Fathers, Christopher (Oral history)

2061536522
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1109325950
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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.
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.
1522484839
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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.
831820111
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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.
297505676
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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.
38693727
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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.

Description

Object description

British civilian held as hostage in Kuwait and Iraq during Gulf War, 8/1990-11/1990

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of period as hostage in Kuwait during Gulf War, 8/1990: family and employment situation at time of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, 2/8/1990; political and cultural background; prominence of Palestinians in Kuwait; awareness of Iraqi forces movements prior to invasion; reaction to assurance from British Embassy about safety; description of watching Iraqi invasion from International Hotel, Kuwait City, 2/8/1990; communications with GB; flight to southern Kuwait and return to Kuwait City; question of not realising seriousness of situation; return to International Hotel, Kuwait City; further details of invasion and behaviour of Iraqi forces. REEL 2 Continues: reaction of other guests to invasion in International Hotel, Kuwait City; opinion of advice received from British Embassy; importance of International Hotel as meeting point for foreigners; arrival of British Army soldiers' wives; journey to Baghdad, Iraq, 8/1990; opinion of organisation of journey to Baghdad, Iraq, 8/1990; intimidation of British Army soldiers' wives by Iraqis; story about British Airways crew of Flight 149 at Kuwait International Airport; breakdown of society in Kuwait; attitude to British Embassy informing hostages about pending negotiations; opinion of treatment of Third World hostages and cases of rape; Iraqi military presence inside and outside hotel; reaction to watching reports about hostages on CNN; organisation of hostages in hotel; further comments on cases of rape. REEL 3 Continues: attitude to treatment of Palestinians; arbitrary shootings in Kuwait during occupation; reaction of Kuwaiti population to ruling families fleeing country; instance of MIM-23 Hawk Missile system being left intact and used by Iraqi forces; reaction to being held hostage and morale; opinion of British Government's role in crisis; morale of other hotel guests. Recollections of period as hostage in Iraq during Gulf War, 8/1990-11/1990: story of arrest in Kuwait and coach journey to Baghdad; attitude to not being able to protect women and children. REEL 4 Continues: comparison of varying reactions of hostages; nature of journey to Baghdad and opinion of accommodation en route; relations with Iraqi guards; situation at border crossing between Kuwait and Iraq; arrival at military barracks and transfer to hotel in Baghdad; media censorship; description of conditions in hotel; hostages divided into two groups; opinion of medical facilities; problem of mosquito bites; arrival at Haditha Dam; description of other hostages and morale; opinion of role of British Government in contacting family. REEL 5 Continues: messages received by wife Brenda during hostage crisis; opinion of British Foreign Office counsellor; attitude to British Government not revealing location of hostages to families; financial situation; attitude towards Iraqis and Saddam Hussein; opinion of treatment of hostages; problem of diminishing food supply and effect on health; description of Iraqi control over hostages; attitude of hostages to forming committees and reaction to removal of British Airways crew of Flight 149; informal organisation of hostages for mutual support. REEL 6 Continues: opinion of effectiveness of sanctions against Iraq; reception of news by hostages at Haditha Dam; attitude to long-term detention; reaction to father's peace activities; question of hostages being at risk at Haditha Dam; attitude to diplomatic and other attempts to free hostages; story about father's campaign to visit Iraq; attitude to Iraqi Government to visits by wives; of journey to and reunion with father at hotel in Baghdad, 11/1990; attitude to appearing in front of television cameras.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1990 to the present day (content), 1990 to the present day (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Smith, Lyn E (Recorder)
Fathers, Christopher (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1991-07
Dimensions: whole: Duration 180, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 12182

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Fathers, Christopher
Fathers, Margaret Eileen
Fathers, Donald Charles
Fathers, Brenda Joan
Hussein, Saddam
British Government
British Government, Office, Foreign
British Government, Embassy, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Airline Company, British Airways
CNN International
Airport, Kuwait International Airport, Kuwait
Iraqi Government
Hotel, International, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Associated places

England, United Kingdom
Kuwait
Kuwait City, Kuwait
Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq
Haditha Dam, Iraq
Associated keywords

Prisoner of War
Associated themes

Military Operations, 1945-1999: Gulf War, 1990-1991

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Object Details

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Associated places

Associated keywords

Associated themes

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