Woods, Stanley Stuart (Captain, b.1894 - d.1982)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX63973 Captain Stanley Stuart Woods, 2/10 Australian Ordnance Field Park, Second Australian Imperial Force, Singapore, Borneo and Australia, 1941–1945.

Wallet 1 of 7 – Consists of three items relating to Captain Stanley Stuart Woods and the use of a hidden wireless radio in Sandakan Prisoner of War Camp, Borneo. This wallet contains two transcripts of BBC broadcasts from a hidden wireless radio at Sandakan Prisoner of War Camp, made by Captain Stanley Stuart Woods and VX24597 Captain Lionel Colin Matthews. The first transcript is handwritten, and is dated 11-14 July 1943. The second transcript is typed, and is dated 15-16 July 1943. This wallet also contains one note from Captain Matthews (codename ‘Roslyn’) to a civilian doctor, Dr James P Taylor (codename ‘Geebung’). It is dated 17 July 1943, and relates to BBC broadcasts heard on the hidden radio. This item was the final note written by Captain Matthews before he was taken by the Kempei-tai and later executed.

Wallet 2 of 7 – Contains two folders of nominal rolls kept by Captain Stanley Stuart Woods during his time as a prisoner of war of the Japanese, between 1942 and 1945.
Wallet 2 of 7, Folder 1 of 2 consists of one document and one nominal roll. The document was written in Changi, Singapore, on 8 July 1942. It contains a list of officers that were part of ‘B Force’, which was being transported from Changi to Borneo. The nominal roll was created by Captain Woods in 1942, and contains information relating to his fellow prisoners of war. It contains details such as names, service numbers, ranks, units, Japanese prisoner of war numbers, ages, occupations, next of kin, addresses, times in hospital, and illnesses.
Wallet 2 of 7, Folder 2 of 2 consists of one nominal roll of officers of the Australian Imperial Force who were Japanese prisoners of war. This nominal roll was written in a notebook, and kept by Captain Woods between 1942 and 1945, during his internment as a prisoner of war at both Sandakan and Kuching, Borneo. The roll contains information such as names, service numbers, age, religion, professions before the war, illnesses, activities while in captivity, movements between camps, and next of kin.

Wallet 3 of 7 – Consists of one book of records kept by Captain Stanley Stuart Woods during his time as a prisoner of war, between 1942 and 1945. This book contains a unit roll for 2/10 Ordnance Field Park, records of contributions to the camp hospital, working parties, distribution of payments to officers, casualties, canteen prices, a nominal roll of 2/10 Ordnance Field Park, and various notes.

Wallet 4 of 7 – Contains two folders of documents relating to Captain Stanley Stuart Wood and his time as a Japanese Prisoner of War.
Wallet 4 of 7, Folder 1 of 2 consists of 33 documents relating to Captain Woods’ experience of being a Japanese prisoner of war in Singapore and Borneo between 1942 and 1945. This folder contains documents relating to 2/10 Ordnance Field Park administration, a diary page and transcript of diary entries by Lieutenant Commander Norman Kenneth Sligo, documents relating to the Camp canteen, documents relating to the rules of the prisoner of war camp, documents relating to the running of the Sandakan prisoner of war camp, a pamphlet in Indonesian language announcing the Japanese surrender, nominal roles of various units and forces, and a portion of the war diary of 2/10 Ordnance Field Park.
Wallet 4 of 7, Wallet 2 of 2 consists of one set of shorthand instructional notes, and three pages of graphs of words and their shorthand translations [written on the reverse of Japanese documents]. These documents were thought to have been used by Captain Woods during his time in prisoner of war camps in Borneo, between 1942 and 1945.

Wallet 5 of 7 – Consists of five personal items relating to Captain Stanley Stuart Woods’ experience of being a Japanese prisoner of war in Singapore and Borneo between 1942 and 1945. This wallet contains:
1x Set of notes of Captain Woods, dated c1942. These notes relate to the quality and quantity of food available in prisoner of war camps. They also includes names and addresses of acquaintances.
1x Diary of Captain Woods, containing entries dated between 21 February 1942 and 24 July 1943. The diary entries are addressed to his sweetheart, VX61333 Sister Belinda Rosalind Skeat. In his diary, Captain Woods writes about being a prisoner of war, missing his sweetheart, daily activities, plans for the future, and movements between camps.
1x Recipe book compiled by Captain Woods during his time as a Japanese prisoner of war, dated c1942-945. This recipe book was constructed from cardboard and recycled forms, and handwritten in pencil.
1x Book of house plans made by Captain Woods during his time as a Japanese prisoner of war, dated c1942-1945. This book was constructed from recycled Japanese paper, and contains diagrams of the house that Captain Woods planned to build after the war.
1x Small notebook with brown plastic cover, dated c1945. This notebook contains notes relating to food and hygiene conditions in the camp, a list of personal plans for after the war, a list of prisoners of war in Sumatra, and a timeline of events after liberation in September 1945. It also contains names and addresses of acquaintances.

Wallet 6 of 7 – Consists of three postcards and eight letters [including associated envelopes] from Captain Stanley Stuart Woods to his sweetheart, VX61333 Sister Belinda Rosalind Skeat, one letter from the Australian Military Forces to Sister Skeat, and one letter from Sister Skeat to Captain Woods. The items of correspondence from Captain Woods to Sister Skeat are dated between June 1942 and September 1945, and were written while Captain Woods was a Japanese prisoner of war in Sandakan and Kuching, Borneo. In this correspondence, Captain Woods writes about being a prisoner of war, fellow prisoners, remembering happier times, receiving mail, receiving food drops from Allied aircraft, a brief timeline of events while he was a prisoner, his health, liberation from the prisoner of war camp, recovering on a hospital ship, and his plans to return home. The Letter from the Australian Military Forces to Sister Skeat is dated 31 May [unknown year], and relates to the identification of people mentioned in Captain Woods’ postcards. The letter from Sister Skeat to Captain Woods is dated 16 August 1943. In this letter, Sister Skeat writes about looking forward to Captain Woods’ return, and sends her love and encouragement.

Wallet 7 of 7 – Consists of one notepad containing the memoir of Captain Stanley Stuart Woods, and one typed transcript of the memoir. The memoir was created in 1980 and 1981. In his memoir, Captain Woods writes about his early childhood, schooling, employment, enlisting to serve in the First World War, serving in Gallipoli and France, becoming an officer, living conditions on the Western Front, his post-war employment, enlisting to serve in the Second World War, serving in Singapore with 2/10 Ordnance Field Park, being captured by the Japanese as a prisoner of war, life in Changi, Sandakan and Kuching prisoner of war camps, his liberation, and his return to Australia.