Description
Object description
Chinese civil servant worked as undercover agent for Singapore Police Force in Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942; civilian in Singapore, Malaya and British Borneo, 2/1942-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as civil servant in Singapore, Malaya, 1941: attachment to Royal Engineers working on coastal defences; atmosphere in Singapore prior to first Imperial Japanese Army Air Service bombing raids, 12/1941; reasons for resigning from his civil servant role. Recollections of undercover mission for Singapore Police Force in Malaya, 12/1941-1/1942: background to undertaking undercover mission; journey to Penang with British Indian Army officer; purpose of mission to Penang; impression of British Army troops he met on route.
REEL 2 Continues: encounter with Imperial Japanese Army soldier; initial impression of Imperial Japanese Army troops; hearing Japanese vehicles moving non-stop at night; need to avoid Imperial Japanese Army troops; arrest and subsequent release by Japanese in Penang; confirming British suspicions of Sikh contingent in Penang; leaving Penang by bicycle; impressions of Penang under Japanese occupation; return journey towards Singapore including sight of dead British Army troops on route.
REEL 3 Continues: meeting with Imperial Japanese Army convoy; driving Imperial Japanese Army car to Ipoh; character of journey to Johore Bahru; crossing The Causeway in Imperial Japanese Army lorry; damage to buildings in Singapore. Recollections of Japanese authorities mass screening of Chinese civilians in Singapore, Malaya, 19/2/1942: staying in flat in Tiong Bahru, 18/2/1942; mass screening of Chinese males; Imperial Japanese Army officers' molesting of Chinese girls in flat in Tiong Bahru, 18/2/1942-19/2/1942; display of human heads opposite Cathay Cinema; question of reason for Japanese authorties being brutal and harsh.
REEL 4 Continues: location in Tiong Bahru where screening took place; procedure of mass screening; issuing of pass on clearance by Japanese authorities; atmosphere during mass screening; lack of questions asked by Japanese; category of people taken away; his opinion of purpose of mass screening; post-war meeting with survivor of Japanese massacre of those detained during mass screenings. Recollections of period as civilian in Singapore, Malaya, 1942-1944: question of existence of Fifth Column in pre-war Singapore; reasons for Imperial Japanese Army beheading of looters, 1942.
REEL 5 Continues: effect of closure of British commercial firms; start of black market; attitude towards Japanese in pre-war Singapore and boycott of Japanese goods; reasons for Japanese authorities maltreatment of Chinese population; Chinese attitude towards Japanese discrimination; Japanese attitude towards Malays and Indian civilians; secretly listening to Allied radio broadcasts; Allied prisoners of war morale in Singapore; treatment of Allied prisoners of war by local population; description of Imperial Japanese Army Heiho organisation; uniform worn by Imperial Japanese Army Heiho organisation; relations between Japanese and Heiho members; attitude towards Imperial Japanese Army Heiho.
REEL 6 Continues: expectation of early British return to Singapore; living conditions during early Japanese occupation of Singapore; location of Imperial Japanese Army Kempeitai branches; importance of bowing to Imperial Japanese Army sentries; Japanese authorities restoration of essential services; rationing system; introduction of night patrol scheme, 1943; character of black market; celebration of Emperor Hirohito's birthday; preponderance of gambling.
REEL 7 Continues: public transportation; arrival of Japanese civilian administrators; types of people who gambled at amusement parks; work as labourer for Harbour Board including salary and working hours; goods unloaded from ships; treatment of labourers by Japanese authorities; operation for appendicitis; obtaining work making Japanese leather military equipment at United Engineers Building; promotion to second foreman; behaviour of Imperial Japanese Army troops in factory.
REEL 8 Continues: initial duties; his supervisory duties; working with leather; issue of armband on his promotion; working hours and fringe benefits; relations between Japanese authorities and workers; conversing with Japanese supervisors; security in factory; Japanese authorities enforcement of discipline; reasons for leaving job.
REEL 9 Continues: lack of recreational and social activities for workers; lack of alcohol during occupation; tendering his resignation. Recollections of period working for Japanese in British Borneo, 1944-1945: background to joining private Japanese company; reasons for leaving Singapore, Malaya; degree of knowledge of work his was to be involved in; several month wait before departure; composition of group of workers; his salary; receiving payment whilst awaiting departure; types of workers recruited.
REEL 10 Continues: preparations he made for journey; reporting with other workers; embarking on board ship; living conditions on board ship; Imperial Japanese Army guards; physical conditions of Indonesian labourers on board; voyage from Singapore to British Borneo; meeting with Japanese civilian chief on arrival; reasons for sleeping on deck during voyage to British Borneo; allocation of accommodation.
REEL 11 Continues: detention of some workers by Imperial Japanese Army; exploring island; move with small group and Japanese civilian chief to Brunei; job making bricks on island; workers role in operating sawmill; recall to Brunei; duties including looking after sick workers and collection of rations; method of making bricks; relations between Japanese and workers; relations between workers and local Chinese in Brunei.
REEL 12 Continues: types of food available; living conditions in Brunei; contrast in working conditions in Brunei and Singapore, Malaya; deaths amongst workers and method of burying dead; Japanese evacuation to Miri, Sarawak, 1/1945; reasons why he was left behind to look after the sick; Allied bombing raids on Brunei; reasons for journey to find Japanese civilian chief on Miri, Sarawak; receiving money to pay workers; return journey to Brunei.
REEL 13 Continues: destruction of former accommodation and sleeping on waterfront. Recollections of liberation of British Borneo, 8/1945: initial encounter with Australian forces; evacuation to Labuan Island, North Borneo; working for Australian forces at advanced headquarters; life in refugee camp; volunteering for parachute training in Australia; cancellation of training on Japanese surrender. Recollections of period as civil servant with British Military Administration in Singapore, Malaya, 1945: return to Singapore, 9/1945; reaction to arrival in Singapore; food situation.
REEL 14 Continues: reporting to authorities and posting to Singapore Police Department; his duties at Police Department; problems with short weightage of rations from stores; return of normal life; attitude towards Japanese Occupation of Singapore during Second World War.
