Harris, William David (Oral history)

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Sound: © IWM

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.
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Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

Sound: © IWM

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.

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Description

Object description

British officer served with 5th Bn Loyal Regt (North Lancashire), 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Div in GB, 1938-1941; served with 18th Reconnaissance Bn, Reconnaissance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in GB and Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1942; prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore and on Burma-Thailand Railway, 2/1942-8/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with 5th Bn Loyal Regt (North Lancashire) and 18th Reconnaissance Bn, Reconnaissance Corps in GB, 1938-1941: joining Territorial Army, 1938; composition of 18th Infantry Div in GB, 1940-1941. Recollections of voyage with 18th Reconnaissance Bn, Reconnaissance Corps, 18th Infantry Div from GB to Singapore, Malaya, 10/1941-2/1942 including sinking of HMT Empress of Asia off Sultan Shoal Island, Malaya, 5/2/1942: start of voyage 10/1941; trans-shipping into American transports, 12/1941; sending coded message to wife; hearing news of Pearl Harbor, 12/1941; reception in South Africa; sinking of HMT Empress of Asia off Sultan Shoal Island and rescue by HMAS Yarra, 5/2/1942. Aspects of operations as officer with 18th Reconnaissance Bn, Reconnaissance Corps, 18th Infantry Div in Singapore, Malaya, 5/2/1942-15/2/1942: arrival in Singapore; wounding; Imperial Japanese Army entry into Alexandra Hospital. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-11/1942: sympathetic response of Chinese population during forced march to camp, 2/1942; absence of Japanese guards in Changi Camp; illness amongst inmates; behaviour of Sikhs guards of Indian National Army; departure of first groups to work on Burma-Thailand Railway. Aspects of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand Railway, 11/1942-8/1945: books taken; degree of knowledge of other rank's experience on work parties; diet and pay; beatings by guards; individual officers who stood out; officer working parties at Kanchanaburi Camp. REEL 3 Continues: news of Japanese surrender, 8/1945; liberation; attitude towards Japanese.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Harris, William David (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1989-05-15
Dimensions: whole: Duration 90, Number Of Items 3
Catalogue number: 10704

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Harris, William David (Oral history)

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