Description
Object description
British officer served as coy commander D Coy, 2nd Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in Malaya 12/1941. Captured by Japanese and imprisoned in Kuala Lumpur 1/1942-10/1942; worked with Toosey as camp administrator and interpreter at Tamarkan and Nong Pladuk camps 10/1942 Burma-Thailand railway construction; Allied air raids 1944
Content description
REEL 1 Family background and choice of military career. Posting as coy commander D Coy, 2nd Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to Malaya 1941-1942: action in Malayan campaign 12/1941-1/1942; decimation of unit at Slim River 7/1/1942 and circumstances of capture; unit casualties during course of war. Experiences as POW of Japanese in Malaya and Thailand 1/1942-1/1945: first night of captivity in Japanese brothel at Port Swettenham; imprisonment in Pudu Jail, Kuala Lumpur 1/1942-10/1942; other prisoners and living conditions; knowledge of and opinion as to progress of war; learning elementary Japanese; shaving off beard; journey to and arrival at Tamarkan, Thailand 20/10/1942; outline of camp administration and Toosey's command; importance of maintaining unit structure; bridge building work assigned; philosophy behind POWs' acceptance that they must obey Japanese to ensure survival; role of POW officers and agreement to work with ORs; role as POW camp administrator; camp hygiene. REEL 2 Continues: Toosey ensuring good organisation of camp for POWs returning from railway work; organisation of working parties; morning routine; varying natures of Japanese and Korean guards; personal relationship with guards and feelings on being beaten; Toosey's style of leadership, ability in POW situation and determination to be successful; Japanese brutal military codes towards POWs and their own soldiers; Japanese perversity in not providing adequately for POWs; duties as camp administrator; Toosey's complaints about beatings of POWs; protocol of saluting Japanese and interpreting conversations with camp commander; unpredictability of Japanese response to Toosey's complaints; character of Japanese engineers; lack of technical supervision of work and minor forms of sabotage; incident of Kempeitai investigating POW racket and their brutal torture of POWs; Toosey's pragmatic attitude towards Kempeitai. REEL 3 Continues: common forms of punishment; incident of Boyle having arm and ribs broken by Korean guard and Toosey's response; supplementing rice diet; degree of fitness as POW; survival of military discipline in POW situation and respect for Toosey; relationship between officers and ORs; move to Nong Pladuk 12/1943-1/1945; improvement in conditions and treatment by guards; escape incidents; Japanese treatment of POW who volunteered to cooperate; air raids at Nong Pladuk and heavy POW casualties in one raid; Japanese policy of putting POWs close to aerial targets; depressing effects of air raids and improvement of slit trenches.
