Staying Informed

Heroes Remember

Staying Informed

Transcript

The first year or so the men had a radio set. I don't know how they came by it but they would dismember it periodically if word came about that there was going to be a camp inspection. We did get some news, radio news, this was the first maybe couple of years. There was a battalion of Hong Kong volunteers that were in the camp too, these were Portuguese and Chinese. When they went out on the working parties there would be other Hong Kong people working there too and which were known to some of the Hong Kong volunteers but anyway they would get newspapers from them some way or other and they could interpret the Chinese newspaper and so we got some more news that the Japanese hardly ever lost a war ship. They might have had some paint scratched or something like that but it was far from the truth but we knew that since the American Navy was getting closer and closer to the main land and the Philippines that they must be winning.

Description

Dr. Cunningham describes using a hidden radio and smuggled Chinese newspapers to keep informed about the war's progress.

Dr. Winston Ross Cunningham

Dr. Winston Cunningham was born in Elgin, Manitoba on January 4, 1911. He was the third of five children. His father was a storekeeper and moved the family to a permanent home in Souris, Manitoba. Mr. Cunningham decided to pursue a career in dentistry, studying in Toronto. After graduating in 1934, he returned to his home in Souris to take over a vacant dental practice. In 1939, he volunteered for military service, assuming the rank of Captain. Doctor Cunningham was sent to the Hong Kong garrison, which quickly fell to the Japanese. He spent almost four years in Sham Shui Po POW camp, where he provided dental care to the internees. After the war, Doctor Cunningham remained in the military, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1963.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affaris Canada
Recorded:: July 16, 1998
Duration:: 2:19
Person Interviewed:: Dr. Winston Ross Cunningham
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Hong Kong
Battle/Campaign:: Hong Kong
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Royal Rifles of Canada
Rank:: Captain
Occupation:: Doctor

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Date modified:: 2019-06-20