Description
Object description
Photocopy of extracts from his undated ts memoirs (71pp) covering his childhood and adolesence in south London (1918 - 1936), his enlistment as a Territorial in the Royal Engineers (1936), his unsuccessful attempt to re-enlist in the Royal Artillery on the outbreak of war, his posting to the 5th Searchlight Regiment RE (later RA) in the 18th Division and service as a lance sergeant in the Regiment during the final stages of the Malayan campaign, his experiences as a prisoner of war initially in Roberts Barracks, Singapore (February - April 1942) and then, after an horrific voyage on a Japanese transport, in Saigon, Indo-China (April 1942 - August 1945) and his liberation and repatriation via Bangkok and Rangoon; together with the ts draft (10pp) of a talk, compiled in 1994, recalling humorous incidents, and minor triumphs over the Japanese guards, during his captivity in Saigon and an undated ts article (7pp) reflecting on his feelings on the day of Singapore's surrender and his views about the attributes of some of the officers and men in his unit in action and in captivity. His memoirs give some account of his employment with a prisoner of war working party on Saigon docks and, in particular, of the help given to prisoners of war in Saigon by a local French electrician Monsieur Lienard.
Content description
Photocopy of extracts from his undated ts memoirs (71pp) covering his childhood and adolesence in south London (1918 - 1936), his enlistment as a Territorial in the Royal Engineers (1936), his unsuccessful attempt to re-enlist in the Royal Artillery on the outbreak of war, his posting to the 5th Searchlight Regiment RE (later RA) in the 18th Division and service as a lance sergeant in the Regiment during the final stages of the Malayan campaign, his experiences as a prisoner of war initially in Roberts Barracks, Singapore (February - April 1942) and then, after an horrific voyage on a Japanese transport, in Saigon, Indo-China (April 1942 - August 1945) and his liberation and repatriation via Bangkok and Rangoon; together with the ts draft (10pp) of a talk, compiled in 1994, recalling humorous incidents, and minor triumphs over the Japanese guards, during his captivity in Saigon and an undated ts article (7pp) reflecting on his feelings on the day of Singapore's surrender and his views about the attributes of some of the officers and men in his unit in action and in captivity. His memoirs give some account of his employment with a prisoner of war working party on Saigon docks and, in particular, of the help given to prisoners of war in Saigon by a local French electrician Monsieur Lienard.
History note
Cataloguer RWAS
History note
Catalogue date 2001-05