澳媒对亚包中国军人望眼欲穿等待遣返回国的报导
——流放在热带丛林中的抗日将士(附18)
1945年底，当战后由澳军在新不列颠岛解救出来的所有其他盟国的战俘，如印尼人、印度人、马来人、菲律宾人，都已经陆续被其国家或宗主国政府派船接送回国之后，就只剩下700多名中国军人和800多平民仍然呆在亚包，望眼欲穿地等待中国政府或盟国派船来将其遣返归国。到1946年，望断秋水的中国军民，眼看着同住一岛的那些近10万人之战败国的日本鬼子，都接二连三地被美军或小日本政府派船运送遣返回国之后，而仍然没有一丁点儿船运他们回国的踪迹，其等待遣返的耐心已经降到零点以下，几近崩溃。
下面，是澳媒对这些渐失耐心等待遣返的中国军人情况的报导。
JAPS GO HOME BUT CHINESE MUST WAIT
From MAX COLEMAN, 'Mail' Correspondent
RABAUL. — The Chinese seem to be the forgotten men of Raboul. All the Indonesian, Malay, and Indian prisoners of war liberated at Rabaul by the Australians have gone home and the Japs are getting away at the rate of 20,000 a month, but the Chinese are still here.
The 758 members of the Chinese National Army, survivors of the 1 ,504 troops brought here by the Japs in 1942, hove been waiting seven months for a ship home Some of them were captured as long as eight years ago.
Patience Tried
In a nearby camp are 831 Chinese civilians, sole survivors of a force of 2,000, who were rounded up in Canton in 1941, and shipped to New Guinea and the Solomons early in 1942. Of one group, numbering 1,000 men, distributed as laborers in New Guinea and Bougainville, only 98 survive today. The Chinese are accepting their present predicament with the stoic philosophy typical of the race, but their patience is being sorely tried when they see ships steaming into Simpson Harbor every two or three days to repatriate the Japanese. Commenting on the seven months' delay in returning these men to China. Mr. J. S. R. Ferguson[注1], senior Y.M.C.A. welfare officer in Rabaul, who has acted in the capacity of chaplains and interpreter to the Chinese Forces, said: “The keen disappointment of the Chinese has been largely overcome by their inexhaustible patience, but their greatest anxiety is due to the very few replies received in answer to the hundreds of letters sent to China during the past seven months.” Letters which have arrived have brought such sad and discouraging news that the survivors of this tragic force are more anxious than ever to return home. “I feel absolutely confident that if General MacArthur were aware that these men were still languishing here seven months after the Jap surrender, he would immediately arrange for an American ship or, if that were not available, for some Japanese vessel to come to Rabaul immediately and return them to China.”
Unrra May Help
It is understood that Unrra[注2] is just making available a ship within the next six weeks to repatriate the Chinese civilians, but the National Army troops have received no indication when they are likely to return borne. As soon as the Australians landed at Rabaul, Chungking was notified of the presence of the Chinese troops in the area. Their commanding officer (Col. Woo Yien[注3]) expected early repatriation, but when shipping failed to arrive, he visited Australia in October and took the matter up with the Army authorities in Melbourne and the Chinese Consul at Canberra. Shortly after his return to Rabaul he received a signal from the mainland, intimating that the troops would be returned to China during the winter months of November. December, and January, and requesting details of the warm clothing required. This information was for warded, but the troops are still here.
HOPES DASHED AGAIN
The hopes of the Chinese were again raised six weeks ago when a signal arrived from the mainland advising that early evacuation was being arranged through the Commonwealth Government, but no ship has arrived. I visited the Chinese camp, where Col. Woo Yien told me that he was shipped to Rabaul in a small freighter with 1.500 other Chinese troops. During the voyage they were given only one meal of rice a day and one pint of water for every eight men. Several died of thirst and many others who felt sick were thrown overboard by the Japs. Col. Woo has nothing but praise for the way the Army authorities here have treated his troops. His only concern is the long delay in getting his men home.
CAPTURED WHEN 10
I also spoke with the youngest member of the Chinese National Army — Pte. Chung Ting Kway, aged 13, who was captured by the Japs near Shanghai three years ago. When he saw both his father and mother murdered before his eyes, he stole a pistol and ran away and joined the Chinese guerrillas. Shortly afterwards this warrior of 10 years was taken prisoner and sent to Rabaul with 60 other youngsters, all under 16. Only 10 are alive today. As 1 watched him standing to attention before Col. Woo, wearing a baggy shirt and trousers and a pair of Army boots several times too large for him, a lump rose in my throat as big as a hen's egg. There was a living example of China's unquenchable fighting spirit.
The Mail (Adelaide)，Saturday 6 April 1946，Page 6.
注释：
[注1]：其中文名叫孙信生。
[注2]：即联合国难民救济署。
[注3]：即吴棪中校。
