Description
Object description
Indian civilian welfare worker with No 3 District St John' Ambulance Brigade, 1939-1946, and Prisoner of War (Intelligence) Division in Bombay, India also served with 1942-1944; emigrated to England 1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bombay, India, 1923-1939: family and homes including civilian workers; religion; education; further details of family; visits to Poona and Europe; neighbourhood; story of using European latrine; charity work of mother; memories of childhood; pro-British stance of parents; story of meeting Sarojini Naidu; outbreak of war 1939 and joining of Air Raid Precautions; details of training; joining of St John's Ambulance Brigade India. Aspects of period as civilian with No 3 District St John's Ambulance Bde in Bombay, India, 1939-1946 and with Prisoner of War (Intelligence) Division, 1942-1946: relationship with Lady Mountbatten and other members of high society; cultural aspects of gender relations including story of Maharajah of Jaipur's daughter; pattern of training.
REEL 2 Continues: fear of Japanese invasion; story of reprimand for comforting patient; story of later giving comfort to a patient; details of work on St John's ward and in canteen at St George's Hospital; work on Victory Stall including relationship with British colleagues; relationship with armed forces; description of Bombay harbour explosion, 14/4/1944, and subsequent work with victims; story of POW held by Italians; background of patients treated including language problems and problems from caste system; Indian involvement in war; application to join Women's Royal Naval Service; background to joining POW Intelligence Division; make-up of staff; censorship of POW mail including German additions to letters and details of invisible ink and codes used in letters; later contact with Far Eastern POWs; knowledge of Japanese treatment of POWs during war.
REEL 3 Continues: story of later contact with letter writers; comparison of letters written by POWs in Germany and Far East; contact with troops bound for Burma including John Ashworth; writing to families of Allied servicemen; comparison of pay with that of Indian section; activities of Indian National Army; uniform worn; work in docks; secrecy of work; activities in VD ward; story of meeting and courtship of Ivan Horabin; marriage including misgivings of families; problems faced by Ivan Horabin following marriage; religious tensions within Indian Army; restrictions on leisure activities brought about by race.
REEL 4 Continues: effect of family background on attitudes to race; health problems of husband including temporary reduction of Ivan Horabin's pay following marriage; relationship with servicemen in canteen; relationship with Anglo-Indian civilians; reasons for not joining Women's Royal Naval Service; service of sister, Soona, with Women's Royal Naval Service; celebrations at end of war. Aspects of voyage from Bombay, India, to Liverpool, GB, aboard the Georgic, 2/1946: population of ship; story of taxi ride before boarding; Indian Navy mutiny; details of voyage; arrival and wait in Liverpool harbour. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: reception from in- laws; story of visit to House of Commons; nationality taken on following partition of India; civilian work including question of problems from ethnicity and publication of Problems of Asians in penal institutions, 1978.
REEL 5 Continues: details of help given to Indians in penal system; race relations within prison system; effects of publication, Problems of Asians in penal institutions; discussion of injustice toward Indian POWs; work as a trustee for Prisoners Abroad. Aspects of period as civilian with No 3 District St John's Ambulance Bde in Bombay, India, 1939-1946 and with POW Intelligence Dept in India, 1942-1946: relationship with members of HMS Nubian's crew including other examples of entertaining servicemen and story of Christmas Eve, 1942; memories of Bengal famine; desire to visit St John's Church in Bombay; details of wartime voluntary services in Bombay.
REEL 6 Continues: details of civilian unrest including involvement of uncle and problems faced when selling poppies; reaction to the Partition of India and split of family between India and Pakistan; impressions of Karachi during 1968 visit; changes to life of parents after move to Pakistan; relationship with Lord and Lady Mountbatten; discussion of modern India.
