On Christmas Day 1945 a party of around 70 Dutch and Chinese children are welcomed aboard the Royal Navy Harbour Repair Ship HMS Assistance, anchored off Singapore, for a party hosted by the crew.

Children climb a gangway staircase from a small motor cutter to board HMS Assistance anchored 20 minutes out in the Roads from Singapore Harbour. Children on the deck of the cutter waiting to go aboard. Children up steps. Interior of a Petty Officers' or Chief Petty Officers' mess, 'gaily decorated for the occasion' (from the dopesheet) aboard the Assistance with children seated at tables and sailors around them; some of the children are wearing the sailors' hats. Two Chinese girls at the table. Two Chinese girls with sailors ('always popular with the little ones'). Dark shot of five sailors. Very dark shot showing a large Christmas cake. Various shots of the party. Bars of chocolate are given out. Dutch girls eating jelly from a large pan. A crowd of children and sailors on deck. The ship's captain (?) with a Dutch girl.

Notes

The dopesheet adds 'To these children, so recently freed from the tyranny of the Japanese invader, the treat was something in the nature of a miracle'.

For footage of a children's party held by Australian paratroopers in Singapore, see related items. For stills of this party held by the Imperial War Museum's Photograph Archive, see related items.

Some frame rate issues in this piece, and the interiors somewhat undermined by lack of light, but mostly still usable.