澳媒對亞包中國戰俘的報導——流放在熱帶叢林中的抗日將士(附13)

    澳媒對亞包中國戰俘的報導——流放在熱帶叢林中的抗日將士(附13)

有證據顯示，澳軍在解放亞包之前，並不清楚這裏還有700-800名中國軍隊戰俘被日軍作為勞工，從中國運來，關押於此，強製勞役。下麵的報道，顯示澳軍在1945年9月初登陸亞包之後，了解到這批作為苦工的中國軍人的存在。

CHINESE TROOPS AMONG JAPS ON GAZELLE PENINSULA
(From Our Correspondent, Eric Thornton)  

RABAUL, Tuesday.  

Unexpectedly, 748 Chinese soldiers from the Nationalist forces have been discovered among Asiatic prisoners of war, 8,000 of whom are scattered throughout 50 camps on Gazelle Peninsula.  

They are the remnants of double that number of Nankinese, originally brought here. The others died from maltreatment at the hands of the Japanese. Some were captured in the days of the infamous rape of Nanking in 1937.

As the Australian party approached a company of about 20 yesterday the Chinese were holding a large banner, inscribed, “The road to victory was success. Welcome victory for our friends of the Australian Imperial Forces."

The interpreter between the Australians and Chinese was Tim Keong, who was known as Timothy Mac when he attended Wesley College, Melbourne, before the war.

The Canberra Times, Wednesday 19 September 1945, p.1.