大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War Site by a volunteer from CSV Actiondesk on behalf of Ruth Irving Bell and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Irving Bell fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

The Jap air raids to begin with were almost all at night, and we were not much disturbed out at the guest house at Oxley Road. But when they found there was little opposition, they began day bombing and of course everyone was shattered when the two battle cruisers Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk.

The RAF Brewster Buffaloes were no match for the Jap Zeros, and it was pathetic to see them buzzing helplessly around, unable to go as high or as fast as the Japs. There was the danger of typhoid, when the water pipe line from Johore was bombed, and I began to realise that, as I could do nothing for Roy, or be any use as a nurse I must get Jonathon away.

It was a weekend and on the Saturday morning, I drove out to the shipping office which had been evacuated to a large country house. I found an enormous dining table with Naval Officers in their white and gold uniforms, sitting round it, and a very resplendent chap at the head, to whom I addressed my request for my passage to Australia. He said 鈥淲ell we might as well begin with her鈥� and a chair was found for me between two sailors and a piece of paper, face downwards, was passed along until it got to me, and I had to look at it secretly, rather like a card game. On it was written 鈥淪.S. Narkunda鈥� sailing 7am the next morning, January 18th.

I was somewhat horrified, as it was a Saturday and I had no cash, and Roy at the beach post had no idea of what I had done. It was about midday so I found my way to Guthrie Co office in another country house. They had been bombed out twice in the city. The Singapore Director was there and asked me how much I wanted, and I told him the rule was we were allowed only 拢10 to take out of the country. How very absurd that sounds these days!

My next job was to drive down to the near the beach post near Kallang Airport to tell Roy what I had done and beg him to see us onto the ship the next morning, even if he had to go 鈥淎.W.L.鈥� The officer gave him leave immediately and we returned to Jonathan at the guest house and told Amah her job was finished. Roy helped me to pack one trunk and suitcase and drove us in the early morning to the docks, where the quay was a mass of women and children. We did not know the time of sailing, and Roy was not even allowed on board to help us settle in, so he returned to his post and I found the cabin had to contain 4 adults and 3 children. I had 1 bunk where I put Jonathan and without taking off my clothes, slept or rather dozed on a wooden box containing life jackets on the deck under the cabin window.

It seemed an age before the Narkunda began to move away from the quay and I was terrified that the Jap Zeros high overhead would drop bombs at that moment. The Brewster Buffaloes were crossing and recrossing, but one knew they couldn鈥檛 do much to help. That was January 18th 1942 and as the ship increased her speed, we were left with mixed feelings 鈥� misery at leaving husbands and homes and thankfulness at saving the children.

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