大象传媒

I joined the hospital ship H.M.H.S. Tjitjalengka in the Admiralty Islands off the north east corner of New Guinea in late 1944. A hospital ship is rare beast, this one was no exception, built in 1938 in Amsterdam for the Java, China and Japan line so was ready for hospital waters. Her home port was in Samatra from where she escaped just before the Japanese arrived. On reaching Sydney was requisitioned by Britain and in Liverpool was converted in a hospital ship with 550 beds and all the various departments which a shore hospital would have. Being Dutch, we flew the Dutch flag and also the British fleet auxiliary flag as well as numerous Red Cross flags. Painted all white with a green line round the hull and light up at night like a Christmas tree, no blackout, illuminated Red Cross on the funnel, and lights on the masts shining on the deck and the green painted line became a line of green lights around the hand rails. No one could be mistaken, this was a ship of mercy. All the Deck Officers were Dutch, the deck crew were Chinese and the engine room crew Javanese and the Medical Staff, Royal Navy, a truly international gathering. There were 12 doctors, froma Surgeon Captain, downwards 12 Nursing Sisters and 55 sick Berth Attendants to look after those 550 cots. I was one of the Sick Berth Petty Officers.
We left the Admiralty Islands and arrived in the Philippines, between Leyte and Samar in San Pedro Bay, where we relieved an American Hospital Ship that had been damaged and was returning to the U.S.A. So now we were part of the American 3rd fleet for a few weeks until a replacement vessel arrived and then we were able to sail and join the British Pacific Fleet, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. We sailed for 37 days and nights without sight of land, we were with the fleet but never saw them, just the destroyers bringing us patients from other ships. Transferring patients from ship to ship meant the two ships moving at the same speed and on the same compass bearing and only 20 or 30 feet apart, whish was no mean feat of seamanship was a big sea running. Some sailors did not like the idea of being all lit up at night, being so used to complete blackout from dusk to dawn.
One morning we woke and there was land and we were anchored and surrounded by ships, that land was Japan, and we were in Sagama Bay, just south of Tokyo Bay. We kenw about the atomic bombs through the ships daily paper which was produced by one of the radio officers who gleaned news from the air waves and local gossip, so were prepared for an early end to the war. On 30th Augusr the combined American and British fleets steamed into Tokyo Bay and anchored there. We were able to witness the signing of the surrender on the U.S.S. Missouri on September 2nd (five years after the war start of the war on 3rd September 1939) Two days later three hospital ships, the American Benevolence, the Marigold and ourselves sailed into Yokohama and tied up to the harbour wall alongside a massive warehouse. This warehouse became a Casualty Clearing Station. Ex P.O.W.S entered at one end and removed all their clothing, were dusted with D.D.T. and re-clothed in whatever the ships could provide. The Americans went down one side of the warehouse eand the British, Canadians, New Zealanders and Australians down the other and were medically examined. Those fit to fly out were taken to an air strip near Tokyo, at the of 1000 a day, those who could go by sea were taken out to ships in the bay and those requiring medical treatment came to us. There were some internees, including children, who were taken aboard the escort carrier H.M.S. Ruler which had been quickly changed into a ship suitable for the job. The flight deck painted with children鈥檚 games and the captain said he never heard his hanger deck being referred to as 鈥渇airyland鈥� before. The change summed in the 鈥減ipe鈥� at 1800hrs 鈥淐hildren to supper鈥�.
Ex P.O.W.鈥檚 arrived in Yokohama by destroyer and landing craft that collected them from the Japanese Coast, someone said it reminded him of Dunkirk with ships arriving packed to the gunwales with servicemen. Cars and lorries brought them from local inland areas, some even walked. One Man came on a bicycle and threw it into the harbour before entering the warehouse. All the men we received needed medical care as they were so thin, you could use their rib cage as a toast rack and some required surgical care as a result of their treatment in the camps. One man had a very badly broken arm, caused by hitting the Guard Commander, on asking if the Commander was alright the reply was 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know, he was on the floor still unconscious when I left鈥�. All men required much in the way of T.L.C. and trying to persuade them not to eat quickly or too much. For much of the time, it was little meals and very often. I learnt more about Vitamin Deficiency Diseases in a few weeks we had them with us, than I did in the rest of my life. After 10 very hectic days we were full of patients and it was time to leave, during this time 14,000 ex P.O.W.s had passed through that warehouse. We cast off and our place was taken by another British Hospital Ship, the Vasna. We steamed into the bay and passed by all the ships at anchor there. The British ships from the flag ship H.M.S. King George 5th downwards. All the ships companies were on deck cheering, shouting and sounding hooters, the American ships all at attention and saluting. Those ex P.O.W.s who could get on deck were there and waving like mad. It was unforgettable moment for the Dutch officers, the Chinese and Indonesian crew and the British Medical and Nursing staff and all the Ex P.O.W.s. This was a fitting tribute and an acknowledgment of their performance and there was no dry eye in the place.
We sailed down the Pacific to Auckland and then to Wellington where we left the New Zealanders, Canadians and the British servicemen to recuperate before going home and the Australians we took to Sydney. What a welcome we got there as the papers had signalled our time of arrival, so as to passed through the Heads and into the harbour the banks were crowded with cheering people and all ships sounding their hooters to the rhythm 鈥渃ock a doodle do鈥�, and we were escorted in by a flotilla of small boats and yachts. We were now empty, so after a weeks leave, we sailed home but in a very roundabout way, to pick up sick and injured servicemen for repatriation. First to Shanghai where we also picked up some Portuguese Nuns and Diplomats, then to Hong Kong where the Chinese crew were able to visit home after many years. Other ports of call were Singapore, Madras, Durban, Cape Town, Freetown and Madras before arriving at Liverpool. Here the hospital ship was changed back to a civilian liner and the ships company returned to Chatham Barracks. The Hospital Ship was no longer required but I was and spent another 9 months in the navy before returning to civvy street.
So little knowledge of the British Pacific Fleet was passed on the general public at home as there were no British news reporters or radio men out there, to report the events. No wonder it has got the name of the Forgotten Fleet.

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