Wallet 1 of 1 - Letter from William Thomas Sinclair to his future brother-in-law Robert J Moore, 1945 Accession Number: AWM2020.22.215

Description

Collection relating to the Second World War service of PM/5416 Able Seaman William Thomas Sinclair, HMAS Nizam, Royal Australian Navy, Tokyo Bay, Japan, 1945.

Wallet 1 of 1 - collection consists of one letter from Able Seaman Sinclair to his future brother-in-law, Sergeant Robert J. Moore. The letter is dated 3 September 1945, but is likely to have been written over several days.

In his letter, Sinclair describes his experiences of 2 September 1945, when Japanese officers signed the Allied Instrument of Surrender in Tokyo Bay. He shares that two Japanese officers came aboard the HMAS Nizam, a large number of aircraft flew overhead, and that almost everyone in the Bay had their eyes on the USS Missouri, where the Instrument was being signed. Sinclair then discusses the poor conditions of the Allied prisoners of war that they had encountered, including Australian nurses, saying that there had been reports of severe beatings, cruel torture, and inadequate food, and shared that it was touching to see them so excited to be going home.

Details

Conflicts

• Second World War, 1939-1945

Places

• Tokyo Bay

Units

• HMAS Nizam

Tags

• Letters
• Surrender ceremonies
• Prisoners of war
• Japanese