Fukuoka 17

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Fukuoka #17 Branch Prisoner of War Camp was a Japanese POW camp located at the Mitsui Kozan Miike Kogyo-Sho coal mine and Mitsui Zinc Foundry in Shinminato-machi, Omuta-shi, Fukuoka-ken, Japan.

The Camp was opened 7th August 1943 and was gradually populated by 1735 POW’s of mixed nationalities, mostly Australian, American, British and Dutch. The British, Dutch and Australians were survivors of the "Burma Railway" construction in Thailand (Siam). The last group to arrive were all Australians in June 1945; they had formerly been held in the Fukuoka 13-D Oita POW camp.

The site was originally the labourers' quarters built by the Mitsui Coal Mining Company owned by the Baron Mitsui. The site was gradually expanded and further buildings constructed and measured 200 yards by 1000 yards. The site was surrounded by a 12 feet high wooden fence fixed with heavy gauge wire. There were 33 barracks all one story buildings 120' x 16' with 10 rooms to a barracks. Constructed of wood with tight tar paper roofs, and windows with panes. Officers were billeted 3 or 4 in one room 9' x 10' and 4 to 6 enlisted men in room of same size. There was no heating whatever which was a serious problem in the winter months as the men were living on starvation diets of two cups of rice per day. Each room had one 15-watt light bulb.

The camp commandant was Asao Fukuhara who was executed after the war for his crimes at this camp. The camp doctor was an unidentified Japanese surgeon who forced men to work even when critically ill. The prisoners knew the guards by pseudo- or nicknames. These included:The Sailor, One-armed Bandit, Pig, Smiley, Long Beach, Riverside, Flangeface, Fox, Screamer, Devil, Wolf, Blinkey, Mouse, Big Stoop, Gold teeth, Turtle, Devil, Billy Goat, Rat, Greyhound, Wingy, Pretty Boy and The Bull.

Baron Mitsui’s Company leased the POW’s from the Japanese Army who received payment from the Company of about 20 yen per day. The American, Australian and Dutch POW’s all worked as slaves in the Mitsui coal mine whilst all the British worked in the nearby Mitsui zinc foundry. Pay for privates and NCO’s was 10 yen per day and all POW’s received about 5 cigarettes each day. The canteen was run by what became known as the “American Mafia” led by Lieutenant Little. There were two meals served each day usually 1 cup of rice and some radish soup. Protein was rarely provided.

The Camp was liberated on 2nd September 1945, most of the POW’s were in a desperate state of health and were eventually evacuated via the destroyed Nagasaki about ten day later. Many POW’s were suffering from severe Beri-beri and were only 50% of their normal weight.

Much of this information originally came from the Gibbs Report:cite conference|first = John M.|last = Gibbs|title = Gibbs Report|date = July 31 1946|url = http://www.mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/fukuoka/Fuku_17/fuku_17_gibbs_report.html|doi = |accessdate = July 13 2008] The Gibbs reports were prepared post-war based upon assorted prisoner affidavitsAlso see Medical and historical report by Dr Hewlett:cite conference|first = Dr. Thomas H.|last = Hewlett|title = Dai ju nana bunsho (Camp #17) nightmare revisited|date = December 1978|url = http://www.mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/fukuoka/Fuku_17/hewlett_report.html|accessdate = 13 July 2008]

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