Mr. Agerbak describes the long-term physical and emotional impacts of his service in Hong Kong.
I Never Saw One Canadian . . . it Really Burnt my Butt.
Mr. Agerbak describes his disappointment upon reaching American soil and seeing no Canadians. He talks about his trip home and seeing his parents.
It Took Them Quite a While to Find Us
Mr. Agerbak describes how a hidden radio informed them the war was over and discusses his voyage home to Canada.
I Was the One That Got the Beating
Mr. Agerbak describes various aspects of working as a blacksmith in the Yokohama shipyards, nutrition, responsibilities, and discipline.
I Don’t Remember Getting Anything to Eat
Mr. Agerbak describes being shipped to Japan to the labour camps, and compares the coping skills of soldiers from urban and rural backgrounds.
There Was No Way You Could Keep Morale Up
Mr. Agerbak describes the fact that NCO’s were responsible for their men in camp, and were often punished if their men couldn’t be accounted for.
My Mouth was Just Raw
Mr. Agerbak describes in graphic detail some of the illnesses and treatments he endured in the POW camps.
He Was So Badly Wounded, the Japanese Just Bayoneted Him.
Mr. Agerbak describes surrendering and Japanese extermination of the wounded who couldn’t make the forced march to Sham Shui Po. He describes his badly wounded brother dying in this way.
Japanese Ambushes
Mr. Agerbak describes the impact of Japanese ambushes on the Canadians’ ability to remain a cohesive fighting unit.
We had Nothing, Absolutely Nothing.
Mr. Agerbak describes falling back to Hong Kong island when the Japanese attacked, and the garrison’s totally inadequate defenses and weapons.