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To The Far East
0n October the 27th, we left Parkgate by lorry, through the Mersey Tunnel to the Docks at Liverpool.
We embarked on the P&O. Liner Warwick Castle which was a large liner and used to run to South Africa. The swimming pool was on the bottom deck but we could not go swimming as the pool was empty.
Then we left the Mersey River and joined another half a dozen ships and sailed up to the coast of Scotland, off the Clyde where we joined the other half of the Convoy. We had four Destroyers as an escort. There may have been other escort ships but I never saw them. Quite a lot were seasick, I with some others were okay so we had plenty to eat as the others did not want to eat.
We sailed to within the sight of Greenland, half way to Canada, we were met by the Americans. They took over from the Royal Navy, and they had 1 Aircraft Carrier with planes flying overhead, 1 Cruiser and 6 Destroyers. At this time they were not in the War. So we were escorted the rest of the way. Read James Branchley’s book ‘Towards the Setting Sun’, he was in the same Convoy, and he said! that we also had the Royal Navy Calypso, but I never saw it. We went through a Channel with mountains on either side, covered with Fir trees, into Halifax Nova Scotia.
After collecting our gear we disembarked, and walked along the dockside and we were told to go onto the American ship U.S.S. Orizarba. But there was a stoppage, the first lot on didn’t like it so they where trying to get off again. A Yankee Officer who was standing at the bottom of the gang plank, was threatening them with a Revolver.
Also in this Convoy were the U.S.S. Mount Vernon, Wakefield, Westpoint, Leonard Wood, Joseph Dickman, and the Orizarba.
There were also 2 Aircraft Carriers, 2 heavy Cruisers and 9 Destroyers, but I never saw any of them except an Oil Tanker. Eventually we all got aboard and were taking down to the hold and there were tiers of bunks three high. This ship had been sunk and was Salvaged and refurbished, it was an all welded ship. Half the Sailors had never been to sea, and a lot of the sailors were seasick, it was only its second trip.
No shortness of food, best meals some of us had in all our life. We used to line up for our meals, sliding our tray, which had different size compartments, along a rail in front of the cooks, If it was chicken each one received one half of the chicken and big scoops of veggies, and sweets were usually ice cream. The milk loaves of bread were baked on board, and as many slices that you wanted.
Until our Colonel put a stop to it, one slice per man, and that was all we would get in the future. So we used to stand on a ladder near the bakery and when they went past with the loaves on a bread tray, we helped ourselves. My mate Ted Chestney, he was from South Shields, and I volunteered for a painters job, this was great going around painting grey all over the ship.
Until the Yankee sailors found out we were not getting the same pay. They demanded that we were paid the same or we had to stop painting. Of course there wasn’t any chance of us being paid more so we lost our job. One of the sailors that we worked with told us this story. After the ship was in use again, the first voyage was to Iceland, with a company of Marines.
They had a four inch gun on the after deck above the Hospital, on there way to Iceland, they fired the gun and it blew all the doors off there hinges. There was many an argument between the Yanks and the Limeys as we were called, some ended in Boxing Matches on deck. On pay days we received $4 for one pound, and Cigarettes were 6 cents a carton. The ship could only travel seven days, then they had to refuel.
There was an Oil Tanker with the convoy and it was quite a feat to refuel us, as the tanker had to come along side, then they threw a heaving line over and the oil pipe was attached and then dragged over, at the same time they rigged a boson’s chair for one of the officers to cross. The convoy also included the Queen Mary. On we went down the coast to Trinidad,
Where we had to call in for to refuel along side the wharf, about three miles across this natural harbour. But no shore leave. After leaving there, we went further south down the South American coast until we turned due east for Cape Town. Three days from Cape Town, the 7th of December 1941 the Japs bombed Pearl Harbour then the Americans were in the War. Some of the sailors were nearly crying, and most of them had been seasick for days, as they had never been to sea. We arrived at Cape Town Harbour on a Wednesday. Next morning we docked and that morning we were giving shore leave.
There were many cars there, picking up soldiers, to take them to the city and to their houses, also taking them to visit various places. Ted and I were late getting away, and there were no cars left, so we walked up to the City, and in Long street, a car pulled up and asked us to jump in, which we did and they took us to their home. Funny thing is I can not remember their name, but he was the Manager in the Cape Taxi Company.
His son was Head Lad for Armstrong at the Cape Racecourse, the Daughter had a little Daughter and she was Divorced from an Afrikaner. They arranged to pick us up the next day and took us touring around Cape Town. We went to the suburb of Musingburgh. The South Africans called it Jewsinburgh. And we visited a Dutch Cottage. Also saw ‘Spotty the Dog’, a large shop the door between his front legs.
We were invited to the Races on Saturday, but to our dismay, the ship pulled out to the harbour on Friday night, so we couldn’t even say thanks or good-bye. Ted and I did have our photos taken with a race horse, and also one with the family.
Off we sailed on the Saturday morning up the coast past Mozambqe then to Kenya to the port of Mombassa. We were escorted into the Harbour by H.M.S Emerald. On Wednesday which was the 24th of December, we were allowed shore leave so we decide to go to Town, walking along the wharf we had to pass the Emerald, a Sailor on the top deck shouted “Hi Nick, how are you”, I looked to see who was shouting and asked who he was, he shouted back that he was Dockra, he lived at East Howdon and we were in the same class at school. I did not recognise him as I had not seen him for six years.
Four of us took a taxi for 3 pence each and what a hair razing ride that was. With his finger on the horn and his foot flat to the floor, off we went, there were wrecks all along the road, no wonder. Ted and I had 2 shillings each, we got a ham sandwich, which was a small loaf cut in half and a very thick slice of ham, cost 1 shilling. Then we went to the Fruit Market bought a large straw hat, and had it filled with a variety of fruit.
We now had sixpence left between us. So we hailed an old man pulling a Rickshaw, it was more like a cart on two four foot wooden wheels. We asked him how much to the docks, he said 6 pence each, so we haggled told him it was down hill and offered him 6 pence and two cigarettes. He accepted this offer, so we climbed aboard and off we went. As he was so old I don’t know how he kept his feet on the ground, as we were flying down the hill to the Docks.
The next day was Christmas day and for our dinner we had Turkey and Plum Pudding with Ice cream. Even though we had our tropical kit on it was stinking hot. We were there five days as the needed repairs. The next ship tied up beside us was a Hospital Ship, and one of our lads, called Johnny Hogg from Cullercoats, found his brother on the ship going back to England.
On the 27th December we were off again this time bound for India, it was very nice crossing the Indian Ocean, and so we arrived at Bombay. After disembarking, we were told to climb onto the lorries, which took us through Bombay to the Railway Station. This station was built when the English had India, and is still the same now. We boarded a passenger train, it had wooden slatted seats, along the sides of the carriage and the toilet was a slab of concrete with two footprints and a hole.
When we set off there were literally hundred’s of children, shouting “Bakshees”, as they ran along the side of the train. We started to climb towards the distant hills, and we eventually arrived at Dulali. After leaving the train, we had to march to the camp which was about three miles away. The Camp was rows of wooden huts with verandas. After we sorted our selves out and found a bed, it was very quiet and peaceful, that you could hardly realise that there was a war on, and that people were being killed every minute.
Next morning we were awakened by a loud voice, shouting “Char Walla”, so we had tea in bed. Next was the barber, and we all got shaved as we lay in bed, the cost was about 2 pence for each one. We went across the square for our breakfast, and as we walked back with it, there were dozens of birds called Kites flying around, and we soon learned that if you did not cover your plate then you lost the lot. The Kites were small but very swift. We tried to deceive them, by throwing small stones in the air, the young ones would catch them then drop them very quickly, but the older birds took no notice of them.
At the end of each row in the camp huts was a bucket which was used at night as a toilet, and was emptied every morning by Indian labourers. At night we would go to the Naffie where Indian waiters took your order and brought it back to the table. The camp was run by regulars, and I suppose they had their war there, I could have stayed there with them until the end of the war if the Army had let me. After settling in we were off on Route Marches, around 12 to 15 miles every day.
The first day when we stopped for a break, Captain McCreath came along the line, he stopped and asked me if I was sick, I thought yes of the Army, but replied “No sir”, he then asked why I was not sweating like everybody else. Everyone was soaked but I was bone dry, and yet I was not sick.
When we arrived back at the camp our boots were very dusty, so we took them off on the veranda and threw them to the boot boy, who would polish them up and then return them. Notice we called them boys but some were nearer sixty. This cost to us was one rupee, about 1s 6d, per week to each one.
We would go for a shower, the water was from high up in the mountains, and it was freezing, in fact it was that cold that you had to splash yourself, instead of standing under it.
One night we went into Dulalee to the Bazzar. All the shops were open without doors or windows, and most of them had benches, that you could sit on and haggle the prices. I was at the Silver-Smith’s and asked him to make me two rings, out of a two shilling piece, he would not make them with English money as it was too hard, however he made me two with a South African two bob. I bought some silk shawls and one or two odds and ends. When we arrived back at the camp I made up a parcel and posted it to my Mother in England. The parcel travelled on the Felix Rouselle with us but my mother never received it. After two weeks of enjoyment, except for the route marches, we were told that we would be leaving, at 7am next morning. So we had to start packing and after breakfast off we went again for the train back to Bombay. Off the train and onto lorries for the trip to the docks. When we arrived we were told to board the ship, which was a Free French Ship, named the Felix Rouselle.
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Arriving on board we found our berth was a hammock each. Leaving Bombay we sailed south in the Indian Ocean. It was very hot, so a few of us slept on the deck, in front of the first funnel. The 53rd Infantry Brigade had left before us, and was immediately sent into action on arriving in Singapore.
The toilets were on the Forecastle, and they were the usual footprints on the floor. We had P.T. then drill and some times housie ( Bingo), after that we were free, mostly to sleep. One day four of us talked about being prisoners and not allowed to speak, so one of them said we should learn morse code by winking our eye and for hours we would stand there winking at each other.
We went through the Sundra straits, which separates Sumatra from Java and then as we went through the Banka Straits we were bombed by 27 high bombers, no one hit or hurt, all near misses.
As we neared Singapore they came at us again. The Empress of Asia was badly hit and burning, this ship had all our transport on board. The rumour was that the Liverpool Irish Stokers had gone on strike and some soldiers had to stoke the fires in there place or so we were told.
As we neared Singapore we had all the Vicker’s Machine Guns, and Bren Guns strapped to the rails. I was on the Monkey Bridge, this was the highest Deck on the ship, and all it had was a wooden cabin, about four feet square without windows or door There was a thin tarpaulin on the rails, and we crouched down behind this, when they dive bombed, you could have poked your finger through it. I was directing others who had bren guns on to various targets. A bomb hit us right between the two funnels, lucky enough only two were killed. I had my webbing lying on a water barrel, a piece of shrapnel cut it into pieces then it dropped into the barrel, this was just before we reached Singapore.
We arrived into Keppel Harbour, no pilot or tugs and we only felt the slightest of bumps against the quay side and this was all in the darkness. Another fellow and I were told to pick up all the empty cartridges which we placed in a large tin bath and we carried it ashore. At the bottom of the gangway, an Aussie voice said, “Here’s a bottle of beer for you”, and he threw it on top of the bath.
We were told that Singapore had only four planes left, that’s why we didn’t have any cover from the air.
I had only my belt, revolver and five rounds of ammunition, I think I must have looked like a cowboy, not a soldier. I told Captain McCreath about my webbing, and he said you were very lucky that you were not inside it.
The Army had to commandeer all civilian lorries, as we had no transport of our own. We set off on this lorry heading towards the golf course where we were stopped by an M.P, and turned back as we were heading for the Jap lines. We were on the wrong road to the Gum Plantation.
We stayed there one day and as we had been paid ten Malayan dollars, we were all buying tins of Pineapple pieces. We then set off for the Navel Base, shots were fired at us, from a clump of trees, and in one second everybody was off the lorry and flat on the ground, or in a ditch. Eventually arriving at the Navel Base, we were shown to our dugout, and set up our Vickers Machine Gun. We were told not to move around, as the Japs had not spotted the dugout yet.
That night we heard an explosion, the last of the retreating troops from Malaya had passed and the engineers blew a hole in the Causeway and to finish it off, a barbed wire fence was erected. That didn’t do a very good job as next morning we were looking across the Straits of Jahore watching the Japs walking around, and lorries going to and fro, but we were not allowed to fire on them. We just sat all day watching them.
The next night we could hear the Japs hammering timber into the hole on the causeway. Lt. General Percival said that the attack by the Japs would be in the North East. So he posted the 18th Division on the North East coast of Singapore. The Japs then landed on the North West part of the Island which was defended by the Australians 8th Division. Commanded by Lt. General Gordon Bennett and he disagreed with Percival, and he was right, as Percival had got the Japanese attack positions wrong.
Bennett also stated that we were very thin on the ground to defend the North West coast. Next morning we were told to pack up and retire from the Navel base and as we did not have any trucks, we marched down to the Bukit Timah Road, which was the main road from the city to the causeway. As the number one Machine Gunner, I had to carry the tripod which weighed 50 lbs the number two had to carry the gun which weighed about the same, as it was also filled with water.
We eventually arrived somewhere on the Bukit Tima road, by this time we were very tired and we were lying in line across the grass in the middle of the road. I was on the outside above an open drain. I had fallen asleep when the fellow next to me pushed me to awaken me, but he pushed to hard and I ended in the drain in about a foot and a half of water, this woke me up quick smart. Trucks had arrived and we were taken to Thompsons Village.
The Japs had a small plane which was used for spotting and he flew over the Village dropping hand grenades down on us. So we left there for the Chinese Cemetery.
Ted and I were on guard it was pitch black and plenty of fireflies which looked like torches in the dark. We were both sitting on this grave, which were made of cement about two foot high, when a hand was put on both our shoulders, we nearly died with fright. it was a Gurkha, out on the prowl. They used to go out at night cutting the throats of the Japs with their Kriss. We talked for a while, then suddenly realised that he was not there. We were relieved and went to our separate holes in the ground. Next morning they shelled us with mortar bombs and we got our first causalities. A bomb hit the edge of a trench and the nearest one, a chap called Les Alexander was killed.
The next casualty was my mate Ted, he had a peice of shrapnel in the left side of his temple and the third one Charlie Carr, was pitted in the face with dirt, as he was running past my trench. I shouted him to jump in with me. He was screaming the “Bastards have got me” and he kept on running until some one grabbed him and hauled him into a trench. After a few more bombs they ceased firing, so we were able to get the injured off to Hospital.
When Ted arrived back from the Hospital, he told me when hit, he didn’t feel anything. They had found a bottle of Whiskey and they got sozzled so they didn’t feel anything at the time. During the ten days that we fought, I can not remember if we had any meals, I know we did not get much sleep. We then marched from the Chinese cemetery back to the Bukit Timah road to a Bottle Makers Factory.It was near to the Ford Factory where the Cease Fire was signed.
After that we marched to a street named Mount Pleasant a small hill just outside the city. Rumours going around, that some Australian Soldiers were A.W.O.L. in Singapore, and according to Lt. Gen. G. Bennett this was right.
Adirect quote from by Maj. JWC Wyatt AIF Regarding Australian Soldiers going AWOL:-
"There were a few Australians and a good many British wandering about Singapore at one stage. It was not the fault of any of them as they had been cut off in the fighting and simply could not find their units; so they made their way back to Singapore where they should have been returned to their units.
There is an army system of collecting posts for this very purpose and if such arrangements had been made, as they should have been, the problem would not have arisen. Whoever was responsible at Malayan Command had simply not done his job. Colonel ‘Billy’ Kent-Hughes soon got them going for the AIF.
My opposite number at Malayan Command was Major David Duke of the Royal Scots Regiment. ‘Chang’ as we called him, was an old friend from the Command and Staff College at Quetta and he rang me one day to say that there were a large number of Australian Troops loose in Singapore, and would I do something about it.
I knew that this was not true and I also knew that British troops had broken into our ordnance stores and fitted themselves out in new clothing, particularly our Digger hats. So I said ‘Chang what’s the colour of their boots?’. He had to inquire and rang me back a little later to apologise, because their boots were black and he knew as well as I did that ours were brown.
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