Corporal Floyd Colin Cameron

Floyd Colin Cameron was born at Sawyerville, Quebec, on 22 June 1920 and lived at Morin Heights, where he worked as a store and office clerk. After militia service with the 7/XI Hussars, he joined the Royal Rifles of Canada on 5 November 1940. He served in Newfoundland and Hong Kong, where he was captured on 25 December 1941. Held first at North Point and Sham Shui Po, he was transported to Japan in August 1943 and worked in forced labour conditions at a Niigata iron foundry. He survived serious illness and a hand injury and returned to Canada in October 1945. Released as a Corporal on demobilization on 25 March 1946, he later gave sworn evidence for war-crimes investigations. He received the 1939–45 Star, Pacific Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp, War Medal and Canadian Efficiency Medal. He later worked as an insurance agent and died at New Liskeard, Ontario, on 18 December 1988.

1920-06-22 — Born; Sawyerville, Quebec.
1921-02-20 — Baptized at Church of England, according to existing profile; Sawyerville, Quebec.
1935 — Mastoidectomy recorded in later medical history; Location not recorded.
1935-06-26 — Began N.P.A.M. service with 7/XI Hussars; certified annual training in 1935–1940, later recorded as SQMS E-400501, promotion date unknown; Location not recorded.
1936 — Completed Grade 9; began store and office clerk work with J. E. Seale & Son; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1937 — Appendectomy recorded in March 1946 medical history; Location not recorded.
1940-08-23 — Negative chest X-ray; signed dependants’ allowance declaration under militia number E-400501; Location not recorded.
1940-09-06 — Executed Army service will, later returned after release; Location not recorded.
1940-11-04 — Last day of certified militia service before active Royal Rifles enlistment; Location not recorded.
1940-11-05 — Attested and joined active service as Rifleman E-30608, Royal Rifles of Canada, initially attached to No. 5 District Depot; Category A entrance examination; Danville, Quebec.
1940-11-12 — Dental examination recorded under militia number and SQMS rank, unit amended to Royal Rifles; prophylaxis required; Location not recorded.
1940-11-15 — Struck off depot strength on transfer to Royal Rifles; family declaration recorded both parents deceased; Location not recorded.
1940-11-16 — Taken on strength of Royal Rifles of Canada from No. 5 District Depot; Sussex Camp, New Brunswick.
1940-12-02 — Embarked from Canada for Newfoundland service; England destination struck through in service record; Canada, port not recorded.
1940-12-03 — Recorded commencement of Newfoundland service with Royal Rifles, W Force; Newfoundland.
1941-02-01 — Promoted acting lance-corporal to complete establishment; Newfoundland Airport, Newfoundland.
1941-05-01 — Proceeded on command on escort duty; Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1941-05-04 — Granted fourteen days’ leave plus seven days for travel; Q Force appears in travel-leave entry; Location not recorded.
1941-06-06 — Confirmed in rank of lance-corporal; Newfoundland Airport, Newfoundland.
1941-08-18 — Returned to Canada from Newfoundland; Canada, port not recorded.
1941-10-27 — Embarked from Canada with Royal Rifles, Force C, for Hong Kong; overseas accounting commenced 28 October; Canada, port not recorded.
1941-11-01 — Appointed acting corporal, later republished and credited retrospectively; authority dated 19 November; Location not recorded.
1941-11-16 — Arrived with Royal Rifles of Canada; Hong Kong.
1941-12-08 — 1939–45 Star effective date entered in service record; Hong Kong.
1941-12-25 — Captured at defensive positions on Hong Kong Island; stated he was not wounded at capture; Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.
1941-12-31 — Recorded beginning of confinement at North Point Camp; North Point, Hong Kong.
1942-01-14 — Authorities informed sister Shirley that individual fate remained unconfirmed; initial Harvard Avenue letter returned undelivered; Ottawa, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-01-23 — Authorities sought sister’s current address from brothers Grant and Gordon; G.T. replied 26 January with Benny Avenue address; Morin Heights, Quebec; Huntingdon, Quebec; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-05-05 — CVSM with clasp effective date entered in service record; Hong Kong.
1942-06-02 or 1942-06-03 — Wrote prisoner-of-war letter from Hong Kong, date alternatives reported by Records in September; Hong Kong.
1942-07 — Developed wet beriberi with generalized swelling and severe gastrointestinal trouble during captivity; Hong Kong.
1942-09-05 — Records informed Shirley of received June letter and planned publication as POW; unofficial report cited 7 September; Ottawa, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-09-15 — Shirley supplied new St. Mark Street address and requested welfare information; change acknowledged in October; 1208 St. Mark Street, Montreal, Quebec.
1942-09-26 — Transferred from North Point to Sham Shui Po camp; Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
1942-10-22 — Telegram conveyed official Tokyo/Red Cross confirmation as POW; report dates 21/24 October and letter 31 October also recorded; Hong Kong; Ottawa, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec.
1942-12-23 — Admitted for malnutrition and beriberi; subsequent diphtheria treatment; POW hospital, Hong Kong.
1943-01-07 — Diphtheria hospital treatment began; 10,000-unit treatment recorded, membrane absent by 9 January; POW hospital, Hong Kong.
1943-01-19 — Shirley requested insurance premiums be paid from accumulating POW pay; assignments investigated 26 January and confirmed 2 February; 1208 St. Mark Street, Montreal, Quebec; Ottawa, Ontario.
1943-03-12 — Recorded discharge from diphtheria hospital care; other accounts give 15 March or continued hospital care to April; POW hospital, Hong Kong.
1943-04-01 — Monthly insurance pay assignment of $2.36 to Empire Life became effective; $4.03 to Mutual Life from 1 May; Ottawa, Ontario.
1943-08-15 — Left Hong Kong for Japan in second prisoner draft aboard cargo ship read as Ikoma, in coal-filled holds; Hong Kong.
1943-08-19 to 1943-08-26 — Transport lay at harbour before sailing onward to Japan; inadequate rice and water described; Keilong (Keelung), Formosa (Taiwan).
1943-09-01 — Transport arrived; proceeded onward by train; Osaka, Japan.
1943-09-02 — Reached Niigata at night; interned at Camp 5B and began Shintetsu foundry forced labour; Niigata, Japan.
1943-10 to 1943-11 — Witnessed mistreatment of Sergeant MacRae and Rifleman Haley; later distinguished direct observation from other reported incidents; Niigata, Japan.
1943-10-06 — Authorized sister’s NOK address change to Apartment 30, 2560 Mayfair Avenue; official Japan-transfer notice sent 9 October; Montreal, Quebec; Ottawa, Ontario.
1943-11 — Witnessed Smith and Mortimer tied outside for three days/nights in snow and cold; camp death record maintained with McCarron; Niigata, Japan.
1944-01 — Transferred from Camp 5B to Camp 15D in mid-January according to sworn account, approximately one mile away; Niigata, Japan.
1944-02 — Witnessed repeated beatings of MacLeod at foundry and in quarters; later testified they contributed to death, without claiming medical certainty; Niigata, Japan.
1944-04-01 — Japanese camp record entered transfer to No. 15 Detachment on its establishment; differs from January testimony; Niigata, Japan.
1944-04-03 to 1944-04-10 — Enteritis recorded, followed by recovery; Niigata, Japan.
1944-08 — Foundry finger injury with sutures, infection and residual deformity; date/side variants retained; camp hospital period recorded 15–30 August; Niigata, Japan.
1945-07 — Twisted ankle during captivity; side differs between histories; Niigata, Japan.
1945-09-06 — Reported safe in Allied hands, condition good, after confinement ending about 5 September; handover-date variants retained; Yokohama, Japan.
1945-09-11 — Official safety telegram sent to sister Shirley; 2560 Mayfair Avenue, N.D.G., Montreal, Quebec.
1945-09-12 — Arrived at Guam; first dental examination recorded; Guam, U.S.A..
1945-09-13 to 1945-09-15 — Signed POW screening and atrocity statements; medical examination at U.S.F.H. 103 found underweight and missing teeth, negative tests; Guam, U.S.A..
1945-09-17 — Departed Guam for repatriation; Guam, U.S.A..
1945-10-02 — Arrived about 1100; received US$20 (C$22) repatriation pay advance; San Francisco, California, U.S.A..
1945-10-04 — Struck off Royal Rifles strength to 1st Battalion, Prince Albert Volunteers; overseas accounting ended; Location not recorded.
1945-10-05 — Disembarked in Canada; taken on strength of 1st Battalion, Prince Albert Volunteers at Esquimalt; admitted to No. 1 Conditioning Centre, exact centre locality unresolved; Esquimalt, British Columbia.
1945-10-06 — Signed repatriation pay declaration at Victoria; conditioning examination found mild end-of-day oedema and fit to travel; Victoria, British Columbia.
1945-10-07 — Discharged from No. 1 Conditioning Centre, fit to travel; Location not recorded.
1945-10-08 — Struck off Prince Albert Volunteers to No. 5 District Depot while on leave; 42 days’ leave to 18 November, travel 19–20 November; Location not recorded.
1945-10-09 — Taken on strength of No. 5 District Depot from Prince Albert Volunteers; Lauzon, Quebec.
1945-11-21 — Former-POW assessment diagnosed malnutrition with P5R profile, tachycardia and need for rest/medication; month of sick leave recommended; chest film negative; Quebec Military Hospital, Quebec City, Quebec.
1945-11-27 — Sick leave began through 26 December; later history recalls breathlessness at reboard; Lauzon, Quebec.
1945-12-06 — Requested immediate $500 payment after receiving only $200 at Victoria; withdrawal later acknowledged receipt but bears inconsistent November date; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1946-01-02 — Extended leave through 8 January; AWL entry cancelled by 10 January order; Lauzon, Quebec.
1946-01-08 — Struck off No. 5 District Depot on transfer to No. 4; retrospective corporal pay adjustment also dated 8 January; Lauzon, Quebec.
1946-01-09 — Taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot by amended entry; earlier 10 January overseas receiving entry cancelled; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-01-17 — Dental record still identified lance-corporal, DD5 Lauzon, after amended transfer to DD4; Lauzon, Quebec.
1946-01-21 — Admitted to Montreal Military Hospital for special former-POW recheck; gastric symptoms, aching legs and injured finger investigated; Montreal, Quebec.
1946-01-22 to 1946-01-26 — Chest and gastric radiology, laboratory investigations and finger consultation; X-ray established old right middle-finger fracture/deformity; Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-01-26 to 1946-01-27 — Hospital weekend pass; another pass recorded 2–3 February; Montreal, Quebec.
1946-01-28 — Right middle-finger osteotomy/ostectomy and realignment of distal joint under anaesthesia; plaster applied; Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-02-01 — ECG normal; laboratory investigation largely negative; vitamin B injections stopped 4 February; Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-02-08 — Discharged from Montreal Military Hospital to unit, fit, diagnosis N.A.D.; summary dated 7 February; Montreal, Quebec.
1946-02-12 — Swore war-crimes affidavit on camp treatment, foundry labour and deaths; kept a Royal Rifles death list with McCarron; testimony forwarded 13 February; Montreal, Quebec.
1946-02-27 — Left-ankle X-ray found no fracture/dislocation; Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-03-18 — Pre-discharge psychiatric referral requested; handwritten annotation says no referral necessary; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-03-20 — Discharge medical and dental assessments; no complaints, residual middle-finger limitation and DVA treatment recommended; chest film negative; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-03-24 — Medical board approved P1 U2R L1 H1 E1 M1 S1 profile; approval 25 March; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-03-25 — Released as Corporal on demobilization through No. 4 District Depot, R.O. 1029 paragraph 5; $100 clothing allowance and thirty days’ rank pay; fourteen days’ leave/pay through 8 April; badge 874692 received; DVA treatment by 25 April requested; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-03-26 — Signed claim for personal effects and currency confiscated by enemy; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1946-04-12 — Army will dated 6 September 1940 returned for civilian disposal; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1946-04-30 — Gratuity $1,009.27 calculated for 1,967 total qualifying days including 1,438 overseas days; stated twelve instalments of $84.10; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1946-05-10 — Militia service certified for Canadian Efficiency Medal; application certified 15 May, forwarded 17 May; Bury, Quebec; Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-08-05 — AG approval recorded for Canadian Efficiency Medal; approval letter 3 August, medal forwarded 14 August for presentation; Ottawa, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec.
1946-08-15 — Swore supplementary war-crimes affidavit, clarifying eyewitness evidence on Haley, MacLeod and others; hospital location does not establish patient admission; Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Hospital, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.
1946-10-11 — Military authorities acknowledged receipt of Efficiency Medal for intended presentation through 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17 Hussars); Montreal, Quebec.
1946-12-10 to 1946-12-13 — Travelled Morin Heights–Montreal–Ottawa; attended headquarters 11–12 December and swore two photo-identification/supplementary affidavits 12 December; claimed $38.55 expenses; Morin Heights, Quebec; Montreal, Quebec; Ottawa, Ontario.
1947-02-26 — Army paymaster forwarded $38.55 witness/travel expenses cheque; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1947-04-28 — Ex-gratia $69.30 settlement for lost effects ($44.30) and confiscated currency ($25) forwarded, following 23 April approval/24 April remittance; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1949-04-30 — Japanese Campaign Pay authorized for 1 June–5 December 1945, 188 days at corporal rate $0.35, total $65.80; later July record entry; Ottawa, Ontario.
1949-11-29 — 1939–45 Star, Pacific Star, CVSM with clasp and War Medal dispatched; Morin Heights, Quebec.
1952-10-07 — Order cancelled earlier 1943 increased-pay provisions concerning Royal Rifles Force C personnel including Cameron; Ottawa, Ontario.
1958-09-10 — Insurance-agent letter requested undelivered Canadian Efficiency Medal; investigation located it in armoury safe; St-Adolphe Road, Morin Heights, Quebec.
1958-09-18 — Received Canadian Efficiency Medal after twelve-year presentation delay; 17 Hussars Armoury, Quebec.
1979-03-27 — North Bay pensions advocates requested all service documents, citing Hong Kong POW history and heart condition; North Bay, Ontario.
1987-07-08 — North Bay pensions advocates again requested all service documents; North Bay, Ontario.
1988-12-18 — Died according to existing CWVMP profile; New Liskeard, Ontario.