Description
Object description
British child interned at Manila, Philippines, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Wuhu, Yangtze River area, China, 1933-1934: family background and father's role running oil establishment for Standard Vacuum Oil Company; story of sailors betting on sex of baby at birth. Period at Chung King, 1935-1939: voyage up Yangtze river; outbreak of Sino-Japanese War; Japanese air raids; lifestyle; learning Chinese from household servants; flight to Hong Kong, 1939. Voyage to Australia, ca 1940. Period at Sydney, Australia, 1940-1941: education; story illustrating social attitudes. Period at Manilla, Philippines, 12/1941-1/1942: question of approach of war with Japanese; news of Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, 7/12/1941; Japanese air raids; situation on withdrawal of US troops; father's role in demolition of oil tanks; Christmas gift, 25/12/1941; collection of European civilian population at Manilla football ground. Recollections of conditions and daily routine at Santo Thomas University Internment Camp, Manilla, 1/1942-2/1945: organisation of internees; nature of accommodation; food; improvements made to facilities; food; cvonstruction of family shack in grounds.
REEL 2 Continues: personal morale; education; growing and scavenging food; roll call; conduct of Japanese guards; news of progress of war from wireless held by US circus group; acrobatic dancing lessons; food; recreations; medical provision; question of survival rates; question of escape; obsession with food; recreations; oven built by father from tin cans; Red Cross parcels and IOU system employed in bartering; state of health including malnutrition, heart murmur and denghi fever; assistance from former Philipino cook; Christmas celebrations; attitude of parents; period bed ridden in shack; US aircraft attacks on Manilla; replacement of Japanese with Korean guards; background to liberation by column of tanks from IS 1st Cavalry Div, 2/1945.
REEL 3 Continues: reactions to liberation by column of tanks from IS 1st Cavalry Div, 2/1945; story illustrating prevalence of garlic in food diet; situation surrounded by Japanese forces; Japanese shell fire and nature of fighting; story of refusing chocolate from US soldier; story of premonition and close escape from Japanese shell burst; sheltering in university buildings; view of wounded in US field hospital; anti-war beliefs; evacuation of camp, ca 3/1945. Voyage aboard US troopship to Los Angeles, US, 5/1945: view of Manilla harbour; conditions; view of US invasion fleet; reception in US. Voyage to GB, 6/1945. Period living with grandparents at Southend, 6/1945-1/1946: eye problems; return to China, ca 1/1946; attitude to Japanese.