| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | PR88/076 |
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: 6 cm; Wallet/s: 2 |
| Object type | Diary, Letter |
| Maker |
Arneil, Stanley Foch |
| Place made | Singapore: Changi, Thailand |
| Date made | 1942-1945 |
| Access | Open |
| Related File This file can be copied or viewed via the Memorial’s Reading Room. | AWM315 419/004/047 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Arneil, Stanley Foch (Sergeant, b.1918 - d.1992)
Description
Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX54846 Sergeant Stanley Foch "Stan" Arneil, 2/30th Battalion, prisoner of war, 1942-1945. The collection consists of a diary Arneil regularly maintained during his time as a prisoner of war in Japanese captivity. The diary details Arneil's experiences as a prisoner in Singapore and Changi, his movement to Thailand with "F" Force, his work on the Burma-Thailand Railway at Songkurai, and the illnesses and deaths he witnessed under harsh working conditions. The diary also records his return to Singapore, his participation in work parties at Johore Bharu, the cessation of war, and Arneil's eventual return to Australia in late 1945.
The collection also includes two letters Arneil received from family members during his captivity. He has written diary entries in small cursive on the reverse of these letters. An edited version of the diary was published by Arneil as "One Man's War" in 1980.