Broome, Richard Neville (Oral history)

British officer served with Special Operations Executive in Malaya, 1942; escaped from Malaya to Ceylon, 1942; served with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in India, Ceylon and Malaya, 1942-1945; served with British Military Administration in Singapore, Malaya, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with Special Operations Executive in Malaya, 1942: selection for special duties in Singapore, Malaya at time of Japanese attack, 12/1941; meeting with Major Basil Goodfellow; future role organising resistance in Malaya explained; recruitment of John Davis; choice of Communist Chinese as guerrillas; prior recollection of suppression of Chinese Communist putsch in 1937; nature of Communism in Chinese and Malay society; relations with Chinese Communists including Chin Peng and Lai Tek; positioning of teams of agents; Chinese character of Malayan Communist Party; Japanese-Malay relations; reasons for move to Sumatra, Dutch East Indies. REEL 2 Continues: return to Malaya; sailing towards west coast of Sumatra, Dutch East Indies; failure to rescue British troops; escape plans. Aspects of voyage from Malaya to Ceylon, 1942: individuals on board; putting crew ashore; provisions taken; vessel’s seaworthiness; longitude measurement; attack from Japanese aircraft; close passage of Japanese Fleet; problems of landfall on coast of Ceylon; suspicions of Anglo-Canadian on vessel. Aspects of period as officer with Special Operations Executive in India and Ceylon, 1942-1943: work on communications with Burma; recruitment of Chinese for Malayan Resistance; contact with Lim Bo Seng. REEL 3 Continues: character of Kuomintang Chinese; story illustrating Chinese sensibilities; sabotage training; negotiations with Royal Navy for return to Malaya. Recollections of period as officer with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Malaya, 1943-1945: landing from Dutch submarine near Pangkor, 6/1943; journey into interior; meeting with Spencer Chapman; reasons for lack of contact with Colombo, Ceylon; negotiations and agreement between South East Asia Command and Chinese Malayan Communist Party; concealment of written messages; how Chinese Communists coped with jungle life. REEL 4 Continues: food supply; avoidance of political discussions with Chinese Communists; relations between Kuomintang and Communist Chinese; Japanese attempt to find and destroy camp; problems with signalling equipment; use of codes; problems convincing Colombo of authenticity of his signals; receiving air supply drops from Ceylon; conference with Chinese Communist leadership; control of arms to Communists; leaving jungle with Spencer Chapman to report to Colombo, Ceylon. REEL 5 Continues: escape from Malaya by submarine HMS Statesman; Japanese bombing attacks on HMS Statesman; attitude of Sakai towards Special Operations Executive; advantages of carbines in jungle; coping with boredom in jungle; state of health in jungle; working of ‘one time pad’ code; opinion of Sakai; attitude towards Chinese Communists; John Davis’ experience of Japanese surrender; Chinese Communist behaviour after surrender and their disbandment; involvement of Force 136 contacts in later insurgency. Aspects of period as officer with British Military Administration in Singapore, Malaya, 1945-1946: his return to Singapore as Colonel (Chinese Affairs); opinion of Chinese Communist insurgents; post-war meetings with Chin Peng; tensions between Malays and Chinese. REEL 6 Continues: reasons why Chinese Communists had no chance of success during Emergency; degree of support for Communists amongst Chinese; attitude of Indians towards insurgency.