Description
Object description
British civilian in Golders Green, GB, 1939-1941; private served as driver with Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in GB and Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1942; prisoner of war in Changi Gaol, Singapore and in Tonchan Spring and Kanchanaburi camps on the Burma-Thailand railway, 1942-1945.
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Golders Green, GB, 1921-1941: Jewish family background and childhood; education; employment in projection room of Regal Cinema, Golders Green; duties with Air Raid Precautions and separation of Jews and non-Jews into different shifts; reaction to outbreak of Second World War and closure of cinemas for one week, 3/9/1939-9/3/1939; conditions in Regal Cinema during German Air Force raids; air raid shelters in Golders Green. Aspects of enlistment and training as private with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB, 1941: call-up to Royal Army Ordnance Corps; training in Ashby-de-la-Zouch; nature of pacifist beliefs; attitude to Nazis' anti-Semitic policies; prior recollection of reaction to arrival of Jewish refugees from Germany in Golders Green and response from local Jewish community. Aspects of voyage as private with Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 18th Infantry Div aboard HMT Oronsay, USS Joseph T. Dickman and HMT Empress of Asia from GB to Singapore, Malaya via Canada, 12/1941-2/1942; reaction to news of Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, United States of America, 7/12/1941.
REEL 2 Continues: description of voyage; training aboard the HMT Empress of Asia; sinking of HMT Empress of Asia by Japanese aircraft and rescue off Sultan Shoal, Malaya, 5/2/1942. Aspects of operations as driver with Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in Singapore, 6/2/1942-15/2/1942: accommodation; reaction to Japanese air raids; daily routine and duties until surrender, 15/2/1942; amusing story of soldier using wok to protect head. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-5/1943: march to camp following capture by Japanese, 2/1942; arrival at camp; description of prisoners of war erecting wire defences and setting up generator; daily routine in camp; opinion of Sikh guards of Indian National Army; opinion of rations; social life; working parties; allocation with H Force to work on Burma-Thailand railway, 5/1943; story of Captain Cecil Lambert ignoring homosexual activity in camp. Recollections of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand railway, 5/1943-12/1943: problem of pernicious anaemia; advise to eat liver while working on railway.
REEL 3 Continues: Japanese taking watches from prisoners of war; problem of poor quality Red Cross boots and having to work in bare feet; journey to Ban Pong Camp; further long march and division of prisoners of war into different categories of fitness; story of Lieutenant Bill Allchin preventing prisoner of war from being beaten by Japanese; arrival at Tonchan Spring Camp; opinion of conditions in Tonchan Spring Camp; removal for medical treatment for malaria and anaemia to Kanchanaburi Camp; conditions in adjacent camp housing Tamil forced labourers; return to Tonchan Spring Camp; living conditions and work on railway; story of being given buffalo's liver to eat.
REEL 4 Continues: further details of living condition in Tonchan Spring Camp; opinion of organisation of camp under Dutch control; relations between British and Dutch prisoners of war; condition of older Dutch prisoners of war; death rate and burials; recreational activities; relations between officers and men; memories of Lieutenant Bill Allchin including his Quaker beliefs and learning Japanese language; opinion of accuracy of film 'Bridge Over the River Kwai' (1957); incidents of sabotage on railway; story of being deloused and cleaned up in Singapore; reason for psychiatric problems among prisoners of war; problem of weight loss and vitamin deficiency; boiling up and distributing rice polishings; prisoner of war who lost sight due to vitamin deficiency. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Changi Prison, Singapore, Malaya, 12/1943-8/1945: attitude to returning to Changi Prison; opinion of organisation; communication with family including coded messages; prisoners of war use of illicit radio; opinion of Captain Cecil Lambert and his death on the Burma-Thailand Railway, 24/6/1943; work in camp; death of friend Private Fred Smith, 18/1/1944.
REEL 5 Continues: keeping diary during captivity; relations with Japanese guards; incident of Japanese soldier arrested for theft by prisoner of war camp police; social life in camp; description of own homosexual experiences and activities during time as prisoner of war; attitude of British Army towards homosexuals; presence of transvestite soldier known 'Clara'; opinion of current Ministry of Defence policy towards homosexuality in the armed forces, 1996; prior recollections of sexual experiences during voyage from GB to Singapore, 12/1941-2/1942; religious activities in camp; opinion of camp rations towards end of war.
REEL 6 Continues: reaction to news of dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945 and effect on mood in camp; posting as lookout and observing unusual Japanese parade indicating end of war, 15/8/1945. Aspects of period of hospitalisation in Singapore, Malaya and India, 1945-1946; physical condition and medical treatment at Singapore General Hospital and Jalahalli Hospital, India; problem of malnutrition and overeating; flight from India to GB, 1946. Reflections on period as prisoner of war: effect of captivity on health; reaction to being given a hero's welcome on return home, 1946; importance of being able to discuss experiences; visit to Singapore and Thailand and shaking hands with former Imperial Japanese Army interpreter Nagase Takashi on bridge over the River Kwai, 1995; opinion of Eric Lomax and book 'The Railway Man' (1995); opinion of Japanese; story of making reconciliation journey to Japan; nature of pacifist beliefs.