description
Object description
British boy musician served with 2nd Bn East Surrey Regt in Surrey and Kent 1934-1937, in China 1937-1940, in Malaya 1941-1942; prisoner of war in
Content description
REEL 1 Family background and early music training in Surrey 1919-1934. Joining 2nd Bn East Surrey Regt as boy musician at Alexander Road Barracks, Farnborough and Shorncliff Barracks, Folkestone 1934-1937: instruments played; discipline; music training. Posting to Shanghai, China 11/1937-1940: route of voyage out including periods in Singapore and Hong Kong.
REEL 2 Continues: Great Western Road Barracks, Shanghai; band entertainment; values of Chinese money; leisure activities and cosmopolitan nature of Shanghai; friction with Japanese; leaving Shanghai. Posting to Singapore and Malaya 1940-1942: playing at Raffles; earning extra money with band; move to Kedah; Malay treachery; awareness of numbers of Japanese troops; medical duties with D Coy; withdrawal to Alor Star 12/1941.
REEL 3 Continues: leaving troops, equipment and wounded behind in action blowing bridge between Butterworth and Alor Star 12/1941;
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