Williams, Leonard Walter (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard HMS Dragonfly in Far East, 10/2/1942-14/2/1942 including sinking off Rusuk Buaja Island in Bangka Strait, 14/2/1942; prisoner of war in Gloegoer and Pakenbaru Railway Camps on Sumatra, Dutch East Indies and Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-8/1945 including sinking of SS Harukiku Maru, 24/6/1944; petty officer served aboard HMS Amethyst during Yangtse Incident in China, 4/1949-7/1949

REEL 1 Recollections of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Amethyst during Yangtse Incident, China, 4/1949-7/1949: staff working in engine room; anticipation of trouble in River Yangtse; Chinese People's Liberation Army artillery opening fire on destroyer, 20/4/1949; damage to ship; running aground and rocking ship to release her; attempt to abandon ship; question of personal morale during action; performance of younger seamen during incident; casualties on board; damage to engine room and ship; repair work; fuel supply problem; problems of unloading drums of fuel. REEL 2 Continues: coping with extremes of summer heat; infestation of rats; state of health; passing time with lectures; state of morale; attempt by HMS Consort and HMS London to rescue ship; aid recieved from Royal Air Force Short Sunderland flying boat; preparations for escape; slipping anchor; hit by Chinese artillery fire during break out, 30/7/1949; working of engines during break out; incidents during dash to sea including passing through boom; Commander John Keran's attitude to having help from HMS Jamaica; reception in Hong Kong and Plymouth, GB. REEL 3 Continues: question of timing of escape; attending meeting with Communists of Chinese People's Liberation Army; Chinese People's Liberation Army opening fire on destroyer, 20/4/1949; damage to ship; running aground; reaction to planned break out; question of apportioning blame for incident; aid given to ship by Chinese Nationalists. Recollections of period as seaman aboard HMS Dragonfly in Bangka Strait, Dutch East Indies, 13/2/1942-14/2/1942 including sinking off Rusuk Buaja Island 14/2/1942: how he came to join HMS Dragonfly, 1941; leaving Singapore, Malaya, 13/2/1942; Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service attack on HMS Dragonfly, 14/2/1942; sinking of HMS Dragonfly and beaching of sister ship HMS Grasshopper on Singkep Island, 14/2/1942; capture by Japanese, 17/3/1942; description of HMS Dragonfly; chaos in Singapore, Malaya prior to fall, 2/1942; role of HMS Dragonfly ferrying Gurkhas from Singapore Island to Malayan coast, 1941-1942; sinking of HMS Dragonfly, 14/2/1942; role of HMS Grasshopper's dog Judy in finding fresh water on Singkep Island. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Gloegoer and Pakenbaru Railway Camps on Sumatra, Dutch East Indies and Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-8/1945: role of Judy as 'official' prisoner of war dog during captivity including award of Dickin Medal. REEL 4 Continues: sinking of SS Harukiku Maru by submarine HMS Truculant on voyage from Medan, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies to Malaya, Singapore, 24/6/1944; work on Pakanbaru Railway line, Sumatra, act of brutality by Japanese guard towards prisoner of war which led to leg amputation; supervision of railway work; defects in prisoner of war construction of railway; Lady Edwina Mountbatten's visit to railway camp after liberation, 8/1945; nationalities working on railway; prisoners of war rations; prisoner of war state of health; stealing carried out by prisoners of war from docks and punishment for stealing food at Gloegoer Camp, Medan, Sumatra, 1942-1943; period as prisoner of war in Singapore, Malaya after sinking of SS Harukiku Maru, 1944.