A Diary and the Fear of Death

Heroes Remember

A Diary and the Fear of Death

Transcript

I felt it my duty as the adjutant and it was dumb, dumb, too to sort of keep a diary of what was happening and it was a very frank diary and a very stupid diary. And one day I was writing I guess in the diary... the camp commandant and somebody else came swooping in and said, "Ah, we'll take this!" So I decided that I was going to be executed that afternoon, I mean there was absolutely no question in my mind that I was going to be executed and it served me right for being so stupid. Now there was another guy in the camp, an Oxford graduate, who taught at the Diocesan boys school and he kept a diary in Greek so he was fairly confident that he would be alright but I kept mine in English. Anyhow, I was absolutely positive that that was it and I had a very uncomfortable day and a rather uncomfortable night and the next day nothing happened. And after a couple of days, it dawned on me that he's not going to read it. He's just going to throw it into some desk or some warehouse or somewhere and obviously thatss what happened because nothing ever happened.

Description

Mr. Golden discusses keeping an illegal diary. His secret is discovered by the Japanese, the diary confiscated, and he lives in fear for his life for several days before realizing there will be no repercussions.

David Golden

The third of four children, David Sinclair was born on February 22, 1920 in Sinclair, Manitoba. His father, an insurance salesman, moved the family to Vancouver, returning to Winnipeg when Mr. Golden was ten years old. In his third year at the University of Manitoba, he joined the Canadian Officer Training Corps. Mr. Golden missed his University graduation due to a May, 1941 call up by the Winnipeg Grenadiers. As a 2nd Lieutenant he served with the Grenadiers in Jamaica. After returning to Canada he was assigned as an intelligence officer to the Royal Rifles, with whom he went to Hong Kong. Mr. Golden was imprisoned in Hong Kong for the entire war. After returning to Canada, he practiced law.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Recorded:: June 30, 1998
Duration:: 1:57
Person Interviewed:: David Golden
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Hong Kong
Battle/Campaign:: Hong Kong
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Winnipeg Grenadiers
Rank:: Lieutenant
Occupation:: Intelligence officer

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Mr. Golden admits that his training fell short of what he felt was necessary to adequately perform his instructor's duties prior to his deployment to Hong Kong.

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Mr. Golden, as an Intelligence Officer, describes having received no information about the enemy's movements or intentions until one day prior to their attack.

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Mr. Golden contradicts the opinion of many POW's that there was a reign of terror in North Point and Sham Shui Po camps. He does, however, reiterate the claims of filth, disease, malnutrition and neglect.

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Cigarette Addiction

Mr. Golden discusses how addictive cigarettes eventually became to the prisoners, to the extent that even the malnourished and seriously ill would trade food for smokes.

Thoughts on Japan

Mr. Golden describes having no animosity towards the people of Japan in general. He does, however, harbor grievances against those who executed four North Point escapees, and those who denied prisoners access to Red Cross parcels and mail from home.

Date modified:: 2019-06-20