a a

TN Dp Sn jm See Be LZ ne am PE

selves playing host to both the Russian and
German governments. Nationals of both
countries are well established in Shanghai.
Thus the Japanese newspaper carried both
German and Russian news reports and by
this means we were able to follow the battles
in North Africa until the conclusion of the
campaign. Suddenly, when the Japs discov-
ered how much news we were getting, the
papers ceased coming in.

Now with Shanghai’s summer heat we
found it terribly hard to eat. We were
hungry, but we couldn’t stomach the food
that was issued. A good deal of it was
thrown away with every meal, and inroads
were made on the few tins of food that had
been brought in. When we came to eat our
canned food we had another disagreeable
surprise, for we couldn't retain it. We
came to the grim realization that our stom-
achs were in such condition that we couldn't
eat decent food. We also began to realize
that we were slipping fast.

Rumours floated round the camp from
time to time regarding repatriation but this
seemed a dim and distant promise. There
was mild speculation as to who would be
lucky if an exchange ever did occur.

Then came September 17th, 1943—for
many a promise of new life, for others the
unpredictable future, weary months of life
in a Jap controlled internment camp.

One hundred and fifty of us were told

ALADDIN CAFE
Murray and Miller, Proprietors
Where Good Food Is Unexcelled

Home Cooking and Home-Made Pies
Our Specialty

SIDNEY

British Columbia

Subscribe to THE SHOULDER STRAP.

P. W. CASE

General Merchant
a
SOOKE, B.C.

CLIFF’S HOT DOG STAND

HOT DOGS, SANDWICHES, SOFT DRINKS,
TOBACCOS and CIGARETTES

*
SOOKE, B.C.

————

THE POLLYANNA STORE

E. Brownsey, Proprietor
ICE CREAM and CONFECTIONERY
POST OFFICE

Phone 6-Q Sooke, B. C.

Page Twelve

that we were being repatriated on the Teia
Maru scheduled to leave Shanghai in two
days’ time. On September the 19th, we
were put on board the Japanese ship that
was to carry us to freedom. Originally the
French motorship Aramis, “borrowed” by
the Japanese, the Teia Maru was built to
carry 375 passengers. Fifteen hundred of
us were put aboard her! But we didn’t care,
we were going home. We made stops at
Hong Kong, the Philippines, Saigon and
Singapore to pick up the balance of the re-
patriates. We only stopped to refuel at
Singapore, no one was repatriated from
there.

From Singapore we were taken to Mor-
mugao in Portuguese India where the ex-
change took place. At Mormugao we trans-
ferred to the Swedish liner Gripsholm which
carried us to New York via South Africa
and South America. After an ocean voyage
of 73 days we docked at New York. I
gained 35 pounds on the trip.

Canada looks pretty good to the return-
ing Canadian, and nowadays when I see
the word “freedom” on war-time posters it
takes on anew meaning. After ten months
in a Japanese internment camp you get
a clear-cut understanding of the word
“freedom.”

Editor's Note: For obvious reasons Constable

Medley has omitted the names of persons interned
with him.

Fraser Trophy Changes
Hands

IN A BREATH-TAKING rapid fire finish,
Constable Walter G. Bailey of Alexis Creek
(°C Division) took top place in this
years Fraser Trophy match shot on June
28th at the Royal Oak range near Victoria.

Lined up for the event were Sergt. J. A.
Young, holder of
the trophy — since
1939; Corpl. Jack
Henry of Dun-
can, Chief Radio
Operator W. F.
Conlan of Head-
quarters, Const.
W. G. Bailey of
Alexis Creek and
Const. H. J. Pars-
ley of Duncan.

Fred Denyer of
the New Westmin-
ster Motor Licence
office acted as re-
Const. Walter G. Bailey feree and Inspector

Clark of Head-
quarters handled the scoring.

In the slow fire stage, Sergt. Young
dropped a point with a 99, and Bailey
dropped four with a 96. Parsley followed
with a 92 and Henry and Conlan had to
content themselves with 89 each. In the
timed fire stanza Young dropped three for
97, and Bailey dropped seven with a 93.
So far the genial sergeant from the Crim-
inal Investigation Branch was closely fol-
lowing the pattern of previous years,
having only dropped four points in 200,

and Bailey, the runner up, down 11. The

rest of the firing line was now in the eighty’s

and the competition resolved itself into a

strictly two-man affair. The upset came

in the rapid fire stage when the man from

the Chilcotin held them in for a 93, and

Jake Young’s pattern added up to 85. This

gave Walter Bailey 282 and the contest by
a point.

Shot over the Camp Perry course with
service weapons, the Fraser Match is the
final test of individual markmanship among
members of a force noted for a high stan-,
dard of prowess with the pistol. We join
in congratulating the winner.

MOUAT BROS.
LIMITED

*

Dry Goods, Groceries,
Flour and Feed
General Merchandise
Gas and Oil
*

GANGES, B. C.

A. BITTANCOURT
SHELL SERVICE STATION

Dealer in

ALL SHELL PRODUCTS

Tobacco and Confectionery

Ganges Harbour, B. C.

SALT SPRING LANDS, Ltd.

Real Estate, Financial and Insurance

Agents

*
GANGES, B. C.

Salt Spring Island Trading
Co. Ltd.

Dealers in i

GROCERIES, MEATS AND GENERAL
MERCHANDISE

Ganges, British Columbia

Sasol:

J. CHANTELU, Proprietor

WOOD DEALERS

And General Hauling
Phone 10-Q

Ganges, B.C.

THE SHOULDER STRAP