Traditional Japanese kiseru smoking pipe: Gunner William Harcourt Miggins, 2/15th Field Regiment

Small chromed metal small bowled pipe. It is joined with a black painted wooden tube to a similar chromed metal section which forms the stem.

Smoking pipe used by William Harcourt Miggins whilst a prisoner of war of the Japanese. Miggins, born in Wingham, NSW, on 16 June 1918, was employed as a linotyper when he enlisted on 7 May 1941. Assigned to 2/15 Field Regiment as a gunner under service number NX7237, he arrived in Singapore with his unit in August 1941.

Originally equipped with 3 inch mortars, the regiment was supplied with new 25 pounders in November and moved north into Malaya when the Japanese invaded. They fought at Gemas, Muar, Ayer Hitam and the Namazie Estate until they were forced to retreat back to Singapore where they were the only artillery unit supporting the Australian infantry. They were infiltrated by the Japanese and surrendered with the rest of the British forces on 15 February 1942.

Gunner Miggins enduring 3 1/2 years as a prisoner of the Japanese, being held initially in Changi; with 'D' Force working on the Burma-Thailand Railway; being transfered to Japan, working in Japanese mines and iron foundries. A diary held at PR00373 describes he experiences in detail.

A letter he wrote home (quoted in "The Manning River Times" for 10 October 1945, page 4,) gives some other details:

"I myself am in good health, except for a slight recurrence now and again of beri-beri. During the last three and a half years I have been navvy (road-making), shrine builder, railway builder, miner and foundry worker. For the last year I have been in Japan (the island of Shikoku), after a 70-days' voyage from Singapore on the Bashan Maru. We are in a camp near the town of Nikama with over 300 Dutchmen."

Of this kiseru pipe, which he acquired in Nikama, he wrote: "In Japan we were issued with these. At first they appeared ridiculous.

"Some tobacco, ready rubbed type was obtainable. A small piece was put into the bowl and lit. After two or three puffs, it was blown out onto the hand, another piece inserted in the bowl. The lighted tobacco was then replaced on top of the new piece. This was repeated until one was more or less satisfied."