Interview with Ronald Austin Mitchell

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Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Sound: © IWM (33245)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
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Description

Object description

Malay private served as despatch rider with Intelligence Section, 1st Bn Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Bde in Singapore, Malaya, 1940-1942; prisoner of war in Changi, Singapore, Malaya, Burma-Thailand Railway and Thailand, 1942-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Singapore, Malaya, 1924-1940: family; education; desire to enlist in armed services; employment. Aspects of period as private with Intelligence Section, 1st Bn Straits Settlement Volunteer Force, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Bde in Singapore, Malaya, 1940-1942: background to joining volunteer force; uniform worn; nature of training with intelligence section; use of personal motorcycle for despatch rider duties; presence of army instructor in unit; question of underestimating Japanese; Japanese bombing of Singapore, 12/1941; contact with troops who had fought on Malayan Peninsula; atmosphere in Singapore prior to fall; behaviour of Australian Imperial Force troops. REEL 2 Continues: role as despatch rider; incident of being mistaken for Japanese spy by British Army troops, 2/1942; question of attempting to escape; initial impressions of Imperial Japanese Army; chaotic situation on docks; question of behaviour of troops; despatch rider duties in first days of Japanese occupation; lack of fear. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 1942: behaviour of civilians during march to Changi; conditions in Changi on arrival. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of Australian prisoners of war; degree of contact with Japanese captors; behaviour of Sikh guards of Indian National Army; contact with Imperial Japanese Army guard; contact with governor of colony. Recollections of period as prisoner of war on Burma-Thailand Railway, 1942-1944: description of train journey; arrival at Ban Pong Camp; speech by Imperial Japanese Army colonel on arrival; move to Wampo Camp; treatment by Korean guards serving with Imperial Japanese Army; work cutting trees. REEL 4 Continues: problem of not having strength to carry out work; work drilling holes in rock; Christmas break; move to Tonchan Camp; receiving beating from Japanese guard; work on railway; conditions in Sawmill Camp; his mistreatment by Japanese guard are rescuing injured cat; contracting malaria. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Thailand, 1944-1945: removal of prisoners of war to Thailand. REEL 5 Continues: prisoner of war who was saved from execution by having broken leg; his morale after hearing of surrender of Germany, 8/5/1945; hearing news of Japanese surrender, 15/8/1945; liberation by single Allied officer; flight to Rangoon, Burma and onto India; attitude towards Japanese.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Mitchell, Ronald Austin (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2011-03-15
Dimensions: whole: Duration 150, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 33245

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Interview with Ronald Austin Mitchell

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