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Ubon POW Medical Records and AnalysisPrepared by Ray Withnall. Date: March 2016The Ubon camp Medical Diary can be found in the National Archives (WO347/4)Introduction the Ubon POW CampThe main Ubon POW camp was established in North East Thailand 9 km north of Ubon in February 1945. Ubon (its Sunday name is Ubon Ratchathani) is 400 miles east of Bangkok and close to the borders of Laos and Cambodia.Towards the end of 1944 the Japanese were under serious threat of losing the Asia Pacific war. Their Axis ally, Germany, was in retreat following the Normandy invasion in June 1944 and no longer provided moral support. The advancing Japanese army was halted in Burma following the epic battles at Imphal and Kohima and their strategy changed from attack to defence and retreat. Consequently they built an airstrip in the east of Thailand at Ubon to provide cover for their possible retreat. Ubon was ideally placed. The rail link from Bangkok was already in operation prior to the war and it was relatively easy to transport the 3,000 POWs required to build the airstrip from their prison camps on the Thai Burma railway close to Kanchanaburi. The number of POWs transferred to Ubon:British 1,460Dutch 1,477 Australian 102 American 4Total3,043There were probably two POW camps at Ubon. Although many anecdotal accounts indicate only one camp, recently discovered Dutch accounts of Ubon suggest a second camp located at another airfield, which is probably the site of a Thai controlled airfield and today is Ubon’s commercial airport. The Japanese probably wanted a second airfield at Ubon to avoid daily contact with the Royal Thai Air Force and local Thai people. The Japanese were becoming increasingly suspicious that the Thai military and civilian population were spying upon them. In addition, the clandestine activities of the Free Thai Movement, the U.K. Special Operations Executive )SOE) and the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) created further mistrust that necessitated total Japanese control at the new airstrip.The Ubon Medical Diary does not contain any records for Dutch POWs, suggesting they either had their own hospital, or more likely, a separate campUbon Camp Medical DiaryThe Ubon Medical Diary and miscellaneous records are located in section WO347/4 in the National Archives at Kew.The Ubon Camp Database is reproduced in an Excel spreadsheet and is a ‘like for like’ transposition of every record as written in the Diary. This includes ‘errors’ due to incorrect or illegible writing (eg spelling of names) and poor quality copy. The Medical Diary does not contain any records for Dutch POWs, but records only British, Australian and American patients.Please note there are a hand full of incomplete records making it uncertain who was treated and why. The quality of the original documents is excellent.The Medical Diary records two deaths:14/03/45 Pte RW Merritt TX5341 of the AIF (Australian Imperial Force). Pte Merritt was shot by Japanese guards for persistently attempting to escape. His fatal wound is described as ‘GSW (Gun Shot Wound) penetrating Rt scapula (shoulder blade) to Rt clavicle (collar bone)’. This indicates he was shot in the back. A more detailed account of Pte Merritt’s escape attempt can be found elsewhere.4/8/45 Cpl H Stadman 92702 of the NEIA (? North East India Army?). Cpl Stadman died of pneumonia. There is a note to the effect ‘Died in Dutch Hospital’, indicating a separate hospital was established for the Dutch POWs, probably at the second camp.Details of medical operations performed at Ubon POW CampDateRegimental NumberRecord NumberNameUnitSurgeonAnaesthetist or AnaestheticOperation04/05/45427562917289Sgt Barker R.E.RNFMajor EA Smyth RAMCCapt TRS Cormack RAMCAppendicectomy23/6/451303626917539Pte Stickley HRASCMajor EA Smyth RAMCLocalTrendelenburg (Varicose Veins)3/7/4516836317579Pte Crabb PRRASCMajor EA Smyth RAMCLocalCircumcision9/7/45200183617606Spr Cooper AJREMajor EA Smyth RAMCCapt LD Stone RAMCNot stated but admitted with Broadies abscess on Rt leg18/7/451345717630CQMS Soward DFMSVFMajor EA Smyth RAMCLocalTrendelenburg (Varicose Veins)25/7/45407117317674Spr Davies RJREMajor EA Smyth RAMCLocalCircumcisionMiscellaneous hand written list of namesIn WO347 there is a hand written list of names on a small scrap of paper. At first there is no apparent reason for the list, but by tracing the names in the database, it is obvious they are all suffering from dysentery at the time of repatriation to Bangkok and onwards to England. The ex POWs on this list must have been given repatriation priority.Record NoNameReg NoUnitAdmissiondateDischargedateCondition17555Pte Freestone4858348Leics26/05/4510/09/45Amoebic dysentery17719Gnr Tate16292995S/L03/08/4519/09/45Chronic diarrhoea17735Sig Hughes2368805RCS06/08/4523/09/45Bacillary dysentery17768Fus Allen4278352RNF12/08/4518/09/45Bacillary dysentery17764Bdr Shepard909511118FR12/08/4515/09/45Amoebic dysentery17777Sgt Gripton922750135FR15/08/4504/09/45Amoebic dysentery17778Pte Turner3859164RECCE15/08/4516/09/45Bacillary dysentery17792Dvr Phillips2585741RCS18/08/4523/09/45Bacillary dysentery17798L/C Rogers2185699RE19/08/4503/09/45Bacillary dysentery17807Fus Selkeld4275458RNF20/08/4504/09/45Bacillary dysentery17819Pte Bullock4976831Sher F24/08/4516/09/45Bacillary dysentery17825Pdr Smith58377723135FR26/08/4508/09/45Bacillary dysentery17831Pte Richards7368933RAMC27/08/4510/09/45Bacillary dysentery17846Pte Burstow6918659RECCE30/08/4509/09/45Bacillary dysentery17847Sig Dolan2335120RCS30/08/4511/09/45Bacillary dysentery17849Pte GreenNZ50060AIF31/08/4510/09/45Bacillary dysentery17850StickleyT/13036269RASC31/08/4511/09/45Bacillary dysenteryThe general observations of the Medical Diary are:Date of first entry 25 February 1945Date of final entry 31 August 1945In total there are 706 recorded admissionsIn total there were 8,471 recorded bed nights Approximately 536* individual POWs were treated out of 1,566 British, Australian and American POWs. That is 34% of the POWs had an illness, injury or complaint diagnosed and attended to by the medical staff during their time at Ubon *(Note: small number of incomplete entries)Average age of POW admitted is approximately 29 years 11 monthsEldest POW admitted 52 years (Pte Flanigan Reg No 105463 IRAC)Four POWs have stated their age as 22 years The data is analysed into 20 groups of medical conditions There are approximately 174 different diagnosesSeveral POWs had more than one recorded diagnosisThe most common diagnosis was malaria (194 cases) followed by dysentery (122)No cases of cholera were reported but there is a reference to a suspected cholera carrier (record 17504)The most serious diagnosis appears to be an amputation (record 17610)Special notes were found for the following POWsRecord 17193 Pte PERRY 6203424 diagnosed with blackwater fever, admitted 08/03/45 and discharged 14/03/45 was listed on a ‘DI List’ (definition of ‘DI’ not known) between 10/03/45 and 24/03/45Record 17269 Pte LEISHMAN (or LEISHAN) 2979736 diagnosed with blackwater fever, admitted on 04/04/45 and discharged 07/05/45 was listed on a ‘SI List’ (definition of ‘SI’ not known) between 04/04/45 to 21/04/45Record 17401 S/Sgt Sherring S/174705 diagnosed with ?Augura? (definition not known. But could be angina?), admitted on 19/05/45 and discharged 06/07/45 was listed on a ‘SI List’ between 19/05/45 and 20/06/45Record 17576 Pte Jarvis 4859086 diagnosed with blackwater fever, admitted on 01/07/45 and discharged 29/07/45 was listed on a ‘DI List’ between 01/07/45 and 08/07/45Record 17622 Pte Sainsbury 5772313 diagnosed with an ‘active corrosive collapsed right lung’ (this diagnosis is unclear) admitted on 12/07/45 and discharged on 01/09/45 was on a ‘SI List’ between 13/07/45 and 20/07/45Record 17848 Pte Anderson 2878340 diagnosed with contusion partial rupture of spleen on 31/08/45 and discharged on 12/09/45 was on a ‘SI List’ between 01/09/45 and 06/09/45Pte Green (Regt No 6147382) East Surreys was admitted six times for a total of 41 nights03/03/45 to 08/03/45 Malaria16/03/45 to 21/03/45 Malaria29/03/45 to 01/04/45 Malaria09/04/45 to 23/04/45 Acute Bacillary Dysentery27/04/45 to 29/04/45 Malaria18/05/45 to 24/05/45 MalariaL/Cpl Gregory (Regt No 6141421) East Surreys Was admitted six times for a total of 32 nights15/03/45 to 21/03/45 Malaria13/04/45 to 16/04/45 Malaria03/05/45 to 07/05/45 Malaria27/05/45 to 29/05/45 Malaria02/07/45 to 12/07/45 Malaria16/07/45 to 17/07/45 ColicCpl Westlake (Regt No 7517658) RAMC stayed a total of 132 continuous nights in the hospital with ‘Spore foot 7 jaundice’ (this diagnosis is unclear)Number of nights in camp hospital by POWs admittedNo of nights in camp hospitalTotalNot known01 - 56 - 1011 - 2526 -5051 - 7576 - 100>100POWs536641511321546015104The highest total of POWs in the hospital on one night was 71 on the 8 August 1945.Analysis of Medical ConditionsMedical Condition GroupingRecorded Condition / DiagnosisNo of CasesNo of POWsNo of Conditions Diagnosed1Beri BeriBeri Beri 5Beri Beri and malaria1Old cardiac Beri Beri1TOTAL7732Blackwater FeverBlackwater Fever7TOTAL7713Bronchitis relatedKochs Disease . (A form of TB)Asthma7Bronchial Asthma1Bronchial Catarrh1Bronchitis8Bronchitis and Pellagra1Chronic Bronchitis3Pulmonary TB1TOTAL231884CellulitisCellulitis1Cellulitis buttocks1Cellulitis left leg and gingivitis1Cellulitis left foot1Cellulitis right leg1TOTAL5555CystitisCystitis5Cystitis general disability1Cystitis and Nephistis1Cholecystitis1Pyclo cystitis . (Pyelo cystitis?)Pyclitis (recurrent(kidney infection?)TOTAL11866DiarrhoeaChronic Diarrhoea4Chronic Diarrhoea and general debility1Diarrhoea and general debility1Diarrhoea Analbolic1Diarrhoea37Diarrhoea and Hepatitis2Diarrhoea and Malaria2TOTAL484677Dysentery?Am Dysentery2Acute Bacillary Dysentery25Amoebic Dysentery and Malaria1Amoebic Dysentery16Bacillary Dysentery65Bacillary Dysentery and Hook Worm1Bacillary Dysentery and Malaria1Chronic Amoebic Dysentery1Chronic Bacillary Dysentery1Clinical Dysentery6Dysentery2Old Amoebic Dysentery1TOTAL122110128EnteritisChronic Enteritis1Enteritis5TOTAL6629GastritisA77TOTAL77110Hepatitis relatedAcute Hepatitis1Hepatitis6Hepatitis IBT feet1Hepatosis and Malaria1TOTAL98411IATIAT Buttocks and adenitis groin1IAT Buttocks1IAT Foot13IAT Foot and Adenitis groin1IAT Gt toe (L)1IAT Hand2IAT Heel (left)1IAT Knee1IAT Legs2TOTAL2322912InjuryBamboo wound Rt foot1Injury Rt Foot1Fracture toe1Abdominal strain1Sprained wrist1Comp dislocation 1st interior phalangeal joint index finger Rt hand1Sprain Rt knee1Lacerated wound middle ring & little finger hand (L) admitted late 27/7/451Lacerated wound mid 1/3 left leg1Fracture bone 4th metatarsal Lt Foot1Superficial incised wound Rt gt toe1Strain lumber region back1Injury Rt foot1Superficial burns Rt foot1TOTAL14141413JaundiceJaundice20Jaundice and Gingivitis3Jaundice and NYD (N)1Jaundice and Pellagra1Jaundice and Tachycardia1Spoor foot 7 jaundice1TOTAL2726614MalariaCerebral Malaria2Malaria186Malaria (Chr)2Malaria and Cellulitis Rt leg1Malaria and Haematemesis1Malaria and Jaundice1Malaria and Tachycardia1TOTAL194169715OtherNot recorded7?Appendicitis1?Cholera carrier1?Haemorrhoids1?Nephritis1Active corrosive collapse Rt lung1Acute Bright’s Disease1Acute conjunctivitis R eye1Adenitis2Amnesia Nervosa1Amoebiasis Chr Colitis1Appendicectomy1Appendicitis1Ballanitis2Carbuncle Chest Rt side1Carbuncle mid 1/3 post surf Rt thigh1Carbuncle Neck1Carbuncle Rt Clavicular region1Cardiac dilatation & Jaundice1Chr ?1Chr Colitis1Constipation2Contusion partial rupture of spleen1Contusion Rt foot1Corneal ulcer1Cornza??1Dental extractions1Dermatitis2Duodenal ulcer1Dyspepsia1Eczema1FB Intestinal tract1General debility3Haematoma2Haematuria2Herpes Zoster & renal colic1Impacted wisdom tooth1Incised throat1LAT Feet1Laryngitis1Multiple boils1Myocarditis & Hepatitis1Nephritis1Neurasthenia1Neurosis1Oedema Rt leg due to Lymphangitis1Otitis Media1Parkinson’s disease2Peripheral Neuritis1Phimosis2Pleurisy2Pugura?1Pyrexia1Renal Calculus1Rheumatism1Rheumatoid Arthritis1Ringworm1S'pore Foot1Semanorhoea1Small carbuncle lumber region Back R1Small fibroma Rt foot1Sub acute appendicitis1Sub acute pancreatitis & old cordia beri beri?1Syncope2Syrocis? Knee R1Syrositis1Tonsilitis7Traumatic partial amputation1Urticaria1V Veins Rt leg1Vincent’s angina4TOTAL98927216PellagraPellagra17Pellagra and Acne1TOTAL1817217Peptic UlcerPeptic Ulcer8Peptic Ulcer and Blackwater Fever1TOTAL99218Renal ColicColic1Intestinal Colic2Renal Colic & Appendicitis1Renal Colic10Renal Colic left side1Renal Colic and Pellagra1TOTAL1614719TachycardiaTachycardia11Tachycardia and Diarrhoea1Post Malarial Tachycardia1TOTAL1311320Ulcers & AbscessesAbscesses16Ulcers31Septic2TOTAL49463GRAND TOTAL706642*174*Total of POWs (642) includes POWs admitted more than once for the same condition or different condition (there were approximately 536 individual POWs admitted)Author’s NoteThe author does not have any experience of medical conditions.All diagnosed conditions copied verbatim from the Medical Diary. In some cases, spelling is uncertain or wrong.Medical Condition Grouping was chosen by the author.Miscellaneous AnalysisPOWs admitted by stated religionIntuitively, it comes as no surprise that most POWs stated their religion as CE or Church of England, followed by Roman Catholic. Not all POWs had a religious conviction, therefore the data may be somewhat inaccurate, but less popular religions (eg Jewish, Christian Scientist) may be quite accurate.It is interesting to note that Malaria admissions peaked in late February and early March. There appears to be a cycle of admissions of 10 plus POWs in approximately six week periods between end of March and mid-June and a gradual tailing off to the end of August.In the case of admissions for Dysentery related conditions, there is a gradual rise in admissions from May towards a peak in August, which appears to be reaching an epidemic. Intuitively the number of cases of dysentery might occur when the camp was being built, and tailing off as sanitation and hygiene improved. There is no certain explanation for the increase in admissions, but it does seem to coincide with the onset of the monsoon season. When the camp was liberated, conditions and hygiene standards were reported to be generally good.SPECIAL THANKS TO PROF. GEOFF GILL FOR ASSISTANCE IN DEFINING MEDICAL CONDITIONS ................
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