Synopsis "lost at sea found at fukushima (in English)"
On a calm, tropical afternoon in the South Atlantic Ocean in April 1942, a British trampsteamer, the SS Willesden, was shelled, torpedoed and sunk by a German raider, theKMS Thor. The Willesden was carrying 47 officers and crew, and a cargo of vital warsupplies destined for Britain's 8th Army in North Africa. Five of Willesden's crew werekilled in the attack. Among the survivors was Second Mate David Millar, who - alongwith his crewmen - was rescued by the Germans and interned on a succession ofprison ships, before being handed over to the Japanese. Badly wounded, David spentthe rest of the war as a POW in a camp at Fukushima, north of Tokyo.The Thor was also responsible for sinking two other steamers, the SS Kirkpool andSS Nankin. Their survivors, who included 38 women and children, were dispatched tothe same POW camp.What is remarkable about this story, apart from its inherent drama, is that thesecivilian POWs - numbering more than 130 in all - were officially listed as 'Missing atSea': their presence in the camp remained a closely guarded secret. This meant thatit was many months - in some cases, years - before the fog of mystery surroundingtheir disappearance lifted, and family and friends knew whether their loved ones weredead or alive.Lost at Sea tells the little-known story of these survivors. It is a tale of honourbetween enemy naval commanders; of suffering, courage and endurance, as monthsof imprisonment turned to years; and of the powerful relationships that form whenpeople are forced together in life-threatening circumstances.Greatly enhancing the poignancy of this story is the fact that David Millar was theauthor's father.
