In Changi, the POWs were bored and life was quite ful of suffering. To pass time and forget about their suffering, the POWs did lots of things. There was the Changi Cartoonist, Changi Photographer, University of Changi and even Concert Parties.

In this post, the focus is on the Changi Cartoonist, George Sprod. Before he was even 21, he had signed up for the army in Australia, at the age of 20. He became a gunner in the army. He had joined the army because he wanted to serve the king and the people, and didn't have a steady job. He fought in WWII and got captured as a POW, and was sent to Changi.

He didn't have a background in drawing and was still young then, but as was the otehr POWs, he was bored and needed something to do to pass the time, so he decided to draw.He initially found some paper to doodle on, and the doodles eventually became cartoons abotu life in Changi and depicts a lighter side of Changi, in his view. This uniquely shows just how life was in Changi in pictures, and not just words. The pictures eventually became a publication in Changi for those in the Sick Bay, and it was known as "Smoke-Oh".

Here are some pictures of his drawings:

Basically the cartoons are self-explainatory and really depict a creative side to the POWs and life in the Changi under Japanese rule. It does goes to show life in Changi, and cartoons are different in a way that they have annotations and can be out of the world. Exaggeration can also be shown, as shown in multiple cartoons.

Posted by Tsun Lok

Read:http://www.abc.net.au/changi/life/cartoons.htm