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CHONG SY KWONG
CHONG SY KWONG being duly sworn and with the assistance of the Interpreter LAURIE CHAN of ANGAU gives the following evidence:- I was living at CANTON and I was taken into custody by the Japanese in about December 1941. From Canton. I went to HONG KONG. From to the Dutch East Indies. From there to RABAUL and from there to BOUGAINVILLE in BUIN area. About March 1942 a party of about 30 Chinese were taken from the Buin area to a small island about three hours travelling time by boat. There were about 300 white prisoners on this island. They were dressed in khaki shirts and slacks and some of them were wearing felt hats similar to the Australian Army hats. They wore employed cutting down and carrying coconut trees and also carrying stones for the purpose of enlarging the airstrip They looked to be thin and weak. Some of them were sick and some had bare feet. Some of them wore Australian type gaiters and Australian army boots. (Witness is shown American and Australian type gaiters and identifies the latter as the type warn by each prisoner). Some of them also wore Australian type web belts. One of the Australians could speak little Chinese and during the first few days we were there he told us that they had come from Singapore. I have seen prisoners who could not walk without being supported on each side nade to go to work by the Japanese. One day a plane dropped a bomb on, the Jap kitchen and the following afternoon when the Australians returned to the compound after work about six Japanese Guards beat nearly all the Australians with sticks. Some of the Australians were carrying firewood and others were not but they received the some treatment. Some of the Australians who attempted to ward off the blows with their hands were then struck about the head. Those who did not attempt to protect themselves were beaten only about the body. Those who did not attempt to protect themselves received about 10 blows but those who attempted to protect themselves were severely beaten. About five were knocked unconscious on the ground. The Japs than threw buckets of water over them and when they revived beat them again till they were nearly half dead. The Japs then made the Australians carry the men back to their compound. Some days later I saw the Australians carrying two or three dead bodies from their compound. I saw some of these bodies placed in sacks, weighted with stones or iron put onto a motor boat taken a short distance out and dumped overboard. About a month after this one night there was an Allied air attack and bombs fell in the Australian compound. Next morning only about a hundred Australians went to work. I saw about 150 dead bodies and I saw only one big grave. The grave was around at the back of the Australians kitchen and I could find it again if I want to the island. I did not see any cross or other sign put up to mark the grave. Within the next 10 days or so I saw about 30 Australian bodies placed in rice bags weighted with stones or iron put on board a motor boat, taken a short distance out to sea and thrown overboard. I do not know the name of the unit to which the Japs belonged and I cannot write. (witness is shown the attached Japanese sign which he identifies as the same as the one on the Signboard). The Jap guards wore white caps with black anchors on then. On several occasions when Australians became tired at work and stopped for a moment to rest Jap guards would beat themn with straps until they started work again. During the air raid the Japs kept the Australians covered with a machine gun. I was on the island about three months. When I left there were only about 60 Australians going, to work. I returned to the BUIN area with the other Chinese. While I was on the island the Japanese had about 40 natives working, for them and each month a each month a new party replaced the previous months party. On Two or three occasions I have seen Chinese suspended by their thumbs with their feet a few inches from the ground. I have seen the Japanese hitting them with sticks while they were in this position. I was present on one occasion when a sick Chinese was tied in a sack and taken away by four other Chinese to a place when a grave had been made. These Chinese saw some Japanese guards with rifles and bayonets there. The Japanese told them to go away and when they had gone a short distance they heard the Chinese cry out as though in pain. On one occasion I saw a Chinese forced to drink a quantity or water after which he was placed on the ground with a plank across his stomach and the Japanese see -sawed on the plank and the Chinese screamed in pain and the water was forced out of his mouth. I know the names of the two Jap guards concerned in this incident. Their names and ranks are shown on the attached sheet. I did not see any whites in the BUIN area but I saw about eight Indians carrying bombs on a wharf. They were dressed in Japanese clothing and I could not say whether they were soldiers or civilians. On one occasion the Corporal who as involved in the incident in which the Chinese was forced to drink water beat about 25 Chinese with a strap for no reason at all.
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