Description
Object description
Chinese schoolchild in Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1943; worked for Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in Singapore, Malaya, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Singapore, Malaya, 1928-1945: education; sketch of employment during Japanese occupation; lack of anti-Japanese activities in his neighbourhood. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1943: stationing of British and Commonwealth troops in his neighbourhood; pre-war civil defence precautions; family's experiences during Imperial Japanese Army Air Force bombing raid; reasons why his family did not evacuate; looting after British surrender; reaction to hearing of British forces' surrender, 15/2/1942; atmosphere in Singapore after British surrender, 2/1942.
REEL 2 Continues: returning to school immediately after Japanese occupation of Singapore, 2/1942; reporting for mass screening; reasons why his brother did not attend mass screening; description of concentration centre at Victoria School; mass screening procedure; conditions in concentration centre; return to Rangoon Road School; learning Japanese language at Queens Street Japanese School.
REEL 3 Continues: daily routine at Rangoon Road School; reasons why he decided to attend Queen Street Japanese School, 12/1942; admission procedure and school curriculum; teaching methods employed; number of students and teachers; certificate obtained on graduation; reasons for studying Japanese language; attitude to education in a Japanese school. Recollections of period as civilian in Singapore, Malaya, 1943-1945: employment in Imperial Japanese Army camp on leaving school.
REEL 4 Continues: nature of work in Japanese Army camp; apprenticeship as fitter; working conditions; rations available; wages; issue of identification pass to staff; size of staff; organisation of workshops and role of Japanese personnel; working procedures; impressions of Japanese personnel.
REEL 5 Continues: reasons for leaving job; obtaining work with Imperial Japanese Army Air Service; nature of second job with Imperial Japanese Army Air Service; description of work place; reason for Imperial Japanese Army Air Service locating hangars in Aljunied Road; role of civilians at base; supervisor role of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service officers; security restrictions; working procedures; punishments for theft; relations between Imperial Japanese Army Air Service personnel and civilian workers; extent of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service base; Imperial Japanese Army Air Service personnel fear of poisoning.
REEL 6 Continues: daily routine; question of quality of rations; character of rations; wages; number of civilian workers; arrival of Heiho recruits; role of Heiho recruits; reasons for civilians enlisting in Heiho organisation; number of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service personnel at camp; reasons for leaving job; Japanese reaction to his leaving his job; move to job with Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service workshop at Orchard Road; interim job as substitute gambler; operation of gambling stalls.
REEL 7 Continues: pay as gambler; work as gambler; description of gambling stalls in New World Amusement Park; other forms of entertainment in New World Amusement Park; types of civilians who frequented the amusement parks; length of time he worked as gambler; move to Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service workshop, 1944; duties as timekeeper; degree of difficulty in obtaining work with Japanese forces; vehicles serviced in workshop.
REEL 8 Continues: transport to workplace; wages and rations; issue of identification armband; security in workshop; number of civilian workers; role of Japanese supervisors; description of various departments and personnel; relations between Japanese supervisors and workers.
REEL 9 Continues: security measures in workshop; types of vehicles serviced in workshop; visits by senior Imperial Japanese Navy officers; lack of problems working for Japanese forces and British Military Administration, 1945: realisation that Japan was losing war; announcement of Japanese surrender, 15/8/1945; situation in workshop after surrender; situation in Singapore before arrival of British forces; appearance of Force 136, Special Operations Executive.
REEL 10 Continues: Japanese prisoners of war staying in their barracks; law and order situation prior to arrival of British; effect of invalidity of Japanese currency on civilians; sale of textiles by Japanese authorities before surrender; question of high prices on Japanese surrender; establishment of co-operative society; source of black market goods; obtaining employment with Base Ordnance Depot; availability of jobs during British Military Administration; attitude of British Army troops; question of effect of Japanese occupation on his attitudes.
