description
Content description
Ms diary (130pp) and ts transcript (199pp carbon copy) kept from May 1942 to October 1945 describing his voyage to Singapore from India with 292 Supply Company RASC, 18th Division in January 1942, the experiences of being under shell fire and air raids, the news of the surrender of Singapore and life as a prisoner of war: in Singapore (Changi camp, February 1942 - May 1943), Thailand in 1943 with `H' Force (Kanburi/Tonchan South, May; Hintok River camp, July; Konkuita, September and Kanburi, November) and in Singapore again from November 1943 (Sime Road/Changi Gaol). The diary gives excellent analyses of his feelings and people's reactions during the days before the 1942 surrender, copious details of camp entertainments which he organised or participated in, the diet, conditions and treatment in each camp, and the period of readjustment and waiting before and after the 1945 surrender, and also contains interesting remarks about the selfishness of many officers, the anguish of separation from family and the question of officers working for the Japanese. With the diary are copies of the RASC News Gazette (November 1944) and SEAC News (9 September 1945) and a tobacco label.
History note
Cataloguer PHR
History note
Catalogue date 1985-08
