Description
Object description
British private and NCO served with 2nd Motor Training Bn, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) and 5th Bn Loyal Regt (North Lancashire) in GB, 1/1940-1/1941; NCO served with 18th Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in GB, India and Singapore, Malaya, 1/1941-2/1942 including sinking of HMT Empress of Asia off Sultan Shoal Island, Malaya, 5/2/1942; prisoner of war in Changi Camp and River Valley Road Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-10/1942, on Burma-Thailand Railway, 10/1942-7/1944; River Valley Road Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 8/1944-9/1944; survived sinking of SS Kachidoki Maru in South China Sea, 12/9/1944; prisoner of war in Sendai No 9-B Camp, Sakata, Japan, 10/1944-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as private with 2nd Motor Training Bn, Rifle Brigade in GB, 1/1940-5/1940 call-up to Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own), Winchester at Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) Regimental Depot at Winchester, 15/12/1939; training with 2nd Motor Training Bn. Aspects of period as NCO with 5th Bn Loyal Regt (North Lancashire) in GB, 4/1940-1/1940: joining 20th Independent Infantry Bde (Guards) at Camberley, 4/1940-5/1940; proposed role of 20th Independent Infantry Bde (Guards) in rescue of Dutch Royal Family; anti-invasion duties on coast, 6/1940-12/1940; memories of Battle of Britain, 1940. Aspects of period as NCO with 18th Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in GB, 1/1941-10/1941: formation of and training with 18th Reconnaissance Regt; impressions of King George VI during inspection of division. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Oronsay from GB to Nova Scotia, Canada, 10/1941-11/1941: embarkation at Avonmouth, GB; convoy receiving protection of Atlantic Fleet, United States Navy in North Atlantic, 11/1941. Aspects of voyage aboard USS Leonard Wood from Nova Scotia, Canada to Bombay, India via Cape Town, South Africa, 11/1941-12/1941: embarkation on transport at Nova Scotia, Canada; hospitality of American crew; ashore in Cape Town, South Africa; desertion of Atlantic Fleet, United States Navy on news of Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7/12/1941; disembarkation at Bombay, India, 30/12/1941. Aspects of period as NCO with 18th Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in India, 12/1941-1/1942: move to Ahmednagar.
REEL 2 Continues: duties as orderly corporal at Ahmednagar. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empress of Asia from Bombay India to Singapore, Malaya, 2/1941 including sinking off Sultan Shoal Island, Malaya, 5/2/1942: Japanese air attacks on ship, 4/2/1942; refusal of stokers to stoke; sinking of ship, 5/2/1942; description of abandoning ship, 5/2/1942; rescue by HMAS Yarra, 5/2/1942. Aspects of operations as NCO with 18th Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in Singapore, Malaya, 6/2/1942-15/2/1942: arrival in Singapore, 6/2/1942; loss of unit vehicles; move to Bukit Timah; story of casualties and wounding caused by mortar attack; hospital treatment for leg wound; discharge and move to 7th Mixed Reinforcements Camp; conditions on defensive perimeter and surrender, 15/2/1942.
REEL 3 Continues: abortive order to carrying on fighting, 15/2/1942; arrival of Imperial Japanese Army troops, 16/2/1942. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-7/1942: move to Changi; conditions in Singapore and behaviour of civilian population; organisation in camp; paucity of rations; benefits of joining work party on docks; accommodation in Coconut Grove in camp; rifling of Chinese cyclist's loaves. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in River Valley Road Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 7/1942-10/1942: suffering heat stroke on arrival at camp; composition of 1B2 Company; work erecting huts for Japanese; work clearing bomb damage; story of work party taking themselves back to camp; reprisals for Chinese shooting of Japanese guard; rumours of Japanese execution of Chinese civilians on beach at Changi; Australian prisoners of war smuggling food into camp; Selarang Square Incident, 8/1942-9/1942.
REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand Railway, 10/1942-7/1944: conditions during train journey from Singapore to Thailand, 10/1942; impressions of Thai civilians; flooded conditions at Ban Pong Camp; nature of march from Ban Pong Camp to Tarsao Camp; unloading bamboo and construction of huts at Tarsao Camp; journey on barge to Wampo Camp, 11/1942; construction of Wampo Camp; opinion of Colonel Harold Lilly and Major Ernest Swanton; camp concerts; rock cutting at Wampo South Camp; sabotaging railway construction work and subsequent derailments; drilling work at Tonchan Camp, 4/1943-10/1943; Japanese reaction to Bailey's drilling injury.
REEL 5 Continues: saline injections for cholera outbreak at Tonchan Camp; effect of cholera outbreak on camp of forced labourers; mass burial of cholera victims; number of victims of cholera outbreak; nature of 'speedo' work period; Japanese celebration on completion of railway, 10/1943; return to Tarsao Camp, 10/1943-6/1944 including Christmas celebrations, 12/1943; move to Tamuang Camp, 6/1944-8/1944; prisoner of war pay; contracting Strongyloides worms; footwear; loss of loin cloth in river; leaving Tamuang Camp with band playing 'Colonel Bogey', 8/1944. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in River Valley Camp in Singapore, Malaya, 8/1944-9/1944: train journey to Singapore; food shortages in Singapore; Royal Air Force flight sergeant's story of Alexandra Hospital massacre in Singapore, 2/1942. Recollections of voyage aboard SS Kachidoki Maru in South China Sea, 4/9/1944-12/9/1944 including sinking 12/9/1944: embarkation; conditions on board.
REEL 6 Continues: attacks on convoy; sinking of ship by submarine USS Pampanito (SS-383), 12/9/1944; abandoning ship, 12/9/1944; Japanese destroyer's picking up of Japanese survivors and abandoning of prisoners of war; period on life raft, 13/9/1944-14/9/1944; suffering from hallucinations; rescue by Japanese ship and behaviour of rescuers; story of how rescue had been organised by Japanese prisoner of war guard; prisoner of war losses aboard SS Rakuyo Maru, 12/9/1944; continuation of voyage to Moji, Japan aboard whaling factory ship; sinking of Japanese warship within sight of Japan; disposal of dead bodies overboard; medical inspection on arrival and accommodation in Moji. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Sendai No 9-B Camp, Sakata, Japan, 10/1944-8/1945: train journey to camp via Tokyo; hostility of Japanese during transit through Tokyo; issue of uniform and meal on arrival at camp.
REEL 7 Continues: organisation of three work parties and nature of work; deteriorating state of prisoner of war health; coping with cold conditions, winter 1944-1945; relations amongst prisoners of war; daily rations; occasion when there was a quarrel over division of rations; arrival of American food parcel, Christmas Day, 25/12/1944; death of prisoner of war from infected tinned food and subsequent testing of tinned meats; weather conditions on Christmas Day, 25/12/1944; problems with footwear and use of plaited straw boots; contracting pneumonia; United States Army Air Force bombing raids on Japan; Japanese treatment of shot down American aircrew; eating horse offal, bones and dog meat, 4/1945; increased working hours.
REEL 8 Continues: working overnight loading ships in dock; Japanese panic during air raid; Chinese prisoner of war's injuries during air raid; Japanese guards' attitude towards American prisoners of war; comparison between adaptability of Dutch, British, Australian and American prisoners of war; heavy United States Army Air Corps raids, 8/1945. Recollections of liberation of Sendai 9-B Camp, Sakata, Japan, 8/1945-9/1945: learning news of Japanese surrender from American air supply drop; disappearance of Japanese guards and maintenance of discipline by prisoners of war; requirement for Japanese to salute Allied flags; Japanese entertainers and films; relations with Japanese civilians; how prisoners of war showed forgiveness; giving food to Japanese cesspit emptier; sight of Japanese troops moving north.
REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of journey from Japan to GB, 9/1945-1/1946: train journey to Sendai, Japan; giving surplus rice to Japanese civilians; reception received by United States Navy personnel; sight of Allied fleets assembled in Tokyo Bay and reception given to former prisoners of war by Royal Navy personnel; reaction to contact with female American nurses; medicals and processing aboard USS Mercy; voyage aboard former Dutch hospital ship HMHS Tjitjaklengka from Japan to New Zealand; reception in Auckland, New Zealand, 10/1945; period in Raventhorpe Convalescence Depot, New Zealand, 10/1945-11/1945; hospitality of New Zealanders; embarkation aboard aircraft carrier HMS Reaper at Auckland, New Zealand.
REEL 10 Continues: reaction of former prisoners of war to exhibition of naval gunfire from HMS Reaper during voyage from Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia; in transit at British Pacific Fleet Transit Camp at HMS Golden Hind in Sydney, Australia, 11/1945-12/1945; character of voyage aboard HMT Aquitania from Sydney, Australia to Southampton, GB, 12/1945-1/1946; story of seaman's insult to former prisoner of war NCO; reception in Southampton, 10/1/1946; story of experiencing apartheid on Christmas Day in Cape Town, South Africa, 25/12/1945; reunion with family at Horsham, 1/1946; demobilisation in Guildford, 2/1946.
REEL 11 Continues: Reflections on period as prisoner of war in Far East, 1942-1945: purpose of Civil Resettlement Unit at Tonbridge, 1946 including hearing of former prisoner of war experiences in Europe; post-war careers of Far Eastern Prisoners of War; attitude of civilians towards Far Eastern Prisoners of War; question of long-term physical and psychological effects of imprisonment; attitude towards Japanese; Japanese civilian attitude towards prisoners of war; Japanese wartime living conditions; behaviour of Korean guards; obtaining war news and rumours; treatment of prisoners of war on VE Day, 8/5/1945; working hours and pay in iron foundry at Sakata, Japan; psychological behaviour of prisoner of war singled out by Japanese guards and his post-war suicide.