Sherring, Geoffrey (Oral history)

British radio officer served with Merchant Navy aboard MV Empire Dawn in Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1/1941-9/1942 including sinking by German auxiliary cruiser Michel (HSK-9) in South Atlantic, 11/9/1942; prisoner of war aboard MV Uckermark in South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 9/1942-11/1942, in Tanjong Priok and Glodok Prison Camps, Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies, 11/1942-10/1943, Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 10/1943-11/1943, aboard SS Hawaii Maru during voyage from Singapore, Malaya to Moji, Japan, 5/11/1943-4/12/1943 and Fukouka 14-B Camp, Nagasaki, Japan, 12/1943-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Stockport, GB, 1922-1940: family; education. Aspects of period as second radio officer with Merchant Navy aboard MV Empire Dawn in Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1/1941-9/1942 including sinking by German auxiliary cruiser Michel (HSK-9) in South Atlantic, 11/9/1942: cargos carried and voyages made; attack on and sinking by German raider Michel (HSK-9) in South Atlantic 11/9/1942; killing survivors by shell fire after surrender of vessel. Aspects of period as prisoner of war aboard MV Uckermark in South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 9/1942-11/1942: German crew's treatment of prisoners of war and attitude; camouflage skill of crew. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Tanjong Priok Camp and Glodok Prison Camp, Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies, 11/1942-10/1943: handing over into Japanese captivity at Tanjong Priok, Batavia 11/1942; beatings received and opinion of Japanese nature; kindness of Korean guard; radio work in camp and passing on war news; Japanese treatment; incident of prisoner of war officer taking blame for another prisoner of war's misdemeanours in Glodok Prison; inter-prisoner of war relations; help received from Chinese and Javanese civilians. REEL 2 Continues: income from distilling gin; camp businesses; obtaining supplies; prisoners of war emloyment of other prisoners of war; receiving Red Cross parcels during later incarceration in Fukuoka 14-B Camp, Nagasaki Japan; transfer to Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 10/1943-11/1943. Aspects of voyage aboard SS Hawaii Maru from Singapore, Malaya to Moji, Japan, 5/11/1943-4/12/1943: conditions on board; Allied air attack on ship. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Fukuoka No 14-B Camp, Nagasaki, Japan, 12/1943-8/1945: nature of work in shipyard for Mitsubishi Foundry Company; behaviour and attitude of Japanese guards towards prisoners of war; effect of United States Army Air Force raids on Japanese 1945. Account of dropping of atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, 9/8/1945: weather; air raid and taking shelter; desertion of Japanese civilians; work pumping out flooded shelters; flash of bomb; dust, fog and mud rain; devastation; injured guard; attempt to help other prisoners of war. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Nagasaki, Japan, 9/8/1945-13/8/1945: death of Dutch prisoner of war; evacuation to hills with supplies; houses catching fire; aiding Japanese civilians; journey across Nagasaki to help other prisoners of war; description of fires and damage; explosion in cathedral; arrival of supply train, 10/8/1945; burning corpses. Reflections on dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945: number of prisoner of war deaths, 1941-1945; Japanese threat to massacre prisoners of war; Soviet attitude to minimalising effects of atomic bomb; his contribution to debate; accuracy of prisoners of war speculation as to location and nature of blast; burning light of bomb; bomb damage in Nagasaki prior to fire; attitude at time to use of atomic bomb as compared with damage inflicted in heavy bombing raids; effect of dropping of atomic bomb on Japanese morale; question of lack of physical effects of atomic bomb experienced; effect on his value of human life. REEL 4 Continues: attitude towards Japanese. Aspects of liberation, 8/1945: end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; Japanese officer's speech to prisoners of war; United States Army Air Force air supply drops; visit of American journalist George Weller; airlift; absence of revenge; Australian prisoner of war's punishing of Japanese; question of lack of Japanese military resources 1945; prior recollection of prisoners of war sabotaging attempts to make them manufacture munitions; necessity of atomic bomb; prior recollection of receiving injury in Mitsubshi Foundry Company shipyard; post-war press conference in Nagasaki; media attitude towards Leonard Cheshire.