Campbell, William Ian (Oral history)

British officer served with 2/12th Bn Frontier Force Regt in India, 1938-1940; served with 2/12th Bn Frontier Force Regt, 22nd Indian Infantry Bde, 9th Indian Infantry Div in Malaya, 4/1941-2/1942

REEL 1 Background to enlistment in British Indian Army, 1938: reasons for choosing British Indian Army; story of father's commission into 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force), 1902. Recollections of period as officer with 2/12th Bn Frontier Force Regiment in India, 1938-1940: initial attachment to 2nd Bn Border Regt and 2nd Bn Royal Ulster Rifles, 1938; pursuit of Fakir of Ipi with 2nd Bn Royal Ulster Rifles; method of army co-operation with Royal Air Force on North West Frontier; joining battalion, 1939; reception on arrival; initial command of Dogras Coy; potential problems with troops and method of dealing with them. REEL 2 Continues: duties on North West Frontier, 1939-1940; damage tribesmen did to telegraph wires; motivations of sepoys as witnessed on recruitment expedition; a frontier ghost story. Aspects of period as officer with 2/12th Bn Frontier Force Regt, 22nd Indian Infantry Bde, 9th Indian Infantry Div in Malaya, 4/1941-12/1941: voyage from Madras, India to Butterworth, Malaya, 4/1941; training at Taiping; effect on battalion of removal of experienced troops and NCOs; move to camp at Kota Bharu, 11/1941. Recollections of operations as officer with 2/12th Bn The Frontier Force Regt, 22nd Indian Infantry Bde, 9th Indian Infantry Div in Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942: problems with poisoned knee; decamping of 1 Sqdn, Royal Australian Air Force from Kota Bharu, 12/1941; loss of part of his B Coy, 12/1941; orders for brigade to withdraw. REEL 3 Continues: further details of loss of part of B Coy to drowning, 12/1941; work of American Captain Eugene Pomeroy; withdrawal southwards; giving orders to rescue body of dead havildar; killing by grenade of Imperial Japanese Army soldier hiding in woodpile near Kuala Krai; Japanese use of trees and explosive bullets; evacuation by hospital train with injured knee; rejoining battalion between Segamat and Kluang; ambush of twenty Imperial Japanese Army cyclists; loss of company in mangrove swamp; withdrawal to Kluang; withdrawal through jungle south of Kluang; surrender of Sikhs to Imperial Japanese Army and opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Cumming's counter-attack plan at Kuantan, 3/1/1942; narrow escape from Imperial Japanese Army troops on bicycles at Kota Tinggi; crossing Johore Strait in Royal Navy launch; reforming of battalion with 5/11th Bn Sikh Regt to form composite unit. REEL 4 Continues: question of unfair criticism of British Indian Army by General Archibald Wavell; taking up positions on Bukit-Timah Road; opening fire on Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters; accidental firing on Norfolk Regiment; orders to make way to brigade headquarters at night; opinion of state of affairs at brigade headquarters; interview with brigadier; discovery of Norfolk Regiment personnel in storm drain; attitude of Australian Army troops heading back through lines; initial impressions of Japanese; story of burning to death of British Army troops by Japanese; memories of Selarang Square Incident, 9/1942-10/1942; question of pre-war Sikh disaffection in 1/4th Bn Sikh Regt; defections of British Indian Army troops to Japanese in Singapore; method of disseminating news in prisoner of war camp and failure of Japanese guard to recognise prisoner of war radio set.