It is Friday the 19th of may 1944 when the first POW's arrive from Java. They are mainly from the KNIL (Royal Dutch East Indies Army). Due to their high discipline, they soon started to built a bivouac. They detailed groups themselves to dig latrines, a camp kitchen was built and the barracks repaired as good as was possible. As soon as it rained and that happened very often, the terrain changed to mud and soon the camp was nicknamed "Modder Lust" (Mud Resort).
Fortunately the first nigh remained dry. Mainly with their bare hands and some primitive tools the over grown terrain was attacked.

Between the barracks and along the "roads" of camp 1 the prisoners started vegetable gardens. The produce was available to those who could afford it.

On 24th May 1944 the building of the railway begins. The day starts at 7 o'clock Tokyo time. It is still dark because it is 5 o'clock Sumatra time. In silence the prisoners collect their food rations. This consists of a warm starch like porridge, made of tapioca without any salt or sugar. It has no nutritional value, but it fills the stomach. At 8 o'clock (6.30 Sumatra time) it is time for "Tenko". This happens with a lot of screaming from the guards. Then the prisoners are counted, but as usual the counting didn't tallied. So it was always waiting while the count was done again and again.

Then it was off to the harbour on the Siak River, where railway sleepers and rails were stacked up. These had arrived by ship from all over the archipelago. The ten meter long rails, weighing three hundred kilos each, were carried by six men on
the shoulders over the rough path to the rail embankment. The embankment was built by the Romushas before the European prisoners arrived.
Few POW's are used to this heavy work. But, those who fell behind or tried to rest were beaten by the guards. Soon in the heat of the day the thirst becomes unbearable. But the Japanese guards won't give them permission to drink before the afternoon break at 1 o'clock, when a brew called "tea" and some thin porridge made of rice boiled in water is supplied.
At 6 pm the working day ends and they return to the camp, where the evening meal of boiled rice with vegetable (the tough leaves of the katella tree) await them. Sometimes there is a hint of salted fish or meat.
The meal over, prisoners fall exhausted on their "bale-bale" (bed made of bamboo with only a bamboo matting to lie on). In this way the prisoners built about two and a half kilometers of rail a day.

Soon the distance from the Siak River to the work party becomes to far and the materials are transported by motor lorry. After the first week a storm lashes the camp at night and the roofs of the barracks can't keep the deluge out and there is a scramble for dry places. The next morning most stand up to their knees in the slimy mud.
The rain has affected the rail embankment as well and derailments follow. With brute force under constant beatings from the guards, the train is put back on the rail. Because of the soft surface, where no ballast is used, derailments become the order of the day.

The guards, mainly Koreans, didn't look where they hit and at times used sticks with thorns. Many prisoners received deep cuts, which soon turned in tropical ulcers.
As the railway progressed, more camps were established and a total of fourteen camps were built along the 220 km long track. The conditions varied from bad to unbearable.

This became known as the "Administration Centre" of camp 1.
Camp 1 was the base camp, where the Japanese technical centre was located until 1 July 1945.
The official Camp commandant is Major W.C.M. Slabbekoorn, but because of his deteriorating mental and physical
condition, his duties are in fact being performed by Lt. H.C.P. Vennik. Although a younger (28 years) subordinate, he had
natural leadership capabilities, this made him excepted by officers of higher rank.

Lt. Vennik also turned out to be a "Handy man" and made, with very primitive tools, various medical instruments like a knee
hammer for the doctors and from an ordinary nail a "needle" with a ground out groove, which was used to drain fluid from
beriberi patients.

Near the "Duiventil", on the Japanese compound, were two big drums which were daily filled with hot water and used as a
bath for the guards. During these wash parties, they discussed the progress of the war. These discussions were overheard
and kept the population of camp 1 better informed than anywhere else along the railway.

Lt Vennik won the guarded trust of the Japanese Camp commandant, because he reported a missing prisoner.
In most cases he was informed before hand and covered up.
This man left the camp one night, after being warned by Lt. Vennik not to go, to steal sugar from the Japanese. But he failed
to return before the dally counting the next morning. He was later found, tortured and killed by the Kempetai ( Japanese Secret Police)

Most of the time the total population of camp 1 was about one thousand prisoners.

Survivors of the railway