Poidevin, Leslie 'Les' Oswyn Sheridan (Captain, b.1914 - d.2006)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX71114 Captain Leslie Poidevin, a doctor with 'A' Company, 2/12th Field Ambulance, Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC), and prisoner of war (POW) in Timor and Tanjong Priok, Java, between 1942 and 1945.

The collection consists of ten exercise books bound together into one volume using a piece of Poidevin's khaki army shirt. The books provide comprehensive documentation of his POW surgery. As well as notes, there are detailed anatomical illustrations; some by Poidevin, and others by fellow POWs. The books are titled 'Physiology'; 'Operations List since 9/4/44 [most patients listed are Dutch nationals]' and 'Few Interesting Case Records'; 'The History of Medicine'; 'Operative Gynaecology'; 'Statistics of Medical Cases of Deficiency Diseases'; 'Original Appendix Notes' and 'English Operations List'; 'Abdominal Operations'; 'Abdominal Operations and Laboratory Diagrams'; 'The Hand' and contain medical, procedural and surgical notes. As well as medical diagrams and documentation, the first book in the bound volume contains musings about life beyond the war, administrative reports on the medical state of Australian POW camps, and kitchen and hygiene reports of Saint Vincentius Hospital in Java.

In Addison, there are two typed pages titled 'Dai Nippon Gun [Japanese Army] rules for punishment of prisoners for POW camps.' These were written in POW camp No 4 Batavia in June 1942 and describe various types of infringements and the corresponding punishments they will incur.

The exercise books were obtained from the Japanese and were part of a barter system (along with red and blue pens, chocolate and cigarettes) with the Japanese in return for Poidevin performing circumcisions. Circumcisions were desirable as it allowed the Japanese entree to the best brothels. Notebooks were kept in secret at night. On hearing of the surrender, Poidevin wrapped the notebooks along with his pistol and radio in oilcloth and buried them at Tjamplong, twenty miles east of Koepang in Timor. Post-war, Poidevin revisited the sites of Japanese POW camps in Java, Singapore and Thailand on a 'Weary Dunlop Tour'. At this time he is thought to have retrieved his concealed parcel and brought it back to Australia. Poidevin's book 'Samurais and Circumcisions', held in the Memorial's collection at 940.547252 P749z P749s, elaborates on his time as a surgeon/doctor in a POW camp.