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IN GOD WE TRUST
JOHN TAYLOR
BORN 26th JULY 1925
TO DR. JAMES TAYLOR AND Ms WONG AH KIAW
At KIMANIS ESTATE, PAPAR, BRITISH NORTH BORNEO
Supplied by Clare Maluda
Biography of Mr John Taylor
My father ,Dr. James Taylor, married Ms Wong Ah Kiaw and they had Me, John Taylor, my younger brother Francis Taylor and my younger sister Beatrice Taylor.
My father seldom be with us because of his marriage to a Chinese and the European Authority disallowed Officer to have children of mixed races in public office.
When I was 7 years old, My Father sent me to Msgr August Wacther to stay with Msgr hoping I would be taught to be a good boy. But Msgr Wachter was too busy and he sent me to the Convent of the White sisters in Penampang. I was there in the convent boarding until I was 10 and my younger brother was also with me. We spent 3 years in the convent.
We were sent back to the Rectory of St. Michael Penampang to live with Msgr Wachter. We lodged below the Kitchen and attended School at St Michael standard One until standard three. I was the altar boy and also a choir boy. I helped to clean the Rectory. I also helped the cook to lay out the table for Msgr Wachter and other priests and brothers (Fr. Bomb, Fr. Oteger, Fr. Toll, Fr. Beckema, Fr. Lampe, Fr. Anthonyson, Fr. Paul Mikol, Br. Gidius, Br. Alexander and Br. Pius),and carried the food to the table and cleaned the dishes after the priests and brothers had their meals.
At the age of 15, My father came to see Msgr Wachter and later sent me to St. Joseph Kuching Sarawak to further my study. I travelled to Kuching on board the Ship MV Marudu.
I began my study all over from Standard One and when I completed my Standard 3, the Japanese declared War in 1939. When the War broke out, all students were sent back home except those who live in Kuching. So I have to leave St. Joseph Kuching with my younger brother Francis.
This time the ship MV Marudu sailed straight to Sandakan without stopping over in Labuan or Jesselton. (Sandakan was the state capital of British North Borneo). I met my Father who was in charge of Duchess of Kent Hospital. My younger brother and I stayed a night with Fr. Davis at St. Mary’s Church Sandakan.
The next day we boarded the same ship and sailed to Tawau. In Tawau we were greeted by Fr. Moulders and Fr. Scohr. We put up at the Boarding School of Holy Trinity Tawau. There we continued our Education from Standard 4 to Standard 5. I passed my Standard 5 and Francis passed his standard 4 examination. At this time the Japanese Soldiers landed in Tawau by way of Tarakan, Indonesia.-
All the priests (Fr. Scohr and Fr. Moulders) were arrested including my brother and I. Since My brother and I were “offspring of White man” so we were arrested and put in Tawau Police Station prison. Those boarders who were local were sent home.
We were locked up in prison for 7 days with the European District Officer, Doctors, Priests, who totaled to 15 of us.
On the night of the 8th day at 11.00 pm, we were rounded up and forced to march from the prison to the wharf for deportation by BBT Tungkang. We were ordered by the Japanese Kempitai to march into the Tungkang where there were also Dutch Soldiers as prisoners of war. It was so crowded like packed sardines in the Tungkang.The BBT Tungkang was towed away in the early morning by Ship MV Subuk and sailed to Pulau Siamil the following day. Before the war, this island was used by the Japanese as fisherman island. They processed “Wood Fish” or tuna to salt fish. They next day we were towed to Sandakan where the ship is refuelled and water supply is carried onto the ship. I had not seen my father since the last time he sent me to Tawau boarding school.
From Sandakan we were towed to Jesselton and we were fed with only rice the size of a tennis ball.No salt fish was given. We were given only rice and a little bit of salt.
In Jesselton wharf, the Japanese Kempitai came to take me and my brother out of the Tungkang and brought us in his Ford car. We arrived at the European Sport Club house. My brother and I were forced to do the house keeping of the Club house, polish their boots and clean their Samurai swords.We were given better food.
One week later, we were sent back to Msgr. Wachter at St. Michael Penampang for almost 1 and ½ years with Msgr.
One day the Japanese District officer of Penamapang came to the Rectory to inform Msgr. and the other priests that they would be taken or transferred to a safer place on a particular day when the war was coming to an end.
One week after the warning, the Japanese Kempitai came with soldiers in 3 lorries. Before 5 pm in the evening, the mission boy Motium and myself went to ring the church bells for 1 hour at which time the soldiers and lorries were at the foot of the mission hill.
The kampong folks had flocked to the church after hearing the bells rang and their number came almost to 5 thousands. Motium and myself went back to the Rectory to help set dinner for msgr Wachter, Fr. Paul Mikol, Fr. Foil, Fr. Bomb and brother Gidius at 7.00pm.
After dinner, the Japanese came into the Rectory at the dinning Hall, the Japanese Kempitai greeted: “Good Evening, we want to take you to a different place and a safer place.” Msgr put on his Mill-Hill Missionary attire and so were the priests and brother. Two mission boy Sabahai and Yong were taken along by the Japanese.
While Msgr. Wachter were at the slope of the hill, he spoke to the people gathered there and his last words were: “Don’t you worry, I will come back again.” The people asked Msgr Wachter to bless them. And Msgr blessed them and after the blessing, mission boy Motium and yong accompanied Msgr to the PWD lorry which was used by the Japanese Soldiers to ferry the Prisoners. When Msgr and the priests were near the lorry, the Kempitai commanded the soldiers to put the Bayonets onto their guns. The soldiers forced the priests and Msgr Wachter to hurry up onto the lorry. Msgr (aged 75) fell while attempting to climb up the lorry.Brother Gidius helped msgr Wachter up onto the lorry. All of them including the 2 mission boys were transferred to Papar and later by train to Tenom.
Meanwhile there were 2 lorries scouting the area along the way and many were caught and forced to climb onto the lorry and deported. Me and my brother managed to escape as we ran towards the crowd and sneaked onto the river side by a huge tree. One of the lorry stopped by the tree where we were hiding, Soldiers looked and searched around for us but we dared not come out from the buttress root of the huge Casuarina. The lorry left with the Japanese soldiers trodding behind.
It was almost midnight they stopped at Mat Noor Patil’s house and took the old man Mat Noor who only clad with a sarong.We followed the lorry at a distance without being seen by the soldiers. Then they stopped at Claudius Yapp’s house and he was also taken in with only singlet and short pants( under-wear). He was 80 years old a retired District Officer of Kinabatangan. The soldiers came to the 3rd house belonged to Kimsing Yapp- a retired Government Printing Officer. He was also taken onto the lorry. The 4th house belonged to Mr. Patil ( a Kaling business man) and he too was taken away with his sarong only. The 5th house belonged to Joseph Manjajih’s Father. This Old man was also taken by the Soldiers. The final house belonged to the A.D.O Herman Motogol and he too was taken onto the Lorry. They all disappeared into the Night and we could not follow them anymore. At that time the road were just buffalo tracks. My brother and I went to Galinggai’s house to take shelter. We stayed there for 3 months.
One day the Japanese Solders commanded the “Village Chiefs” or Native Chiefs to gather the villagers to work at the Tanjung Aru Air-field for 1 month. Little food and resting place were provided. When 1 month is over, we were forced to walk home from Putatan , via Dongongon, then to kasigui township.
When we arrived at Kasigui Township, there were Japanese Soldiers at Kasigui’s shops, they spotted me and my brother (offspring of White Man)and they arrested us and brought us to their Prison Camp in Mile 3. We never arrived at Galinggai’s house/home.
My brother and I were taken to Jesselton Sport’s Club house to work for 2 days for the Japanese Soldiers. Next day at 2.00 pm in the afternoon, we were taken to Jesselton wharf together with 50 others captives and were placed in the BBT Tungkang. It was towed by MV Petril and set sail to Kuching.
After 4 days and 3 nights at sea, we finally arrived Kuching port at 4.00 am. The Soldiers let us out of the tungkang at Kuching wharf but we were not allowed to wear shoes. We walked bare-footed to the town football field and later walked another 7 miles to the Prison camp for all prisoners of multi-races (Europeans, Chinese, Indians, towkays as well). We were kept there until the Japanese surrender in 1945.
Before the Japanese surrender in 1945, we were commanded to dig 7 huge holes on the ground and many Machine guns towers aiming their guns towards the 7 huge holes. Before we were being shot, there were secret messages went around the camp informing us that the war is over and the Japanese has officially surrendered in Labuan.
We were lucky not to be massacred by the Japanese machine guns. The Japanese soldiers ran away when the Australian marines landed in Kuching. The Australian came to our camp to rescue and free us.
While in the Camp, I was wounded by the Japanese soldiers with his gun-butt. He hurted by left leg and the wound did not healed for quite long and its was rotting. The Australian soldiers transferred us in army trucks to their Hospital on Board the Australian Warship. From Kuching we were taken to Labuan. From the Labuan Liberty wharf, we were transported to Batu Arang where we stayed in the Camp for 3 weeks. There my wound in my left leg had healed. In the Camp I happened to meet Fr. Moulders and Fr. Scohr in Labuan. They were at a different camp in Kuching. So we met again in Labuan.There was a chapel where we were introduced to Major General Fr. Magmanus. At that time I was about 25 years old. Major General Fr. Magmanus informed us that they will be leaving for Jesselton in a week’s time. My brother and I had to obtain a letter of release from the Camp General. We left with Major General Fr. Magmanus for Jesselton after we obtained the release document. Fr.Moulders remain in Labuan and he asked us to see my father in camp Block G where he was hospitalized for injury in the head. He could not remember me and my brother. He was taken back to Australia. I had no news of him from that time on. (Later I met my father for the last time in 1975 in Sydney Australia together with my wife Winnie and our son Kenny. He then remembered me and he paid for our stay at Mensis Hotel. He left the world in 1985).
Meanwhile we travelled from Labuan and landed in Kimanis bay by barge and I became an interpreter for the Australian soldiers and the local kadazan folks. At Kimanis army camp, Major General Fr. Magmanus ordered the tyre of his Jeeps be replaced with rail-road wheels and so we were able to drive to Jesselton along the rail-road. His jeeps was fitted with a machine gun on its roof. When we arrived at the rail-way station in Jesselton, they switched back to the jeep tyre . So off we went from the clock Tower to Tanjung Aru army Camp (the Hon place)
On Saturday, Major General Fr. Magmanus said Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral. There were no priest in Jesselton just after the war. Then on Sunday morning, Major General Fr. Magmanus drove my brother and I to St. Michael’s Church Penampang. He celebrated the morning Mass at the Old church. (At the time, the Solid Rock Church of St. Michael Penampang is half completed.)
After the morning mass, we bid farewell to Major General Fr. Magmanus and his soldiers. We chose to stay behind in Penampang. We went back to our villange “Inobong”.
We shaked hands before we departed. At that moment my childhood and teenage friend Mr Elias Daud talked to Major General Fr. Magmanus asking him for permission to follow him to Labuan to work. So he left with them.
We had no money and no work at that time, so we walked from Inobong to Jesselton town to look for work.We met Datuk Fong Peng Loi, the head of the Telephone Company of North Borneo. He recommended my brother (Francis Taylor)to work as a wireless operator, sending and receiving telegram and his wage is 6 British dollars a month. Free quarters were provided and Francis worked until his Liver illness took him away before retirement in 1978.
I was looking for a job in PWD but there was none. Then I worked as a Rail-way labourer for 2 months with a wage of 6 cents a day ( $1.80 per month). I resigned 24 hours and I travelled to Beaufort by train. Then I went to Labuan from Kuala Penyu in a rowing sampan with 8 rowers. No fare was paid but we have to row the boat. When I was in Labuan, I did not look for Mr Elias Daud. I was in Pasir Panjang and I slept outside the tuckshop. My life was like a beggar. I kept looking for a job.I asked everybody I met and I went to the Power Station near the Church to meet Mr. Jack Weber. He told me that there was no vacancy at the power station.
He asked the General Manager of Iceson Power Plc in Jesselton to give me a job. Mr. Bitmit the General Manager told Mr. Jack Weber that I could have a job in his power station if I could play football.
So I agreed to play football and worked at Power Station in Tanjung Aru. I came back to Jesselton to meet Mr Bitmit. I travelled by Strait Steam Ship “Kajang” with a fare of 2 dollars. I slept on the deck. The fare was paid by Mr. Jack Weber and he gave me food as well.
I was interviewed by Mr Bitmit and he employed me and I was paid 6 cents per day. During the course of my work, I was trained by Mr. Joseph Manjajih for 2 weeks as a boxer to challenge a Burmese Boxer. I borrowed a bicycle from a friend to go to work and to the training camp. I won the fight and my boss promoted me to earn 12 dollars a month. I still lived in the company quarters just above the power station.
The Power Station was taken over by Public Works Department of the British company, new Diesel engines were installed with AC output.The PWD closed down the old power station and built new one with the English Electric Power engines specially ordered from Britain.
Unfortunately the workers were not happy with the PWD and there was a Human Resources Manpower on strike. No one wanted to work. I did not join in the strike because I earned 12 dollars a month. So I decided to do 7 days work a week having no rest on Sunday. I was married then and feared that I may risk to lose my job. I worked round the clock and my family sent food to the station for me since I could not leave the building.
Towards the end of the Strike, Sir Roland Good, the Governor of British North Borneo, visited the power station together with the General Manager Mr. Barukopli. The Governor saw me working with very pale appearance.He sympathized with me and promoted me to Station Charge-man in Tanjung Aru with a Salary of 27 dollars a month.
Later I was transferred to Kudat where I worked for almost 10 years. Then my transfers followed from Kudat to Jesselton, to Papar, to Lahad Datu, back to Papar, to Keningau while supervising Tenom, Nabawan and Tambunan. Then I retired in Tenom in 1986 and live in Tenom until now. I am a Prodigal Son and I have returned to our Lord.I still keep my faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Last but not least I want to thank the Brave Australian Soldiers who landed in Labuan and Kuching to defeat the Japanese Soldiers who were about to massacre us. We were forced to dig a huge hole enough to burry all the prisoners of war at the camp. We were lined up ready to be shot by their machine guns. Very fortunately the Australian Soldiers came to rescue us and the Japanese surrendered without much fighting.
It was an experience nearing death call. I survived to this day to thank God and the Brave Soldiers known and unknown, Heroes who had sacrificed their lives to save us all. God bless them and Rest their Souls in Peace. To those Soldiers who are still around with us, I thank you dep down from my heart. Without you I will not be writing this testimony. May God also bless you and your family and their children as well.
Finally, I take these precious seconds to thank you , the brave soldiers, the Australian Government as well as the Government of the United Kingdom. Thank you unendingly for bringing this peace to us and we always need you now and then.
Praise the Lord.
Mr. John Taylor
(Narrated by Mr John Taylor himself on 17.11.2011.)
(Dictated by Mr. Richard Kok)
Supplied by Clare Maluda
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