Hudson, Arthur (Oral history)

British air photographer served with 605 (County of Warwick) Sqdn, Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 1937-1939; aircraftman served as armourer with 605 Sqdn, Nos 11, 13 and 12 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 9/1939-12/1941; served with 605 Sqdn, West Group, Java Air Command in Dutch East Indies, 2/1942-3/1942; prisoner of war in Boei Glodok Gaol Camp, Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies, 3/1942-10/1942, aboard SS Dainichi Maru during voyage from Tanjong Priok, Java, Dutch East Indies to Moji, Japan, 11/10/1942-25/11/1942 and in Shimonoseki Quarantine Station and Hiroshima No 2-B Camp, Innoshima, Japan, 11/1942-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Birmingham, GB, 1920-1937: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as air photographer with 605 (County of Warwick) Sqdn, Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 1937-1939: background to joining squadron, 1937; photographic equipment and method of using it; skills amongst the squadron personnel; relations with pilot officers; question of anticipation of Second World War; comradeship in squadron; use of Hawker Hind; move from Castle Bromwich to RAF Tangmere on mobilisation. Recollections of period as armourer with 605 Sqdn, Nos 11, 13 and 12 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1939-1941: reasons for becoming armourer; opinion of armourer's trade; accident with Hawker Hurricane's guns, 10/1939; move to RAF Hawkinge, 5/1940; effect on morale of squadron of losses over France, 5/1940; address from Lord Trenchard at RAF Drem, 5/1940; attitude of army personnel towards Royal Air Force over Dunkirk Evacuation. REEL 2 Continues: question of lack of Royal Air Force army co-operation; opinion of Hawker Hurricane and it's armament; move to RAF Croydon, 9/1940; German Air Force raids on RAF Croydon, 9/1940; conditions at RAF Croydon; belief that Germans would not invade GB; use of local public houses in Croydon including bombing of The Windmill; capture of German Air Force airman being hit by women with umbrellas in Croydon; incident of Flying Officer Thomas Cooper-Slipper being dragged through cabbage patch by parachute, 15/9/1940; move to RAF Martlesham Heath, 2/1941; Wing Commander Douglas Bader's attitude to being helped from cockpit; losses amongst Free French flying cadets at RAF Tern Hill, 3/1941; move to RAF Honiley, 3/1941-12/1941. Aspects of operations as armourer with 605 Sqdn, RAF, West Group, Java Air Command in Dutch East Indies, 2/1942-3/1942: voyage aboard SS Warwick Castle from GB to Dutch East Indies, 12/1941-2/1942; lack of aircraft and equipment on arrival in Dutch East Indies; problems for Hawker Hurricane in combating Mitsubishi A6M Zero. REEL 3 Continues: Japanese airborne assault on Palembang Airfield, Sumatra, 13/2/1942; deception of Japanese negotiating surrender at Palembang Airfield, Sumatra, 13/2/1942; how Royal Air Force personnel fought against Japanese paratroopers at Palembang, Sumatra, 13/2/1942; orders to guard bridge at Palembang, Sumatra; move on Australian ship from Batavia, Java to Sumatra and return to Batavia; news of Dutch surrender at Garoet, Java, 9/3/1942. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Boei Glodok Gaol Camp, Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies, 3/1942-10/1942: initial treatment by Japanese captors; move into camp; composition of camp inmates. Aspects of period as prisoner of war aboard SS Dainichi Maru during voyage from Tanjong Priok, Java, Dutch East Indies to Moji, Japan, 11/10/1942-25/11/1942: embarkation aboard SS Daninchi Maru at Tanjong Priok, 11/10/1942; nature of voyage; prisoner of war deaths from pneumonia in Shimonoseki Quarantine Station on arrival in Japan, 11/1942. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Hiroshima No 2-B Camp, Innoshima, Japan, 12/1942-8/1945: issue of uniforms; work in dockyard and rations; nature of work in Habu Dockyard; Japanese inept shipyard methods; prisoner of war sabotage of bilge pumps on ship 17/78 and its subsequent sinking on launching. REEL 4 Continues: ineffectiveness of Japanese working methods; prisoner of war sabotage of caulking of ship 17/78; ceremony on launching ship 17/78; low-level bombing of dockyard by United States Army Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortress aircraft, 1945; Fleet Air Arm Vought F4U Corsair attacks on dockyard, 1945; sight of aftermath of bombing of Japanese cities; discovery of camp commandant's instructions to execute prisoners of war in event of Allied invasion, 8/1945; Japanese executions of prisoners of war; sight of atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. 6/8/1945; Japanese announcement of end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; arrival of Emperor Hirohito's representatives to protect prisoners of war from civilians; distance of camp from Hiroshima and Nagasaki; sight of devastation in bombed Tokyo; United States Army Air Force bombing of Tokyo; Japanese fear of fire and disease; presence of female workers in dockyards and relations with prisoners of war; Japanese opening of brothel for prisoners of war after 15/8/1945. REEL 5 Continues: disappearance of American prisoner of war 'Tex'; attitude towards Japanese; question of compensation for former Far Eastern Prisoners of War (FEPOWs); compensation and war pension received from British Government.