Uncovering Pootung- Part 8: An Insider’s Account—Geo. A. Watt’s Report on Treatment of Internees

by Jenny Chan

​The affidavits of John Van Almer, Albert Edward Alsop, James E. Aurell, Den W. Purns and Floyd Crowder, John Robert de Lara, Henry Francis Parks, and Ernest Sherwood Savage have illuminated the brutal realities of Pootung Assembly Camp, from starvation and violence to medical neglect and bombing risks. Now, the report by Geo. A. Watt, Chief Interpreter at Pootung, offers a rare insider’s perspective on the camp’s administration and the systemic cruelty that defined its operation. Written in Shanghai on October 8, 1945, Watt’s detailed account exposes the chaotic early days under ineffective commandants, the sadistic reign of Sergeant Endo, and specific acts of violence against internees like George Norris, Bert Hales, and Max Braunstein. His unique position in the Japanese office allowed him to witness and relay critical information to camp representatives, shedding light on the power dynamics and abuses that shaped daily life. As we transition to Part 8, Watt’s narrative, rich with firsthand observations, deepens our understanding of Pootung’s oppressive hierarchy and the internees’ resilience, urging us to preserve these vital testimonies.

Report on Treatment of Internees: Geo. A. Watt’s Account
Authored by Geo. A. Watt, Chief Interpreter at Pootung Internment Camp, this report, dated October 8, 1945, in Shanghai, provides an unparalleled view into the camp’s mismanagement and brutality from January 1943 to its closure in August 1945. Watt, positioned at a desk in the Japanese office, chronicles the rapid turnover of commandants—from the ailing Vice-Consul Aoki to the negligent S. Uyeda and the blunt K. Tsuchiya—while pinpointing Sergeant Endo as the primary orchestrator of physical abuse. His account details specific incidents, such as the slapping of Norris and Hankinson over a hot plate, the unprovoked assault on Bert Hales at a camp dance, and the vicious kicking of Max Braunstein during roll call. Watt also recounts the severe beating of five young British internees caught shopping outside the camp, an act ordered by Endo against the commandant’s wishes. Presented in full below, Watt’s report, informed by his role as a liaison to British representative John Gadsby, exposes the camp’s violent disciplinary culture and the internees’ endurance, reinforcing the need to honor Pootung’s forgotten history.

Report on Treatment of Internees at Pootung Camp by Geo. A. Watt, Chief Interpreter.
Pootung was the first Camp established in Shanghai for civilian internees. It was opened on January 30th, 1943 under extremely miserable conditions. The first commandant of the camp, Vice-consult Aoki, who was suffering from tuberculosis had to be hospitalized within ten days of the opening of the camp, as his condition became such that he was unable to continue work, due to the terrible condition of the camp. Vice-consul Aoki was succeeded by his assistant, S. Uyeda, a boy of 20 years old. This youngster was a very lackadaisical follow, who was more interested in shooting sparrows around the camp than attending to his work and it was due to this fact that the camp was short of food for two or three weeks in March 1943. Towards the end of March 1943, this youngster was replaced by K. Tsuchiya who took over as commandant of the camp. During Uyeda’s regime, due to some misunderstand with Mr. W. W. MacKenzie, the then British Representative at the camp, the former took a violent dislike of Mr. MacKenzie, and was instrumental in having the latter, together with Mr. Forsythe, an employee of the P.W.D. in Hong Kong (who was brought to Shanghai by the Japanese Navy with the idea of getting him to co-operate with them which he naturally turned down), sent to Bridgehouse and from there to Haiphong Road Political Prisoner’s Camp. 

Commandant Tsuchiya was a very blunt and impolite man but actually he was not in any way cruel. He was afraid of and completely overridden by the chief of police (consular police). The first chief of consular police at Pootung was sub-inspector Sekikawa, who although very strict was fairly just, and during his regime no special cases of slapping or kicking took place, although some Chinese were rather unnecessarily severely dealt with for assisting the internees to communicate with the outside. 

Sekikawa’s successor, sub-inspector Ono, was a real imbecile. He was completely ruled by his sergeant, a fellow named Endo, who in fact actually ran the camp, countermanding the orders given by the commandant or by his direct superior the Chief of police. Endo was a proud and cruel sadist, but about him I will refer to later. On one occasion in the late Spring of 1944, George Norris (British) who happened to be using a hot plate belonging to Hankinson (British) was called up to the Japanese office together with Hankinson and severely reprimanded for using the hot plate. I happened to be on duty at the time and did the interpreting for Messrs. Norris and Hankinson, as Ono did not understand a word of English, and as I thought the interview was over Ono leisurely put on his coat (uniform) and gave both Norris and Hankinson several slaps each which he did, according to him, to show his subordinates how they should deal with the internees. 
Sergeant Endo, the direct subordinate of Ono, was the fellow who actually ran the camp. He was extremely proud and always walked around with a swagger to show the internees how important he was. It was this fellow who compelled the internees to attend at roll-call outside on the football grounds during the cold winter and hot summer months, keeping the internees outside for 15 minutes to half an hour awaiting his pleasure. Old people as well as the young ones were compelled to attend and in some cases people had to be carried away to their beds as they fainted due to the blazing sun and the long wait for Sergeant Endo. It was Endo who instructed his subordinate policemen to show no sympathy to the internees and it was only during his regime that slapping and kicking incidents took place. Particularly cruel during Endo’s reign was constable Matsubara who on several occasions slapped internees for no reason whatever. I recall in particular one case: that of Bert Hales: Hales was at a dance, which was held once every three weeks, when Matsubara walked in and said something to Hales in Japanese, which naturally Hales did not understand and therefore pointed to one of the interpreters and mentioned his name so that Matsubara could explain to him what was wanted, but instead of talking to the interpreter, Matsubara just gave Hales a hard slap on the face and dodged behind another consular policeman who had just arrived on the scene. Another policeman who was insanely anti-foreign and took every advantage to slap or kick internees was constable Takahashi. I would give just one instance of his cruelty. On one occasion at roll-call in the garden, Max Braunstein (American) was slightly out of line. Without saying a word Takahashi grabbed Braunstein by the neck and pulled him out of line and kicked him several time in the stomach right in front of the whole camp. One more policeman who was violently anti-foreign was constable Abe who took pleasure in slapping women, but unfortunately, I was not a witness to any of his dirty work, as most of it was done at roll-call on rainy days when roll-call was held in the rooms. 
Practically all the slapping and kicking incidents took place while Sergeant Endo was running the camp and I am positive that they were all done at the instigation of Endo. On one occasion when five lads, names: Hugh Colter, Harold England, George Courtney, David Ezekiel and Hunting (all British) all boys between 17 and 19 years of age were caught by the Japanese Naval Landing Party, after they had jumped the fence to do some shopping, were severely beaten up with bamboo poles so that their faces were badly bruised and swollen, I have personal knowledge that this beating up was done at the instigation of Endo as I personally heard him tell his subordinates to beat them in spite of the Commandant’s order not to do so. 
Having had a desk in the Japanese office I was in a position to hear and see all that was going in that office and was thus able to inform our Representative, Mr. John Gadsby, C.B.E., of everything that I was able to glean in that office and in that way I hope I have been able to be of some service not only to Mr. Gadsby, but to the whole camp in general. 
Should further information or particulars be wanted of me in connection with the above or if I could be of service in any way whatever I shall be glad to do anything within my power. 

George Allcock Watt 
Shanghai, October 8th, 1945. 

Source:
“War Crimes Files Pootung,” Pacific Asia War Archive, accessed June 16, 2025, https://pacificatrocitiesedu.reclaim.hosting/items/show/939.