After 13 July there were only about 30 prisoners left. For food we gave these men some kan kong, tapioca and coconuts. Initially we did give them a little rice but this soon stopped. We did no cooking for the prisoners. Some of them were able to crawl about caring for the very sick. They died from lack of care and starvation and the last one died on 15 August 1945.
Before we left Sandakan Captain Yamamoto talked to all the officers and sergeant majors about how we should behave on the march. It was to be done as quickly as possible and no one was to be left behind. It would be difficult as the prisoners were sick. Any prisoner who could not walk was to be carried by the healthy prisoners on a stretcher and, if they could not do it, then the Japanese guards must help. He made no mention of disposing of prisoners who could not keep up.
During the march many prisoners fell out and were left behind at camps. In the rear of the march there was a special three guard section commanded by Sergeant Major Tsuji and I took my turn in this party three or four times. I guarded prisoners who fell out while the other POWs went past and then handed them over to Tsuji's party who disposed of them.
I saw five POWs being taken away into the jungle after which I heard shots. When we reached camp that night the guards were talking about the killings and about the guards who had carried them out. Guards were forced to kill under the orders of Lieutenant Wantanabe and Sergeant Major Tsuji.
There was an order to send 23 more prisoners to Ranau. The truth, however, is that on 13 July we took them out to the airport to a deep air raid shelter. We lined them up and all of us fired at them. Any that were not killed by the first shot we fired at again until they were all dead. Then we dragged their bodies to a hole and covered it up.
As the last lot of prisoners died at the camp the Javanese came in and buried them. When all were dead we burnt everything and left.