BRUHN-ALLAN, Sheila
Prisoners-of-War (POWs),
Accession Number 002740
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 6
Total Reels
- Zarina bte Yusof
Interviewer
- 02:30:23
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 6
Metadata
- 28 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:29:21
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Date and place of birth. News of the impending war. Feelings about war. Family decided to leave for Singapore because they thought it was safer. Given several chances to return to Australia but declined. Place to stay in Singapore. Bombings in Singapore. Air raid shelter. Amenities and food. Her state of mind then. What she was doing when Singapore fell to the Japanese. Conditions that led to the surrender. News of surrender. State of morale. Saw Japanese soldiers and the need for her to register at City Hall. Saw Japanese brutality on her way to the City Hall. Effects of the incident on her. Eventually became a nurse and worked at Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KKH). Aunt brought her back to Australia. How she kept her POW experience to herself. Her outlook on war.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 6
Metadata
- 28 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:30:27
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*After registration at City Hall. Had to go to Cricket Club ground. Brought to a Katong House which was Seaview Hotel. Description of the Katong House. Chores were divided among the internees. Spent a fortnight to 3 weeks at Katong House.
Sent to Changi Prison on the 8th March 1942. Was informed to bring along belongings that could last for up to 10 days. Description of her "property" which she brought along. Had several exercises books with her. Decided to keep a diary. Description of the march to Changi Prison. Locals' reaction to the internees. Description of Changi Prison. Saw her father. Had to choose a cell with her stepmother and another lady. Description of cell. The male internees prepared the food. Food and rations. The organization of Changi Prison. She was given a chore. Activities organised in the prison. Care given to the children. Celebrations at the camp. Physical and mental state.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 6
Metadata
- 28 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:25:33
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*POW WOW newsletter. Contents of newsletter. Frequency of the newsletter. General description of POW WOW newsletter. Newsletter was stopped after the double tenth incident. Sewing materials in the camp. Craft exhibitions. Sewing eventually stopped after all materials ran out. Pillow cases with internees' names. She made a table cloth while in prison. Bartering in the prison. Description of food and its distribution. The men did the cooking. Utensils. Salt and sugar rations. Birthday celebrations. Food ration lessened over time. Children in the prison were well-looked after.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 6
Metadata
- 28 Feb 2003
Recording Date
- 00:21:55
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Children's toys. Internees made toys for the children for Christmas and birthdays. Towards the end of the war. Greatest mental deprivation. Greatest physical deprivation. Daily routine after the double tenth incident. Days leading to the surrender of the Japanese. The day of the surrender. Dispersion of internees after the war. Decided to look for work. Reflections on the war. Comments on her book.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 6
Metadata
- 3 Mar 2003
Recording Date
- 00:23:29
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Red cross parcels. Relationship between internees. Medical supplies. Medical personnel. Experience with dysentery and malaria. Moved from Changi Prison to Sime Road Camp on the 1st May 1944. How she feels about Sime Road Camp. How camp was organised. Life at Sime Road Camp. Sanitation. Prefers Sime Road Camp. Garden patch at Sime Road. Ate a live baby mouse. Water supply. Fertiliser for the garden patch. Open communication between the men and women internees.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 6
Metadata
- 3 Mar 2003
Recording Date
- 00:19:38
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Concerts at Sime Road Camp. Activities at the camp. Father passed away at Sime Road. Stayed behind at Sime Road when stepmother left for Thailand after the war. A typical day at Sime Road Camp. Camp hospital at Sime Road. Location of the camp. Treatment of soldiers on the internees towards the end of the war. Her health. Feelings when the camp was liberated. Witnessed the signing of Japanese surrender. Last thoughts.
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