Gan, Charlie (Oral history)

Chinese private served with Signals Section, 2nd Bn Straits Settlements Volunteer Corps in Singapore, Malaya, 1939-1942; interrogated by Kempeitai, 1942; civilian worked with Electrical Department of Municipality during Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Malaya, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Singapore, 1919-1939: family; education. Recollections of period with Signal Section, 2nd Bn Straits Settlements Volunteer Corps in Singapore, 1939-1941: involvement with unit from 1939-1970s; reasons for joining unit; duties with Signal Section; character of training; question of degree of anticipation of coming war; British preparations for defence Singapore; mobilisation of volunteers, c11/1941; area unit was sent to defend; signals role during active duty. REEL 2 Continues: hearing of Japanese landings at Kota Bharu; his experiences of Japanese Air Force raid, 8/12/1941; reaction to Japanese bombing; problems signallers faced during Japanese air raids; role during fighting; meeting retreating British and Indian troops in grounds of Raffles Institution; effect on volunteers morale; option given to volunteers to demobilise or surrender; atmosphere on walk to home. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of his screening and interrogation by Japanese in Singapore, 1942: reunion with family; experiences in concentration centre; registration procedure at concentration centre; release from concentration centre; relatives who were taken away by Japanese after screening; attitude towards Japanese after initial experiences. REEL 4 Continues: background to reporting to Kempeitai and loss of cousin; hearing from cousin Japanese promise to ex- Volunteers; reasons why he decided to surrender to Kempeitai; disappearance of cousin; experiences with Kempeitai at YMCA and St Joseph's Institute; leaving and having to report again; question of not knowing fate of first batch of Volunteers taken away. REEL 5 Continues: character of interrogation of Kempeitai. Recollections of period working for Electrical Department of Municipality in Singapore, 1943-1945: reasons why he decided to work; character of Electrical Department; Japanese attitudes to different races; rations received in office; working conditions in office; morning ritual in office; attitude to learning Japanese language. REEL 6 Continues: recreational activities; clandestine listening to BBC radio broadcasts; how family managed financially during occupation; father's forced contribution to Japanese war fund; celebrations after Japanese surrender, 1945; question of how Japanese Occupation affected him. Attitude to British payment to Asian Volunteers after 1945. Attitude to British conduct of war. REEL 7 Continues: Question of how his attitude towards British as result of Japanese Occupation.