Description
Object description
New Zealand NCO served as pilot with 232 Sqdn, RAF in GB and Dutch East Indies and Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1942; POW in Java, Dutch East Indies and in Japan, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in New Zealand, 1919-1939: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal New Zealand Air Force in New Zealand, Canada, Iceland and GB, 1939-1941: reasons for volunteering for air force, 1939; early interest in aviation and sailing; posting for flying training at Harewood; posting for further training in Canada; in transit in Iceland; move to GB; opinion of Hawker Hurricane. Aspects of operations as pilot with 43 and 232 Sqdns, RAF in GB, 1941: night patrols with 43 Sqdn; gunnery practice; formation of 232 Sqdn, 10/1941. Recollections of operations as pilot with 232 Sqdn, RAF in Dutch East Indies and Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1942: convoy to West Africa; flight across Africa; embarking aboard HMS Indomitable at Port Sudan; flying off aircraft carrier; reaction to posting to Java.
REEL 2 Continues: taking off from HMS Indomitable; flight to Java; crash landing on Java; sharing taxi with Dutch girls; invitation to Dutch family home; mover to Sumatra; patrolling in straits near Palembang; move to Sembawang, Singapore, 2/1942; Japanese shelling; state of runway at Kallang; sight of oil tanks on fire; reasons for staying in Seaview Hotel; operations for Kallang; frequency of Japanese bombing; flying clothing worn and fatigue; degree of threat during operations; incident of being shot at by Japanese aircraft; problems with aircraft which would not pull out of dive; landing after coming out of spin; encounter with formation of Japanese bombers; reaction to squadron losses; attitude towards Japanese airmen; return to Java.
REEL 3 Continues: journey to pick up repaired aircraft at RAF Seletar; number of remaining squadron members; embarking on Empire Star; Japanese bombing of Empire Star; sight of corpses and aiding wounded; arrival in Batavia, 13/2/1942; shooting at Japanese reconnaissance aircraft; declaration of Batavia as open city; amalgamation of 232 and 242 Sqdns; evacuation of Bandung; strafing Japanese troops; Japanese bombing of Bandung airfield; withdrawal to Tasikmalaya. Recollections of period as POW in Java, Dutch East Indies, 1942: surrender, 8/3/1942; description of his escape and period on run; surrendering to Japanese; physical state on arrival at Garoet School camp.
REEL 4 Continues: first encounter with Japanese in camp; reaction to evacuation of experienced pilots from Java; number of RAF POWs in camp; drawing sketches; train journey to Batavia; description of prison in Batavia; poor quality of rations; purchasing food; working on runway with work parties; loading shells onto ships at Tanjon Priok docks; extra rations for working parties; tropical diseases contracted by POWs; attitude of Indonesian cooks to POWs; medical treatment in camp; number of survivors from dysentery; symptoms of dancing feet and beri beri; rations in Batavia; roll calls and face slapping punishment; reason for volunteering to go to Japan; shaving and reasons for subsequently stopping. Aspects of voyage from Java to Japan, 1942: description of Japanese POW troopships.
REEL 5 Continues: description of tin plate carried; toilet facilities on board; in transit at Changi Prison in Singapore, 10/1942; reasons for wanting to go to Japan; stoking duties on board; effects of typhoon on voyage. Recollections of period as POW in Japan, 1942-1945: arrival in Japan in inappropriate tropical clothing; visit by Japanese medical staff; hospitalisation for dysentery in Mogi; physical state during bout of dysentery; death rate in hospital; POW patient with beri beri; receiving blood transfusion from American medical orderlies; effect of blood transfusions on POWs; journey to mainland Japan; issue of Japanese Army clothing; ferry across strait to Hokkaido; reception on arrival at Hokkaido; arrival in Hakodate camp, 2/1943; description of camp.
REEL 6 Continues: punishment of Dutch POW caught stealing food; fate of camp commandant after war; beating of POWs; Japanese punishment after food stolen from hut; punishment received for eating rice from Japanese dining hall; Japanese guard use of fire shovel to punish POWs; fire watch duties; lack of contact with family; receiving Red Cross parcel; arrival of British army POWs; preference for rice rather than potatoes; POWs talking and thinking of food; work repairing locomotives in workshops; civilian guards in workshop; smuggling coal into camp; POW ration in hospital; food eaten to improve health; method of stealing rice from warehouse; use of water bottles for cooking; sleeping position in hut; hiding items in hut wall; making tin snips in workshop.