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THE CHURCHES OF THE CAPTIVITY
IN MALAYA.
FEBRUARY 15th, 1942.
One of the darkest days in British Military History for it saw the
Capitulation of Singapore, the end of the Malayan Campaign, the
beginning of the onward sweep of the Japanese Forces across the
fabulously wealthy Islands of the South Seas, and the beginning of three
and a half years of captivity for 52,000 British and Australian Troops.
It is not my purpose to enter into any details of our experiences as
Ps. O.W. Much has been written, and will still be written, about our
conditions the grim tragedies which cost so many gallant men their
lives the courage with which they met every misfortune.
The purpose of this book is to show how the Churches got down to their
task of providing spiritual and moral uplift for their peoplekept them
in living touch with the one Power which alone could lift them above the
immediate present, and gave them hope and encouragement for the
future whether of life or of death.
We tried to build not only for ourselves to develop and offer every
means of Grace the Sacraments and Services of our Churches can give
but to send officers and men back to their home parishes with new life and
enthusiasm, consecrated to the Service of God and of His Church on earth.
Time alone will prove how far we succeeded in our second endeavour.
Here is recorded something of what we were able to do, in the immediate
circumstances, and the measure of Gods blessing on our work.
It deals only with the Church of England (although a painting of the
Jewish Synagogue in Changi Gaol has been incorporated as a token of our
co-operation). The paintings and sketches are exclusively of that
Denomination but I would here pay a tribute to the work of the
Chaplains of all Denominations British, Australian and Dutch, who
worked in splendid harmony and co-operation, and all with the same ends
in view, and whose work was equally blessed.
The Changi Area, where all Ps. O.W. were concentrated in February,
1942, was divided into Sub-Areas as follows:
1. Command H.Q. and Third Indian Corps.
2. Southern Area (late Singapore Fortress).
3. 18th Division Area.
4. 11th Division Area.
5. A.I.F. Area.
All Indian Troops had been concentrated in a separate area but officers
and British personnel of Indian Units remained at Changi.
The opening Sunday saw Services of all Denominations being held in
every area, with enormous congregations. From the first the I.J.A. placed |
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