Description
Object description
Chinese volunteer served as private with B Coy, 4th Bn Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, Fortress Singapore Div, Malaya Command in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942; escaped from Japanese captivity, 1942; civilian in Malacca, Malaya, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Malacca, Malaya, 1918-1940: family; education; employment; family origins; living conditions in Malacca; character of Malacca; family's attitude to other races and China-born Chinese; nature of education.
REEL 2 Continues: parent's expectations regarding his education; employment with uncle at Malacca Chinese Benevolent Society; character of uncle's business; his uncle's position in Chinese community; work for Malacca Chinese Recreation Club. Aspects of period as volunteer with 4th Bn Straits Settlements Volunteer Force in Malacca, Malaya, 1936-1941: enlistment, 1936; reasons for joining unit; background to formation of unit; structure of unit.
REEL 3 Continues: organisation and training activities; how unit would be converted from volunteer force to British Army on event of war; rank system and platoon structure; nature of weekly training; arms training; discipline in volunteer corps; espirit de corps; lack of belief in the possibility of war in Malaya; influence of war movies.
REEL 4 Continues: exercises with 1st and 2nd Bns Straits Settlements Volunteer Force in Singapore, 1940. Recollections of operations as private with B Coy, th Bn Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, Fortress Singapore Div, Malaya Command in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942: membership of advanced party to Singapore, 1/12/1941; preparations of advanced party; declaration of Malacca as an open city; how Dalforce delayed Imperial Japanese Army advance into Singapore; question of reasons for Japanese mistreatment of Chinese; guard duties in Singapore; fighting at Cluny Hill, 2/1942.
REEL 5 Continues: atmosphere in Jalan Eunos Camp, 12/1941-2/1942; attitude to serving with volunteer corps; degree of knowledge about state of Singapore's defences; morale of Australian Army troops and 4th Bn Straits Settlements Volunteer Force; question of Imperial Japanese Army troops disguised as civilians crossing the Causeway; Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival's order to disband and how unit did not receive the orders, 15/2/1942; capture by Imperial Japanese Army; further description of fighting at Cluny Hill, 2/1942.
REEL 6 Continues: unit casualties; hearing of news of British forces surrender, 15/2/1942. Recollections of escape from Japanese captivity in Singapore and period in hiding in Malacca, 15/2/1942-3/1942: movement of prisoners of war; separation of British officers from Straits Settlements Volunteer Force volunteers; question of why fellow volunteers did not want to escape; role of Dalforce; places volunteers where taken to after capture; events prior to Imperial Japanese Army execution of Chinese volunteers; description of execution of Chinese volunteers and his escape; attempts to find water.
REEL 7 Continues: description of Raffles College and Singapore Racecourse detention areas; sights on route to Singapore Racecourse; further description of execution and his escape; nature of wound; attempt to clean himself up after wounding; aid given to him by civilian; registration with Japanese authorities; removal of bullet from his knee; visit to brother; journey from Singapore to Malacca.
REEL 8 Continues: Japanese authorities urging refugees to return to their homes; passing through Japanese screening to board train; behaviour of police on journey to Malacca; hiring bicycle carriage; arrival in Malacca and reunion with family, 12/3/1942; disagreement in family as result of his presence; reasons for going into hiding; reasons for leaving hiding. Aspects of period as civilian in Malacca, Malaya, 1942-1945: attempts to find employment.
REEL 9 Continues: recreational activities; finding employment in Japanese run workshop; nature of work in workshop; working conditions; relations with Japanese manager; change in attitude towards Japanese. Aspects of liberation of Singapore, Malaya, 8/1945-9/1945: appearance of Malaya People's Anti-Japanese Army after Japanese surrender, 15/8/1945; receiving back pay from British Army.
REEL 10 Continues: reporting to British after Japanese surrender; employment given to him; award of medals; effect of Japanese occupation on him; post-war career.
