Seeing these old photos of Dad’s and thinking “They’re recognisable” spots.
Just to see if I could recreate them, because some of, a few of Dad’s photos,
I thought I might be able to find those.
Dad told stories about the tram, going on the tram from central Hiroshima to
Ujina many times and I could see that this bend in the tram track was still
there so therefore I had a point of reference for Ujina and that was where
he was based first and where he took a lot of photos from.
The ones up high looking back towards Hiroshima at Ujina it was only partial
devastation, there were timber buildings that still stood, they had no windows,
it was like their barracks but looking back from there towards the total
devastation was only a matter of a few hundred metres and there’s photos
looking out over the top of that devastation.
I took photos a lot of the time I think. I’ve still got lots of photos. I would
take them while I was working because I think I’ve got photos of the car that I
drove.
Most of my time in Japan I was the Commanding officer’s driver and my 1942
Chev special deluxe I think it was. I still remember because it was a very
modern car then.
I think it was. I still remember because it was a very modern car then.
It sparks some memories for him and I can remind him of some of the stories
he’s told me over the years and he’s still can give me some fresh snippets of
information.
The tree with the bridge in the background, that was amazing. The fact
that the tree was still there that was a complete shock. When we arrived there I
happened to show a photo to our taxi driver who spoke virtually no English
and we spoke no Japanese and he said “The tree is a famous tree, it’s still
there”. I found it and got the photo and that was amazing.
A lot of the stories at the time, I suppose, sounded like tall tales and so
exciting and as you get older you start to realise he wasn’t much older than a
boy.
The fact that he drove through the middle of Tokyo in virtually deserted
streets because there were so few vehicles but then having to get out of
the way for General MacArthur, who was the supreme allied commander driving
through Tokyo with great pomp and ceremony and a big entourage.
Mostly the things I remember mostly is the destruction, the destroyed buildings
and all that.
He was there for an ANZAC Day parade. Only the second ANZAC Day parade after
the war and he was involved in this parade on the plaza in front of the
Emperor’s Palace, a place I’ve wandered around and thought back about Dad and
his mates being there on ANZAC Day.