Description
Object description
British signalman served as wireless operator with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Headquarters, III Indian Corps Signals in Malaya, 1941-1942; prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-5/1943, on Burma-Thailand Railway, 5/1943-10/1943 and Changi, Sime Road and Kranji Camps, Singapore, Malaya, 10/1943-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as signalman with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1940-1941: call-up to Royal Corps of Signals, 4/1940; training as wireless operator. Aspects of period as wireless operator with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Headquarters, III Indian Corps Signals in Malaya, 1941-1942: voyage from GB to Singapore, 1/1941-3/1941; service in Malaya prior to Japanese invasion; invasion alert, 11/1941; execution of Swiss German spy; Japanese invasion and duties during retreat to Singapore; morale amongst British troops; learning news of retreat on wireless watch; fate of unit personnel evacuating to Java in Dutch East Indies; on wireless watch in Cathay Building, Singapore, 15/2/1942; operating wireless set for senior officers giving surrender orders.
REEL 2 Continues: state and behaviour of Allied troops during fall of Singapore, 2/1942; reaction of civilians to surrender, 2/1942. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-5/1943: march to camp; accommodation; initial problems cooking rice; rations and loss of weight; varying abilities of prisoners of war to adjust to diet; maintaining morale; inability of Japanese to understand British morale; stories illustrating Japanese treatment of prisoners of war during second period in Changi Camp, 1944 and Tonchan Camp on Burma-Thailand Railway, 5/1943-10/1943. Aspects of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand Railway, 1943: contracting malaria in Tonchan Camp.
REEL 3 Continues: prisoner of war sharing rations with sick; Japanese deception over prisoner of war H and F Forces and consequent mortality rate; contracting malaria and evacuation to Tamarkan Camp; cholera outbreak; prior recollections of question of parole and Selerang Square Incident in Singapore, 1942; obstacles to escape; Red Cross supplies; Brigadier Philip Toosey's influence on morale at Tamarkan prisoner of war Camp. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Sime Road, Changi and Kranji Camps, Singapore, Malaya, 1943-1945: removal to Sime Road Camp, Singapore, 10/1943; his illness and operation in Changi Camp hospital.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand Railway, 1943: smuggling of food and medical supplies into camp by Thais; incident of prisoners of war caught on night time trading and subsequent involvement of Kempeitai; receiving war news and secret radios; Japanese measures that affected prisoner of war morale; sabotage of the railway; collaboration and 'Jap happy' individuals. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Sime Road, Changi and Kranji Camps, Singapore, Malaya, 10/1943-8/1945: work parties from Changi Camp; Allied air raid on Keppel Docks; tunnel work at Kranji Camp; illustrations of Japanese superstitions about death; change in Japanese behaviour and learning of end of war, 8/1945.
REEL 5 Continues: transition to normal food; return to GB. Reflections on period as prisoner of war: attitude towards former prisoners of war on return to GB; long-term psychological and physical effects of captivity; attitude towards life; attitude towards Japanese, 1980.