The Ient Family: Family History

Freedom! - Wilf's First Letter as a Free Man

Wilfred Batty POW - by his son, Adrian Batty

Wilf writes from HMS Ruler, anchored in Yokohama Bay

Wilf wrote to Doris of these final events from HMS Ruler anchored in Yokohama Bay and it is best to repeat his account (in his words) written 14 September 1945:

' I am writing you once more a free man and on a British Aircraft Carrier anchored in Yokohama Bay... I will try and give you some idea of what has happened in the last month or to be exact from 15 August. Well here goes. On 15 August the Emperor gave a speech over the radio which was broadcast throughout Japan announcing the capitulation of the country. We were at work in the dockyard cleaning up the debris from the last raid we had – by the way it was our own people not Yanks which dropped it on us. The British Major who planned the raid was in Yokohama to meet us and was pleased to hear no prisoners were hurt. He knew we were imprisoned on the island but did not know the exact location of the camp. They sure plastered the dockyard, sinking four ships, wiping out the workshops, putting the yard completely out of commission, but making plenty of work for us. Anyway, on with the story, we got hold of the gist of the Emperor's speech and downed tools immediately and refused to do anything at all.

'We were then marched back to our camp, told a pack of lies and finished by telling us we would not have to go to work the following day or until they received official information. We stayed quiet for a few days and then got fed up of eating rotten rice and soups so we set off for the village, commandeered all the stores and lived merrily ever afterwards. The Nip police got in touch with our officers and promised plenty of food if we would stop looting the village stores etc. so we gave up looting and settled down to a life of idleness sun bathing and swimming. I forgot to mention that our camp was situated two yards from the sea. We stole a launch and had some good picnic trips to the surrounding islands. The days marched by, very good weather and everyone was happy for the first time in three years.

'And now we pass onto 2 September, a gala day for us, the signing of the Peace Treaty and also a B-29 dropped us our first relief food supplies – what a day – fags, chocs, oh everything that mattered. What a feast, I nearly made myself ill. That many fags even I couldn't have smoked them all in 3 months. After a few more days, we received a visit from the Swiss Red Cross delegate and was told the conditions of the surrender. All about the atomic bomb and bomb damage throughout the whole of Japan, and did we cheer for after all we had not suffered in vain. The Japanese are now starving they have nothing, which pleases all POWs immensely.

'On with the story, for the airmail is getting less and less. We left our island in the inland sea on 12 August [I think Wilf meant September], passing through Fukohama, Osaka and other big towns. You may believe it or you may not but it is true of these towns, there is nothing, when I say nothing I mean NOTHING – if I had not seen it I would not have believed it myself. For 2 hours at 45 miles an hour in the train, we passed through what must have been a thickly populated area. So for about 90 miles long and as far as the eye could see on either side of the train there was nothing but charred wreckage. We arrived in Yokohama and received a marvellous reception from the Yank army of occupation. Silver bands to play us in and out during dinner a Yank dance band playing to us the slow swing which I understand is all the rage now. To cut the story short, we boarded the HMS Ruler last night and now once more we are under the British Flag.'

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