Interview Format

(Interveiws can only be viewed at the Cambridge County Collection)

Interview Number   Dated

Name

Address

Division

Regiment

Rank

Number

Age

Where you (a) called up   (b) regular soldier

Married Yes.  No.

Where you married before or after you were a PoW

Where were you when you were captured - mainland, Singapore, hospital

1. Where were you when you were liberated
2. Who liberated you
3. Were you interviewed (a) overseas (b) at the reception center at home
• what was the mood of the interview
• did have a medical at reception center
• where there offers of help
• where you given money on your return to Britain
4. Where you shocked at being taken prisoner
5. Did you have sense of guilt at being taken prisoner
6. Did it take long to adjust to life in the camps.
7. Was life boring in the camps
8. Was this due to inactivity and tedious work
9. Were their stages during your captivity that you felt optimistic for example on receiving good news or on your release
10. When you arrived home was there a feeling of anti-climax
• eventually
• immediately
11. Did you suffer from
• overcrowding
• inactivity
• military impotence
12. On your return did you feel
• anti-social
• self-destructive
13. On your return was
• counseling available to you
• employment advice
14. When did you receive this advice (before / after demob)
15. Have you any knowledge or experience of Civil Resettlement Units
• was there any stigma attached to them
• what was your attitude toward them
16. What is your attitude towards Japanese culture
17. Did you feel proud of yourself for surviving this dreadful experience
18. Did you know of anyone who was admitted to a psychiatric unit
19. Were all PoWs offered
• psychiatric help
• medical help
20. In order to survive it may have been necessary to suppress your emotions if yes, did it effect you later in life
21. Where the repatriations tackled efficiently
22. Have you any memories of WVS on your release
23. Have you any memories of ENSA or any other entertainment on your release
24. Did you organize your own entertainment on your release
25. Where officers and men together on VJ-Day
26. Where you sent home as a Regiment or individually
27. How did you cope with the social and cultural changes on your return home to your family
28. Did your old friends help you readjust to civilian life
29. Did your work help you readjust to civilian life
30. Where you told officially not to talk to
• the press
• the family
31. Did you want to speak to the
• family
• friends
32. Did your family encourage you to talk of your experiences
33. Did you feel there was a lack of recognition for what FEPoWs suffered
34. Did you feel personally responsible for this situation
35. On your return what did you do to keep the spirit going that kept you alive in captivity
36. Where there associations available for you to join or did you form your own associations
37. What effect did ‘your’ association have on you
38. Did you feel what is known as ‘survivors guilt’
39. Do you feel your experiences as a FEPoW set you aside from other people.
40. Did non FEPoWs understand how you as a ex-prisoner felt about your experiences
41. Did being a FEPoW put your life into a different perspective from other people.
42. Where there offers of medical re-examination in the 1970s
• did you take the offer up
• do you know of anyone who took up the offer
43. Did you return to the same employment
44. What was your job did this help you to readjust to civilian life
45. Did you, or do you suffer from periods of anxiety and trauma. In spite of your problems did you carry on as normal
46. What experience of debriefing did you have, when where who
47. How were you treated during your debriefing
48. On returning were
• your experiences ignored
• treated as a hero
• treated as an embarrassment
49. On your return was any practical help offered to you
50. Did you know where the CRU were located
51. What memories of yours are the most consistent and recurring
52. Have you written down any of your PoW experiences in
• letters
• books
• diary
• articles
53. Have you ever been interviewed by
• Newspapers
• Television
• Others
54. How long was your stay in Rangoon, Calcutta, other transit camp
55. How long was your journey from the prison camp to transit camp
56. How long was the boat journey home
57. Name of ship          type of ship          conditions
58. Was there entertainment on board ship
59. Did you have a medical on your return to Britain
60. Was it a condition of your demob to pass a medical
61. What was the main topic of conversation in captivity

Supplementary Questions

1. Did you receive a copy of To All British Army Ex-Prisoners Of War
2. Where did you receive it
3. Where you told you must not speak to the press, newsreel or broadcasting organizations
4. Where you interrogated by M.I. 9. either overseas or on your return
5. Did you have the opportunity to send an arrival telegram
6. Where you medically inspected at the reception center
7. Did you have an X-ray in the reception center in Liverpool or Southampton.
8. Did you have a medical or appear before a medical board during your repatriation leave
9. Was there a welfare center at your reception center
10. Did you consult them
11. On repatriation leave did you seek advice or help from anyone
12. If so who
13. Where you issued with a 42 day ration card
14. Where you paid before boarding ship and leaving for home
15. Where you paid at the reception center
16. Where you issued with free travel documents
17. How did you
• travel from the railway station to your home
• how did you pay for your transport
18. Did you appear before a medical board during your repatriation leave
19. Was it a medical or were you simple told your state of health
20. Did you attend any courses to help you settle into civilian life
21. Have you ever seen a pamphlet entitled ‘settling down in civvy street’
22. Did you ever go to or where offered a chance to rest at Hatfield House (a CRU)
23. Were you met by the ‘Regiment’ on arrival
24. Did you receive a document like this concerning an appearance before a medical board.

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