My father, Geoffrey Knight, was one of 6 musicians who made up the Changi Chamber Sextet.They played at Smokey Joe's cafe in Changi Prison camp between 1942-45, while they were prisoners of the imperial Japanese Army.
They made some of their instruments from wreckage of war and recreated around 40 classical works, some from memory, which were whistled then written down and arranged by my father. They were part of a great effort to educate,entertain and raise morale in harsh circumstances.
souvenir programme from changi prison
Contributed by peter
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- Location
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changi camp , singapore
- Culture
- Period
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1942-45
- Theme
- Size
-
- H:
- 16.5cm
- W:
- 10cm
- D:
- .1cm
- Colour
- Material
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Comments
If your father played at Smokey Joe's Cafe, he was not in Changi Prison, that was reserved for civilian internees. Smokey Joe's was located in Changi POW Camp. Changi Gaol and Changi POW Camp are frequently confused. My research notes from POW memoirs & diaries indictate that it was first opened by Dutch POWs from Java in 1943 and then taken over by the Army. They had floorshows - a notable one which featured the top female impersonator from the A.I.F. Concert Party in the Selarang Barracks performing in a diaphonus blue gown to the wolf whistles of the audience. Obviously your father's group with their concert of classical music broght more "class" to the cafe - at least for one night!