Cheah, Charlie Fook Ying (Oral history)

Chinese civil servant worked as undercover agent for Singapore Police Force in Malaya, 1942; civilian in Singapore, Malaya and Brunei, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as civil servant in Singapore, 1941: attachment to Royal Engineers working on coastal defences; atmosphere in Singapore before first Japanese bombing raids; reasons for resigning from his job. Recollections of undercover mission for Singapore Police Force in Malaya, 1941-1942: background to undertaking undercover mission; journey to Penang with Indian officer; purpose of mission to Penang; impression of British troops he met on route. REEL 2 Continues: encounter with Japanese soldier; initial impression of Japanese soldiers; hearing Japanese vehicles moving non-stop at night; need to avoid Japanese 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; character of return journey towards Singapore including sight of dead British troops on route. REEL 3 Continues: meeting with Japanese convoy; driving Japanese car to Ipoh; character of journey to Johore Bahru; crossing Causeway in Japanese lorry; damage to buildings in Singapore. Recollections of Japanese mass screening of Chinese civilians in Singapore, 19/2/1942: staying in flat in Tiong Bahru, 18/2/1942; mass screening of Chinese males; Japanese officers' molesting of Chinese girls in flat in Tiong Bahru, night 18/2/1942-19/2/1942; display of human heads opposite Cathay Cinema; question of reason for Japanese 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; 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 living in Singapore during Japanese Occupation 1942-1944: question of existence of fifth column in pre-war Singapore; reasons for Japanese 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 maltreatment of Chinese population; Chinese attitude towards Japanese discrimination; Japanese attitude towards Malays and Indian civilians; secretly listening to Allied radio broadcasts; POW morale in Singapore; treatment of POWs by local population; description of Heiho organisation; uniform worn by Heiho organisation; relations between Japanese and Heiho members; attitude towards Heiho. REEL 6 Continues: expectation of early British return to Singapore; living conditions during early Japanese occupation of Singapore; location of Japanese Kempeitai branches; importance of bowing to Japanese sentries; Japanese restoration of essential services; rationing system; introduction of night patrol scheme, 1943; character of black market; celebration of Emperor'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; operation for appendicitis; obtaining work making Japanese leather military equipment at United Engineers Building; promotion to second foreman; behaviour of Japanese soldiers 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 and workers; conversing with Japanese supervisors; security in factory; Japanese 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 Borneo, 1944-1945: background to joining private Japanese company; reasons for leaving Singapore; 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; Japanese guards; physical conditions of Indonesian labourers on board; voyage from Singapore to Borneo; meeting with Japanese civilian chief on arrival; reasons for sleeping on deck during voyage to Borneo; allocation of accommodation. REEL 11 Continues: detention of some workers by Japanese military; exploring island; move with small group and Japanese chief to Brunei; job making bricks on island; workers role in operating sawmill; recall to Brunei; his 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; deaths amongst workers and method of burying dead; Japanese evacuation to Miri, c1/1945; reasons why he was left behind to look after the sick; Allied bombing raids on Brunei; reasons for journey to find Japanese chief on Miri; receiving money to pay workers; return journey to Brunei. REEL 13 Continues: destruction of former accommodation and sleeping on waterfront. Recollections of liberation by Australian Forces, 1945: initial encounter with Australian troops; evacuation to Labuan; working for Australian Advanced Headquarters; life in refugee camp; volunteering for parachute training in Australia; cancellation of training on Japanese surrender. Recollections of period in Singapore during British Military Administration, 1945: return to Singapore, 9/1945; his reaction to arrival in Singapore; food situation. REEL 14 Continues: reporting to authorities and posting to 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.