Description
Object description
British schoolchild in GB, Hong Kong, China and the Philippines, 1924-1942; interned by Japanese with mother at Santo Tomas and Los Banos internment camps, Philippines, 1942-1945.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, Hong Kong, China and the Philippines, 1924-1942: family background and education; father's employment as shipping engineer with Butterfield and Swire; moved with mother to live on Kulangsu island, China, 9/1939; opinion of living conditions; problem of learning Chinese; accommodation in Seaview Hotel; sailed aboard SS Anhui to Shanghai, 9/1941; accommodation in hotel; sailed aboard SS Anhui to Hong Kong, 3/Dec/1941; personal possessions; sailed aboard SS Anhui to Manila, Philippines,10/Dec/1941; story of being disembarked from ship and father continuing on to Australia; description of accommodation at the Manila Club; opinion of other residents and food; description of accommodation at Holy Ghost Convent and in hotel; expenses paid by father's shipping firm Butterfield and Swire; reaction to Japanese bombing of Manila; story of pushing pram with supplies of baby milk; description of air raids; opinion of Japanese.
REEL 2 Continues: further comments on Japanese; story of unsuccessful attempt to join father in Australia; description of clothes and climate in Manila; Christmas celebrations, 1941; moved to the Convent of the Assumption until Japanese invasion, 6/Jan/1942; opinion of behaviour of Japanese troops; description of sleeping arrangements and food in Convent; money. Aspects of period as internee at Santo Tomas University, Manila, 6/Jan/1942-10/Dec/1943: story of being interned on mother's birthday and journey by truck to Santo Tomas University; description of University campus and buildings converted into internment camp; description of accommodation in classroom; various memories of other internees; segregation of men and women; care of children; size of classroom; sleeping arrangements; system for receiving parcels; organisation and running of camp run by local residents; importance of aid from Red Cross; attitude of local residents to foreign internees; opinion of living conditions; importance of mosquito nets; reason for barred windows; range of nationalities in camp; opinion of Americans.
REEL 3 Continues: daily routine and meals; supplementary supplies from Red Cross; attitude to local residents throwing away food; story of obtaining work with mother in children's kitchen; role of camp committee in buying food; opinion of medical facilities, food and washing facilities; relations with other children in school; story of meeting future husband Ian McKerchar; further comments on role of camp committee; type of work duties in camp; camp regulations laid down by Japanese; role of room monitors; relations with other occupants of classroom; description of children's kitchen, food, staff and working hours; method of washing clothes; personal hygiene; use of gugo bark to make shampoo; soap supplied by Japanese.
REEL 4 Continues: story of volunteering to work in children's kitchen; method of preparing rice for cooking; description of vegetable sheds; role of seamen as cooks in kitchen; problem of reduction in food rations and weight loss; description of camp shop selling various goods; received money from father's shipping agent; attitude to not throwing anything away and re-use of sewing thread and Klim tins; story of mother selling ring to buy sugar; earned money by making clothes; method of knitting; camp newspaper and awareness of progress of war; communication with family; story of mother keeping diary during internment. Aspects of period as internee at Los Banos internment camp, Philippines, 10/Dec/1943-23/Feb/1945: description of camp and facilities; journey to camp; accommodation; segregation of men and women; opinion of camp and location; food supplies; no contact with locals.
REEL 5 Continues: further description of camp; communication with fiancée; description of room shared with mother; no children in camp; attitude to Japanese; reaction to rumours of Japanese ill-treatment of Allied POWs; attitude to guards; number of internees in camp; organisation and role of camp committee; story of internees making own alcohol; attitude to lack of class system among internees; sources of money and problem of inflated prices in camp; black market activities with Japanese; repetition of story about mother selling ring to buy sugar; problem of food shortages; opinion of go-betweens trading with Japanese; roll calls; reaction to execution of escapees; deaths in camp from disease.
REEL 6 Continues: story about Rev Owen Griffiths; discipline in camp; petty thefts of food; use of edible weeds in cooking; attitude to bowing to Japanese; burial of dead; increase in deaths towards end of war; story of contracting jaundice; opinion of medical facilities; Red Cross parcels; method of making sanitary towels; able to purchase food at canteen; issued with laundry soap by Japanese; washing and sanitary arrangements; rota for bathroom cleaning; toilet paper ration; washing clothes; weather and climate; description of barracks and kitchen; wood supplies; method of cooking and serving food; informal dining arrangements and use of own utensils.
REEL 7 Continues: description of work in garden; allocation of work; story of mother making clothes; opinion of bamboo knitting needles; received extra rice ration for work; method of cooking in Klim tin; story about American internee's Thanksgiving meal; mother's relations with other internees; story of listening to music and readings broadcast over loudspeakers; curfew; use of sports field; story of watching Japanese commandant practising kendo; story of mother making dress for birthday; Christmas celebrations; attitude to missionaries in camp hoarding food; story of carrying bed and mattress to new camp; library facilities; relationship with fiancée in camp and reason for not marrying; care of babies born in camp.
