On a calm, tropical afternoon in the South Atlantic Ocean
in April 1942, a British tramp steamer, the SS Willesden,
was shelled, torpedoed and sunk by a German raider,
the KMS Thor. The Willesden was carrying 47 officers
and crew, and a cargo of vital war supplies destined for
Britain’s 8th Army in North Africa. Five of Willesden’s
crew were killed in the attack. Among the survivors
was Second Mate David Millar, who – along with his
crewmen – was rescued by the Germans and interned
on a succession of prison ships, before being handed
over to the Japanese. Badly wounded, David spent the
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 and SS Nankin. Their
survivors, who included 38 women and children, were
dispatched to the same POW camp.
What is remarkable about this story, apart from its
inherent drama, is that these civilian POWs – numbering
more than 130 in all – were officially listed as ‘Missing
at Sea’: their presence in the camp remained a closely
guarded secret. This meant that it was many months
– in some cases, years – before the fog of mystery
surrounding their disappearance lifted, and family
and friends knew whether their loved ones were dead
or alive.
Lost at Sea Found at Fukushima tells the little-known story of these survivors. It is a tale of honour between enemy naval commanders; of suffering, courage and endurance, as months of imprisonment turned to years; and of the
powerful relationships that form when people are forced together in life-threatening circumstances.
Greatly enhancing the poignancy of this story is the fact that David Millar was the author’s father.
in April 1942, a British tramp steamer, the SS Willesden,
was shelled, torpedoed and sunk by a German raider,
the KMS Thor. The Willesden was carrying 47 officers
and crew, and a cargo of vital war supplies destined for
Britain’s 8th Army in North Africa. Five of Willesden’s
crew were killed in the attack. Among the survivors
was Second Mate David Millar, who – along with his
crewmen – was rescued by the Germans and interned
on a succession of prison ships, before being handed
over to the Japanese. Badly wounded, David spent the
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 and SS Nankin. Their
survivors, who included 38 women and children, were
dispatched to the same POW camp.
What is remarkable about this story, apart from its
inherent drama, is that these civilian POWs – numbering
more than 130 in all – were officially listed as ‘Missing
at Sea’: their presence in the camp remained a closely
guarded secret. This meant that it was many months
– in some cases, years – before the fog of mystery
surrounding their disappearance lifted, and family
and friends knew whether their loved ones were dead
or alive.
Lost at Sea Found at Fukushima tells the little-known story of these survivors. It is a tale of honour between enemy naval commanders; of suffering, courage and endurance, as months of imprisonment turned to years; and of the
powerful relationships that form when people are forced together in life-threatening circumstances.
Greatly enhancing the poignancy of this story is the fact that David Millar was the author’s father.
