Description
Object description
Australian private served with 2/4th Machine Gun Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia and Singapore, 1940-1942; POW in Singapore, Malaya and on Burma-Thailand railway, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Darwin, Perth and Kalgoorlie, Australia, 1921- : period in Darwin and reason for move to Perth; work of father and financial situation; civilian work in Kalgoorlie; joining of army, 4/1940; wait for call- up and arrival of papers, 12/1940; journey to and signing-on at Perth; civilian work and reasons for joining army. Aspects of period as private with 2/4th Machine Gun Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 12/1940- 1/1942: details of pay; details of unit including joining of signals and background of troops; results of signals training; fitness training including memories of instructor; posting in Darwin and marriage, 10/1941; knowledge of First World War including service of family members; later posting as NCO in cookhouse while POW; discussion of movement to Singapore after completion of Burma-Thailand railway; deaths of British and Australian POWs; details of train journey to Winnellie; pattern of training and defence duties; reaction of father to joining army; opinion and memories of NCOs; knowledge of First World War including opinion of General John Monash; family background; opinion of Britain; Greeks in Royal Family; reduction in beer ration; news of posting abroad. Aspects of voyage from Darwin, Australia, to Singapore, 12/1941-1/1942: 21st birthday; details of HMAS Westralia; change to RMS Aquitania and voyage to Sydney; shore leave in Sydney; details of journey around Australia.
REEL 2 Continues: story of stop at Fremantle; memories of troops and action at Singapore; knowledge of Nazi Germany; Jewish friends at school; awareness of approaching war; involvement of Basil Zaharoff in First World War; opinion of Treaty of Versailles; discussion of Nazi Germany and Italy under Mussolini; opinion of length of war; discussion of events during 1940 and desire to fight in North Africa; details of campaigns in Greece and Russia; knowledge of Japanese troops; details of rifle issued; reaction to defeats of Greece and Crete; opinion of defence of Singapore; reactions to Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbour and Darwin; opinion of chances against Japanese; actions of Indian POWs; boarding of landing ships and final approach to Singapore. Aspects of period as private with 2/4th Machine Gun Bn Australian Imperial Force in Singapore, 1/1942- 2/1942: march to camp.
REEL 3 Continues: knowledge of Singapore; morale and activities during voyage; memories of battalion members including story of cattle eaten while POW; activities on arrival including first air raids; details of camp including civilian workers; kit bag; change in attitude to situation; Allied air activity; make-up and role of platoon including own position; details of position taken; wound carried by Ross Ambrose; later work on Changi airfield and in cookhouse at jail; knowledge of war in Malaya; details of letter written to Australian Broadcasting Corporation; blowing up of causeway bridge; setting-up of communications including later destruction; description of position including shells stored; news of evacuation; visit from General Wavell; opinion of General Gordon Bennett; attitude to situation; details of battalion's action against Japanese including order for withdrawal and defeat; building of Japanese memorial; near loss of company on Hill 60; actions of Spackman.
REEL 4 Continues: cessation of artillery fire before Japanese crossing to Singapore; scenes of Japanese forces in Johor Baru; details of withdrawal across Singapore; physical and mental state including cleanliness; chaos during withdrawal; details of Indian troops including involvement in bayonet charge; landing of Japanese troops; briefing from colonel; Japanese air raids; action against Japanese including further details of bayonet charge; continuation of shelling and bombing; memories of Captain McEwen; losses from No 1 Platoon; reaction to unit casualties; opinion of rifles issued; length of battle; details of ammunition; handover of weapons to Japanese; receiving orders to surrender; reactions to surrender; message written in paybook before bayonet charge; preparations for surrender; reactions to surrender. Aspects of period as POW in Singapore, Malaya and on Burma-Thailand railway, 2/1942-8/1945: impressions of Japanese; water supply to Singapore; communication attempts with Japanese guards; details of initial camp; interpreters present; walk to camp including morale and reception from civilians; discussion of defence of Malaya and Singapore.
REEL 5 Continues: arrival of POWs from HMS Repulse; details of camp in Changi area; signs of war; opinion of 5th Columnist activities and execution of 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion members; details of march to Changi including rations held by POWs; attitude to situation; sleeping arrangements; work undertaken; footwear; discipline among POWs; rations including preparation and cooking of pig; details of cookhouse and ovens; cutting of timber; work rate of POWs; making of clothing and footwear; morale and personal items destroyed; source of fuel; England vs Australia cricket match; unarmed combat training and story of organised fight; supplements to rations; story of nearly drowning during escape attempt; details of guards; story of an escape from camp in Thailand; black market in camp; memories of friends in camps; smuggling of items into camps; story of pet dogs; eating of horse; Australian rules football; relationship with guards; story of guard pushed in mud; memories of POWs.
REEL 6 Continues: relationship with guards; discipline; memories of officers in POW camps including opinion of General Wavell and other generals; forced promise to not escape and executions of POWs who refused; summary of camps stayed in; building of Japanese war memorial in Johor Baru; accommodation; cigarettes; building of Japanese temple; trading with civilians including details of fish gained; fishing in Burma; concert parties in Changi jail; contact with padre; attitude to situation including behaviour; stories of punishments received including period in hot box; memories of Bruce Hunt; news of movement from Johor Baru.
REEL 7 Continues: organisation of Burma-Thailand railway's construction; preparations for departure and details of railways; boarding and make-up of train including wait for departure; description of vans travelled in including cooking utensils and rota for activities; rations; personal possessions; start of march to camp; rumours about British origins of railway; swimming; sleeping arrangements and guards in overnight camp; routine of march; situation in Thailand; selection of POWs for railway; shelter taken from rain; continuation of march; relationship with Japanese and Korean guards; arrival at No 1 Camp; bouts of malaria; work undertaken on accommodation; initial period working on roads; rations for fit and sick POWs; evening activities; problems with feet and conditions underfoot; details of day in hospital; story of blue moon; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; details of cholera outbreak; memories of Bruce Hunt.
REEL 8 Continues: further details of march to railway including physical state of POWs; water supply and storage; memories of Captain "Pills" Anderson; details of jungle sores; cleanliness of No 2 Camp; health problems suffered by POWs; memories of fellow POWs; length of working day; roll call; methods of avoiding work; telling difference between Chinese and Japanese; relationship among POWs; background of POWs; trips out of camp and items gained; singsongs; story of carrying rations from staging camp; vegetables; items made by POWs; details of radios including punishments; discipline; comparison of British and Australian troops; details of period in hot box including snakes in jungle.
REEL 9 Continues: location of camp; religion and stories of getting close to death; story of punishment given to POW from Mauritius; discussion of beatings; story of plea from guard after war; impressions of Japanese; communication between Chinese and Japanese; learning of Japanese; details of Emperor Hirohito; opinion of Lord Mountbatten; story of being caught nude by Lady Mountbatten; treatment of sick; thefts from stores; contact with civilians; story of fall into river; varying treatment from guards; background to return to Singapore; opinion of reason for treatment from guards; laying bridge foundations; opinion of 1957 film Bridge over the River Kwai; impressions of British POWs; nationalities among POWs; attitude during war; memories of fellow POWs and comrades.
REEL 10 Continues: further details of bridge building; move to No 2 Camp and posting to cookhouse; method of cooking rice; extras gained as cook; words learned from British; relationship with officers; attitude of other POWs to cooks; supply of rations; Chinese civilian workers; additions to rice; division of meals; rations supplied; method of making coffee; tea; availability of vegetables, meat and bread including problems with maggots; details of work undertaken on railway; description of House of Cards bridge; POWs losing will to live; importance and memories of close friends; physical state of POWs during march to railway.
REEL 11 Continues: treatment of jungle sores; washing including making of soap; toughest period on Burma-Thailand railway; methods of keeping morale up including humour among POWs; opinion of advantages Australians held over European POWs; nicknames given to guards; reasons for not playing tricks on guards; eating of leaves and shoots; background to posting to Singapore; knowledge of railway's completion and wider war; change in treatment from guards as war progressed; camp maintenance; reactions on return to Singapore including Christmas 1943; return journey to Singapore; rations; period in Singapore and move to Changi jail; duties in cookhouse; description of medicals received after liberation and from Japanese; reasons for not being sent to Borneo; news of war; work undertaken; physical state on arrival at Changi jail; population of jail.
REEL 12 Continues: work undertaken on Changi airfield and in cookhouse at Changi jail; health problems; reveille; washing facilities; physical state; details of sick parades including files kept; treatments given for malaria; problems with dermatitis; organisation of sick parades and working parties; work undertaken by POWs; collaboration of some Indian POWs with Japanese; period in basement of jail; details of concert parties; homosexuality among POWs; talk among POWs; nickname for Changi jail; latrines; reactions to end of war; education; leisure activities; money; items gained; theft among POWs and on working parties including punishments; details of camp hospital and staff; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; memories of POWs.
REEL 13 Continues: health; haircuts and shaving; birthdays; making of chips; news of war; guns around camp; layout of jail; details of hole cut in wall; story of trench dug; details of items made by POWs; air activity; details of Changi airfield and Singapore; further details of defence of Singapore; story of return visit; news of war; searches of jail; details of possessions held by POWs; hiding of possessions; details of camp radio; health of POWs; knowledge of approaching victory; attitude of Japanese toward end of war including work undertaken and story of concert party; relationship with guards; further details of work in cookhouse; comradeship; news of VE Day; departure from Singapore, 9/1945; problems with spleen; physical state; talks with and background of Japanese guards; routine and leisure activities; making of playing cards.
REEL 14 Continues: card games played; arguments among POWs; details of racketeer in camp; memories of Aubrey Hoskins; news and development of atomic bombs; reactions to news of bombs; story of hearing about surrender; details and activities of Allied troops who subsequently arrived including officers among POWs; treatment of Japanese POWs and rations; mail; family's knowledge of his being taken POW; contact with family after liberation; problems with and treatment of scabies; reactions on leaving Changi jail; physical state of British troops; reaction to fate of 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion; clean-up before leaving Singapore; possessions taken home and burned; new clothing issued and problems with them. Aspects of period in transit from Singapore to Fremantle, Australia, 9/1945-10/1945: beer ration during voyage to Australia; morale; fitness training; memories of "Tum" Bunning; talk among passengers; reception on arrival home; details of family home in Darwin; reactions on arrival in Australia; fitness of unit.
REEL 15 Continues: story of drink on arrival in Brisbane including pay received; other activities in Brisbane; reception on arrival in Sydney and period with family members; train journey to Melbourne; reunion and relationship with family members; boarding and population of ship; reactions to situation; settling into civilian life including details of ongoing army pay; arrival in Fremantle including details of radio carried; disembarkation and reception from family. Aspects of period as civilian in Australia from 10/1945: settling into civilian life including story of fight with sailor; talking about experiences; return to education including family and reflections on service; problems settling into civilian life.
REEL 16 Continues: background to demobilisation, 12/1945; stories of arguments with civilians; contact with former comrades including memories of George Williams; opinion of education; return visits to prison camps; opinion of generals; details of Japanese war memorial in Johore Bahru; details of Burma- Thailand railway; visits to cemeteries; opinion of reconciliation with Japanese; personal contact with Japanese since war; talking about experiences; visits out of prison camps; smoking including details of pipes made; sports; treatment on return to Australia including opinion of British forces in Singapore, 1942; details of pension including appeals to gain disability payment; reflections on service.