Greenberg, Jack Joseph (Oral history)

British driver served with 197th Field Ambulance, 18th Infantry Divisional Medical Corps in GB and Singapore, Malaya, 1940-1942; prisoner of war in Changi, Thompson Road and Serangoon Road Camps, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-3/1943, on Burma-Thailand Railway, 4/1943-4/1944 and Changi Prison and Kranji Camps, Singapore, Malaya, 4/1944-8/1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as driver with 197th Field Ambulance, 18th Infantry Divisional Medical Corps in GB, 1940-1941: background to enlistment in Royal Army Service Corps, 1940; duties with 197th Field Ambulance; effect of winter weather on British Army's movements, winter 1940-1941; move of 18th Infantry Div to Midlands, 4/1941; his recieving accidental head injury. Aspects of voyage from GB to India, 10/1941-12/1941: United States Navy escort across North Atlantic; transfer of unit to USS Leonard Wood for voyage from Nova Scotia, Canada to Cape Town, South Africa, 11/1941; jettisoning of refuse at night for security reasons. REEL 2 Continues: reaction of American crew to hearing news of Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 12/1941; diversion of 18th Infantry Div to Singapore, Malaya; guard duties on docks at Bombay, India, 12/1941-1/1941. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empress of Asia from Bombay, India to Singapore, Malaya, 1/1942-2/1942: Japanese air attack on convoy in Sundra Straits, 5/2/1942; panic amongst ship's stokers; escape from blazing ship; rescue from sea. Aspects of operations as driver with 197th Field Ambulance, 18th Infantry Divisional Medical Corps in Singapore, 2/1942: condition on arrival in Singapore; Japanese air raid; transport work; events of 15/2/1942. REEL 3 Continues: capture by Imperial Japanese Army; confining prisoners of war in tennis court of private house. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-5/1942: march to Changi; prisoner of war belief in quick release; his messing and rations responsibilities; attitude of civilians toward Japanese. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Thompson Road Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 5/1942-8/1942: work on captured vehicles; sabotaging of vehicles by prisoners of war; receiving food from civilians; his beating by Japanese; prisoner of war's beating received from Japanese on orders of British officer. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Serangoon Road Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 8/1942-1/1943: prisoner of war work; kindness shown by German sailors towards prisoners of war. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 1/1943-3/1943: return to Changi, 1/1943; refusal of his request to join friend on draft to Thailand. REEL 4 Continues: death of prisoner of war from dysentery. Recollections of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand Railway, 4/1943-4/1944: joining F Force; character of train journey to Thailand, 4/1943; Japanese haranguing of British officer; Kempeitai search; march up country; sleeping in open during monsoon; his trading of gold watch at Tarsao Camp; work in cholera section with Australian prisoner of war at Shimo Songkrai Camp; sufferings of cholera victims; his bout of malaria; move to Changaraya Camp. REEL 5 Continues: tropical ulcers and amputations; his nursing work; outbreak of smallpox; selling quinine tablets for food at Kanchanaburi Camp; contact with home; his award of British Empire Medal for nursing work in cholera camp; prior recollection of sight of Indian National Army personnel at Serangoon Road Camp, 1942. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Prison Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 1944: return to Changi, 4/1944; airfield construction work; effects of rice diet; his back injury. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Kranji Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 1944-1945: tunnelling work; beating of prisoner of war by Japanese guard; sawing work party; receiving news of Japanese surrender, 17/8/1945; giving Japanese menial work in camp; liberation and arrival of Royal Navy, 8/1945. REEL 6 Continues: Chinese-Malay clashes in Singapore after liberation, 8/1945-9/1945; prisoners of war killing of cruel Korean guard; story illustrating Korean guard's cruelty; a kind guard; aversion to meeting white women in Kranji; Lord Louis Mountbatten's address to freed prisoners of war; return to GB, 9/1945. Reflections on period as prisoner of war in Singapore, Malaya and on Burma-Thailand Railway, 1942-1945: trading activities; F Force casualties; treating malaria on return to GB; ration problems in Thailand; return to Far East, 1980; fraternal feelings amongst former Far Eastern Prisoners of War.