CHONG, Robert
Japanese Occupation of Singapore,
Accession Number 000273
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 16
Total Reels
- Tan Beng Luan
Interviewer
- 07:18:38
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 16
Metadata
- 4 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:43
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Personal background. Volunteered in Air-raid Precaution (ARP). Training and duties of ARP volunteers; their uniform. Conditions in Singapore when Japanese invasion began. How he requisitioned a truck and fled to town. Description of people retreating to town. Arrangement of impromptu marriages by parents. Family took shelter in a rubber estate.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 16
Metadata
- 4 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Refuge in Students' Union. Heard radio broadcast about British surrender. Rejoined his family. Reported to interrogation centres for mass screening. His reaction to news of British surrender. Gruesome sight on his way to Upper Serangoon Road. His first impression of Japanese soldiers. Moved to Tanjong Katong Road. Found job in Japanese factory. Co-operation amongst rubber tappers in estate.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 16
Metadata
- 4 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:49
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Nature of his job; salary and fringe benefits. Working conditions; daily exercise, slapping and thrashing by Japanese. Not allowed to speak English. Name of factory - Yasuda Butai. Work ethics of Japanese. Friendly atmosphere amongst colleagues. Work performed by female workers. Subsequently, he learnt to dismantle aeroplane engines. Another team re-assembled and tested the engines.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 16
Metadata
- 4 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Became a supervisor; duties of supervisor. His salary and amount of rice ration given. Why he was selected as a supervisor. Ranking of workers. Various grades of Japanese staff. Working relationship between Japanese and local staff. Visits from VIPs. How local staff behaved towards Japanese interpreters in Butai. Reasons for his resignation.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 16
Metadata
- 4 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:48
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Organisational structure of Yashuda Butai. After leaving Yashuda Butai, returned to Bukit Timah. Joined Nooda Shoyu. How he got job as a clerk. Working conditions. Making wooden tub to contain soya sauce. Description of sauce factory. His duties in carpentry section. Given salary, rice and sauce rations and cooked rice for lunch. Factory managed by Japanese civilians. Their relationship with local workers.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 16
Metadata
- 11 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:49
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Better treatment of local staff in factory than in Yashuda Butai. Greeting one's superior in the morning. Producing sauce for military forces. Night duty in factory; food provided. Workers' salary. Visits from military personnel. Labour Service Corps; brought to Ama Keng to dig trenches. Conditions in Ama Keng.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 16
Metadata
- 11 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:42
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Description of routine in Ama Keng. Civilians brought to Ama Keng late at night. Rumours about Allies coming back. B-29s flying over Singapore. Serious food shortage. System of food rationing. Consequences of complaining about shoddy goods. Issue of ration card and census card; house-to-house visit by census clerk. Black market in Sungei Road; how bartering was done.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 16
Metadata
- 11 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Recreation and entertainment facilities during Japanese Occupation - casino, amusement parks, radio, cinema. Reservation system for seats in cinema in pre-war days. Local people reluctant to work because of poor treatment from the Japanese. Ill-treatment of Indonesian workers. Butai work considered essential. Propaganda film preceded main movie. Bowing to Japanese national anthem instead of standing at attention. Church services during Japanese Occupation. Internment of expatriate priests at a later stage.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 16
Metadata
- 11 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:39
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Church services conducted swiftly and briefly. Japanese distrusted gatherings for Sunday service. No celebration at Christmas. Endau and Bahau settlements; success of Endau. Role played by Dr Yap Pheng Geck and Mr Shinozaki in initiating Endau. Recreation for Japanese soldiers - movies, comfort houses. Description of system in comfort houses. Different coloured flags on cars signified different grades of Japanese officers.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 16
Metadata
- 11 Jun 1983
Recording Date
- 00:27:43
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Treatment of prisoners of war (POWs). How he smuggled food to POWs. Two projects undertaken by POWs - building of Syonan Jinja (War Memorial) and Changi Airfield. Compulsory pilgrimage to Syonan Jinja for workers employed by Japanese. Activities of China Relief Fund. Japanese demanded donation from the Chinese. Japanese attitude to Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians.
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