大象传媒

Those of our forces still left in Malaya were in a desperate position. It was now just a matter of how many we could get back to Singapore safely. Between nightfall on January 30th and 5:30 a.m. next morning 111 corps passed without any traffic hold ups through much feared bottlenecks in the streets of Johore Bahru. Bright moonlight helped and strangely, hardly a Japanese aircraft hindered it.

By 7 AM the two remaining pipers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were playing the troops of the outer bridgehead over the causeway (the Australians and the Gordons) an hour later there followed the Argylls themselves, last guard of the inner bridgehead, led by those same pipers making the very last steps to Singapore to the skirl of "Hielen Laddie鈥�. As the skirl died away, there sounded a clap of thunder. It was the causeway, 1100 yards long and 75 foot wide gaps the waterline, with a steel road and railway bridge, going up in explosion. There followed the momentous silence and then the roar of water pouring through a 70 foot gap. Once more Singapore was a real island again. But only just. For at low tide, the causeway gaps were not more than four feet deep.

Of our Far Eastern Empire, Singapore alone still held. Apparently people at home didn't realise the hopelessness of it all, as over 20 new planes were flown out to us - in two days about four remained.

Japanese bombs tore up our runways and made them u/s. We worked far into the night filling up the holes. The next day they came again and repeated the treatment. We filled them up again. The Japs obligingly swaddled another stack of bombs across them. No one felt like filling them up the third time, but someone contrived to mark out a usable runway with white lines. The Japs came again the next morning and with a usual accuracy planted a stack of bombs plumb between the white lines. The Japanese were able to operate from Kluang, of course, which was only 60 to 70 miles away. In an attempt to damage their bombing strength and to put the landing strip out of action we made a last desperate throw. Blenheims and Hudsons (from Sumatra) raided Kluang. The result was disastrous. They had no fighter escort and the Japanese were waiting.

Seletar was finished as an effective RAF aerodrome. Not only were Japanese bombers stationed not far away, but, with the loss of Malaya the Japanese were able to bring up artillery close to us just the other side of the water and shells were soon pounding the drome and naval base. Part of our squadron (232) joined 258 squadron to operate from Kluang. The rest of our four remaining planes and pilots flew to Palembang (Sumatra).

For two days we sat around in the transit camp -- waiting and wondering. Will they try to evacuate us, or shall we stay here to be killed or taken prisoner? We were still the only Hurricane squadron in the Far Eastern Theatre of war, so far as we knew -- and therein lay our only hope. Because we knew that very few could hope to get away -- hardly any ships -- hardly any Navy. Against our chances was the fact that we had only a handful of planes left. Evacuation promised to be very risky and hazardous -- but it was a chance, and there was no chance at all in Singapore. Apart from inferiority in effective numbers (there were a minority of effective and experienced fighters in Singapore) and equipment. Singapore鈥檚 water supply came by pipeline (never cut) from the mainland.

We were called out of bed at 11 o'clock the night of February 4th 1942 and our adjutant spoke to us. (F/O Wilson). We were to get all our kit packed with all necessities in our side packs. This we did, and all through the next day we waited. The following night we went to bed again. I shall never forget that night. Guns booming across the causeway -- explosions as our engineers blew up vital installations, thick black smoke from oil installations and naval dockyard, the sky alight with fires. It seemed like an illustration for Dante's Vision of Hell. The Japanese had a number of foothills on the island. Somehow or other, I managed to fall asleep. Then, at about three o'clock in the morning, we were called out again -- we were to move in a few hours time. We were far too relieved to think of the danger of the journey.

When we got to the docks and saw the boat that was to take us, we didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was a Chinese riverboat, painted a bright salmon and light blue with large Chinese characters on the side. All day, we worked to load up the "WANGPU鈥� until finally we were ready to go.

The captain hadn't got a wireless operator. So six of us were delegated to perform that duty (I can always say that I've been a wireless operator in the Merchant Navy). We found the wireless equipment, examined it and found it useless and damaged beyond repair. This was all the more serious because two alternative routes lay before us and at a certain time we were to be told by radio which one to use -- after our aircraft had had a snoop around.

Indeed the whole ship was a shambles, looking as if it had either been in a hurricane or some pretty rough action.

However, the captain found an Aldis lamp and we were to use that to signal to such ships as we may meet. Our other duties included running up the flags as per the captain's instructions. Most of the time I found myself on the bridge with the captain and an Aldis lamp.

He was a grand fellow and I got along with him like a house on fire. He had the normal merchant seaman's disrespect for the Royal Navy. Shortly after we sailed, I noticed that we were on our own and asked him rather anxiously when our escort was meeting us -- -- "They can't give us an escort. Just as well really -- they aren't much use and we shall draw less attention to ourselves alone".

As we approached the mouth of the river that leads to Palembang we saw the masts of two ships sticking out of the water. Two ships carrying Army personnel had left the Singapore the day before us. Now we could see what had happened to them. Incidentally -- they had the benefit of naval escort (one destroyer). Fortunately, most of them had been take off safely before the ships sank.

We sailed around nine in the morning, shortly before the days excitement was due. The narrow deck was crowded with Airmen. I would point out that there were no lifebelts for us. We slept, crowded together in a dirty hold with no blankets or anything. Two of us shared a gas cape as an undercovering with nothing at all on top.

About 2 hours out from Singapore, I was on duty with my little lamp on the bridge with the captain. Faraway in the sky we sighted a formation of Japanese bombers. Our total defence was two Lewis guns, also manned by members of our squadron. The deck was, of course, chock a block with Airmen. The Captain said "I wish all these men were below. If the Japs see all these troops on board we are in a bonny mess."
So I said "yell for our Adjutant and tell him to order them all out of sight".
"Damn good idea -- -- Welsh! Welsh!! Welsh!!!" He bellowed.

Quickly the men were herded below -- and the Japs took not the slightest notice of us even though they flew almost directly overhead. It may be that anyway they had a more important predetermined target as shortly after fresh columns of smoke arose faraway in Singapore Island.

The Captain was mighty proud of the way he negotiated the straits. "Just half a mile clearance and the rest is heavily mined" said he, showing the chart to prove it. Then he decided to check his compass which proved us to be two points out -- which gives you another illustration of the kind of comic opera evacuation that it was. Curiously enough, it all combined to give me great faith in a Captain who was obviously experienced and resourceful and didn't need all the modern gadgets usually in use and considered essential by lesser mortals.

Two days later we sighted Sumatra (where the devil we had been I don't know, because it isn't so far really).

At the entrance to the river was a delightfully unusual village. It was built entirely in the water and the swamp at the edge of it. The whole village was built on an elaborate scaffolding and mangroves sticking out of the water and plant paths led from hut to hut. As we drew near, almost the whole village took to its heels -- or rather, its boats -- and flew at the river. This behaviour rather bewildered us at first and then we realised that the large Chinese characters on the side of our ship were hardly reassuring.

The sail up the river was grand -- under holiday conditions it would have been wonderful -- such a profusion of birds and animals and sounds and the thickest jungle I have ever seen on both sides of the river. Obviously it is best seen from a ship on the river. Terence Kelly ("Hurricanes Over the Jungle") describes it. "North of Palembang The terrain becomes appalling. The Jungle is solid and the only breaks in the sea of green are rivers and glistening mudbanks with occasional thatched villages. The jungle swarms with wild animals including Tigers, Snakes and leeches etc and diseases are rife."

We arrived at Palembang at dusk.

This was the first time we had set foot on non-British soil and I fear that our short stay left us with a much greater respect for the Dutch than we had for the British civilians in Singapore. Dutch ladies met us on the quayside and gave us cool drinks and food which suggested that in the East Indies at least, members of the forces were actually considered to be human beings and that there was no risk of dread disease if you came into contact with them.

Later, we were taken by road to our billets in the town itself. We were billeted in a Catholic school near the centre of the town.

February 9th 1942

Coincident with our arrival at Palembang our "remnants" at Kallang had been involved in a day long air battle. The Japs had landed on the north and west coasts of Singapore the previous night and every effort was being made to confine them to the beaches.

Hank Olden ("the fall of Singapore") wrote:-
"considerable air operations. These had begun at dawn when complying with Bennett鈥檚 urgent call for maximum air support above the beach battle, our last ten Hurricanes on the island took off from Kallang to intercept a Japanese force of 84 planes flying in from Johore. In two sorties, the Hurricanes shot down six of the enemy for the loss of 1 of their own (they flew back to Kallang halfway through the battle, hurriedly refuelled, then returned to it.). Air flights over the island went on for the rest of the day and by nightfall it was plain that with the few machines we had left Kallang could not be used any longer as a base. With Percival鈥檚 assent, the remaining Hurricanes were withdrawn to Sumatra.

Thus it came about that what was left of 232 squadron was reunited once more at Palembang.

We had now got into the habit of taking it all one day at a time and trying not to speculate too far ahead. We soon settled down in Palembang and rather liked the place. The small Dutch garrison (in actual fact only a few dozen men) allowed us the use of the fort and often in the morning -- if off duty -- we would stroll down to sit in the cool rooms and drink the most delicious orange juice. It was kept in refrigerators, served ice cold and with a lump of ice in it just to make sure. Alternatively, we would go to a first-class confectionery shop and cafe kept by a Chinaman rejoicing in the name of Madjoe and drink coffee and eat cakes.

There were two cinemas, showing English and American films with Dutch subtitles. Amongst the films I saw there was "Major Barbara". The cinemas were also remarkable for the number of advertisements they showed. I counted them one night and discovered that it was over 60.

Our drome was the old civil drome (P1) 14 miles north of Palembang town and out in the jungle so we were taken to work in lorries. After the first two or three days I was given work at the operations room in town and found it very convenient, with plenty of time off.

Whilst going about my duties one-day, I came across a signal that rather shook me. It said that the moral effect of withdrawing 232 squadron from Singapore was very bad and that it was imperative we returned to Kallang which was still operable with care. Fortunately the bigwigs didn't see their way to change the decisions they had already made.

After a couple of days, our temporary duties were taken over by the proper operation room staff and we were once again at a loose end. As is usual in the forces, work was found (even if it was a complete waste of time) and we found ourselves supposedly manning a small telephone switchboard in a small derelict Post Office on the edge of town. We never got a sound out of that switchboard and it was obviously a ruse to keep the four of us occupied. The rest of our Signals Personnel were helping out at the aerodrome.

The shops and bazaars of Palembang were full of every conceivable luxury. The best brands of chocolate, fancy biscuits and chocolate biscuits were there in profusion -- chiefly English brands.

I was naturally anxious to let Betty and my mother and father know that I had got away from Singapore. All telegrams sent during my Far East tour were financed by 3 of us because they were so expensive, Brian Wilson and Jack Spencer sharing with me. My father had arranged to get in touch with their families immediately he heard from me. If the news didn't involve all three of us then it had to be indicated on the telegram. When we inquired about the cost of cables Palembang Post Office we nearly collapsed. It was a few days -- after a pay parade had been arranged before we could afford to do it. As it happened it wasn't very opportunely timed and couldn't have brought much relief to people at home.

Kelly----
"鈥�.. about ten miles north of Palembang town, oil installations at Pladjoe across the river. Airport and runways created out of thick jungle with road alongside.
Jungle and swamp even between the two runways.
Aerodrome raided regularly.
On February 14 the total Hurricane strength at Palembang was 14 serviceable -- the maximum ever achieved in the far Eastern campaign."

14th Feb 1942

It was only a matter of time before we received attention from the Japanese. Not only were we now the most "forward" airbase -- indeed insofar as the Japs knew, the only one in Sumatra, but there were large oil installations across the road at Pladjoe.

However the pointlessness of sitting by a u/s telephone switchboard soon became apparent. Our other friends who were, still at the airport during the day said that there was very little to do there and so on due consideration, the following morning the four of us decided to give ourselves a day off.

Things had been getting pretty hot with raids at the airport and in the town, particularly the shipping and oil installations at Pladjoe, but at least our planes could be seen in the air and even in dogfights with the Japs, and we began to feel that we were putting up some sort of show.

However this was but an illusion. Our self appointed holiday on the 15th may well have saved our lives.

I was sitting with some of my friends getting a certain amount of mild enjoyment at Madjoe鈥檚. The sirens sounded and bombs started to drop rather heavily. The raid finished but large numbers of planes could still be heard in the sky. So long as no bombs dropped we didn't feel any urge to investigate. We had long outgrown any curiosity we may have once had about airplanes flying overhead.

Kelly --

"February 15th -- paratroops had landed and captured airport. A large Japanese sea borne force was proceeding up the River Moesi fast. Orders were received to evacuate all personnel to P2 aerodrome. This evacuation proceeded throughout the morning to midday. All available personnel being taken across Palembang ferry -- the only exit to the railhead and the camp and the Oustenhaven Road. All stocks of petrol and rubber were destroyed.

During that morning the large additional force of parachutists were landed at P1 quickly followed by troop Carriers .
All personnel were evacuated to P2 about 50 miles away but complete retreat to Oustenhaven ordered.

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