Meninsky, Philip (Oral history)

British NCO served with 5th Bn Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regt, 55th Infantry Bde, 18th Infantry Div in Singapore, Malaya, 1/1942-2/1942; prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-10/1942 and on Burma-Thailand Railway and Nakom Paton Camp, Thailand, 10/1942-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in London and Hoddesdon, GB, 1919-1939: family; being brought up by former nanny in Hoddesdon; early artistic development; employment and education. Aspects of period as NCO with 5th Bn Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regt and No 7 Commando in GB, 1939-1941: joining battalion; period as physical training instructor with No 7 Commando and reasons for being returned to unit. Recollections of operations as NCO with B Coy, 5th Bn Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regt, 55th Infantry Bde, 18th Infantry Div in Singapore, Malaya, 1/1942-2/1942: impressions of situation on arrival in Singapore, 29/1/1942; lack of air cover and shortages; evacuation of officers and desertion of men; leading patrol in attempt to rescue trapped section of B Coy; fate of patrol; opinion of Japanese; issue of maps of Isle of Wight and his role in tracing map of Singapore; impressions of evacuation of RAF Seletar; draining of fuel into sea at RAF Seletar; sight of troops withdrawing across The Causeway including low morale of Australian Army troops; desertions from positions at Thompson Village. REEL 2 Continues: reaction to comment from experienced NCO; witnessing execution of Japanese rapist; effect of removal of battalion officers; belief that he should stay with his men; casualties inflicted on Imperial Japanese Army troops at Thompson Village; Japanese method of attack; accidental firing on unit patrol; stealth of Gurkha patrol; sight of Gurkha's collection of human ears; behaviour of Imperial Japanese Army troops when he was captured at Thompson Village. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-10/1942: prisoner of war self-organisation into own units; behaviour of local people and help from Chinese civilians; tented accommodation in camp; establishment of classes; different types of individuals in prisoner of war community; story of prisoner of war entrepreneur; co-operation amongst prisoners of war; fight between Australian prisoners of war over gambling. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of kindness and humanity amongst prisoners of war; first meeting with George Old and Ronald Searle; contact with Japanese artist in Singapore; acquisition of artist materials; fate of drawings and reasons why George Old lost all his works; memories of George Old; what he learnt about drawing from George Old; memories of Ronald Searle and his drawing work; story of his organisation of 'punishment' for Chinese tradesman charging high prices; description of raid on provisions held in Japanese food store; his defence before British court martial for raid on Japanese food store. Recollections of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand Railway and Nakom Paton Camp Thailand, 10/1942-8/1945: stealing from Japanese store at Tarsao Camp. REEL 4 Continues: hospitalisation for tropical ulcer in Chungkai Camp; medical drawings made for Major Arthur Moon at Chungkai Camp; death rate at Chungkai Camp; recycling of bandages; improvised delousing unit; circumstances leading to closure of theatre in Chungkai Camp; character of Tamuang Camp; behaviour of Korean guards; lack of guards at Tamuang Camp; character of Nakom Paton Camp; removal of officers from camp; illicit camp radios; Japanese attempts to stop spread of cholera at Tarsao Camp; arrival of Japanese wounded from Burma and kindness show by Allied prisoners of war at Tamuang Camp, 1944; problems caused by Allied bombing of Burma-Thailand Railway; narrow escape from Allied aircraft strafing train he was on; Australian disposal of Japanese escorts from barges on route to Bangkok, Thailand; hearing news of end of war at Nakom Paton Camp, 8/1945. REEL 5 Continues: reaction of prisoners of war to end of Second World War, 8/1945; raiding of Japanese stores and arrival of Allied paratroopers; learning of atomic bomb being dropped on Japan, 8/1945; reasons why no revenge taken against Japanese after VJ Day, 8/1945; contact with Japanese guard who had lived in Canada at Tarsao Camp; belief in personal survival; friendship with Australian prisoner of war with strong survival instinct; importance of keeping occupied; his forgery of Rolex and Omega watches; how British officer requested that Meninsky act as batman to Japanese officer to gather information at Tarsao Camp; story of ill treatment of prisoner of war by Indian National Army guard in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 1942; prior recollection of sight of harsh treatment of Chinese whilst working in Japanese Kempetai prison in Singapore, Malaya, 1942; witnessing torture and execution of prisoner of war for hitting Japanese guard at Tarsao Camp. REEL 6 Continues: punishment for prisoner of war cohabiting with Thai girl; brothel provided for Japanese guards at Tarsao Camp; provision of money to prisoners of war from Chinese comfort girls at Tarsao Camp; story of second occasion of Chinese comfort girls giving money to prisoners of war at Tamuang Camp; stealing Japanese rifles at Tarsao Camp; contrast in attitude of Chinese and Thais towards prisoners of war; relations between Dutch prisoners of war and other Allied prisoners of war; resilience of Gurhkas during captivity; attitude of Japanese towards Asian prisoners of war; occasions when Kempetai visit camps. Aspects of period as NCO with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Burma and India, 1945: background to joining Force 136; adjusting to normal life in Rangoon, Burma; medical drawings made for Force 136; recuperation in Viceroy's Palace in Calcutta, India. REEL 7 Continues: sense of impending communal trouble in Calcutta, India. Reflections on prisoner of war experience: problems of re-adjusting to married life on return to GB; eventual breakdown of marriage; attitude towards Japanese; opinion that Japanese Government should compensate former Far Eastern Prisoners of War; divisions of sale of Burma-Thailand Railway; memories of Selarang Square Incident in Singapore, Malaya, 9/1942-10/1942; example of humour at Nakom Paton Camp in Thailand.