LATER AND BROUGHT
ME A PACK OF CIGARETTES...

A PICTURE OF DEANNA DURBIN
AND AN ALARM CLOCK.

THE CIGARETTES,
I REALLY APPRECIATED.

THE ALARM CLOCK, I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW LONG I WAS GOING TO NEED.

AND THE PICTURE
OF DEANNA DURBIN...

WELL, I GUESS THEY KNEW
SHE WAS CANADIAN TOO.

[ NARRATOR ]: OUTSIDE,
CLAYTON'S REGIMENT

WAS ORDERED BY THE BRITISH
TO MAKE A SUICIDE CHARGE

TO RETAKE THE HIGH GROUND
AROUND ST. STEPHEN'S.

THEY WERE ANNIHILATED.

THEY WERE ANNIHILATED.

JACKIE LYONS, HENRY'S
BROTHER, DIED DOWN THERE.

GORDON LATIMER DIED DOWN THERE.

BUT AT LEAST THEY DIED FIGHTING.

WHAT THOSE BASTARDS DID
IN HERE, I'LL NEVER FORGET.

FIVE OF THE SEVEN NURSES
AT ST. STEPHEN'S,

INCLUDING THE ONE WHO GAVE
CLAYTON HOT CHOCOLATE,

WERE RAPED AND KILLED.

OF THE 93 WOUNDED SOLDIERS,

63 WERE MURDERED
BY THE JAPANESE.

YAAAGH!

MANY CAPTIVES LIKE
BOB CLAYTON WERE SPARED.

BUT DURING THE BATTLE,

OFFICIAL JAPANESE POLICY
WAS TO TAKE NO PRISONERS.

IN THE AFTERNOON
OF CHRISTMAS DAY,

WITH MUCH OF HONG KONG IN
FLAMES, THE BRITISH REALIZED

THAT FURTHER RESISTANCE
WAS FUTILE.

AT 3:00 P.M., THE
BRITISH COMMANDERS

OFFICIALLY SURRENDERED TO
THE FORCES OF IMPERIAL JAPAN.

THE UNION JACK WAS LOWERED.

BONZAI!

[ CHEERING ]

BONZAI!

ON THE DAY AFTER
CHRISTMAS IN HONG KONG,

THE JAPANESE COMMANDERS
PARADED IN TRIUMPH

THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE CITY.

THE DEFENDERS OF HONG KONG,
FROM BRITAIN, INDIA AND CANADA,

WERE NOW PRISONERS OF WAR.

SOME APPEARED ALMOST JOVIAL,

HAPPY AT LEAST TO HAVE SURVIVED.

MANY EXPECTED

TO BE TREATED CIVILY,
ACCORDING TO

THE RULES OF THE
GENEVA CONVENTION.

THEY WERE SADLY MISTAKEN.

OVER THE NEXT 3 1/2 YEARS OF
CAPTIVITY, MANY OF THE LIVING

WOULD COME TO ENVY THE DEAD.

[ NARRATOR ]: THIS IS
THE SHAMSHUIPO PRISON CAMP,

NEAR THE CENTRE OF HONG KONG.

AFTER THE BRITISH COLONY
FELL TO THE JAPANESE

IN DECEMBER OF 1941,

THIS IS WHERE CANADIAN PRISONERS
OF WAR WERE INCARCERATED.

MORE RECENTLY, THIS PRISON CAMP
HAS BEEN USED TO HOLD

ILLEGAL VIETNAMESE
IMMIGRANTS TO HONG KONG --

BOAT PEOPLE.

ONE THING, ROBERT,
IT BRINGS BACK

A LOT OF BAD MEMORIES,
I'M GONNA TELL YOU.

CANADIAN VETERANS BOB CLAYTON
AND BOB MANCHESTER

FOUND IT HASN'T
CHANGED VERY MUCH

SINCE THEY LIVED HERE
50 YEARS AGO.

BUT IMAGINE
HAVING TO PUT UP

WITH THOSE THINGS --
IT HAS A REAL SMELL

OF OLD DEATH IN THERE.

IT WAS
SOME PLACE.

I SEE THE BACKDROP OF THE HOUSES
ARE STILL THE SAME, EH?

JUST THE SAME AS WHEN
WE MARCHED OUT THERE.

YEAH, LOOKS JUST THE SAME.

[ NARRATOR ]: WHEN
THE CANADIAN PRISONERS

WERE MARCHED INTO THIS CAMP

AFTER THE HONG KONG BATTLE,
THEY HAD NO IDEA

HOW LONG THEY'D BE STAYING OR
WHAT THEIR LIFE WOULD BE LIKE.

SOME THOUGHT THE GREATEST
ENEMY WOULD BE BOREDOM.

ARMAND BOURBONIERE OF
ST. BONIFACE WAS DETERMINED

TO MAKE A DECENT LIFE FOR
HIMSELF AND HIS BROTHER HECTOR.

WHEN THEY TOOK US TO THE
CAMP FROM THE HOSPITAL,

THEY TOLD US TO TAKE
ALL THAT WE COULD CARRY.

SO I GOT THIS BIG MATTRESS.

I GOT SHEETS, PILLOWS,
OH, AND THESE SOUP BOWLS.

SO I'M THINKING OF MY BROTHER.

SO ONE DAY, I BEGGED HIM
TO COME AND MOVE IN WITH ME.

HE SAYS NO.

I MEAN, I BROUGHT UTENSILS
AND A BOWL FOR HIM.

THEN HE MOVES IN WITH ME.

HE SPENDS A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

AND THEN HE GOT MAD,
AND HE TOOK OFF.

AND THEN HE SOLD HIS
BOWL FOR CIGARETTES.

I GOT SO MAD.

I HAVE A REAL HARD
TIME WITH HIM.

I MEAN, I TRIED TO
HELP HIM AND EVERYTHING.

BUT HE JUST DOESN'T SEEM
TO APPRECIATE WHAT I DO FOR HIM.

[ NARRATOR ]: THERE ARE FEW
FILMS OR PHOTOGRAPHS OF LIFE

[ NARRATOR ]: THERE ARE FEW
FILMS OR PHOTOGRAPHS OF LIFE

INSIDE THE SHAMSHUIPO
PRISON CAMP.

THESE DRAWINGS
BY HONG KONG VETERANS

PROVIDE A RARE VISUAL RECORD.

THE PRISONERS WERE WAREHOUSED
IN A STEAMING, CROWDED BARRACKS.

ONE OF THE ARTISTS
WAS JOHN PAYNE.

THERE'S A LOT OF TALK
IN THE CAMP THAT

WE'RE GOING TO BE LIBERATED
BEFORE TOO LONG BY THE BRITS

OR THE AMERICANS OR SOMEBODY.

I WOULDN'T BET ON IT.

I'VE GIVEN THIS PLACE 100 DAYS.

I WON'T BE ALONE
GOING OVER THE WIRE.

[ NARRATOR ]: STILL CLOSE
TO THE SHAMSHUIPO CAMP

IS HONG KONG'S
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,

KAI TAK.

FEW MODERN TRAVELLERS REALIZE
THE RUNWAY HERE WAS BUILT

BY CANADIAN AND OTHER
PRISONERS OF WAR

UNDER THREAT OF STARVATION.

WINNIPEG GRENADIER LES CANIVET
WORKED ON THAT RUNWAY.

THE TARMAC WE BUILT WAS ABOUT

THE WORST PIECE OF CONCRETE
YOU'D EVER SEEN.

WE SABOTAGED IT

BY MIXING ALL KINDS OF SAND

IN WITH THE CONCRETE
TO MAKE IT WEAK.

WHEN THE FIRST JAPANESE
AIRCRAFT LANDED THERE --

IT WAS A LARGE AIRCRAFT
WITH A FIGHTER ESCORT,

WITH VIPs ON BOARD --

CRASHED ON LANDING
'CAUSE THE TARMAC GAVE WAY.

YOU SEE, THE JAPANESE ENGINEER

TURNED THE PROJECT OVER
TO A BRITISH ENGINEER,

'CAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT
TO BE BOTHERED WITH IT.

I CAN RECALL THEM BRINGING
THAT JAPANESE ENGINEER OUT,

AND THE OFFICER IN CHARGE JUST

CHOPPED HIS HEAD
OFF RIGHT THERE.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE IN
FOR THE CHOPPING.

IT WAS US DOING THE WORK.

BUT, UM, WE GOT
AWAY QUITE CLEAN.

[ NARRATOR ]: THE PRISONERS
MAY HAVE LOST THE BATTLE,

BUT WERE DETERMINED
TO STAND TALL.

ONE OF THEIR JAILERS WAS BENT
ON CRUSHING THAT SPIRIT --

A MEMBER OF THE JAPANESE
GESTAPO, THE KEMPETAI,

KENEWA INOUYE.

[ CLAYTON ]: AND ALL OF A
SUDDEN, THIS SON OF A BITCH

COMES ALONG AND LOOKS US ALL UP.

HE'S WALKING UP AND DOWN,
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HIM.

HE'S SOMETHING NEW --
WE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE.

SO HE STOPS AND HE LOOKS
AT US ALL, AND HE SAYS,

"YOU'RE THE CANADIANS, EH",
JUST LIKE THAT.

WELL, JESUS, WE'RE LOOKING
AT THIS GUY NOW.

HE SAYS, "I WANT YOU TO KNOW
I WAS BORN AND RAISED"

"IN KAMLOOPS, B.C.,
AND I HATE YOUR GODDAMN GUTS."

[ NARRATOR ]: INOUYE WAS
A CANADIAN WHO LEFT HOME

AND ENLISTED
IN THE JAPANESE MILITARY.

HE WAS KNOWN AS
"THE KAMLOOPS KID."

HE WANTED TO GET GUYS THAT WERE

OUT FROM AROUND WHERE
HE CAME FROM, YOU KNOW.

HE SAID WHEN HE WAS A KID
GROWING UP THERE,

THEY'D CALL HIM
"LITTLE YELLOW BASTARD"

AND STUFF LIKE THIS --
HE NEVER FORGOT THAT.

JOHN STROUD.

ANOTHER FELLOW AND I'D
GET A HOLD OF A BASEBALL,

TRYING TO KEEP IN SHAPE.

AROUND THE CORNER
COMES THE KAMLOOPS KID.

HE SAYS, "I THROW THE BALL."

SO I THROW IT TO HIM.

HE THROWS IT BACK
A LITTLE HARDER.

I THROW IT BACK HARDER.

NOW, I'VE PITCHED A LOT
OF BALLS IN MY LIFE,

SO AROUND THE FOURTH TRY,
I PUT A CURVE ON IT.

HE MISSES IT WITH HIS HANDS
AND I HIT HIM IN THE FACE.

HE PULLS OUT HIS FUCKING SWORD
AND NICKS ME ON THE FOREHEAD.

THEN HE SAYS...

"THAT'LL TEACH YOU,
YOU SMART BASTARD."

ONE OF OUR OFFICERS,
CAPTAIN NORRIS, WHO WAS

THE REGIMENTAL QUARTERMASTER,
HE DECIDED THAT HE WAS GONNA

APPROACH THIS, THIS AUTHORITY
AND SAY HE WANTED CLOTHING,

AND BOOTS PARTICULARLY,
FOR THE MEN IF THEY

WERE GONNA GO OUT TO WORK.

AND, UH, THE KAMLOOPS KID
JUST WORKED HIM OVER

FOR A GOOD 15, 20 MINUTES
UNTIL HE WAS BLEEDING...

HIS EARS, HIS FACE,
HIS SHOULDERS.

IT WAS A DISGUSTING
SITUATION TO WITNESS.

AT LEAST TWO WEAKENED CANADIANS
DIED AFTER BEATINGS BY INOUYE.

OFFICERS PROTESTED BRUTALITY
TOWARDS PRISONERS,

BUT THE JAPANESE WERE UNMOVED.

IN FACT, THE TREATMENT

OF OFFICERS WAS ONE PART
OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION

HONOURED BY THE JAPANESE.

THE OFFICERS GOT
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES,

AND THIS SOWED TROUBLE
WITH SOLDIERS

LIKE FRED REISCH.

SO 2% OF THE MEN
HERE ARE OFFICERS...

AND THEY BUY 95% OF THE
FOOD THAT THE JAPS BRING.

WE CAN'T BUY ANY FOOD
AT THE CANTEEN,

'CAUSE THE OFFICERS
HAVE BOUGHT IT ALL.

THEY PUT BARBED WIRE
AROUND THEIR HUTS

TO HOARD THIS BLOODY FOOD.

WE WORK, AND THEY
LAY IN THEIR BUNKS.

AND THEY SMOKE.

AND THEY FLICK HALF-CIGARETTES
OUT OF THIS AREA.

AND IF YOU'RE A SMOKER,

YOU'RE DYIN' FOR
A SMOKE, YOU KNOW.

SO ONE DAY...

HARRY ROBINSON,
A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE,

HE WALKED INTO THE GATE,
PICKED UP A COUPLE OF BUTTS.

AND THIS GUY --

USED TO BE A COOK AND THEY
MADE HIM A SERGEANT --

HE TELLS ROBINSON
TO DROP THE BUTTS.

AND HARRY TELLS HIM,
"YOU CAN KISS MY ASS."

AND THEY BROUGHT HIM
UP ON CHARGE.

AND OLD TRISTS,
OUR SENIOR OFFICER,

HE GIVES HIM THREE
WEEKS' DETENTION,

NOT FOR PICKING UP THE BUTTS
BUT FOR DISOBEYING AN ORDER...

IN A PRISON CAMP,
GIVEN HIM BY A COOK.

SO THEY PUT HIM IN THE SHACK.

HE WAS ONLY THERE 2 1/2 WEEKS,

AND THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS
HE GOT DYSENTERY.

SO THEY TOOK HIM
TO THE DYSENTERY HOSPITAL.

HE ONLY LASTED FOUR
OR FIVE DAYS THERE.

HE WAS DEAD AND BURIED.

THE BEATINGS AND THE
RELENTLESS HOURS OF WORK

TOOK THEIR TOLL
ON BODY AND SPIRIT.

BUT OVER TIME, NOTHING
DID MORE DAMAGE

THAN THE SLOW STARVATION
THAT CAME FROM

A SINGLE RATION
MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT.

WE WERE GETTING
JUST STRAIGHT RICE.

THAT'S ALL IT WAS,
STRAIGHT RICE.

YOU HAD TO LEAK ABOUT 15 TIMES
A DAY BECAUSE THIS RICE,

THAT'S ALL IT WAS
WAS WATER, YOU KNOW.

SO YOU WERE GOING TO
THE BENJO ALL THE TIME.

BUT IT GOT SO WHEN YOU GOT UP,

EVERYTHING'D GO BLACK
IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES.

THE RICE DIET CAUSED
MEDIEVAL DISEASES,

STRIPPING THE LINING
OF THE BRAIN,

STOPPING THE KIDNEYS
WORKING, SLOWLY KILLING.

I USED TO GO AROUND SEE
MY GUYS IN THE HOSPITAL.

AND ONE OF THE FIRST FELLOWS

IN MY PLATOON TO DIE
WAS CLARENCE WILBERT.

I WENT OVER TO SEE CLARENCE,

AND HE SAYS, "HOW
ARE THINGS GOING?"

I SAID, "THERE'S
ALL KINDS COMING."

"THE AMERICANS ARE ON
THEIR WAY, AND WE'LL"

"BE OUT OF HERE
IN A SHORT BLOODY TIME."

"WELL," HE SAYS, "THEY
BETTER HURRY, SARGE."

AND HE THREW BACK THE BLANKET,
AND HIS TESTICLES AND BALLS

WERE THAT BIG FROM WET BERIBERI.

IT HAD COME UP THAT FAR ON HIM.

AND THIS BERIBERI,
THE WET BERIBERI,

YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGERS
INTO YOUR LEG ANYWHERE,

OR WHEREVER YOU HAD IT,
AND THE IMPRINT

WOULD STILL BE THERE
THE NEXT DAY.

THEN WE HAD THE DRY BERIBERI.

I HAD THAT, AND IT'S LIKE
SOMEBODY'S TAKING A KNIFE

AND SHOVING IT IN
THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FEET.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAD
HOT FEET ALL THE TIME.

AND THINGS GOT SO BAD, WITH
THE GUYS WITH THE HOT FEET

KEEPING THE OTHER GUYS AWAKE,
THEY PUT THEM ALL IN ONE WARD.

AND WE CALLED IT
"THE AGONY WARD."

[ NARRATOR ]: THIS WOULD HAVE
BEEN THE SOLUTION.

THESE RED CROSS PARCELS
OF FOOD AND MEDICINE

WERE PACKED BY THOUSANDS
OF MOTHERS

BACK HOME FOR THE PRISONERS.

BUT FEW GOT THROUGH
TO THE HONG KONG CANADIANS.

MOST WERE STOLEN AND SOLD ON THE
BLACK MARKET BY RACKETEERS.

THIS MAN DID MOST
OF THE STEALING,

THE HONG KONG CAMP COMMANDER,
COLONEL CECIL TOKANAGA.

A DIPTHERIA EPIDEMIC
DEEPENED THE AGONY.

THE JAPANESE CAMP DOCTOR
HAD SERUM, BUT WITHELD IT.

MEN VOLUNTEERED
TO CARE FOR BUDDIES,

KNOWING THE PLAGUE
MIGHT KILL THEM.

SOMETIMES IT DID.

DIPTHERIA KILLED 108 CANADIANS.

ARMAND BOURBONIERE WAS
TRYING TO SAVE HIS BROTHER.

MY BROTHER...

HE GOT BAD WITH MALNUTRITION...

ALL CRIPPLED WITH SORES
AND BLOATED WITH BERIBERI.

SO I, I SQUEEZED
THROUGH THE FENCE,

AND I SNUCK IN TO SEE HIM.

HE WAS FINISHED.

SO I GAVE HIS MILITARY SHIRT
TO THIS CHINESE IN EXCHANGE

FOR SOME POWDERED MILK.

AND I, AND I MIXED IT
IN A CAN WITH SOME WATER.

I HAD SOYABEAN MILK, AND
I WANTED HIM TO DRINK IT.

BUT HE WOULDN'T DO IT.

HE'D GIVEN UP.

SO I GRABBED HIM BY THE COLLAR,

AND I SAID, "YOU DRINK THIS
OR I'LL FINISH YOU MYSELF."

SO I JUST SHOVED IT IN.

HE GAGGED AND EVERYTHING.

AND THEN I LEFT...

SENT TO JAPAN.

I, I FIGURED HE'D NEVER LIVE...

BECAUSE HE GAVE UP.

[ NARRATOR ]: THE PRISONERS
HEARD IN AUGUST 1942

THAT MANY OF THEM
WOULD BE SENT TO JAPAN.

FOUR OF THEM DECIDED THAT NOW
WAS THE TIME TO TRY AND ESCAPE.

JOHN PAYNE WAS THE LEADER.

ON THE DAY OF THE ATTEMPT,

HE WROTE THIS LETTER
TO HIS MOTHER IN WINNIPEG.

DEAR MOTHER:

I HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE
A CHANCE ON GETTING OUT.

THERE ARE NUMEROUS REASONS
FOR THE STEP, THE CHIEF BEING

THAT THE CHOLERA AND
THE FLY SEASON IS STARTING.

AND ANYWAY, I'M RUDDY SICK
OF JAPANESE HOSPITALITY.

[ NARRATOR ]: JOHN PAYNE
MADE THIS DRAWING

TO HELP PLAN THE ESCAPE.

ON A DARK NIGHT, A LADDER

WAS PLACED TO GET
THEM OVER THE WIRE.

THEY GOT INTO A NEARBY SAMPAN

AND MADE A BREAK
ACROSS THE WATER.

YOU SHARE MY VIEWS ON FATALISM,

SO I KNOW YOU WON'T
CONDEMN MY JUDGMENT.

JUST IN CASE I SHOULDN'T MAKE
IT, YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT

ACCORDING TO OUR BELIEFS,
I HAVE DEPARTED

FOR A MUCH NICER PLACE, I HOPE,

ALTHOUGH IT WILL GRIEVE ME
TO EXCHANGE A GUITAR FOR A HARP.

BUT ENOUGH OF THIS DRIVEL.

I'LL BE ABLE TO DESTROY THIS
NOTE MYSELF, I AM SURE,

SO BYE-BYE FOR NOW.

YOUR DEVOTED SON, JOHN.

HALFWAY ACROSS, THEY GOT
CAUGHT IN A TIDE OR SOMETHING,

AND THE JAPANESE
PICKED THEM UP THERE.

IT WAS QUITE A FEW DAYS
BEFORE WE FOUND OUT

THAT THEY HAD BEEN CAUGHT,
BUT, UH...THEY WERE EITHER

SHOT AND BEHEADED
OR BEHEADED ANYWAY.

AND I, I IMAGINE THEY
SUFFERED A HELL OF A LOT

BEFORE THEY FINALLY
DONE AWAY WITH THEM,

BECAUSE THEY WERE THAT
TYPE OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW.

AND RIGHT AFTER THAT, THEY
PUT US IN GROUPS OF 10.

AND IF ONE IF YOU ESCAPED,

THEY SAID THEY WOULD
KILL THE OTHER NINE.

AND WE DIDN'T DOUBT
IT FOR ONE BIT.

IT WOULD HAPPEN.

THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD DO.

[ NARRATOR ]: AFTER ONE YEAR IN
THE PRISON CAMPS OF HONG KONG,

CANADIAN PRISONERS OF WAR
LIKE BOB CLAYTON

WERE PUT ONTO SHIPS
AND SENT TO JAPAN.

THE SHIP THAT WE CAME OVER ON
WASN'T MUCH BIGGER THAN

THAT ONE GOING RIGHT THERE.

THERE WERE 500 OF US.

WE WERE MARCHED ON BOARD
THE SHIP IN HONG KONG,

AND DOWN INTO THE HOLD.

THEY CRAMMED AS MANY OF US
DOWN THERE AS WE COULD.

AND WHEN I MEAN DOWN IN THE
HOLD, I MEAN DOWN IN THE HOLD.

ALL THERE WAS WAS
THE BOTTOM DECK.

THAT'S WHERE WE WERE --
THAT'S WHERE WE STAYED.

I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW LONG

IT TOOK US TO GET
OVER HERE TO JAPAN,

BUT IT TOOK US QUITE A WHILE.

AND WHEN WE DOCKED, UH...

AND THEY BROUGHT US
UP OUT OF THE HOLD,

WE MUST HAVE BEEN
SOMETHING ELSE.

WE COULDN'T SMELL EACH OTHER
BECAUSE WE WERE DOWN THERE,

BUT WHEN WE COME UP,

AND THEM BUGGERS WERE UP ON
THE TOP DECK WITH THEIR HANDS

OVER THEIR NOSE LIKE THAT,
AND I WAS LOOKING AT THEM

AND THINKING, "WELL,
WE'LL HAVE OUR DAY."

[ NARRATOR ]: FOR ALMOST
THREE YEARS, CANADIANS WORKED

AS SLAVE LABOURERS IN
A GIANT SHIPYARD NEAR TOKYO.

HERE, MANY OF THE VESSELS
FOR JAPAN'S WAR FLEET

WERE BUILT AND LAUNCHED,
AND STILL ARE TODAY

BY THE SAME CORPORATION
THAT OPERATED

THE SHIPYARD DURING THE WAR --

NKK, NIPPON KO KON,

A FLOURISHING
JAPANESE MULTINATIONAL.

BOB CLAYTON WORKED HERE
FOR OVER A YEAR.

NOW HE CAN FIND ALMOST NO TRACE

NOW HE CAN FIND ALMOST NO TRACE

THAT CANADIANS
WERE EVER PRESENT.

BUT THE VETERANS HAVE NO TROUBLE

REMEMBERING THE CONDITIONS
THEY LIVED IN.

THE MEN WERE FILTHY, STARVING,

BUT ALWAYS DETERMINED
TO SURVIVE.

HEY, THE RATS ARE BIG...

JUST LIKE CATS.

AROUND THE HOLIDAYS,
WE CAUGHT 22.

SO FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER,
WE COOKED OUR RATS.

WE TOOK THE MEAT, EATING IT,
AND THE JUICE -- IT'S FAT.

SO WE FIGURED WE GOT PROTEIN.

WE DRINK THEIR JUICE --
VITAMINS, EH?

BIG IDEA.

WE'RE LIKE A BUNCH OF KIDS.

SO THE NEXT DAY, WE GO TO WORK,
AND SICK -- TAB.

EVERY TWO MINUTES, WE GOT
TO GO TO THE LAVATORY.

DIARRHEA -- YOU
COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

AND EVERY TIME WE COME BACK,
THE JAPANESE CIVILIAN

IN CHARGE OF US-- WELL,
WE'RE NOT DOING ANY WORK.

WE'RE JUST RUNNING
TO THE LAVATORY.

HE BEAT US UP STEADY.

SO I NEVER ATE ANY MORE
RATS AFTER THAT.

OH, BUT THEY WERE GOOD.

HEY, JUST LIKE CHICKEN.

[ NARRATOR ]:
THIS CARD FROM HOME

TOPPED OFF CHRISTMAS DINNER...

IT CAME FROM THE POLITICIAN
WHO SENT THEM TO HONG KONG --

W.L. MACKENZIE KING,
PRIME MINISTER.

500 MILES NORTH OF TOKYO
WERE ANOTHER GROUP OF CANADIANS.

BOB MANCHESTER CAME TO NIAGATA
HOPING FOR THE BEST.

THIS WAS HIS HOME
FOR THREE YEARS.

AND HERE HE WOULD LEAVE
MANY OF THESE BUDDIES.

THE HORROR STARTED
INNOCENTLY ENOUGH,

WITH LINE-UPS --
LINE-UPS FOR PICTURES,

LINE-UPS FOR SLAVE LABOUR
IN THE COALYARDS --

LINE UP AND BE COUNTED,

SOUNDING OUT YOUR
NUMBER IN JAPANESE.

[ COUNTING IN JAPANESE ]

AND IF YOU GOOFED-- IF ANY ONE
OF THOSE MEN ALONG THE LINE

GOOFED BY MUCKIN' UP THEIR
NUMBER, THEN BANG,

OVER HIS HEAD WENT THE--
WE STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN.

[ NARRATOR ]: JOHN STROUD
WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO ARRIVE.

[ STROUD ]: THE FIRST THING
YOU HAVE TO LEARN IN JAPAN

IS BENJO -- THAT'S THE
JAPANESE WORD FOR "OUTHOUSE."

CHRIST, SOME OF THEM
ARE JUST KIDS.

THEY CAN'T EVEN
REMEMBER THE WORD.

SO I TELL THEM, "JUST THINK
OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT."

"BANJO."

WELL, AT NIGHT THEY GO
TO THE GUARD, AND THEY SAY...

"GUITAR."

"UH, UKELELE."

"WHAT THE HELL
DID STROUD TELL US?"

AND THEN THE GUARD BEATS THEM.

ONE DAY, THE GUARDS CAUGHT
MANCHESTER'S FRIEND

JOHN MORTIMER AND ACCUSED HIM
OF STEALING A TIN OF SALMON.

THEY BEAT HIM SAVAGELY.

[ MANCHESTER ]: THEN THEY
STAKED HIM OUT IN THE COMPOUND

FOR, UH, ABOUT A WEEK.

HE HAD GANGRENE SET IN
IN HIS FEET AND HANDS.

MORTIMER DIED A LINGERING DEATH,
FINISHED OFF BY EXPOSURE.

IN THE NIAGATA CAMP ON THE
NORTHWEST COAST OF JAPAN,

THE WINTER OF 1943 WAS ONE
OF THE HARSHEST EVER.

THE CANADIAN PRISONERS WERE
DRESSED IN SOGGY GRASS CAPES

AND HAD TO MOVE TONS
OF COAL EACH DAY.

AFTER TROPICAL HONG KONG,
WINTER WAS UNEXPECTEDLY SAVAGE

FOR MEN FACING STARVATION.

TELL YOU HOW WE SLEEP.

PARTNERS.

ONE GUY SLEEPS FOR A FEW HOURS.

AND SO HE WON'T FREEZE
TO DEATH, YOU WAKE HIM UP.

AND THEN YOU SLEEP.

LAST WEEK, THIS FELLOW...

HIS FRIEND WENT TO SLEEP.

THE FELLOW DIDN'T WAKE HIM UP...

SO HIS FRIEND FROZE TO DEATH.

[ SHIVERING ]

[ CLAYTON ]: THE BIG THING
WAS PNEUMONIA.

YOU GOT PNEUMONIA
AND JUST DIED HERE.

THAT'S ALL THERE WAS TO IT.

IT DIDN'T--
FUNNY THING, IT DIDN'T

ONLY HAPPENED TO YOU
IN THE WINTERTIME.

IT HAPPENED TO YOU
IN SUMMERTIME.

I WAS WORKING OUT HERE
AND IT WAS AUGUST 1943.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN...
I CAN'T GET MY BREATH.

JUST HAPPENED
THAT QUICK -- BANG!

AND TAR BABY, MY BUDDY I WAS
WORKING WITH SAID,

"WHAT'S THE MATTER, FLASH?"

I DON'T KNOW,
I CAN'T GET MY BREATH.

ANYWAY, I HAD TO COME UP
THE ROAD HERE TO THE JAPS,

AND WENT IN TO SEE THE GUARDS.

THEY LOOKED ME OVER
AND PUT ME IN A CART

AND TOOK ME INTO CAMP.

I WENT INTO CAMP
AND I SAW CAPTAIN REID.

AND HE SAID, "FLASH, GET
YOUR CLOTHES AND GO IN THERE."

THAT'S LIKE SAYING
YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY

TO THE CREMATORIUM, YOU KNOW.

I KEPT SAYING TO MYSELF,

I'M COMING OUT
OF THIS GOD-DAMNED PLACE AND...

[ NARRATOR ]: BECAUSE
THE JAPANESE AUTHORITIES

WERE WITHHOLDING MEDICINE,

THERE WAS LITTLE ANY CANADIAN
ARMY DOCTOR COULD DO.

PRETTY HARD, SEEING
YOUR BUDDIES DIE.

AND I CAN REMEMBER LYLE ELLIS
DYING AND JIMMY AMOR DYING

AND MURRAY GOODENOUGH DYING, AND
I CAN REMEMBER DOC REID CRYING,

BECAUSE HE COULDN'T
DO ANYTHING, EH.

AT CLAYTON'S CAMP
AND HERE AT NIAGATA,

THE DEATH RATE SKYROCKETED.

IT WAS SIX TIMES HIGHER
THAN THE DEATH RATE

AT POW CAMPS IN GERMANY.

DOC REID SAID, "FLASH,
WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE FELLOWS"

"TO THE CREMATORIUM."

WE STOOD THERE WHILE THEY SHOVED
THEM IN, BOX AND ALL.

IT'S A WONDER THEY DIDN'T
EVEN SAVE THE BLOODY WOOD.

UH, THERE WAS RICE BALLS AROUND
THERE AND SOME FISH,

AND WE WERE PINCHING IT, YOU
KNOW, KIND OF SNEAK SOME OF IT;

WE WERE HUNGRY AS HELL.

ONE OF THE GUYS SAID,
"JESUS, FLASH,"

"IF THEY CATCH US, WE'LL GO
INTO THE CREMATORIUM ALIVE."

I SAID, "WELL, HELL,
WE'LL GO IN FULL, ANYWAY."

LITTLE BIT OF HUMOUR WITH
A HELL OF A LOT OF TRAGEDY.

[ NARRATOR ]:
MANY OF THE JAPANESE

THAT LIVE AND WORK
IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

NEAR THE OLD PRISON CAMP

HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF
THE TREATMENT GIVEN CANADIANS

AND OTHER PRISONERS.

80-YEAR-OLD MR. KUWATO
WORKED IN THE SHIPYARD

DURING THE WAR,
AND HE STAYED ON FOR MANY YEARS

WITH THE NKK COMPANY.

HE WAS INTERESTED IN MEETING
THE CANADIAN VETERANS,

AND HE EVEN HAD SOME
SOUVENIR PICTURES

THAT HE WANTED TO SHOW THEM.

...PHOTO OF
THAT TIME.

PHOTOGRAPHS
OF THE CAMP.

THERE WERE PICTURES OF THE POWs
LINED UP OUTSIDE THEIR BARRACKS.

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

PICTURES OF THE PRISONERS
SUPPOSEDLY HAVING A PARTY.

CHRISTMAS PARTY.

OH, CHRISTMAS PARTY.

AH, SO.

AH, TELL HIM THEY DON'T LOOK
TOO HAPPY.

THERE ISN'T ANY OF THEM SMILING.

THEY WERE OLD PROPAGANDA
PICTURES FROM THE NEIGHBOURING

AMERICAN POW CAMP, FOR WHICH
THE PRISONERS WERE FORCED

TO STAGE HAPPY-LOOKING
OCCASIONS.

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

...CHRISTMAS DAY.

YEAH, AT
CHRISTMAS.

MR. KUWATO WANTED TO POINT OUT

THE VERY GOOD TREATMENT
GIVEN PRISONERS.

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

[ INTERPRETER ]:
THEY COULD RECEIVE

MANY CAKES,
OR SOMETHING...

MANY CAKES?
TELL HIM THEY WERE LUCKY.

WE DIDN'T GET ANY.

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

WAS HE A GUARD THERE, OR...

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

[ NARRATOR ]: HE WAS A GUARD.

HE POINTED HIMSELF OUT
IN THE PICTURE.

HE WAS THE CAPTAIN
OF THE GUARDS.

BUT HE SAID THAT HE ONLY WORKED
IN ADMINISTRATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
HOW DOES HE THINK

THAT THE POWs WERE
TREATED IN HIS CAMP?

WHAT DID HE THINK
OF THE TREATMENT?

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

MR. KUWATO ALLOWED AS HOW
THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS THERE.

SOMETIMES
THE DIFFERENCE

OF THE CULTURES
AND THE CUSTOMS.

IT ISN'T A CUSTOM TO BE HUNGRY
ALL THE TIME, DEAR.

I GUESS A LOT OF POWs DIED
IN HIS CAMP?

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

JUST ONE,
HE REMEMBERS.

ONE?

HE GOT SICK
AND DIED.

HE GOT SI--
HE GOT SICK AND DIED?

I THINK THIS GENTLEMAN
HAS A POOR MEMORY, DEAR.

WELL, MANY MEN DIED
IN OUR CAMP, DEAR.

MANY, MANY.

I TOOK FOUR OUT ONE TIME MYSELF

TO THE CREMATORIUM, IN A CART.

IF YOU GOT PNEUMONIA,
YOU JUST DIED.

SO IT HAD TO BE
THE SAME IN HIS CAMP.

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

HE NEVER HEARD
ABOUT THAT.

HE NEVER HEARD
ABOUT THAT?

HE DIDN'T KNOW
THAT, NO.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

I KNOW, THEY NEVER REMEMBER,
YOU KNOW.

UH-HMM, UH-HMM.

MAYBE THE DIFFERENCE
OF THE CULTURE OR SOMETHING.

THEY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
EACH OTHER.

THAT'S WHY THERE'S
A POSSIBILITY.

WE COULDN'T
UNDERSTAND THEM

EITHER, DEAR.

[ NARRATOR ]: NIPPON KO KAN

AND ITS FOUNDER,
MOROSIRO SHIAICHI, MADE MILLIONS

OF DOLLARS PROFITING
FROM THE JAPANESE WAR EFFORT,

PARTLY FROM USING CANADIAN
PRISONERS AS SLAVE LABOURERS.

IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, GERMAN
CORPORATIONS HAVE PAID BILLIONS

OF DOLLARS IN COMPENSATION
TO WARTIME WORKERS.

JAPANESE COMPANIES
ARE BEING PRESSED

BY CANADA'S VETERANS
FOR COMPENSATION,

BUT REFUSE EVEN
TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE.

IN JAPAN, THERE'S
NO OFFICIAL ACCOUNT

OF THE CONDUCT OF THE IMPERIAL

JAPANESE ARMY DURING AND AFTER
THE BATTLE FOR HONG KONG.

THE DARK EVENTS
OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

ARE NOT EVEN TAUGHT
IN THE SCHOOLS.

THESE SOLDIERS FOUGHT
IN HONG KONG,

AND THEY'RE NOW PREPARED
TO TALK ABOUT IT.

THEY COME TO THE CONTROVERSIAL
YASAKUNI SHRINE IN TOKYO,

A RELIC OF THE OLD
POTENT MARRIAGE

BETWEEN THE SHINTO RELIGION
AND JAPANESE MILITARISM.

THEY PERFORM AN OLD
SAMURAI RITUAL,

CALLING UP THE SPIRITS
OF THEIR FALLEN COMRADES.

[ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]

[ NARRATOR ]: SHINSUKI ADACHI

STILL BELIEVES
IN THE BUSHIDO CODE.

SURRENDER, HE SAYS,
SHAMES ONE'S FAMILY.

HE CAN'T UNDERSTAND
THE CANADIANS WHO DID IT.

SUICIDE WITH A KNIFE, HARA KIRI,
IS THE WARRIOR'S WAY OUT.

SHUICHI KAMATA, ON THE OTHER
HAND, ENVIED THE FACT

THAT CANADIANS COULD SURRENDER.

FACING THE ROYAL RIFLES
AT STANLEY, HE WAS ORDERED

TO MAKE SUICIDE CHARGES
UNTIL HIS PLATOON OF 25

WERE ALL KILLED
OR BADLY WOUNDED.

HE SUFFERED GUNSHOT WOUNDS
IN THE LEFT ARM AND LEG,

AND STILL CARRIES THREE PIECES

OF AN EXPLODING CANADIAN HAND
GRENADE IN HIS BACK.

THAT WAS HIS CHRISTMAS DAY.

SAME DAY AS
THE ST. STEPHEN'S MASSACRE.

THE JAPANESE SOLDIERS WERE EAGER
TO DISCUSS THE HONG KONG BATTLE

WITH THEIR OLD CANADIAN
OPPONENTS.

FIELD GUNS CAUSED US
A LOT OF TROUBLE.

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

AND SO BOB MANCHESTER AGREED
TO MEET WITH THEM

AT A RESTAURANT IN TOKYO.

WELL, UH, A FIELD GUN...

AND YOU WERE FIRING DOWN
IN A, IN A...

SMALL GUN.

FOR A WHILE THERE WAS A MOOD
OF COMRADESHIP AT THE DINNER.

OLD SOLDIERS TRADING STORIES
ABOUT HOW THE BATTLE LOOKED

FROM THEIR VANTAGE POINT.

THAT POINT.

THEN MR. ADACHI PRODUCED
SOME ENLARGED PICTURES

OF THE BATTLE LOCATIONS
FROM 1941.

BOB MANCHESTER ASKED TO SEE THE
ST. STEPHEN'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL,

WHERE THE ATROCITY TOOK
PLACE ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

[ INTERPRETER ]:
THAT ONE BUILDING

MIGHT BE
THE HOSPITAL

HE REMEMBERS.

YEAH, THIS ONE HERE.

THIS ONE HERE.

MY FRIEND IS HERE WITH ME.

HE WAS SUPPOSED
TO VISIT WITH-- TONIGHT,

BUT HE WAS SO UPSET BECAUSE
HE AND ALL THE OTHER CANADIANS

THAT WERE IN THIS
HOSPITAL WERE...

THEY WERE TREATED, BEING TREATED
FOR THEIR WOUNDS,

AND THE JAPANESE CAME IN
AND KILLED MOSTLY

ALL OF THE MEN
THAT WERE IN THE HOSPITAL.

AND MY FRIEND REFUSED
TO COME DOWN TONIGHT

BECAUSE HE'S SO UPSET ABOUT
THE WHOLE INCIDENT.

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

THESE MEN SAID THEY HAD NOTHING
TO DO WITH THAT INCIDENT,

AND IN FACT CLAIMED THEY WERE
HEARING THE STORY

OF THIS JAPANESE ATROCITY
FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SUICHI KAMATA'S FIRST REACTION
SEEMED ONE OF OF DEEP REGRET.

THE OTHERS APPEARED
MORE AMBIVALENT.

[ MANCHESTER ]:
WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO

THE QUESTION OF ATROCITIES,

THE BLIND SEEMED TO COME DOWN
AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN, UM,

SILENCE OF THOUGHT
AND SILENCE OF ACTION.

AND, UH, YOU CAN
APPRECIATE THAT.

I MEAN, NO, NO WARRIOR--
WHETHER THEY HAD COMMITTED

THE ATROCITIES THEMSELVES
OR HAD WITNESSED THEM,

OR HEARD ANY OF THEIR CHUMS
TALK ABOUT ATROCITIES,

OR HEARD ANY OF THEIR CHUMS
TALK ABOUT ATROCITIES,

IS GOING TO ADMIT THAT,

LEAST OF ALL TO STRANGERS.

[ NARRATOR ]:
IN THE SUMMER OF 1945,

MOST OF THE CANADIANS
WERE SENT DOWN

TO WORK IN JAPANESE COAL MINES.

IN THOSE LAST DAYS OF THE WAR,
THE EMPEROR'S MILITARY LEADERS

WERE PLANNING ONE LAST CRIME.

IF JAPAN WAS INVADED,

ALL PRISONERS OF WAR
WOULD BE EXECUTED.

THE END, HOWEVER,
CAME FAR MORE QUICKLY

THAN THE EMPEROR'S MEN
HAD ANTICIPATED.

[ NARRATOR ]:
IN AUGUST 1945, ATOMIC BOMBS

KILLED 12O,000 JAPANESE.

THE PRISONERS SAY THE BOMB
ENDED THEIR AGONY

AND SAVED THEIR LIVES.

THE SECRET PLAN
TO EXECUTE THEM WAS DROPPED.

THIS IS HOW CANADIANS LIKE
ROGER CYR LEARNED THEIR FATE.

WE CAME UP FROM THE MINE
TO THE SURFACE.

THE JAPS HAD RIGGED LOUDSPEAKERS
TO UTILITY POLES,

AND THEY MADE US SIT
AROUND IN A CIRCLE.

THEN WE HEARD THIS VOICE...

THIS, THIS DISEMBODIED VOICE
CAME ON THE AIR.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE HELL HE WAS SAYING.

IT WAS, IT WAS A SORT OF
JAPANESE I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND.

SO ONE OF THE FOREMEN WAS SORT
OF INTERPRETING FOR US,

AND HE SAID,
"THAT'S THE EMPEROR."

[ SPEAKING
JAPANESE ]

[ NARRATOR ]: THE BROADCAST
OF HIROHITO'S SURRENDER SPEECH

FROM THE IMPERIAL PALACE
WAS THE FIRST TIME

THAT MOST JAPANESE HAD EVER
HEARD THE EMPEROR'S VOICE.

HE TOLD THEM THEY MUST LEARN
TO BEAR THE UNBEARABLE,

THAT THE ENEMY HAD DEVELOPED
A WEAPON SO POWERFUL

THERE WAS NO OTHER CHOICE
BUT SURRENDER.

THE PRISON HOSPITALS IN HONG
HONG AND JAPAN WERE FILLED

WITH MEN AT THE EDGE OF DEATH.

THOSE WHO SURVIVED WOULD
NEVER FULLY RECOVER

FROM THEIR ORDEAL.

THE CANADIAN POWs WERE BROUGHT
OUT TO AMERICAN SHIPS,

LIKE THE USS WISCONSIN,
ANCHORED IN TOKYO BAY,

WHERE THOUSANDS OF SAILORS
WATCHED THEM COME ABOARD.

THE AMERICAN FORCES ON THE
WISCONSIN WANTED TO GIVE SPECIAL

WELCOMES TO EACH OF THE POWs
BROUGHT ABOARD,

SO INDIVIDUAL U.S. SAILORS,
LIKE MACHINIST MATE BOB GRILLO,

WERE ASSIGNED TO TAKE CARE
OF CANADIAN SOLDIERS

OF EQUIVALENT RANK.

WHEN SERGEANT BOB CLAYTON WALKED
UP THIS GANGPLANK IN 1945,

HE WAS ASSIGNED TO BOB GRILLO.

MORE THAN FOUR DECADES LATER,
THEY MEET AGAIN.

HOW ARE YOU DOING, ROBERT --
PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD?

I NEVER ASKED YOU THAT
45 YEARS AGO.

AND I'M NOT HUNGRY THIS TIME.

AND YOU'RE NOT
THAT SAME LITTLE

SKINNY KID,
EITHER.

NO, I'M NOT.

YOU'RE LOOKING
GREAT.

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?

SAME THING
HAPPENED

TO YOU --
YOU LOOK GOOD.

NEVER FORGOT YOU GUYS
AND WHAT YOU DID FOR US.

WONDERFUL, JUST WONDERFUL.

[ NARRATOR ]: FOR BOB CLAYTON,
THE STRONGEST IMPRESSION

WAS LEFT BY THE AMERICAN OFFICER
WHO TOOK COMMAND

OF THE PRISONERS
AS THEY CAME ABOARD.

AND HE SAID, "SAILOR,
YOU LOOK AT THAT SOLDIER."

"SOLDIER, YOU LOOK
AT THAT SAILOR."

SO YOU AND I ARE LOOKING
AT EACH OTHER.

HE SAYS, "ANYTHING HE WANTS,
YOU GET IT FOR HIM."

"AND IF IT'S NOT ON THIS SHIP,
YOU GO AND GET IT."

"YOU LOOK AFTER HIM,
AND HE CAN EAT 24 HOURS A DAY."

"NOW I'M GOING
TO TELL YOU SOMETHING."

"YOU'RE THE HUNGRIEST LOOKING
BUNCH OF BASTARDS"

"I EVER SAW IN MY LIFE."

"WE'RE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW."

"WE'RE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW."

IF I CAN REMEMBER --
THAT'S SO MANY YEARS AGO --

BUT I THINK THEY JUST PUT SOME
TABLES OUT RIGHT ALONG HERE.

WE SAT DOWN
AND THE GUY COME OUT,

THEY COME OUT
WITH THE BACON AND EGGS.

I THINK THE GUY SERVED THEM
WITH A PITCHFORK.

THEY JUST-- BOOM, AND IT HIT--

HE DIDN'T HAVE
A CHOW PLATE.

HOW COULD WE BRING
YOU DOWN BELOW?

AND YOU'D ONLY FINISH ONE EGG,

AND HE'D BE BACK
WITH ABOUT TWO MORE.

WE HAD THE BACON; WE HAD TOAST.

I THINK HALF OF US GOT SICK.

WE WEREN'T USED TO THAT GREASE.

I'LL NEVER FORGET
HOW GOOD YOU WERE.

DUNAWAY.

BROACH.

...CAPTAIN ON YOUR SHIP...

[ NARRATOR ]: THE AMERICAN NAVY
TRANSPORTED THE CANADIANS

BACK TO NORTH AMERICA.

THE MEN LOOKED FORWARD TO
PUTTING LIVES BACK TOGETHER.

ONE WINNIPEG GRENADIER
SEARCHED FOR A BROTHER

HE LEFT NEAR DEATH IN HONG KONG,
ARMAND BOURBONIERE.

YOU KNOW WHERE I SAW HIM AGAIN?

SAN FRANCISCO.

THE NAVY GAVE ME
THIS SAILOR UNIFORM.

SO HE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE ME.

AND I DIDN'T TELL HIM.

HE STARTED TO TALK TO ME
ABOUT THE BROTHER HE LOST.

ME?

THEN WE GOT ON THE TRAIN
TO SEATTLE.

AND THEN I SAID, "WOULD YOU LIKE
TO MEET YOUR BROTHER AGAIN?"

HE GOES, "IS HE ALIVE?"

AND I GO, "YEAH."

"I'M YOUR BROTHER."

SO HE...HE STARTED CRYING.

IN OCTOBER 1945,

FOUR YEARS AFTER THEY LEFT
CANADA, THE HONG KONG VETERANS

WERE FINALLY HOME AGAIN.

[ CLAYTON ]:
NOW, WHEN I ARRIVED,

AND THERE WERE 68
OF MY RELATIVES.

IT WAS 8:00 IN THE MORNING.
I WAS EMOTIONAL.

MA STARTED TO CRY, AND I SAID,

"HEY, MA, I'M HOME NOW,
YOU KNOW."

AND THEN WHEN WE ARRIVED AT MY
PLACE, ALL THE TIME I WAS AWAY--

IT WAS CHRISTMAS DAY
WHEN I ARRIVED HOME.

IT WAS OCTOBER,
BUT IT WAS CHRISTMAS DAY.

MY DAD HAD COOKED UP GEESE,
'CAUSE I LOVE GOOSE, YOU KNOW,

AND HE HAD I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY PUMPKIN PIES.

THE STREET WAS BLOCKED OFF.

AND ALL THE TIME I WAS AWAY,
MY MOTHER PUT MY CHRISTMAS

PRESENTS UNDER
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

AND THEN WITH MANY A TEAR, I
GUESS, SHE'D PICKED THEM UP

AND PUT THEM IN A CUPBOARD
UNTIL I COME BACK.

WHEN I COME BACK,
I GOT THOSE PRESENTS.

SO SHE NEVER HAD ANY DOUBTS
THAT I WASN'T COMING BACK.

[ NARRATOR ]:
THE WINNIPEG GRENADIERS

SAILED INTO VICTORIA,

BOB MANCHESTER
IN THE MIDDLE OF THEM.

HE HAD A JOYFUL REUNION WITH
HIS MOTHER AND WIFE, EDNA.

BUT ALWAYS THE SOLDIER,
MANCHESTER HAD TAKEN ON

A HEART-BREAKING ASSIGNMENT.

JOHN PAYNE'S FAMILY,
HIS MOTHER, MARGARET,

SISTERS DIANE, YVONNE,
AND BROTHER BEN,

STILL WEREN'T SURE
ABOUT HIS FATE.

AND ONE OF THE VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT SITUATIONS WAS TO, UH,

UM, PAY MY RESPECTS
TO THAT FAMILY.

THEY WERE VERY,
VERY ANXIOUS TO KNOW

JUST WHAT DID TAKE PLACE.

BEFORE THE WAR, THE PAYNES HAD
CELEBRATED WITH SOME GRENADIERS,

INCLUDING THE GUY ON THE FLOOR,
BOB MANCHESTER.

NOW HE WAS COMING BACK
INTO THEIR HOME,

CARRYING JOHN PAYNE'S
LAST WORDS.

THE LETTER WAS GRIMY
AND SWEAT-STAINED

FROM YEARS BEING HIDDEN
UNDER MANCHESTER'S CLOTHES.

"DEAR, MOTHER."

"I HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE A CHANCE
ON GETTING OUT."

"YOU SHARE MY VIEWS
ON FATALISM."

"ALTHOUGH IT WILL GRIEVE ME"

"TO EXCHANGE A GUITAR
FOR A HARP..."

"BUT ENOUGH OF THIS DRIVEL."

"YOUR DEVOTED SON, JOHN."

"P.S. BEST REGARDS
TO DI AND YVONNE."

"TELL BEN TO JOIN
THE AIR FORCE NEXT WAR."

[ NARRATOR ]:
SOME CANADIAN VETERANS

RETURNED TO JAPAN TO JOIN

THE INTERNATIONAL TEAM HUNTING
JAPANESE WAR CRIMINALS.

A FEW HUNDRED SCAPEGOATS WERE
ROUNDED UP AND PROSECUTED.

THE COMMANDANT OF THE HONG KONG
PRISON CAMP WAS CONVICTED

OF JOHN PAYNE'S MURDER
AND OTHER CRIMES.

COLONEL ISAWA TAKANAGA WAS
SENTENCED TO HANG,

COLONEL ISAWA TAKANAGA WAS
SENTENCED TO HANG,

BUT THAT WAS COMMUTED

TO 20 YEARS IMPRISONMENT.

AT ST. STEPHEN'S, A NURSE
WHO SURVIVED THE ATROCITY

TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO IDENTIFY
JAPANESE SOLDIERS RESPONSIBLE

FOR SOME OF THE MURDERS
AND RAPES.

THE JAPANESE ARMY COMMANDER
IN HONG KONG WAS CONVICTED

OF MURDER FOR ORDERING
THE EXECUTION OF PRISONERS.

MAJOR GENERAL TANAKA
WAS SENTENCED TO HANG,

BUT THE SENTENCE
WAS EVENTUALLY COMMUTED.

KANAYO INOUYE WAS FOUND GUILTY

OF BEATING CANADIAN
SOLDIERS TO DEATH.

AT FIRST HIS CONVICTION WAS
OVERTURNED ON THE GROUNDS

CANADA COULDN'T TRY A CANADIAN
CITIZEN FOR WAR CRIMES.

THEN HE WAS TRIED AND CONVICTED
OF TREASON, AND IN 1947,

HE WAS HANGED IN HONG KONG.

WHILE SOME CANADIANS FOCUSED

THEIR ANGER
AGAINST THE JAPANESE,

MEN LIKE ROGER CYR BLAME
THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT

FOR SENDING THEM ON THE HOPELESS
MISSION TO BEGIN WITH.

AS A SOLDIER,

I HAVE NO PROBLEM
WITH BEING SENT TO WAR.

DOESN'T BOTHER ME.

WHAT FRIGHTENS THE DAYLIGHTS
OUT OF ME...

THE THOUGHT THAT MY GOVERNMENT
WOULD HAVE NOT ONLY WILLINGLY,

BUT VERY ACTIVELY,
PLACED ITSELF IN A SITUATION

WHERE IT WOULD KNOWINGLY OFFER
A COUPLE OF THOUSAND

OF ITS YOUNG MEN
AS LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER...

IN ORDER TO MEET SOME SORT
OF POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY.

[ NARRATOR ]: IN 1941,
THESE CANADIAN SOLDIERS

OFFERED THEIR LIVES
TO THEIR COUNTRY

AND ENTRUSTED THEIR FATE
TO THEIR GOVERNMENT.

THAT TRUST WAS BETRAYED.

IN THE YEARS AFTER THE WAR, AS
THEY STRUGGLED WITH THE PHYSICAL

AND PSYCHOLOGICAL AFTERMATH
OF THEIR IMPRISONMENT,

THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
MADE THEM PLEAD

FOR EACH SMALL INCREASE
IN MEDICAL BENEFITS

AND WAR PENSIONS.

THE CANADIAN PRISON CAMP
SURVIVORS MADE A CLAIM

FOR REPARATIONS FROM JAPAN,
BUT IN 1952,

WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION,
THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT

LEGALLY ABSOLVED JAPAN
OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY.

AT THE SAI WAN BAY CEMETERY
IN HONG KONG,

THE CANADIAN VETERANS
ARE HONOURED VISITORS.

ON MAJOR ANNIVERSARIES
OF THE BATTLE,

THE CANADIAN SACRIFICE
IS REMEMBERED

WITH FULL MILITARY HONOURS.

THE BUGLE IS PLAYED,

UNIFORMS ARE WORN,

AND GUNS ARE FIRED IN SALUTE
OVER THE CANADIAN GRAVES.

IN THE HODOGAYA CEMETERY
IN JAPAN, THE GUNS ARE FORBIDDEN

AND THE CANADIAN EMBASSY
HAS TOLD THE VETERANS

IF THEY INSIST
ON BRINGING A BUGLE,

IT MUST BE HIDDEN
IN A PAPER BAG.

ALL FOR FEAR OF OFFENDING
THE JAPANESE.

IN 1991, THE JAPANESE PRIME
MINISTER INFORMALLY APOLOGIZED

TO THE CANADIAN WAR VETERANS,
BUT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT

AND CORPORATIONS STILL REFUSE
TO PAY ANY COMPENSATION.

AND THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
CONTINUES TO OPPOSE

THE VETERANS RIGHT TO HAVE IT.

THE COMMONWEALTH MILITARY
CEMETERY AT STANLEY

IS NEAR ST. STEPHEN'S HOSPITAL,

WHERE CANADIAN SOLDIERS WERE
MASSACRED IN HONG KONG.

...AND THEY ALL GOT SOMETHING
FROM THEIR FAMILY ON THE BOTTOM.

THERE ARE 19 CANADIANS
IN THIS SMALL CEMETERY,

NOT COUNTING THE UNKNOWN
SOLDIERS OFTEN BURIED

MORE THAN ONE TO A GRAVE.

THERE'S 12 OF THEM HERE, ROBERT.

UH-HMM.

WHEN THEY RETURNED FROM THE WAR,
SOME OF THE SURVIVORS

WERE OUTRAGED WHEN THEY HEARD OF
PRINTED ACCUSATIONS IN BRITAIN

THAT CANADIANS BROKE AND RAN
IN THE HONG KONG BATTLE,

THAT CANADIANS WERE TO BLAME
FOR THE FALL OF THE COLONY.

THEY KNEW IT WAS A LIE,

AND YET MANY HAD TROUBLE
BRINGING THEMSELVES

TO TELL THE STORY
OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

TO THE FAMILIES
OF THEIR DEAD COMRADES.

WHAT YOU TRY TO DO, OF COURSE,
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING

WITH THE RELATIVES, UH, GIVE
THE BETTER SIDE OF THE PICTURE

RATHER THAN THE HORRORS
OF THE ACTUAL FIGHTING

OR THE PRISON CAMP,
UH, SITUATION.

I DIDN'T EVEN TELL
MY OWN MOTHER EVERYTHING.

I NEVER TOLD HER ANYTHING
ABOUT THE BAD TIMES

OR HOW BAD IT WAS IN CAMP,
OR ANYTHING ELSE.

I HAD, UH...

I HAD, UH...

WELL, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH,

I DIDN'T WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IT TOO MUCH.

EVEN LIEUTENANT SCOTT
THAT SAVED MY LIFE.

I'M SORRY TO SAY I DIDN'T WRITE
HIS WIFE AND TELL HER

WHAT I THOUGHT OF HIM
TILL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.

WHY IS THAT?

I GUESS I JUST WANTED
TO FORGET IT, THAT'S ALL.

SO WE TRIED
TO, UH...

PROVIDE
A REASONABLE

EXPLANATION
AS TO, UM...

I DON'T WHY--
CUT IT OUT, BOB--

I DON'T KNOW WHY BOB AND I
GOT PICKED TO COME HERE.

ANY OF THE FELLOWS COULD
HAVE CAME HERE.

A COUPLE OF EPISODES
WE'VE HAD SOME FUN,

LAUGHED DOWN ON THE STREETS.

BUT THE MAJORITY
OF IT HAS BEEN NO LAUGH.

I'VE BEEN VERY, VERY, VERY PROUD
TO SERVE WITH THIS BRIGADE,

BOTH IN THE FIGHTING...
AND IN PRISON CAMP.

AND I'D LIKE TO SAY TO THEM,
WHEREVER YOU ARE,

AND WHEREVER YOU GO,

YOU CAN SAY,
"I'M A HONG KONG VETERAN,"

AND HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH.

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