大象传媒

This recollection is from:

George Coyne of Lightwater, Surrey.

In 1945 I was serving in cruiser HMS Sussex. My ship was part of a task force (Operation Livery) in action at Phuket Island in what is now Thailand.

The Japs attacked us with suicide planes, one of which hit us and another struck and sank HMS Vestal. She was a minesweeper and was Camberley's adopted warship. She was the last British warship to be sunk during WW2. What fanaticism!!!

A Jap ship was sunk leaving about 20 survivors in the water. One of our ships, at great risk to themselves, stopped to rescue them. Without exception they refused help and so drowned. More fanaticism!

After returning to Ceylon and being repaired we were sent to join a huge armada that was forming in the Indian Ocean ready to attack and liberate Malaya. Naturally, we were all very apprehensive and scared because we knew from our personal experience that the Japs would fight to the death. We also knew of the terrible casualties being suffered in the Pacific campaign. As we got close to our destination we were told of the A bombs and that the Japs had surrendered. Of course there were celebrations and much relief on board.

I wrote in my diary at the time:
"Thank God for the bomb, we should now get home safely."

We then proceeded to Singapore to help with the liberation there. We were the first major British warship to enter Singapore Harbour. On 5th September the Japs signed the Surrender Documents aboard "Sussex". There was much jubilation and satisfaction. However, this was to be shortlived.

When we tied up alongside we were shocked to see hundreds of ex-POWs on the jetty. They had walked out of the prison camps and were waiting for us. Most were in pitiful condition, starving and dressed in rags and many were very sick. I was just 18 and most of my shipmates were young lads. It was very traumatic and frightening. There were no counsellors then and it was up to us to do what we could for these poor men of all nationalities.

We helped to get them on board, most of them were crying with relief and happiness, whilst we were crying with compassion. We then arranged food, clothing, medical attention, cigarettes etc. We also helped them write letters home. Unbelievably sickening.

Another entry in my diary says: "The Japs are evil, I will never forget or forgive." We only saw a fraction of the brutality that the Japs had used in the occupied territories, but it must have been awful.

Maybe Hiroshima and the after effects are sickening, but just imagine the awful casualties that would have been suffered on both sides without the bomb. It would have been horrendous. I feel no regret or guilt for what happened on August 6th 1945. The nuclear deterent has kept the peace between the super powers for nearly 60 years.

Maybe it is a necessary evil.

One day God will tell us.

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