Whitehead, John Sutcliffe (Oral history)

851582800
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Accepted Non-commercial Use

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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
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1984386687
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1052493979
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1076971661
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
147310125
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1394074611
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1559806387
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1589958196
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Description

Object description

British NCO served with 8th Coastal Regt, Royal Artillery, Fortress Command in Hong Kong, 1938-1939; gunner served with Motor Transport Section, 7th Anti-Aircraft Bty, 5th Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery, Fortress Command in Hong Kong, 1939-1941; served with 18th Light Anti-Aircraft Bty, 5th Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery, Fortress Command during Battle of Hong Kong, 12/1941; prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po Camp in Hong Kong, 12/1941-2/1942; escaped from Hong Kong to China, 2/1942; served with Mission 204 in China, 1942-1943

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of period as NCO with 8th Coastal Regt, Royal Artillery, Fortress Command in Hong Kong, 1938-1939: background to enlistment in Royal Artillery in GB, 1934; volunteering for service in Hong Kong; sight of typhoon destruction on arrival; initial impressions of Hong Kong; description of Nelson's Disc; discontent with garrison artillery life; importance of sport in army; use of brothels; punishment for contracting venereal disease; layout of cantonment area; barrack servants; service clubs; prostitutes' method of approaching servicemen. REEL 2 Continues: kindness of prostitutes; chit system; 'sew sew women'; incident of serviceman giving false name; presence of White Russians in Shanghai; arrangements for servicemen to visit city; attempts to join Seaforth Highlanders; problems of teaching Chinese Field Regiment; method of laying out kit; attending court martial for striking officer; period of detention. REEL 3 Continues: further details of period of detention; court martialling of Captain Northcote. Aspects of period as gunner with Motor Transport Section, 7th Anti-Aircraft Bty, Royal Artillery Fortress Command in Hong Kong, 1939-1941: his transfer to unit; beneficial effect of Hore-Belisha measures; his retraining for Motor Transport Section; his motor transport duties; learning Cantonese; clash with Americans; summary justice administered by police; brawl with Americans. REEL 4 Continues: second period of detention. Recollections of operations as gunner with 18th Light Anti-Aircraft Bty, Fortress Command during Battle of Hong Kong, 12/1941: posting to battery; role as bodyguard to Major Charles Rochford Boyd; Japanese air attack; Japanese leaflet drops; move to centre of Hong Kong Island; work of Japanese Fifth Column and Wang Ching Wei collaborators; his attempt to find Captain Bob Newton; work of Hong Kong volunteers during battle; summary execution of suspected Fifth Columnists; Japanese propaganda. REEL 5 Continues: artillery exchanges; his narrow escape during Japanese landings on Hong Kong Island; verbal exchanges between Japanese and Canadians; Japanese capture of reservoir; character of Christmas dinner, 25/12/1941; abortive attempt to escape by motor torpedo boat; burial party; his impressions of Japanese troops; his capture by Japanese; Japanese 'kow-towing' requirement. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po Camp, Hong Kong, 12/1941-2/1942: removal to camp; prisoner of war trading with Chinese; Japanese atrocities at Pak Sha Wan. REEL 6 Continues: description of camp; requirement to learn Japanese language; Japanese executions; communication between Chinese and Japanese; problems with rice diet; Japanese punishments. Recollections of escape from Sham Shui Po Camp in Hong Kong to China, 2/1942: escape plan; killing of dog for food; escape through typhoon drain, 1/2/1942; killing of sentry; abortive Japanese search; rescue of escaper by Royal Scots prisoners of war. REEL 7 Continues: escape across plateau; aid from Chinese coolie; refuge with Chinese farmer; crossing into China; stay at headquarters of 'General Kwan'; cross country trek; clash between Chinese and Japanese armies in Wei Chow area; daily life for Chinese in Wei Chow. REEL 8 Continues: encounter with other escape parties; cross-country trek; his cabling home; contact with other escapers; character of train journey; encounter with Special Service at Kiang; his sickness from eating European food. Recollections of period as NCO with Mission 204 in China, 1942-1943: origins and composition of Mission 204; appearance of unit; unit equipment; loose Chinese control of unit; diet; abandonment of plan to raid Hong Kong prisoner of war camps. REEL 9 Continues: his dental treatment in nunnery; training in guerrilla techniques; description of river barge journey to Hunan; reluctance of Chinese general to attack Japanese; power of Madame Chiang Kai-Shek; raids carried out on Japanese by Mission 204; his wounding in leg during attack on Japanese pillbox; effects of raids on Japanese; fate of captured Japanese in Chinese hands; opinion of quality of Japanese and Chinese troops. REEL 10 Continues: plan for raids on Japanese forces; problems of killing sentries; use of limpet charges; blowing up of bridge; killing of Japanese with fougasses; sickness among Mission 204 personnel at Hunan; orders for withdrawal of Mission 204; impressions of United States Army Air Force airmen at Kweiling; flying of Mission 204 out of China; making Bangalore Torpedoes from bamboo; knife work of John 'Blood' Hawksby; making of bread substitute.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Interwar (content), Interwar (association), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (recorder)
Whitehead, John Sutcliffe (interviewee/speaker)
Production date: 1982-02-10
Dimensions: whole: Duration 295, Number Of Items 10
Catalogue number: 6020

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Whitehead, John Sutcliffe (Oral history)

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