Weekly Review No. 215 - New Zealand Cameraman in Singapore

Thank you so much for digitising this Weekly Review as you have ended a 20 year search by me for information about my parents. The Army nurse seen in Java and Batavia is in fact my mother, as she went to Singapore in 1945 to repatriate N.Z. P.O.W.s. She was the first white woman in Java after the end of the war (actually arriving before the surrender had been signed), and the man you see holding the door for Miss Bridgham went on to become my father! (My parents met at Changi where my father was a P.O.W. He wrote an incredible narrative of his time as a P.O.W. for the War Office, a copy of which is in the National Archives.) My mother was known as 'The Angel of Mercy' and one recovery trip, such was their desire to get the New Zealanders back to safety, they travelled in a Japanese plane piloted by a Japanese Pilot. I have always known the stories but to have found this footage on ANZAC evening was stupendous and such a rare gift. I have been searching for so many years and only ever expected to find audio (their combined radio broadcast from Singapore) but didn't think of any film ever appearing (even though I knew that Stan Wemyss the photographer was on that particular journey with them.) Again, thank you so very very much. Of course if you have any other footage relating to P.O.W. repatriation from Singapore I would love to see it!

Regards
Jane Mackenzie