Lawson, William (Oral history)

British gunner served with 2/74th Field Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1939; served as NCO with 125th Field Regt, RA and 125th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, India and Singapore, 1940-1942; sunk when aboard Empress of Asia off Singapore, 4/2/1942; POW in Singapore and Thailand, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Sunderland, 1920-1939: family background and social circumstances; family discipline; education; work as office boy and clerk for accountants, 1936-1939. Recollections of service as gunner with 2/74th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, Livingstone Road Drill Hall, Sunderland, ca 2/1939-9/1939: approach of war and background to recruitment. REEL 2 Continues: background to recruitment; kitting out and basic training; annual camp and mobilisation, ca 1/9/1939. Recollections of period with 125th Field Regt, RA in Sunderland, 1939-1940: reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; billets in Sunderland. Recollections of period with D Bty, 125 Anti-Tank Regt, RA in GB, 9/1939-10/1941: reaction to re-equipment with 2pdr anti-tank guns; move to Norfolk; tent accommodation in Catton Park; conditions of service; relationship with ORs; recreations and discipline; relationship with civilians; news reels; leave; gun drill role of gun crew on 2pdr AT gun; promotion to bombardier; organisation of unit; rifle training. REEL 3 Continues: PT; move to Duns, 1940; hut accommodation; winter conditions; embarkation aboard Strathaird and return after collision, 3/1941; reactions to prospect of overseas service; fire watching role during German air raids on Glasgow and Liverpool; move to re-equip in Armitage; move to Stockport; question of marriage; relationship with civilians whilst attending firing camp in North Wales; marriage, 10/1941. Voyage aboard Oronsay and Joseph T Dickman to Bombay, India, 10/1941-12/1941: reactions to leaving new wife. REEL 4 Continues: origins of troops; relationship with officers and NCOs; transfer to US ship Joseph T Dickman at Halifax, Canada; route; South African hospitality during visit ashore at Capetown, South Africa; sailing independently to Bombay. Story of eating curry in sergeants' mess during period at Ahmednagar Camp, 1/1942. Voyage aboard Empress of Asia to Singapore, 1/1942-2/1942: state of ship; attack by Japanese aircraft, 4/2/1942; falling behind convoy due to attitude of ship's stokers; effects of bomb damage during second attack by Japanese aircraft, 5/2/1942; abandoning ship; swimming in sea; rescue by motor launch. Recollections of operations at Singapore, 2/1941: loss of AT guns and deployment as infantry; situation and background to surrender, 15/2/1942; first contact with Japanese troops, 17/2/1942; question of futility of deployment of 18th Div to Singapore. Period at Roberts Barracks, Changi, 2/1942-4/1942: food; working parties and stealing food. REEL 5 Period in River Valley Camp, 4/1942-10/1942: hut accommodation; working parties; recreations; food; attack of dysentery. Conditions during cattle truck train journey to Bampong, Thailand, 10/1942. Periods in various Japanese POW camps working on Burma railway in Thailand, 11/1942: conditions and role building railway; move to Wampoa camp; building railway on trestle; story of elephant attacking Japanese guard; story of prisoner attacking Japanese guard; move to camp by river; cholera attack and deaths; burning corpses; sterilising billycans; personal morale; volunteering for work in Japanese Engineers cookhouse; food; story of punishment for failing to provide meal on Japanese holiday. REEL 6 Continues: story of punishment for failing to provide meal on Japanese holiday; role as cook; story of butchering cow and eating offal; visit to Japanese POW camp following completion of railway; return to Chunkai POW Camp; conditions of patients on visiting hospital huts; story illustrating attitude to deaths in hospitals; <15 mins missing check with original and JSP> REEL 7 Continues: coincidences relating to dates; parties. Demobilisation, 1945. Post-war career as accountant. Recollection of: conditions in camp; signing parole. Various aspects of experiences as POW in Singapore and Thailand, 1942-1945: nature of Selerang incident, 8/1942; food; conditions in hospital huts; effects of experiences; attitude to Japanese and POW casualties; reads Far East POW prayer. 1985.