Prisoner of War Camp
TRANSFERRED FROM INTERNMENT CAMP
The Transfer from Kesilir Internment Camp to the Military P.O.W. Camp in Bonowoso
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Somewhere between April 25, 1943 and April 30, 1943, Karel Bos, along with 37 others all from the Kesilir Internment Camp, were transferred to the P.O.W. Camp in Bonowoso. (Time frame based on date of the last postcard sent by Karel Bos, and the report listing April as the transfer date.)
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I grew up knowing why my grandfather was executed. I think my siblings and cousins all heard the same stories over our early years.
This family history was basically wrapped up in a simple sentence, "He was executed because of his rank, especially because he knew important information." I know now that this had mostly to do with his role in the resistance, in addition to his being in the KNIL (Lieutenant-Sergeant in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army.)
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This is what has been written about my grandfather, and the reason he (and the others) was taken prisoner. (As quoted from multiple ChatGPT OpenAI sources, Gemini OPenAI, and general Google searches, all accessed June/July 2025.)
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Karel H. Bos was not just an architect — he also became involved in the resistance against the Japanese occupation during World War II. He was arrested by the Japanese for his underground activities and was ultimately brought to a prison camp in Bondowoso.
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A number of Dutch men from the Kesilir and Banyuwangi camps were accused of espionage, sabotage, or resistance, often based on flimsy or fabricated evidence. The Japanese were extremely paranoid about Allied espionage. These men were all transferred from internment camps to prison camps.
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Karel Bos, as a well-educated and influential individual (a Dutch architect and professional), was suspected of leadership or communication roles, even without evidence.
BONDOWOSO MILITARY PRISON CAMP
Unfortunately, I could not find a lot of information as both the prison camp in Bondowoso, and the iternment camp in Kesilir, were not well documented or photographed. The Japanese occupation understandably wanted as little evidence as possible of the true nature of their war crimes.
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It is said that the brutal tortures at the Kesilir Internment Camp were nothing in comparison to the sadistic tortures suffered at the Military P.O.W. Camp of Bondowoso.
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General info:
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Japanese Entry: The Japanese Army entered Bondowoso by land route on March 15, 1942, as part of their siege of Banyuwangi.
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Forced Labor: The Japanese occupation heavily relied on forced labor (romusha) to support their war effort, conscripting hundreds of thousands of Indonesians for military construction projects, including railways and airfields.
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Economic Impact: The Japanese requisitioned resources like rice to feed their troops, leading to food shortages and famine in many areas of Indonesia.
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Humanitarian Concerns: The Japanese occupation was marked by atrocities, including the enslavement and exploitation of Indonesian laborers. A UN report stated that 4,000,000 people died as a result of famine and forced labor during the occupation.
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Overall Impact: The Japanese occupation severely disrupted Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia and contributed to the rise of Indonesian nationalism, ultimately paving the way for the declaration of independence in 1945. The subsequent struggle for independence against the Dutch and Allied forces resulted in further loss of life in Indonesia.
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Torture and Interrogation: The arrested men were subjected to horrific torture to force confessions and to name other "conspirators."
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Karel Bos was among a group of Dutch prisoners who were taken from Kesilir to Bondowoso, a regional Japanese military headquarters and prison in East Java. There, they were interrogated — under torture.
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Sham Trials: After the interrogations, the male prisoners faced levels of unimaginable brutality.
(Source of above info = ChatGPT Open AI accessed June/July 2025.)
K. BOS: PRISONER of WAR MAP
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Above "PRISONER OF WAR MAP":
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1) Taken prisoner in Malang by Japanese Occupation.
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2) Transferred approx. 200km/125mi by rail to Kesilir. Held in internment camp.
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3) Transferred approx. 140km/87mi to Bondowoso. Held in Prisoner of War Camp.
While not directly related to Karel H. Bos, the "Gerbong Maut Incident" ("Death Carriage Incident"), also known as the "Bondowoso Death Train", was another horrific incident. However, this one was inflicted by the Dutch soldiers. This incident occurred in 1947, four years after the mass execution of Karel H. Bos and the 36 others.