Interview with Thomas Webber

British marine served with Royal Marines aboard HMS Newcastle, 18th Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1939-1940; served aboard HMS Prince of Wales in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Far East, 1/1941-12/1941, including sinking off Malaya, 10/12/1941; served on shore duties in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942; prisoner of war in Singapore and on Burma Thailand Railway, 2/1942-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Devonshire, GB, 1921-1938: family; education; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training as marine with Royal Marines in GB, 1938-1939: background to recruitment; training at Royal Marines Depot Deal; gunnery course at Plymouth. Aspects of operations as marine aboard HMS Newcastle in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1939-1940: drafting to ship; messing arrangements; role of marines on board; duties on board; patrolling in North Sea; duties on anti-aircraft gun; German Air Force bombing of Portsmouth. Recollections of operations as marine aboard HMS Prince of Wales in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1/1941-11/1942: drafting to battleship, 1/1941; reception on arrival on board; work on BL 14 Inch Naval Gun during working up period in Scapa Flow; action station in shell room; start of pursuit of German battleship Bismarck in North Atlantic, 5/1941; hits on ship during action against German battleship Bismarck, 5/1941; coming up from below after action. REEL 2 Continues: return to HMNB Rosyth; presence of Prime Minister Winston Churchill on board during passage to Newfoundland, 7/1941; return to GB; participation in single convoy in Mediterranean. Recollections of operations as marine aboard HMS Prince of Wales, Force Z in Far East, 12/1941, including sinking off Malaya, 10/12/1941: ashore in Cape Town, South Africa during voyage from GB to Singapore, Malaya, 11/1941; ashore in Singapore, Malaya; attack on battleship by Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service; torpedo hits on ship; abandoning ship; sight of HMS Repulse sinking; rescue by HMS Express; return to Singapore, Malaya; casualties amongst ship's Royal Marine contingent. Aspects of operations on shore duties with Royal Marines in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942: formation of ad hoc unit Plymouth Argylls; Japanese forces' attack on Singapore; captured by Imperial Japanese Army. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Changi, Singapore and Burma-Thailand Railway, 2/1942-8/1945: initial impressions of Japanese forces; clothing and personal possessions. REEL 3 Continues: question of escape; morale in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya; move to Thailand, 6/1942; conditions during railway journey; work on railway cutting; conditions during work on railway; nature of work; effects of injuries; working conditions on railway; working in railway workshops after completion of railway; working hours and rest periods; weight loss during captivity; question of survival; rations in camp; prisoners of war who were friendly with Japanese captors; supplementing rations; behaviour of Imperial Japanese Army guards; degree of contact with outside world. REEL 4 Continues: reaction to end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; liberation of camp; return to GB, 9/1945; story illustrating attitude to having been made prisoner of war in the Far East. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines from 1950-1966: return to service with Royal Marines; length of time taken to get physically fit; pattern of service from 1945-1950; participation with 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Operation Musketeer, the landings at Suez, Egypt, 1956 duties with Headquarters, 3rd Commando Bde after Operation Musketeer; duties as NCO with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden, Aden Protectorate, 1962-1964; retirement from Royal Marines, 1966.