Foreword This boot of stetches wil be welcomed by all those interested ia the vicissitudes of prisoners-of-war in Japanese hands. ‘The first sketches deal with the rather grave days of the prisoners: ‘efor of Sparrow Force in Timor, the members of which force arrived * on 12th December, 1941, and fought bravely and continuously iat on overwhelming force of 22,000 Japanese, who landed on 19th a February, 1942, until most of the force were made prisoners on 23rd February, 1942. ‘Those who were prisoners ther crowded together in a palm grove by the sea at Oosapa Besar with no Gccommodation whatever, alongside a swamp which was for some days re will never forget those early days. the only source of water supply, with rice as the only food and with moss fins 0s the only cooking utensil, Who will forget Captain Fukada, that arrogant, pompous little Japanese camp commandant, who rode into camp one day on a small Timor pony, end seid, “All men make ten huts in three days?” How reminiscent this wes of the Egyptians commanding the Israelites to make bricks without straw, for no material or tools were then available. How fever, with increasing morale, tools and materials were improvised and huts were built. .. but not in three days. Exch stetch in the book is photographic in its accuracy, but has 2 vivid realism which reveals much more than the mere incident depicted. Geoff. Tyson had quite a varied experience in Timor, Java, Singa pore and Japan, He was one of the few survivors from a ship on which 4 Mi there were about one hundred and fifty prisoners-of-wer from Sparrow Force and which was sunk off Nagasaki in June, 1944. Most of his original sketches were lost and many of the sketches in his book are reproduced from memory. Having seen some of the ffiginal sketches, Iam amazed to notice how faithfully they have be: reproduced. I consider it 0 great privilage to write a foreword to this book, which should be interesting and instructive to the general public and is of ‘especial interest to all members of Sparrow Force. a "Aulua,” Mornington, Victoria. 2st February, 1947. fiodo820 h,ae g ouse The CookDie Beach, Looking towards Keepangere of the Graves! Grn St Chape(Koepang BayMITSUBISHI IRON *FounDRY Nagasak c 944, 40 29th June, 1945,(Ola (Gal (Minea =) — } | a 14 I On the H.M.S via Hong Kong,oct Strae | Hs Acknowledgment . . - 4 Most of the sketches of Timor and Java in this book are taken fron originals which | made for various men in the prison camps and which: held on to successfully until the end of the war. (I failed to do this my own collection as the Nips discovered their hiding-places in ‘and destroyed them.) In presenting this book of sketches | wish to express my appreci and thanks to the following for the use of originals new in thelr Roly Bristos, Jack Moles, Padre Kennedy, Len Barrett, Ray Vincent Coventry, Henry Balmforth and Ron Williams: also to Arch Melnn for his assistance wiih names an:! addresses, and, finally, fa egaaHt for his splendia rd. s