Harry Tysoe’s journey of Remembrance and Reconciliation in Japan

Written by Harry TYSOE

Last year I, Harry TYSOE, was chosen to be one of two people in Australia to travel to Japan for a week, March 2-9 2025, courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan and RSL Australia. I travelled with Dr Robert WEBSTER, Vic. RSL leader and Mr Arthur PEGG Tasmania. 

After official audiences with the Australian Embassy and then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan we were given the opportunity to travel throughout Japan to significant localities for Australian POWs.  

To me this was particularly significant with both my paternal and maternal grandfathers being POWs in Japan. Pte Harry TYSOE was a POW at Kobe, and died there in 1943 after suffering from Beriberi and Pte Alfred PLATT (2/3rd MGB) who survived his internment at Ohama, Ube. The Japanese media were particularly interested in these two soldiers. This being the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 they were very keen to get a perspective on the effect on families of POWs since then.  

Our first significant visit was to the POW research group where Rob, Arthur and I all presented a paper. This had previously been translated and made available to participants but the questions that followed all had to be translated by an interpreter for all parties. Both of Rob’s parents were service people of WW2 and he also as a Vietnam Veteran spoke on the effects of war, in particular PTSD or ‘shell shock’. He then addressed how the RSL were assisting service people of Australia in their repatriation. Arthur spoke of his father as a POW in Java and the presentation of his father’s flag recently donated to the Swansea RSL.  I then spoke of the 2/4th and was quickly asked to speak of my two grandfathers. My responses were deemed as interesting enough to result in an item on NHK TV news and the Paper next day. An unannounced visit at this meeting by Mr Alexander DOWNER, ex Australian Foreign Minister, and son of a second world war POW made an impact on the three of us and the audience as well.  

As part of the tour we were treated to many different variations of Japanese cuisine. Unlike our POW forebears these meal choices were not rice alone, they were incredibly varied. However, I have now eaten my full share of differing Tofu’s.  

After departing the Australian Embassy, where our transport had had a slight disagreement with a security gate, we were then taken on to the Commonwealth War Graves at Hodogaya. The final resting place of three 2/4th MGB soldiers Corp. Austin CLIMIE WX4927, Pte Kenneth LALLY WX9318 and my grandfather Pte Harry TYSOE WX9226. Here we were able to pay our respects, leaving flowers at the graveside and then again at the Cross of Sacrifice.  Rob recited The Ode, both verses. An incredibly emotional and humbling experience. 

We then had a very fast journey from Tokyo to Hiroshima on The Bullet, 805kms in under 4 hours, average speed of 260km/h. 

A presentation was made here to some University students who were all part of Peace Culture Village – Peace Buddies. They all asked to hear our stories first and then related that to their experiences and understandings. One student’s Great Grandmother was directly involved with the atomic bomb. Others spoke of their feeling of ‘shame’ for their forebear’s involvement, a common emotion expressed throughout the week. All agreed on this opportunity of reconciliation, better education to all Japanese of what happened, better communication for understanding why and what were the mistakes made in order to learn so that it never happens again.

Commonwealth War Graves at Hodogaya

The Director of the Hiroshima Museum, Yoshifuma ISHIDA, led us through the many harrowing displays in the museum depicting the horror of the atomic bomb that had exploded 600m above the hypocentre which was only 160m west of the set target, immediately killing over 100000 people. Nothing can prepare you for what is displayed here. Though I could not resolve that there was nothing said that if there had not been such an ending to the war, what would have the end been?  What of the ‘execution order of POWs if allies had landed on Japanese soil’?

4 year old Shinichi Tetsutani was riding outside his house – his body was buried the following day with his tricycle. 40 years later his father recovered his body re buried his body and donated his bike to the museum.

An emotional recount of the bomb was given to us by an 88 year old survivor who spoke of the impossible position she found herself, behind a significant wall of her house 1.5 kilometres from the hypocentre. 

Afterwards we laid a wreath at the Memorial Monument for Hiroshima. Here the names of all those known to have died as a result of the bomb are entombed in the granite casket in the centre. Shun SASAKI, a 10 year old Kids Volunteer Guide, then walked us through the Hiroshima Memorial Park pointing out the significant memorials throughout the park. His use of English, his knowledge, empathy and engagement was phenomenal. If this young man is not at the UN in the future I’ll be very surprised. 

After another ‘Bullet’ journey we travelled back east to Kobe where we were met by POW guide Teruko YAHATA. It was here my grandfather, John GILMOUR, Nobby CLARKE, John LANE, and Jim DORE to name a few of the 18 x 2/4th men who were POWs at Kobe. Teruko directed us to the location of the camp and the adjacent park. It was in this park according to Teruko that the soldiers exercised, I think this might have, in the not so distant times, been challenged by John Gilmour. We did note large pots on the edge of the park that had rosemary growing in them. The Japanese were surprised to hear of the significance of rosemary. Teruko then took us to visit the nearby site of the camp hospital where grandfather Harry passed away.

The next day we travelled on to east of Osaka city to Juganji Temple. It was at Juganji that a Buddhist priest was given charge to watching over the ashes of 1086 POWs including Harry TYSOE, until the end of the war. They were from eight different countries, England, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Australia, India, Italy and Norway. At the end of the war those ashes that were not collected to be repatriated home were interred at the Commonwealth War Graves, Hodogaya. Annually a memorial service is held at Juganji at 2pm on the 20th October praying for the repose of the souls lost and for world peace. 

This trip, a pilgrimage for me, was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am humbled for the opportunity and certainly see myself as an advocate for world peace through:- knowledge, by all, of the past; remembering those that have gone before us; gaining an understanding of what happened; why it happened; and working towards it not happening again.  

I repeated wherever I had the opportunity, the Soldiers’ Lament. 

When you go home 

Tell them of us 

We gave our today 

For your tomorrow 

The Australian POWs were quartered in the front corner, second floor, of this bombed building (bombed in 1944), now a car park.

Hiroshima Bomb Dome. Bombing target was the T junction of bridge crossing to main road (mid right). Hypocentre was adjacent to the trees in the foreground.