PEEL, William John (Sir)
The Public Service,
Accession Number 002246
- British Empire and Commonwealth Museum
Source
- 3
Total Reels
- Chris Gunns (British Empire & Commonwealth Museum)
Interviewer
- 01:25:59
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 3
Metadata
- 29 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:30:59
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:00) How he came to work in the Malayan Civil Service.
(0:02:59) Worked in the District Office in Taiping and as Assistant Secretary to the British Resident of Selangor.
(0:06:37) Learning the Malay language.
(0:10:10) Conversed with Sultans in the royal Malay language.
(0:12:11) Relationship between the British and the Sultans in the 1930s.
(0:16:28) Earliest memories as a child in Malaya.
(0:19:18) His time in Australia.
(0:21:57) Residences of the Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner for the Malay States.
(0:23:25) Life at Cameron Highlands as Assistant District Officer.
(0:26:46) Found the Chinese servants loyal to the British.
How he came to work in the Malayan Civil Service. Worked in District Office in Taiping and as Assistant Secretary to British Resident of Selangor. Learning the Malay language. Conversed with Sultans in the royal Malay language. Relationship between the British and the Sultans in the 1930s. Earliest memories as a child in Malaya. Residences of the Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner for the Malay States. Life at Cameron Highlands as Assistant District Officer. Found the Chinese servants loyal to the British.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 3
Metadata
- 29 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:20
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:02) Talked about the loyalty of Chinese servants to the British.
(0:02:34) His recollection of Cameron Highlands. Style of the buildings.
(0:05:35) His work as the Assistant District Officer at Cameron Highlands. Recalled an incident involving the purchase of government land.
(0:09:43) Poor condition of his residence.
(0:12:49) Later posted to the Malayan Establishment Office in Singapore.
(0:14:59) Talked about the multi-racial society in Malaya. Overall harmony under British administration.
(0:18:05) Communist uprising due to the war and Japanese occupation. How Force 136 was formed and its role.
(0:20:42) Life as a prisoner-of-war on the Death Railway during the Second World War (WW II).
(0:22:38) How his jungle ulcer was cured with antibiotics smuggled in.
(0:27:40) Casualties due to the lack of medical supplies. Improvement in medical care at the base camp.
(0:30:11) Prisoners-of-war had secret wireless sets to keep up with news of the war.
Loyalty of Chinese servants to the British. Cameron Highlands in the 1930s. His work as Assistant District Officer. Poor condition of his residence. Later posted to Malayan Establishment Office in Singapore. Multi-racial Malaya. Force 136. Life as a prisoner-of-war on Death Railway during Second World War (WW II). Prisoners-of-war had secret wireless sets to keep up with news of the war.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 3
Metadata
- 29 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:23:40
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
(0:00:02) How he heard about the Japanese surrender before the Japanese junior officer in charge of the prisoners-of-war camp.
(0:01:54) Returning from the Death Railway. Establishment of a special camp in Singapore where prisoners received better food.
(0:03:48) Grew vegetables in camp.
(0:05:23) How they established contacts with the Chinese.
(0:07:16) Never concerned that the war would permanently affect him despite his health conditions.
(0:08:31) Sent to Brunei to take over the British Military Administration (BMA) upon demobilisation.
(0:09:56) Issues with military officers firing pistols at Malay fishermen.
(0:11:14) Receiving confidential files safeguarded during wartime by a loyal Malay.
(0:13:36) Anecdote of how the Sultan of Brunei did not want his younger brother to be made heir to the throne.
(0:16:05) Negotiated to appoint the Sultan's younger brother to a key ministerial position.
(0:19:29) Brunei was impoverished upon arrival, relying on poor rubber and copra production.
(0:20:25) Negotiated agreement between Brunei and Shell Oil, which has transformed Brunei from poverty to untold wealth.
His prisoners-of-war camp in Singapore was looked after by a Japanese junior officer. Grew vegetables in camp. Contacts with the Chinese. Never concerned that the war would permanently affect him. Sent to Brunei upon demobilisation. Anecdote of a Malay State Secretary who refused to work with the British Military Administration (BMA). Anecdote of how the Sultan of Brunei did not want his younger brother to be made heir to the throne. Negotiated agreement between Brunei and Shell Oil, which has resulted in the transformation of Brunei from poverty to untold wealth.
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