Description
Object description
Ts of thirteen notebooks written in 1942 (140pp), giving a retrospective account of operations on Singapore and Java where he had served as a Pilot Officer with 100 Squadron RAF (December 1941 – February 1942), the evacuation of 100 Squadron to Java (January 1942) and, after the Dutch surrender, his subsequent escape by Vildebeest to Sumatra where he was taken prisoner of war (POW) by the Japanese (March 1942); the notebooks end in December 1942 in Palembang, Sumatra, where Gotto remained a POW until August 1945. Notable content includes a detailed description of Japanese bombing raids on Singapore; his sighting of HMS PRINCE OF WALES and HMS REPULSE shortly before their sinking (December 1941); detail of his daily routine and duties whilst responsible for Squadron transport and later, operations in defence of Java (January - February 1942); and then descriptions of POW camp routines at Palembang, including the highly valued role of medical officers in camp, and of the nurses and doctors working at Charitas hospital, and the necessity for POWs to sign a 'non-escape' form (December 1942). Together with the full transcript are two edited ts versions of the notebooks (90pp each).
Content description
Ts of thirteen notebooks written in 1942 (140pp), giving a retrospective account of operations on Singapore and Java where he had served as a Pilot Officer with 100 Squadron RAF (December 1941 – February 1942), the evacuation of 100 Squadron to Java (January 1942) and, after the Dutch surrender, his subsequent escape by Vildebeest to Sumatra where he was taken prisoner of war (POW) by the Japanese (March 1942); the notebooks end in December 1942 in Palembang, Sumatra, where Gotto remained a POW until August 1945. Notable content includes a detailed description of Japanese bombing raids on Singapore; his sighting of HMS PRINCE OF WALES and HMS REPULSE shortly before their sinking (December 1941); detail of his daily routine and duties whilst responsible for Squadron transport and later, operations in defence of Java (January - February 1942); and then descriptions of POW camp routines at Palembang, including the highly valued role of medical officers in camp, and of the nurses and doctors working at Charitas hospital, and the necessity for POWs to sign a 'non-escape' form (December 1942). Together with the full transcript are two edited ts versions of the notebooks (90pp each).
History note
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