MENON, Kanichat Raghava (Dr)
Japanese Occupation of Singapore,
Accession Number 000025
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 9
Total Reels
- Chua Ser Koon
Interviewer
- 03:43:52
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
All rights to the recordings and transcripts on this website, including the rights to copy, publish, broadcast and perform, are reserved. Written permission is required for any use. If you have any queries, please contact nas@nlb.gov.sg
Reel/Disc 1 of 9
Metadata
- 26 Feb 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:41
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:15) Personal background, and why he came to Singapore.
(0:03:09) Took correspondence courses in journalism and other subjects.
(0:04:03) Published his articles and first poem and started a magazine called The Oronigor.
(0:07:40) Formation of the Indian Youth League (IYL) and its committee members.
(0:09:28) He formed the Indian Passive Defence Service Corps (IPDSC) in 1938, right before the war broke out.
(0:12:36) Activities of the IYL.
(0:17:10) Recalled meetings of the IYL at Farrer Park and how the Central Investigation Department (CID) were present but never gave them trouble.
(0:19:14) Relationship between IYL and other Indian organisations and the local Chinese community.
Personal background. Why he came to Singapore. Early job experiences. Took correspondence courses in journalism and other subjects. Publication of his articles and first poem; started magazine called The Oronigor. Formation of Indian Youth League (IYL) and Indian Passive Defence Service Corps (IPDSC); activities of these two organisations. Relationship between IYL and Chinese community. His friendship with Japanese teacher.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 9
Metadata
- 1 Mar 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:35
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:14) The Indian Passive Defence Service Corp (IPDSC) was started before the war broke out.
(0:02:27) IPDSC converted buildings at Buffalo Road into hospitals.
(0:06:35) IPDSC volunteers were issued with identification passes that protected them from the Japanese during the war.
(0:07:36) Talked about how the Japanese used propaganda to get the Indians on their side.
(0:11:46) Activities of the Indian Youth League (IYL).
(0:14:54) How the IYL was organised, and his duties as Secretary-General.
(019:27) Types of disputes he had to resolve.
(0:25:36) His work responsibilities at the IPDSC.
Reason for anticipation of outbreak of war. Indian Passive Defence Service Corps (IPDSC) received contribution from Chinese and British government. Identification passes issued by British and Japanese to IPDSC volunteers. Rumours about Japanese. Organisation of Indian Youth League (IYL). His term of office as Secretary-General and nature of his duties. His work in Indian Passive Defence (IPD).
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Reel/Disc 3 of 9
Metadata
- 1 Mar 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:05
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:01:07) Described the Indian Passive Defence (IPD) first aid centres.
(0:05:05) Recalled the time the van he was in was hit by Japanese shrapnel.
(0:09:04) How they reacted to the heavy casualties at Seletar Camp, and how he was grateful that the British gave them medical supplies.
(0:14:45) Extent of the damage by Japanese shelling.
(0:17:09) His reaction to the radio broadcasts and why the Indians preferred British to Japanese domination.
(0:25:57) The British surrender and their reactions to it.
Indian Passive Defence (IPD) first aid centres. Built air-raid shelters. Seletar Camp destroyed. Given medical supplies by British. Japanese radio broadcasts from Penang to Singapore. His reaction to broadcasts. Why Indians preferred British to Japanese domination. Anti-Japanese stand by newspaper. British held meetings with various communities to foster co-operation; issued joint manifesto. Reaction to British surrender.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 9
Metadata
- 21 May 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:50
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:37) What happened to the Indian Youth League (IYL) after the British surrendered.
(0:05:24) Japanese sentries arrived the day after the British surrendered.
(0:09:47) Described the meeting with Major Fujiwara.
(0:12:46) What he and other Indians felt about Japanese intervention in their struggle for independence.
(0:16:36) Major Fujiwara's position was taken over by Major Iwakuro Kikan.
(0:20:17) Described the content of his later meetings with the Japanese.
(0:24:35) Formation of the Indian Independence League (IIL) in Singapore and the advantages of membership.
(0:26:20) The challenging relationship that the IIL had with the Japanese.
Situation after British surrender. Japanese officer visited Indian Passive Defence (IPD) to give advice and issue passes. Meeting with Major Fujiwara; Indian leaders who were present; content of discussion. How Indians felt about Japanese intervention in their struggle for independence. Meeting with Col Iwakuro Kikan; purpose of further meetings with Japanese. Formation of Indian Independence League (IIL).
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Reel/Disc 5 of 9
Metadata
- 21 May 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:48
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:51) Activities and objectives of the Indian Independence League (IIL).
(0:02:00) Response of the Indian community to the IIL and the Indian National Army (INA).
(0:04:05) Many youths from the Indian Youth League (IYL) were trained as spies for the Japanese and sent to India.
(0:07:19) The Indian Passive Defence (IPD) was dissolved in September 1942.
(0:10:18) The IIL was active during the Japanese Occupation.
(0:13:22) Worked as a journalist with Indo-Shimbunsha throughout the Japanese Occupation.
(0:17:25) There was an Indian newspaper department under Indo-Shimbunsha.
(0:19:00) Described how Indo-Shimbunsha functioned.
(0:24:43) He received food rations at the newspaper arm of Indo-Shimbunsha.
Activities and objective of Indian Independence League (IIL). Response of Indian community to IIL and Indian National Army (INA). Indian Passive Defence (IPD) dissolved in September 1942. Demise of IIL after Japanese Occupation. Became journalist of Indo Shimboonsha during Japanese Occupation. How newspaper was managed. His work with news bureau. His salary. Rations given at newspaper company. Wife remained in Taiping with her father.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 9
Metadata
- 21 May 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:25
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:02:20) Hid his manuscripts about the war in a bench at home.
(0:03:56) Wrote articles for Indo-Shimbunsha and an Indian periodical.
(0:06:08) Regretted that some of his personal works were accidentally destroyed.
(0:13:13) Reason why he did not study Japanese.
(0:18:17) His impression of K P K Menon and his courage to defy the Japanese.
(0:22:31) Mentioned that the Japanese confined Menon at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) till the end of the war.
(0:26:10) Described Bose’s first mass rally in Singapore.
Condition on board train to Taiping. Devoted time in writing; hid manuscripts in bed. Kind of articles he wrote Indo Shimboonsha and Indian periodical. Why he did not study Japanese. Reason for going to Taiping. His impression of K P K Menon and his courage. His impression of Subhas Chandra Bose. Bose's tactics different from Mahatma Gandhi. Description of first mass rally by Bose.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 9
Metadata
- 27 May 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:49
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:01:15) Differences in Bose's and Mahatma Gandhi's methods of fighting the British.
(0:04:24) Why Bose had to flee India.
(0:08:19) Efforts of Indian women in the Rani Jhansi Regiment and his impressions of them.
(0:11:46) The Japanese entrusted Bose with organising the Indian National Army (INA) and the Indian Independence League (IIL).
(0:16:44) Advantages of joining the INA.
(0:18:46) His role in the IIL and why he resigned as Secretary.
(0:20:29) Black market activities in IIL and his refusal to partake.
Charisma of Chandra Bose. Differences in Bose's and Mahatma Gandhi's method of fighting British. Why Bose had to leave India. Efforts of Indian women in Rani Jhansi Regiment. Japanese entrusted Chandra Bose to organise Indian National Army (INA) and Indian Independence League (IIL). Indians forced to give financial support. Why he resigned as Secretary to IIL. Black market activities in IIL.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 9
Metadata
- 27 May 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:45
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:02:20) Reaction to the news of the Japanese surrender and why he returned to Singapore.
(0:07:25) How he started writing guidebooks.
(0:08:11) First guidebook he wrote was “Arms and the Man” by George Bernard Shaw.
(0:13:47) Described his arrest by two British soldiers.
(0:17:22) He was imprisoned at Outram Road Prison with other Indian leaders.
(0:20:33) Protests broke out in India against their imprisonment, and two Indian officials visited them to demand their release.
(0:25:20) Talked about his interrogation.
Living conditions in Taiping. Reaction to news of Japanese surrender. Started to give tuition after Japanese surrender. How he became involved in writing guide books. His arrest by British and imprisonment with other Indian leaders. Protest in India against their imprisonment. Daily routine in prison. How they were treated.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 9
Metadata
- 27 May 1982
Recording Date
- 00:02:54
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:41) Released without trial from prison.
(0:01:19) How the Japanese Occupation affected him.
Released from prison. Effect of Japanese Occupation on his life.
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