Description
Object description
Chinese civilian member of Air Raid Precautions in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942; civilian worked for Kempeitai in Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-11/1943; black marketeer in Singapore, Malaya, 11/1943-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Singapore, Malaya, 1922-1941: family; education; employment with contractor to British Forces; contacts with Japanese community; British military personnel's attitude to possibility of war. Recollections of period as member of Air Raid Precautions, Malaya in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942: background to volunteering for Air Raid Precautions, Malaya; nature of training; sight of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service attack on RAF Seletar; reaction of Royal Air Force personnel to bombing of RAF Seletar; frequency of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service attacks on RAF Seletar and damage inflicted.
REEL 2 Continues: duties as Air Raid Precautions, Malaya volunteer during Imperial Japanese Army Air Service air attacks, 12/1941-2/1942; belief that British forces would return; behaviour of Royal Air Force personnel at RAF Seletar; closing of RAF Seletar to civilians, 10/2/1942; Japanese atrocities at Bukit Timah; physical appearance of Japanese troops; destruction of family home and finding accommodation with employer. Recollections of Japanese mass screening of Chinese civilians in Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942, 2/1942: concentration at Telok Kurau English School for mass screening; length of stay at Telok Kurau English School.
REEL 3 Continues: character of march to Telok Kurau English School including behaviour of Imperial Japanese Army guards; anticipation that detainees would be given work; conditions during screening; Japanese random selection of detainees; atmosphere in mass screening centre; sleeping arrangements; release from screening process; fate of detainees taken away by Japanese; attitude towards Japanese after treatment during mass screening; Japanese authorities treatment of different communities in Singapore during mass screening process. Recollections of period as civilian in Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-8/1942: living conditions; availability of food and cost; start of rationing.
REEL 4 Continues: registration for food rations; inadequate supply of provisions; purchasing food for family from black market; recreational and religious activities; improvement in relations between civilians and Japanese; contact with Japanese civilians and military personnel; facilities available to report against Japanese misbehaviour.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as clerk-of-works for Kempeitai in Singapore, Malaya, 8/1942-11/1943: background to obtaining position; nature of interview at Kempeitai East District Branch Headquarters, 8/1942; Kempeitai construction of torture chamber in Oxley Road; method of torture employed by Kempeitai; treatment of prisoners by Kempeitai; character of Kempeitai personnel; details of Kempeitai building at Oxley Road; Kempeitai's use of informers; Kempetai ranks; conditions in cells.
REEL 6 Continues: description of cells at Oxley Road; role of contractors in construction of torture cells; his attitude towards torture of prisoners; description of water torture; other torture employed by Kempeitai; type of offences prisoners detained for; administration of torture; fate of prisoners; duration of torture; Kempeitai's attitude towards civilian employees; his attitude towards Kempeitai torturers; ultimate fate of prisoners.
REEL 7 Continues: working hours and rations received; issue of identification card and armband; reporting to Japanese officer; degree of knowledge about Kempeitai organisation; description of Kempeitai East District Branch Headquarters and Fort Canning; receiving petrol ration; posting to Tanglin Barracks to do maintenance work.
REEL 8 Continues: improvement in attitude of Japanese military personnel after 1943; relations with Japanese superior; his attitude towards working for Kempeitai; reasons for resignation, 11/1943; attitude to leaving job, 11/1943. Recollections of period as civilian black marketeer in Singapore, Malaya, 11/1943-8/1945: background to becoming broker; work as broker and sources of goods; degree of risk involved in black marketing and consequences of being caught.
REEL 9 Continues: consequences for Japanese personnel caught black marketing; character of his customers; goods traded; reasons why his customers bought from him; how brokers operated and their informal code of ethics; his profit margin; dealing in stolen Japanese goods; reasons why he only dealt with wholesalers; benefits to his family of his black market activities; reasons why he did not deal with Malays; degree of Japanese involvement in black market.
REEL 10 Continues: importance of not talking too much; hearing of United States Army Air Force bombing of Japan from Japanese friends. Recollections of period as civilian during British Military Administration in Singapore, Malaya, 1945: continuing black market activities; stopping of accepting Japanese currency; Japanese authorities announcement of surrender, 15/8/1945; situation prior to arrival of British forces; attempts of British Military Administration to control black marketing; implementing of rationing; his impression of British Military Administration; attitude towards return of British; question of impact on him of Japanese Occupation.
