AUDIO - John Gilbert Brown recounts his experience in Far East
John Gilbert Brown
REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with 5th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 9th Indian Infantry Div in Malaya, 1942: retreat to Singapore with unit; receiving news of surrender and destroying guns. Aspects of period as POW in Changi Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-10/1942: maintenance of army discipline; working parties in Singapore. Aspects of period as POW in No 6 Camp,Taihoku and No 4 A Camp, Shirakawa, Formosa, 11/1942-10/1944: voyage aboard SS England Maru from Singapore, Malaya to Keelung, Formosa, 10/1942-11/1942; accommodation in No 6 Camp,Taihoku; hillside terracing work; composition of No 4 A Camp, Shirakawa; accommodation; farming work; POW discipline; behaviour of Korean guards; food; camp library and studies; attitude towards captivity and how morale was maintained; cigarette ration. Aspects of period as POW in Fukuoka POW Camp, Japan, 10/1944-8/1945: removal aboard SS Oryoku Maru from Formosa to Japan, 10/1944; farm work; receiving war news; POW illnesses. REEL 2 Continues: contact with Japanese civilians; winter conditions; intimations of war nearing end; relations with Dutch POWs; liberation; sight of devastation in Nagasaki. Aspects of return to GB, 1945: journey to GB; re-adjusting to civilian life and effects of captivity; visits to Japan; casualty rate of 5th Field Regt, Royal Artillery during captivity, 1942-1945.