Description
Object description
Chinese civilian worked for Food Control Department, Japanese Military Administration in Singapore, Malaya, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Burma and Singapore, GB, 1924-1942: family; education; relationship with Aw Boon Haw's family; death of Aw Boon Haw's son from Japanese artillery fire, 2/1942. Recollections of period as civilian clerk and storekeeper in Singapore during Japanese Occupation of Singapore, 1942-1945: questioning by Japanese about Aw Boon Haw's valuables; experiences at mass screening centre; orders to move out of Aw Boon Haw's house.
REEL 2 Continues: Japanese taking over of Tiger Balm Company office; relations between employees; detention and torture by Kempeitai; nature of interrogations; conditions for detainees Central Police Station; number of Tiger Balm Company employees detained; physical condition on release from detention; Tiger Balm Company's compulsory contribution to Japanese war effort; loss of employment and obtaining work with trading company dealing with animal feed stuffs.
REEL 3 Continues: trading activities of the company he was employed by; setting up of Food Control Department of Japanese Army' Military Administration; introduction and workings of ration card system; Japanese exporting of supplies and useful equipment to Japan; attending concerts; his department's sole responsibility for animal feed distribution; loss of dry cooked rice from his store, c1944; obtaining letter from Japanese officer for evacuation to Ipoh, 1945; working conditions in Food Control Department.
REEL 4 Continues: sources and importers of animal feed and staple foods; description of Kumiai trading association; role of his department in food distribution; system of payment for pig farmers; recommendation for changes to existing practices made by staff; lack of problems in relations between Japanese and civilian workers.
REEL 5 Continues: degree of contact with Japanese administration; working conditions in department; collecting meat from farmers; importation of wild boar to supplement meat supplies; distribution of meat to market stalls and butais; ingredients in animal feed; sources of beef; reaction to collecting and slaughtering of pigs; change in role from delivery clerk to storekeeper.
REEL 6 Continues: occasion when a supply of dry cooked rice stock was stolen from his store; staff relations within his department; location of Food Control Departments; degree of contact with Japanese officers in control of departments; inadequate salary; extra ration issued to department personnel; expensive cost of clothing; his black market activities.
REEL 7 Continues: problems of transportation during occupation; prevalence of illegal activities to supplement income by civilians and Japanese; receiving gifts from depot men; reasons for necessary of control of distribution of animal feed; importance of copra on supply of animal feed; reasons why the Japanese did not allow free market system.
REEL 8 Continues: restrictions on movement; compulsory order for farmers to compel them to sell to Japanese Military Government in return for animal feed; illegal slaughter of pigs; no quota on sale of pigs; attitude towards Japanese Occupation; question of Japanese use of Taiwanese for intelligence work; encourage to learn Japanese; relations with two US-born Japanese brothers; impression of Japanese officer controlling department.
REEL 9 Continues: story of how his suspicions about theft of dry cooked rice from his store during party; Japanese encouragement of evacuation from Singapore, 1945; exhibition to promote growing of food; letter he received from Japanese boss to assist his evacuation; departmental circular encouraging voluntary evacuation; reasons for asking for letter from Japanese boss; free train passage to Ipoh, 6/1945; situation in Ipoh; his life in Ipoh; reaction to Japanese surrender. Recollections of period living in Singapore under British Military Administration, 1945-1946: free repatriation to Singapore.
REEL 10 Continues: problems in finding accommodation; job he had opening Why Haw Par Swimming Pool; introduction of People's Restaurant by British Military Administration to aid food situation; continuation of black market; reasons for opening Why Haw Par Swimming Pool to all races. Aspects of period as civilian living in Singapore during Japanese Occupation, 1942-1945: impact of Japanese Occupation including attitude towards Japanese; modes of transportation; degree of fear and anxiety experienced by civilians.
REEL 11 Continues: fear of civilians to being taken away by Japanese; attitude towards British pre-1942; sight of Australian POWs working in streets; civilian night patrol duties; question of defences of Singapore, 1942; reaction to British surrender, 1942; listening to illegal radio, 1945; attitude to return of British, 1945; question of credibility of Japanese slogan 'Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere'.
