Fighting the bandits in Malaya
Item
Edited Title
Fighting the bandits in Malaya
Archivist's Original Title
Fighting the bandits in Malaya
Original description
Edward Ward reports on the war against communist 'bandits' in Malaya, featuring interviews with individuals affected by the conflict. The narrative provides insights into the challenges faced by residents and industries in the region.
Transcription
(Mrs Lucy Interview S1, Edward Ward, S2) 0:08 S1: The whole of our view from the bungalow is quite astonishingly lovely. S2: I think it is one of the most astonishing things I’ve seen.. S1: Those trees and flowers .. and the wonderful colours, that are so vivid, I don't think anywhere else in the world have I seen any colours quite so vivid as they are. S2: 0:27 so it really makes it worse to think of conditions as it is today S1: Yes as when I get up in the morning and go outside, the first thing one sees is the guards changing and marching past the barb wire. and one has to make sure that the gates are all shut so that the children can't run outside and um . it spoils the whole of the atmosphere.of the country at the moment S2: 0:54 The garden with its brilliant tropical flowers and shrubs, and the tall tulip tree blazing with flame coloured blossoms is exquisite. Mrs Lucy is a great gardener and she is very proud of her standing hibiscus, and the view beyond, as she said, is astonishingly lovely. You look out beyond the rubber trees with their pale grey mottled trunks, to a jungly mountainous valley. and somehow sitting out there on the lawn , drinking tea and eating mangosteens, I can hardly believe that a friend, who had driven me out from Kuala Lumpur, had rushed off in a hurry as he wanted to make sure he was home before darkness fell, and the road back would become a possible deathtrap form bandit attack. 1:36 Our conversation out there on the lawn, was constantly interrupted by Ms Lucy’s twin boys, lovely fair-haired friendly little fellows who kept coming up to share with their toys.. I asked Mrs Lucy how she manages cut off from the world that she is virtually in the high barbed wire fence that runs around the garden. 1:54 S1: The twins play about in their nursery in the first part of the morning, and the nursery, is like any other nursery in most ways, but it is surrounded by a two foot wide barricade of sand, so that no possible stray bullets can come into it. it is difficult to imagine that the twins never go for a walk.. they never go anywhere outside the barb wire unless they go in our armoured car. 2:32 and um , i think about a year ago, a small girl on an estate near us, was murdered by the bandits, and she was the same age as the twins. And since then, I have never left them, at any time, alone in the estate, without a European in charge. 2:49 S2: Some months ago the Lucy’s went through a very bad period when they were attacked by the bandits almost every night for over a month. You see what you got to understand about this Malayan war is that there are not only troops in the fight but everyone in the country - European and Asian, young and old men women and children. I asked Mrs Lucy if she could describe when a night attack started up. 3:12 1: Yes I can very well, because we have been attacked. The children live in...their room is an annex iof the house, and when the bullets start coming overhead - or are aimed actually at the bungalow - my first job is to actually get the children and bring them into the bungalow which is concrete .. And then, ah, after that, I telephone up the police and military providing that the telephone line hasn't been cut. very often they do cut the telephone line, and in that case, we really are entirely on our own. and we have to rely on our own resources. Then if the police lieutenant is not with us, I get out the Bren gun, and cock it and get ready for action 4:11 S2: You are quite useful with the Bren gun are you? S1: Yes I have had quite a lot of practice with it because very often I am left on my own, when my husband has to go on long tours, and which he does very frequently, about twice a week , to various parts of the country. and iIdo feel that a planter’s wife at the moment should be able to handle every weapon that is in the house. 4:40 S2: Yeah particularly when you’ve got children to think of S1: Yes, because so far, these terrible communists have not shown any mercy to anybody and I don't feel that either the children nor I are safe from their attacks. S2: And your one object is to get one isn’t it? S1: Yes.. (laughter) I was quite envious of my husband when he shot one the other day. I've always felt that i couldn't in some way repay the death of my various friends by getting one or two in return. 5:24 S2: Yes because they really don’t deserve much mercy S1: They don't deserve any mercy. They've committed such terrible atrocities - they are just like wild beasts. 5:39 S2:The fight with these wild beasts - the emergency in Malaya, that has been going on now for more than three and a half years.. a fight which which involves soldiers and police and homeguards and rubber planters and tin miners in fact everyone in Malaysia who is concerned in one form or another. That son of yours in the army maybe, , or that cousin of yours who manages a rubber estate.The origins of the emergency go back a long way. There has been a Malayan communist party
Time duration
1.151388889
Recording date of the original material
1952
Broadcast Date
1952-03-08
Country Name
Recording place
Resource Language
English
Performer/Speaker
Tags, Keywords
Agriculture
Rubber
Communism
Plantation
Bandits
Feature
Archivist Category
Radio Programme
Recording context
Radio Programme
Holding Institution of Original Materials
Licensing Institution
Accessing Institutions
Copyright Information
Physical format
CDR
Original item number
1CDR0026946
SEAH Identifier
BBC00003
Broadcast Topic
Military Conflict
Description
Edward Ward reports on the war waged against communist 'bandits' in Malaya, illustrated by interviews. 1. Interview with Mrs. Lucy, rubber planter's wife, on life under state of emergency; how the home and children are looked after and protected. She prepared with Bren gun 2. Mrs. Lucy: Feels she could repay death of friends by shooting bandit. No mercy deserved, they are like wild beasts. Ward: Fight has been going for over 3 1/2 years, everyone involved. Origin of emergency and progress. 30,000 troops and 100,000 police against 3-5,000 band its backed by Communist sympathisers who supply food etc. Bandits' main ally - jungle. Lt. Gen. Keightley, C. in C. Far-East Land Forces: battle against ban dits. Malaya 80% thick jungle, bandits on home ground. Ward: Emergency Informa tion Service - obtains material from bandits or documents. Mr. A. James, Head of Emergency Information Service: reads from Communist document extortioning funds from local people, threatening loss of property and life if demands not met. . Ward: whilst in Kuala Lumpur he met some of Suffolk Regimentt. - in Malaya 2 1/2 years. Lt. Godfrey of Suffolk Regt.: ambushes in jungle; worst they suf fered resulted in 4 casualties, but killed 5 bandits, corporal got DCM in this action. Sgt. Fowler, Suffolk Regt.: describes encounter with bandits disguised as E nglish detachment, got 3 bandits. Ward: Extraordinary small scale of this war. Met ex-bandit at resettlement area. Rec: Loudspeaker at bandit resettlement camp. 4. Loudspeaker at bandit resettlement camp. - Chinese voice. Mr. Howse of Psychological Warfare dept: that is ex-bandit talking, telling of past life in jungle and Communist deceptive propaganda. Ward: Describes resettlement area; protection of 1/2 million Chinese from outlying areas; protection of rubber estates and tin mines. Visit to Lucy's rubber plantation, noticed 3 hats on wall. Mr. Lucy, rubber planter: describes evening when he and constable got bandits. 5. Lucy: Constable very brave man, now personal guide. Ward: Lieut. Wright joined them. Police Lt. Wright: describes work. Police Lt. Wright: contacts Police HQ on car radio. Ward: Malaya needs its large police force. Malaya produces 51% of our dollar earning material. Mr. H. Facer on rubber industry. 1942-5 disaster descended on rubber 'people of Britain could stop eating on Friday and start again on following Tuesday'. 6. Mr. Facer: Rubber being produced at risk of their lives. Ward: Emergency nearly as acute in tin mines. Mr. D. Waring, Director of tin-mining co.: 123 staff in tin-mining industry have been murdered, over 240 attacks on mining installations. Effect on output; protection at work. Social activities over, undue strain put on staff. Prospecting work at standstill. Ward: Sketchy personal report, but hopes it gives idea of conditions and importance of work. Industry provides us with half our food (indirectly) and is fighting Communism in one of danger spots of world. 1CDR serial numbers: SL456C1069274 Dubbing of: BBC: T17734
Alternate date
1952
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| A. James | Person | |
| Edward Ward | Person | |
| Lt. Gen. Keightley | Person | |
| Lt. Godfrey | Person | |
| Mr. A. Facer | Person | |
| Mr. D. Waring | Person | |
| Mr. Howse | Person | |
| Mrs. Lucy | Person | |
| Sgt. Fowler | Person |