Description
Object description
New Zealand civilian working for Young Women's Christian Association in Middle East, India, Burma, Malaya, Hong Kong and Japan, 1940-1947
Content description
REEL 1 Background in New Zealand, 1909-1939: family; employment; reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939. Recollections of period as civilian with Young Women's Christian Association in Middle East, 1940-1943: voyage from New Zealand to Egypt; character of Jean Begg; dealing with insects; duties; design and construction of Young Women's Christian Association centre at Ismailia, Egypt; planting of eucalyptus trees; use of Young Women's Christian Association centre by nurses; construction of latrines; recruitment of staff.
REEL 2 Continues: obtaining furniture for centre; numbers and nationality of nurses using centre; food available at centre; acquiring food supplies from New Zealand; opinion of Egyptian and British staff; uniform; provision of mosquito nets; weather conditions; precautions against malaria; health problems suffered by staff member; living and working conditions for nurses; setting up Dharbunga House female leave centre near Cairo, Egypt.
REEL 3 Continues: converting Dharbunga House into Young Women's Christian Association rest centre; nationalities of servicewomen using centre; setting up married quarters; setting up other Young Women's Christian Association centres; details of setting up Young Women's Christian Association centre at Suez, Egypt; contact with troops who were later taken prisoner by Japanese in Singapore, Malaya; centres' staff; Young Women's Christian Association centre on houseboat on River Nile; fees charged for use of centres; restrictions against men using centres; establishing Sarafan Club in Palestine; move to Basra, Iraq, 1942; conditions in Iraq; house acquired in Basra, Iraq; sleeping arrangements in Basra, Iraq.
REEL 4 Continues: recruitment of staff; daily routine; social life; move to Tehran, Iran; memories of Tehran Conference in Tehran, Iran, 11/1943-12/1943; second hand stories heard about the Tehran Conference; story of how Prime Minister Winston Churchill left conference; staff employed at Young Women's Christian Association centre in Tehran, Iran; lack of social life; visits to bazaars and museums in Tehran; religious life at centre.
REEL 5 Continues: return to Egypt. Recollections of period as civilian with Young Women's Christian Association in India and Burma, 1944-1945: work of Jean Begg; acquiring building for Young Women's Christian Association centre in Calcutta, India; obtaining furniture and supplies for Calcutta Young Women's Christian Association centre; journey from Calcutta, India to Rangoon, Burma, 1945; work with American missionaries to establish centre in Rangoon, Burma; furnishing Rangoon centre; obtaining supplies for Rangoon centre; story of acquiring mirrors; weather conditions in Burma. Recollections of period as civilian with Young Women's Christian Association in Singapore, Malaya, Hong Kong and Japan, 1945-1947: decision to go to Singapore, Malaya.
REEL 6 Continues: story of how Jean Begg acquired Raffles Hotel as Young Women's Christian Association reception centre for internees; discovery of Japanese torture implements; arrival of women and children who had been interned by Japanese in Dutch East Indies; attitude towards Dutch former internees; food provided to former internees; setting up centre in Hong Kong; move to Japan; organisation of Young Women's Christian Association centre in Kure, Japan; employment of Japanese women; situation for women in Japan; attitude towards Japanese males; treatment of women in Japan; meeting future husband. Aspects of period as civilian with Young Women's Christian Association in Egypt, Palestine, Iran, India, Burma, Hong Kong and Japan, 1940-1947: attitude towards work; construction of club at Cox's Bazaar in India, 1944; origins of programme; handing over facilities on moving to another location.