Hakodate Camp

A Series of Photographs

HAKODATE CAMP, Hokkaido, Japan, October 1944

The below photographs were sent to COFEPOW by the contributors to this article. At present, unfortunately, no one knows why the photographs were taken and why the men were given these copies. Fortunately we have names of the subjects portrayed in the photographs, which were attached or notated as described.

New COFEPOW member, Colin Stevenson writes:

'I have this photograph of my father and other prisoners who were in Hakodate in October 1944'. Surnames are written on the reverse. Using the rescue roster published by Roger Mansell and the COFEPOW database I have been able to attempt to identify the majority of the men but of course I can only be certain about my father. Some names could not be found on the rescue roster and for others there is more than one with that surname so identification is not possible. I would be very interested to hear from anyone who can indentify any of the prisoners.

Key L – R Back to Front

Back Row: 1.Regan 2.Woods 3.Morgan 4.Gilleland 5.Daley 6.Rose 7.Zander 8.Hazell

2nd Row: 9.Mawhinney 10.Hall 11.Bathe 12.Robinson 13.Yen 14.Kirby 15.Hayes 16.Baldwin 17.Doidge 18.Simms 19.Davis 20.Carter 21.Gilbert 22.Pike 23.Stevenson 24.Landen

3rd Row: 25.Dougherty 26.Pearce 27.Stanway 28.Beales 29.Harris 30.Bennett 31.Walker 32.Smith 33.Curtis 34.Smith 35.Chick 36.Marsh 37.Carter 38.Loat 39.Minshaw 40.Ellis 41.Barker

4th Row: 42.Cox 43.Gadd 44.Ford 45.Bryson 46.Evart 47.Ruiz 48.Nieves 49.Mount 50.Pyke 51.Meikleham 52.Sargeant 53.Phillips 54.Cebollero 55.Newton 56.Feagle 57.Jones

Front Row: 58.Holmes 59.Smail 60.Lee 61.Hulme 62.Dickman 63.Kelly 64.Jones 65.Robinson 66.Morris 67.Meaghan 68.Young 69.Train 70.Pritchard 71.Burgher 72.Midson 73.Mallon 74.Murphy 75.D'Arcy 76.Dawson

Possible Matches

1) Regan, Victor Cyril, Ssgt (Arty) 1055003

3) Morgan, Hugh Meirion.,LAC 6220464) Gilleland, Jesse P.,WT2c,2659290,USN (American)5) Daley, Michael J.,Corp,39156123,USA (FA) (American)6) Rose, Guy Mitchell,MM3c,2832493,USN (American)7) Zander, William Otto,S2c,3007847,USN (American)8) Hazell, George R.R.,Sgt 23452239) Mawhinney, Herbert, AC1 108327711) Bathe, V.C.,L Corp (Australian)14) Kirby, Frederick John, LAC 96634816) Baldwin, Alfred James, AC1 126500317) Doidge, William Robert,AC2 133693619) Davis, Herbert,LAC 109076921) Gilbert, Ernest John,L Corp 486493422) Pike, William H,L Corp 385522823) Stevenson, Harry Cavie, L Corp 486353524) Landen, Stuart, L Corp 461947925) Dougherty, Meyer,MSgt,6566768,MD (American)26) Pearce, Frank,L Bdr 169959227) Stanway, Morley,LAC 115227828) Beales, Ray Stanley,AC2 133019929) Harris, Samuel F.,Pvt 577958330) Bennett, Benjamin P,Driver 237197535) Chick, Ernest Rupert,Gunner 175706736) Marsh, William Nuttall, AC2 114416738) Loat, Eric William.,AC2 140407639) Minshaw, Ernest,AC1 114579641) Barker, Jack Ronald,Flt Sgt 904770

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Ronald van der Waag writes:

' I would like to sent you the group picture (displayed below). My father was Leo van der Waag and I found the foto in my fathers belongings, together with a notebook of his Japanese camp history.'

His name apears on the list of prisoners on the Tofuku Maru. Leaving from Singapore - bound for Moji Japan. His name also apears on the rosters of survivers of Hokadate POW camp. Furthermore I found his Registration Card in the National Archive in The Hague.'(Capital of Holland)

Ronald states that Colin Stevenson has a very similar photograph (which is displayed above) and as a result they have corresponded about the probable date these pictures were taken. Their research indicates Col. Saito, Camp Commandant ordered some group pictures taken on the 29 october 1944.

Ronald hopes that the photograph may have meaning or perhaps other people may recognise someone in the photograph and if so he would be pleased, to have contact. (details below)

Photograph taken at Hakodate Camp, October 1944

Hand written list of subjects in photograph

Original Japanese registration form

Hakodate Camp Transfer List

Melinda Barnard Jud photographed it from the US Archives while doing research on Japanese POW camps. It's a record showing the transfer from Ohasi camp to Hakodate Camp on May 1943. The name of my father, Leo van der Waag is included amongst others.

You can contact me, Ronald van der Waag at Email - carowaag@online.nl

Or Telephone: 0031104780779 Or Write: Ronald van der Waag, Claes de Vrieselaan 78a, 3021 JS Rotterdam, Holland

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Paul Carter writes:

I would like to submit my photo for inclusion on the COFEPOW website. Photo attached - the handwritten date was added by my father, Leading Aircraftman Alan Carter RAF 605 Squadron.(my Dad wrote the names on the back of the photo)

He travelled in December 1941 by sea from Gourock via Cape Town to Java and was there (and in Sumatra) for a few weeks before the authorities on Java capitulated and he was taken prisoner by the Japanese. He spent 6 months in Boei Glodok prison in Batavia before being shipped via Singapore to Japan. He arrived in Moji on the Tofuku Maru towards the end of November 1942 and was prisoner in Hakodate until Spring 1945 when he was transferred to Bibai, remaining there until liberation in September. journey back to England was via Manila, then on the USS Marine Shark to San Francisco, followed by a long rail journey from Tacoma through Canada to New York, boarding the Queen Mary and arriving in Southampton on 18 November.

I would like to hear from anyone who was a POW at Hakodate, or from their family.

Photograph taken at Hakodate Camp, 29th October 1944

BACK ROW:Nutten (RN), Carr (RAF), Turner (Army), Agro (US Navy), Grant (RAF), Purser (RAF), Bellis (Army), Welch (RAF), Self (Army)

4th ROW:Gargano (US Navy), Anderson (US Navy), Burton (Army), McConnell (MN), Stidolph (MN), Grimshaw (Army), Stockley (Army), George (Aus), Roseveare (RAF), Glassbrook (RAF), Thomas (RAF), Robinson (RAF), Ireton (Army), McCann (Army), Flint (Army)3rd ROW:Mathieson (Army), Halliwell (RAF), Kenner (US Army), Burtonwood (Army), Carter (RAF), Biagini (US Navy), Hartman (US Navy), Webb (RAF), Livie (MN), Newlands (RNZAF), Henderson (RAF), Folley (RAF), Taylor (Army), Mountford (RAF), Howlett (RAF), Crane (Army), Whiteside (Army), Roe (Army), Goodwin (RAF)2nd ROW:Anthony (Army), Roper (Army), Hall (RAF), Cheeseman (Army), Oats (Army), Langford (Aus), Jones (RN), Derby (Army), Wright (Army), Snow (RAF), St Ledger (Army), Saint (RAF), Gorman (US MN), Gilfillan (Army), Snow (RAF)FRONT ROW:Motley (RN), Becker (US MN), Perkins (RAF), Tombs (RAF), Mallen (Army), Daniels (RAF), Winstanley (Army), Bray (RAF), West (MN), Melville (RAF), Teague (RAF), Greenwood (RAF), Simpson (Army), Atkinson (RAF), Street (RAF), Batt (Army), Bagley (Army), Swainson (RAF)

You can contact me, Paul Carter at Email - paul@pcarter.net