Interview with Alec Michael John Wright

British officer served with Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps in Hong Kong, 1938-1941; prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po and Argyle Street Camps, Hong Kong, 12/1941-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Hong Kong and GB, 1912-1938: lifestyle in Hong Kong, 1920s; attitude of Chinese to British presence; size of population of Hong Kong, 1937-1938. Aspects of period as officer with Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, 1938-1941: enlistment, 1938; ethnic composition of unit; duties and training with unit; contrast with service with Honourable Artillery Company in GB prior to 1938; attitude of Chinese to police force; effects of outbreak of Second World War; evacuation of families to Australia from 9/1939; character of British Army troops stationed in Hong Kong; question of defences of Hong Kong and Singapore, Malaya. Recollections of operations as officer with Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps during Battle of Hong Kong, 8/12/1941-25/12/1941: Japanese forces' attack on colony; reaction to attack; narrow escape from artillery fire on ferry, 10/12/1941. REEL 2 Continues: opening fire on junks believed to be carrying Imperial Japanese Army troops at Lama Island; question of conversion of gunners to infantry; receiving news of surrender, 25/12/1941. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po and Argyle Street Camps, Hong Kong, 12/1941-8/1945: initial encounter with Imperial Japanese Army officer, 26/12/1941; initial orders to march to Murray Barracks; conditions in Sham Shui Po Camp; initial optimism about outcome of war in Far East; trading with Chinese hawkers; imposition of Japanese authorities control; coping with winters; state of health; prisoner of war diet; access to private parcels; pay entitlement and what money was used for; move to Argyle Street Camp; question of escape; relations with Japanese guards including bartering. REEL 3 Continues: variation in behaviour of guards; punishment of Kenneth Barnett for speaking to Red Cross representative about conditions; communication with British Army Aid Group in China; Japanese captors' demand for prisoners of war to give parole and its results; degree of bombing Allied bombing; receiving information about progress of war; contact with Imperial Japanese Army interpreter; news of VJ Day, 15/8/1945; former prisoner of war discipline after VJ Day; discipline of Japanese forces after liberation; state of Hong Kong, 8/1945; question of change in attitude towards Japanese; effects of period as prisoner of war in Hong Kong.