Furbear, Peter (Oral history)

British NCO served with 253 Bty, 64th Field Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1935-1940; served as officer with 135 Field Regt, RA in GB, Singapore and Malaysia, 1940-1942; POW in Singapore and Thailand, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in London, 1914-1939: family background and social circumstances; education and attending architectural course at School of Building, Brixton, ca 1932-1934; work as draughtsman and estimator with architectural metalworking form, 1934-1939. Recollections of service as gunner with 253 Bty, 64th Field Regt, Royal Artillery at Putney Bridge Drill Hall, 1935-1939: recruitment; 18pdr gun drill; training as observation post and command post assistant; weekend training; annual camps; promotion to bombardier; relationship with ORs, NCOs and officers; question of approach of war; call up on outbreak of war, 3/9/1939. Period at Temple Fortune, ca 9/1939-11/1939: billets; training on Hampstead Heath; OP panoramas; drill. Period in Kent, ca 1939-1945: tent accommodation; attending course and promotion to lance sergeant; anti-invasion role; re-equipment with 75mm guns; attending gunnery courses; effects of evacuation of Dunkirk, 5/1940; promotion to troop sergeant major. Period as officer with 135 Field Regt (Hertfordshire Yeomanry> in GB, 1940-1941: background to commission; nature of officers' mess and role as messing officer. REEL 2 Continues: nature of officers' mess; training. Voyage aboard Sobieski to Halifax, Canada, 11/1941. Voyage aboard Mount Vernon to Singapore, 11/1941-2/1942. Recollections of operations in Singapore and Malaya, 2/1942: landing during monsoon; initial period at Changi Camp; opinion of 25pdr gun including unsuitability for jungle warfare; move into Malaya; detached role with OP to report Japanese coastal infiltration based Paula Pisang Island; evacuation back to Singapore; situation on rejoining unit; acting as liaison officer; destroying guns prior to surrender to Japanese. Recollections of initial period as POW in Singapore, 1942: march to Changi POW Camp; food; move to Bukitnor Camp; question of officers forced into working parties building Japanese shrine; cattle truck rail journey to Thailand. Recollections of period at Tamikan POW Camp, 1942-1943: hut accommodation; food; effects of malnutrition; methods of sinking piles into river bed used by working parties on wooden bridge over River Kwai; Japanese guards treatment of POWs; damage to bridge caused by Thia bamboo rafts and consequent repairs necessary. REEL 3 Continues: fatal beatings administered by Japanese guards to officers following discovery of wireless; swimming in river to position piles; rescue of drowning Japanese guard; starting construction of permanent bridge; method of constructing concrete columns inside river casements; food; opinion of Colonel Twose and Commandant Sito; treatment by Korean guards including Sergeant Samajo; medical arrangements; jungle sores and treatment; prevalence of malaria, dysentery and denghi fever; latrines; daily routine on work parties; recreations including cards, Emperor's sports day and quizzes; state of morale; working parties clearing forest to lay railway track; method of carrying rails; question of embankments. REEL 4 Continues: question of viaduct; separation and move of officers to Nonpladuck. Recollections of period at Nonpladuck POW Camp, 1944-1945: relationship with Dutch officers; effects of US air raids on camp; absence of working parties; signing parole under duress; story of execution of officer after failed escape attempt; contacts with Thai civilians and buying bananas; concert parties; relationship with POWs; news of Japanese surrender, 8/1945; story of close escape from being robed by Thai civilians and their subsequent execution by Japanese; flight to Burma. Period in Burma, 1945: question of weight loss; story of alarm caused by leaflet drop. Flight back to GB and demobilisation, 12/1945. Post-war career: hospitalisation with stomach ulcer; effects of POW experiences; attitude to Japanese; membership of 18th Division Officers Assoc