Description
Object description
British civilian living in India 1940-1944; officer served with Women's Auxiliary Service Burma in India and Burma, 1944-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of family background. Aspects of life in India and GB, 1930s. Recollections of life in India, 1940: evacuation from GB to India, 1940; journey to India; living conditions; school friends; life in Dehli, Simla and Poona; relationship with local people; hearing of Japanese advance; arrival of wounded troops; hearing of WASB. Recollections of period as officer with Women's Auxiliary Service Burma, 1944-1946: joining WASB; preparations at WASB HQ in Shillong; posting to Dohazari, Arakan.
REEL 2 Continues: reaction of troops to WASBs; description of 'Basha'; duties serving refreshments to troops; visits to nearby US airfield and West Indian Anti Aircraft emplacement; transporting refreshments and goods in a truck or jeep; posting to Bishenpur Track, Cachar; accommodation; memories of 'Elephant Bill' Williams; story of watching Chindits leave airstrip; visiting dying soldier, John Salt; story of serving tea from a tin bath; story of serving lemonade to group of grateful soldiers; attitude of troops towards the WASBs; posting to Kohima area; first impressions of area.
REEL 3 Continues: accommodation; living conditions; war devastation of Kohima; story of how she refused to provide Japanese POWs with cigarettes; work of pacifists at US Field Hospital in area; move to Milestone 82 camp; accommodation; presence of Royal Welch Fusiliers and 2nd Dorset Regt; local diseases; story of how RAF used their sanitary towels as ballast for aircraft; singing of Welsh troops; attitude towards Naga hillsmen; contrast between British and US rations; social life; joining Nin Taylor's mobile HQ following troops to Chindwin and Irarwaddy rivers, 1945; duties; opinion of Nin Taylor; secretarial duties for Nin Taylor.
REEL 4 Continues: relationship with Generals; story of a game where she climbed around the rafters of hut with Generals at a party; move to Rangoon; meeting returning British POWs; celebrating end of war; procedure for dealing with returning POWs; duties recording former POW's statements about their experiences; entertainment organised for former POWs; leaving Burma for Ceylon; work at Mountbatten's HQ, Ceylon and Singapore; opinion of Edwina Mountbatten; difference between wartime and post-war WASBs.
REEL 5 Continues: accompanying fellow WASB to her home in Singapore; welfare role of WASB post-war in Far East; return to GB, 1946; Victory Parade in London; recognition of work of WASB; importance of WASB for troops. Aspects of life post-war: employment; meeting husband; return to Kohima, 2000; situation for Naga people today, Reflections on experiences as WASB: story to illustrate attitude of troops towards WASB.