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This account has kindly been provided by Geoff Worham, many thanks Geoffxx
Attached is a true story of some soldiers that escaped from the Japanese Feb 1942.
My old school mate gave me the original of this harrowing escape.
His uncle was Sgt Gale
The original was type written and hard to understand as the paper it was written on was poor quality and rotting away
but I finally got it all together. It is not good English and all over the place but written as it happened.
I hope you enjoy it.
Geoff Worham
Singapore to Bombay
February 15th 1942 March 10th1942
Capt S Lemin - Intelligence Corps
Lt M.R Burrows - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Lt R Martin - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery (LAD RAOC)
ASM Dexter F - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
BSM Coppin J - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
BSM Smith C.E - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Boyd A.K.H - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Gale E.R - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Gibberd H,G - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Malloy G.C - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Neville P.A - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt O’Shea - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Petty E.F - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Rogers W.J - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Smith G.R.A - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Taylor J - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Wicken J.W - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
L/Sgt Isaacs G.E - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
L/Sgt Ludgater A.G - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Bdr Prime C.W.L - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
L/Bdr Porter L.A - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Dvr. Hawkins G.F - 18thDivision Sigs. R.C.S
Gnr Howden H.W - 31/7 Coast Regt Royal Artillery
Sgmn Lock W.G - 18thDivision Sigs. R.C.S
Gnr Navickas J - 11/7 Coast Regt Royal Artillery
The above up to and including L/Bdr. Porter were first detailed by their units for evacuation on the night of Friday 13thFebruary 1942. Due to various circumstances they were unable to leave Singapore until Sunday 15thFebruary, and it is at 06.30hrs. on Sunday that this diary will open, (Saturday 14thwas spent in Princess Building, Princess Square and was shelled night 14th/15thwhen Bdr.C.W.L. Prime was wounded)
Sunday 15thFebruary 1942
06.30 Lt Burrows went to docks to try and find a boat,
07.30 Lifeboat discovered aboard Naval training ship “Laburnum”
08.00 Lifeboat launched. It had been on the davits so long that the wood had shrunk and so it soon filled with water when we tried to float it. However the wood soon began to swell and baling parties kept the boat from sinking altogether
09.00 Discovery of a small steam launch at anchor in the harbour. Name “Siong Aik”. Sgt Malloy immediately set about raising steam assisted by L/Sgt Ludgater.
The remainder of the party obtained food etc from warehouse in docks, and also transferred coal from neighbouring launches.
13.10 Heavy bombing attack on the docks. We were about 100yards away Laburnum set on fire. Capt Lemin got some shrapnel in the right thigh. Sgt O’Shea dressed the wounds. Capt Lemin stood the rough medical treatment very well.
13.40 Just sufficient steam to get under way.Lt Burrows at the wheel.
15.15 Steam pressure very low, so hove to. Water here too deep for anchor to take effect, so we drift.
15.25 We observed another heavy bomb load drop on the docks. The whle front now seems to be burning, and the smoke from the island makes the sky dark.
15.32 We are drifting the wrong way for our peace of mind, so make a little progress with the little steam we have.
15.40 Tied up to buoy No.9.
15.50 Under way
Anchored off Burning Island. Boiler dangerous . Anticipate 3-4 hour wait
Monday 16thFebruary 1942
The anchor dragged several times during the night, and at about 01.30hrs we were aground in a small bay sheltered on all sides by islands.
07.40 Lt Martin took a party ashore in the lifeboat to the largest of the islands, known as Baxong Padang. Native population appear to be Anti-Japanese. One native was found who could speak English, but the only words he knew were “JAPANESE BASTARD” which he kept repeating
0905 Shore party returned. Lt. Martin reports island is thickly wooded, and the party obtained plenty of mangoes and coconuts.
0935 “SIONG AIK” appears to be straightening up with the incoming tide.
1015 4 Australians came up in a small sailing boat. Told us their intention of sailing to Australia,BSM Coppin gave them his priamatic compass
1030 Australians left sailing S.S.E
1035 Boiler filled and cover replaced.
1205 Single enemy aircraft flew over.
12.09 Anchor up, under way- pressure 80
12.15 Dinner served- Corned beef rissoles, biscuits, rice pudding(made with coconut milk), and a cup of tea.
Pressure going down
1425 Pressure reported rising. Water pump holding.
1430 Lt Martin supervised the erection of the ship’s latrine on the port side amidships. Equipment- 1 bucket, 1canvas screen. Privacy thus maintained
15.00 Watches and duties arranged as follows
Helmsmen :- Lt. Burrows. Lt. Martin, A.S.M Dexter.
Engineers:- Sgt. Malloy. L/Sgt. Ludgater
Cooks:- Sgt. Gale, Sgt. Petty
Stokers :- Sgt Neville, Sgt Rogers, Sgt Smith,G.R.A, L/Sgt. Issacs.
Ships Cleaner :- Gnr. Navickas.
Watches:-
B.S.M. Coppin and B.S.M.Smith 2400-0200 and 1200-1400
Sgt. Boyd and Sgt. Gibberd 0200-0400 and 14.00-1600
Sgt. O’Shea and Sgt. Taylor 0400-0600 and 1600-1800
Sgt.Wicken and Bdr. Prime 0600-0800 and 1800-2000
L/Bdr. Porter and Sgmn. Lock 0800-1000 and 2000-2200
Gnr.Howden and Dyr. Hawkins 1000-1200 and 2200-2400
Bdr. Prime to keep log of the voyage
1620 Joint burst in theengine room. Engineers working on it. Meanwhile we are drifting
16.30 L/Bdr. Porter lost the leakey bucket overboard
1640 Tea served :- Fruit salad, peaches, 3 buscuits, jam, tea.
1714 Under way
1750 Hove to – lack of water in the boiler. Letting off steam
Tuesday 17th February 1942
0415 General turnout, as we seem to be in danger of drifting onto an island. We have apparently drifted a long way during the night. Anchored
0500 The large lead block which we are using as a secondary anchor appears to have checked the drift
0625 45lbs. pressure reported from the engine room. Underway- course S.W
0745 Breakfast served :- half pilchard, fruit salad, 4 biscuits, jam, tea.
0935 Hove to – lack of steam
1050 Under way. During the last halt, all hands tasted the mangoes obtained from Bakong Padang, and pronounced them good.
1118 Hove to at a small island. Native says there is no water.
1125 Underway again.
1137 Hailed party of British troops in a sampan. They appear to be Ok.
1200 Dinner served :- Stew, rice pudding, one peach.
1317 Hove to off small island- pressure low.
1600 Shore party left under Lt. Burrows in the lifeboat. An attempt to sail it failed, and so oars had to be used. Found impossible to land owing to swamps.
1715 Shore party returned
1745 Tea served :- one peach, fruit salad, 4 biscuits, jam, tea. Boiler being emptied as something has fallen in.
2325 Filling of boiler began
Wednesday 18thFebruary 1942
0030 Boiler filled and fired up
0215 Steam up – under way.
0640 A long island sighted – appears to be about 5 miles away – SUMATRA?
0730 Hove to.
0800 Breakfast served: - Macaroni, Fruit cocktail, 4 biscuits, jam, tea.
0815 Shore party left under Lt. Martin;
0850 Under way.
0925 Hove to, to pick up shore party. They did not get ashore, but boarded the sampan “BIANG HAK AIK”. On board were – Lt. G.F.A. Nichols – 2/18 A.I.F. and 38 O.R.’s ( one wounded). They have enough food and water. Informed us that Singapore fell at 1600 hrs, on Sunday 15th. February, and that the Gunners continued firing long after that time.
0935 Friendly native gave us directions. He was very pleased to receive a packet of cigarettes. We are now off Sumatra.
1005 Motor boat seen, coming up fast. Passed us about 200 yds, on port side.
1108 Lt. burrows took a party ashore in the lifeboat.
1200 Dinner – Stew, rice pudding, 2 apricots, 2 biscuits.
1425 Put in at small village of KAMPONG BURONG. Obtained bananas, coconuts, pineapples and some brown-coloured water.
1550 Under way again.
1555 Sgt. Givverd broke a china cup.
1700 Tied up at small pier. Letting off steam.
1730 Tea:- Prunes, fruit salad, apricot jam, biscuits, tea.
1800 Inofrmation obtained from friendly native. Payment made in rice.
2030 Cocoa served round.
2350 Filling boiler started.
Thursday 19thFebruary 1942
0040 Boiler filled.
0100 Broke away from pier. Fires started at once. Drifting.
0225 Steam up – under way.
0515 Cup of tea served.
0800 Breakfast:- Fried corned beef, 2 apricots, fruit salad, biscuits, apricot jam, tea.
1055 Sgt. O’Shea lost a bucket overboard.
1210 Tied up at a fish “trap”. Dinner:- Stew and rice, 3 apricots, biscuits.
1320 Up anchor – under way. Lt’ Martin at the wheel.
1335 Aground – all hands less two engineers and Lt’ Martin got into lifeboat.
1400 All aboard again and steaming into deeper water. Cup of tea served.
1505 Hove to – pressure low.
1530 Under way – pressure low, but making enough speed to prevent drifting. Hope to build up pressure as we go along.
1710 Tied up in a wood which appears to grow out of the sea. Must be a sunken island.
1720 Teal, 2 apricots, fruit salad, 4 biscuits, apricot jam, tea.
1745 Wood foraging parties set out in lifeboat.
1930 Coffee, biscuits, and cheese.
2000 Boiler being filled.
2050 Boiler filled. (Record time).
Friday 20thFebruary 1942
0515 First attempts to cast off, but we seem to be fairly stuck – Used much precious steam,
0600 Suggested by B dr. Prime that all hands run from side to side in endeavour to free boat from the mud. Suggestion carried out, and wedge-shaped clearing formed by bowe – still stuck, however.
0630 Suggested by B.S.M. Smith that all hands stand on stern and jump up and down to release bowe. Suggested carried out, and we rode off immediately. Steamed slwly as a lot of pressure was lot in above efforts. Discovered that owing to the boat’s being down by the sterm last night, we had only half filled the boiler – no wonder it was filled in record time.
0700 Breakfast:- Tinned lamb’s tongue, 2 peach, 2 apricots, 3 biscuits, tea.
0710 Pressure low – drifting back.
0740 Under way.
0755 Hove to – letting off steam.
0850 Boiler filled to capacity.
1040 Pressure reported at 80. Safety valve blowing.
1055 Under way against current.
1215 Dinner:- Stew, peach, apricots, rice, biscuits.
1315 Cup of coffee.
1400 Hove to. Engineers unable to give us enough steam to make headway against the current. Lt. Burrows at the wheel.
1455 Pressure low – made for pier at trading station KOEALA GAOENG. No steerage way, and knocked down about 32 feet of pier. Lt. Burrows, SGt. O’Shea, and Sgt. Taylor went ashore, and obtained much information from the natives. The gave the owners of the station a note to the British Consul for repair of the pier- presumably after the war. Given a plan to guide us to PRIGI RADJA. Getting up steam as quickly as possible.
1605 Small native canoe with 6 British troops passed by.
1612 Ready to move
1615 Under way. Lt.martin at the wheel.
1645 Picked up native guides.
1655 Tea :- 2 peaches, biscuits, coffee.
1800 PRIGI RADJA sighted – pressure low.
1810 Native guides left us and proceeded to Pringi Radja. We are drifting.
1825 Under way.
1850 Party under Lt Martin rowed over to steamship. Got information from Dutch skipper J.M.BUISSINK. Hoofdagent van Politie – equivalent to our police inspector, came aboard. He gave us a lot valuable information and assistance. He is apparently on his way to sort out some Chinese pirates who are causing a spot of bother in the district, having killed some natives and looted a village or two. – We collected wood and water here and bought some bottles of lemonade, sweets etc.
2000 Tied up to police boat for the night.
Saturday 21stFebruary 1942
0610 Under way
0825 Hove to at LUONG
0840 Lt. Martin took a party ashore.
0945 Shore party returned having obtained wood, tea, coffee, cakes and banana fritters. Lt. Martin reports that the village has a real miniature shopping centre including a barbers shop complete to the usual tip – back chair.
1115 Under way. Turns taken to chop up logs.
1215 Dinner:- Stew with rice, 2 apricots, biscuits.
1330 Small craft sighted on other side of river coming in our direction. Turns out to be an American landing craft, manned by some officers and men of the Royal Navy. They came alongside and agreed to take us on board.
1345 All safely transferred to landing craft. Fires have been drawn the “SIONG AIK” and we left her anchored in the river.
1415 SIONG AIK passes out of sight. L/Sgt. Isaacs obtained a photo of her just as we left.
Here a tribute must be paid to our two engineers – Sgt. Malloy and L/Sgt. Ludgater. They worked unceasingly throughout the voyage, and it is due to them that we got so far. The cooks Sgts. Gale and Petty- Kept us well fed and always had a meal ready when most needed. Their rice pudding made with coconut milk was a masterpiece and deserves special mention.
118thField Regiment R.A. (T.A.)
Evacuees from Singapore
At R.A Depot Deolali India
March 1942
From left Top row Malloy, Porter, Bacon, Ludgater, ?, Smith
Front G.R.A. Smith, Gale, Coppin, Petty, Wicken
Absent from the photograph C.W.L. Prime in Bombay Hospital,
(Wounded Colombo}
Attached is a true story of some soldiers that escaped from the Japanese Feb 1942.
My old school mate gave me the original of this harrowing escape.
His uncle was Sgt Gale
The original was type written and hard to understand as the paper it was written on was poor quality and rotting away
but I finally got it all together. It is not good English and all over the place but written as it happened.
I hope you enjoy it.
Geoff Worham
Singapore to Bombay
February 15th 1942 March 10th1942
Capt S Lemin - Intelligence Corps
Lt M.R Burrows - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Lt R Martin - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery (LAD RAOC)
ASM Dexter F - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
BSM Coppin J - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
BSM Smith C.E - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Boyd A.K.H - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Gale E.R - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Gibberd H,G - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Malloy G.C - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Neville P.A - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt O’Shea - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Petty E.F - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Rogers W.J - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Smith G.R.A - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Sgt Taylor J - 15thField Security Section Intelligence Corps
Sgt Wicken J.W - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
L/Sgt Isaacs G.E - 148thField Regt Royal Artillery
L/Sgt Ludgater A.G - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Bdr Prime C.W.L - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
L/Bdr Porter L.A - 118thField Regt Royal Artillery
Dvr. Hawkins G.F - 18thDivision Sigs. R.C.S
Gnr Howden H.W - 31/7 Coast Regt Royal Artillery
Sgmn Lock W.G - 18thDivision Sigs. R.C.S
Gnr Navickas J - 11/7 Coast Regt Royal Artillery
The above up to and including L/Bdr. Porter were first detailed by their units for evacuation on the night of Friday 13thFebruary 1942. Due to various circumstances they were unable to leave Singapore until Sunday 15thFebruary, and it is at 06.30hrs. on Sunday that this diary will open, (Saturday 14thwas spent in Princess Building, Princess Square and was shelled night 14th/15thwhen Bdr.C.W.L. Prime was wounded)
Sunday 15thFebruary 1942
06.30 Lt Burrows went to docks to try and find a boat,
07.30 Lifeboat discovered aboard Naval training ship “Laburnum”
08.00 Lifeboat launched. It had been on the davits so long that the wood had shrunk and so it soon filled with water when we tried to float it. However the wood soon began to swell and baling parties kept the boat from sinking altogether
09.00 Discovery of a small steam launch at anchor in the harbour. Name “Siong Aik”. Sgt Malloy immediately set about raising steam assisted by L/Sgt Ludgater.
The remainder of the party obtained food etc from warehouse in docks, and also transferred coal from neighbouring launches.
13.10 Heavy bombing attack on the docks. We were about 100yards away Laburnum set on fire. Capt Lemin got some shrapnel in the right thigh. Sgt O’Shea dressed the wounds. Capt Lemin stood the rough medical treatment very well.
13.40 Just sufficient steam to get under way.Lt Burrows at the wheel.
15.15 Steam pressure very low, so hove to. Water here too deep for anchor to take effect, so we drift.
15.25 We observed another heavy bomb load drop on the docks. The whle front now seems to be burning, and the smoke from the island makes the sky dark.
15.32 We are drifting the wrong way for our peace of mind, so make a little progress with the little steam we have.
15.40 Tied up to buoy No.9.
15.50 Under way
Anchored off Burning Island. Boiler dangerous . Anticipate 3-4 hour wait
Monday 16thFebruary 1942
The anchor dragged several times during the night, and at about 01.30hrs we were aground in a small bay sheltered on all sides by islands.
07.40 Lt Martin took a party ashore in the lifeboat to the largest of the islands, known as Baxong Padang. Native population appear to be Anti-Japanese. One native was found who could speak English, but the only words he knew were “JAPANESE BASTARD” which he kept repeating
0905 Shore party returned. Lt. Martin reports island is thickly wooded, and the party obtained plenty of mangoes and coconuts.
0935 “SIONG AIK” appears to be straightening up with the incoming tide.
1015 4 Australians came up in a small sailing boat. Told us their intention of sailing to Australia,BSM Coppin gave them his priamatic compass
1030 Australians left sailing S.S.E
1035 Boiler filled and cover replaced.
1205 Single enemy aircraft flew over.
12.09 Anchor up, under way- pressure 80
12.15 Dinner served- Corned beef rissoles, biscuits, rice pudding(made with coconut milk), and a cup of tea.
Pressure going down
1425 Pressure reported rising. Water pump holding.
1430 Lt Martin supervised the erection of the ship’s latrine on the port side amidships. Equipment- 1 bucket, 1canvas screen. Privacy thus maintained
15.00 Watches and duties arranged as follows
Helmsmen :- Lt. Burrows. Lt. Martin, A.S.M Dexter.
Engineers:- Sgt. Malloy. L/Sgt. Ludgater
Cooks:- Sgt. Gale, Sgt. Petty
Stokers :- Sgt Neville, Sgt Rogers, Sgt Smith,G.R.A, L/Sgt. Issacs.
Ships Cleaner :- Gnr. Navickas.
Watches:-
B.S.M. Coppin and B.S.M.Smith 2400-0200 and 1200-1400
Sgt. Boyd and Sgt. Gibberd 0200-0400 and 14.00-1600
Sgt. O’Shea and Sgt. Taylor 0400-0600 and 1600-1800
Sgt.Wicken and Bdr. Prime 0600-0800 and 1800-2000
L/Bdr. Porter and Sgmn. Lock 0800-1000 and 2000-2200
Gnr.Howden and Dyr. Hawkins 1000-1200 and 2200-2400
Bdr. Prime to keep log of the voyage
1620 Joint burst in theengine room. Engineers working on it. Meanwhile we are drifting
16.30 L/Bdr. Porter lost the leakey bucket overboard
1640 Tea served :- Fruit salad, peaches, 3 buscuits, jam, tea.
1714 Under way
1750 Hove to – lack of water in the boiler. Letting off steam
Tuesday 17th February 1942
0415 General turnout, as we seem to be in danger of drifting onto an island. We have apparently drifted a long way during the night. Anchored
0500 The large lead block which we are using as a secondary anchor appears to have checked the drift
0625 45lbs. pressure reported from the engine room. Underway- course S.W
0745 Breakfast served :- half pilchard, fruit salad, 4 biscuits, jam, tea.
0935 Hove to – lack of steam
1050 Under way. During the last halt, all hands tasted the mangoes obtained from Bakong Padang, and pronounced them good.
1118 Hove to at a small island. Native says there is no water.
1125 Underway again.
1137 Hailed party of British troops in a sampan. They appear to be Ok.
1200 Dinner served :- Stew, rice pudding, one peach.
1317 Hove to off small island- pressure low.
1600 Shore party left under Lt. Burrows in the lifeboat. An attempt to sail it failed, and so oars had to be used. Found impossible to land owing to swamps.
1715 Shore party returned
1745 Tea served :- one peach, fruit salad, 4 biscuits, jam, tea. Boiler being emptied as something has fallen in.
2325 Filling of boiler began
Wednesday 18thFebruary 1942
0030 Boiler filled and fired up
0215 Steam up – under way.
0640 A long island sighted – appears to be about 5 miles away – SUMATRA?
0730 Hove to.
0800 Breakfast served: - Macaroni, Fruit cocktail, 4 biscuits, jam, tea.
0815 Shore party left under Lt. Martin;
0850 Under way.
0925 Hove to, to pick up shore party. They did not get ashore, but boarded the sampan “BIANG HAK AIK”. On board were – Lt. G.F.A. Nichols – 2/18 A.I.F. and 38 O.R.’s ( one wounded). They have enough food and water. Informed us that Singapore fell at 1600 hrs, on Sunday 15th. February, and that the Gunners continued firing long after that time.
0935 Friendly native gave us directions. He was very pleased to receive a packet of cigarettes. We are now off Sumatra.
1005 Motor boat seen, coming up fast. Passed us about 200 yds, on port side.
1108 Lt. burrows took a party ashore in the lifeboat.
1200 Dinner – Stew, rice pudding, 2 apricots, 2 biscuits.
1425 Put in at small village of KAMPONG BURONG. Obtained bananas, coconuts, pineapples and some brown-coloured water.
1550 Under way again.
1555 Sgt. Givverd broke a china cup.
1700 Tied up at small pier. Letting off steam.
1730 Tea:- Prunes, fruit salad, apricot jam, biscuits, tea.
1800 Inofrmation obtained from friendly native. Payment made in rice.
2030 Cocoa served round.
2350 Filling boiler started.
Thursday 19thFebruary 1942
0040 Boiler filled.
0100 Broke away from pier. Fires started at once. Drifting.
0225 Steam up – under way.
0515 Cup of tea served.
0800 Breakfast:- Fried corned beef, 2 apricots, fruit salad, biscuits, apricot jam, tea.
1055 Sgt. O’Shea lost a bucket overboard.
1210 Tied up at a fish “trap”. Dinner:- Stew and rice, 3 apricots, biscuits.
1320 Up anchor – under way. Lt’ Martin at the wheel.
1335 Aground – all hands less two engineers and Lt’ Martin got into lifeboat.
1400 All aboard again and steaming into deeper water. Cup of tea served.
1505 Hove to – pressure low.
1530 Under way – pressure low, but making enough speed to prevent drifting. Hope to build up pressure as we go along.
1710 Tied up in a wood which appears to grow out of the sea. Must be a sunken island.
1720 Teal, 2 apricots, fruit salad, 4 biscuits, apricot jam, tea.
1745 Wood foraging parties set out in lifeboat.
1930 Coffee, biscuits, and cheese.
2000 Boiler being filled.
2050 Boiler filled. (Record time).
Friday 20thFebruary 1942
0515 First attempts to cast off, but we seem to be fairly stuck – Used much precious steam,
0600 Suggested by B dr. Prime that all hands run from side to side in endeavour to free boat from the mud. Suggestion carried out, and wedge-shaped clearing formed by bowe – still stuck, however.
0630 Suggested by B.S.M. Smith that all hands stand on stern and jump up and down to release bowe. Suggested carried out, and we rode off immediately. Steamed slwly as a lot of pressure was lot in above efforts. Discovered that owing to the boat’s being down by the sterm last night, we had only half filled the boiler – no wonder it was filled in record time.
0700 Breakfast:- Tinned lamb’s tongue, 2 peach, 2 apricots, 3 biscuits, tea.
0710 Pressure low – drifting back.
0740 Under way.
0755 Hove to – letting off steam.
0850 Boiler filled to capacity.
1040 Pressure reported at 80. Safety valve blowing.
1055 Under way against current.
1215 Dinner:- Stew, peach, apricots, rice, biscuits.
1315 Cup of coffee.
1400 Hove to. Engineers unable to give us enough steam to make headway against the current. Lt. Burrows at the wheel.
1455 Pressure low – made for pier at trading station KOEALA GAOENG. No steerage way, and knocked down about 32 feet of pier. Lt. Burrows, SGt. O’Shea, and Sgt. Taylor went ashore, and obtained much information from the natives. The gave the owners of the station a note to the British Consul for repair of the pier- presumably after the war. Given a plan to guide us to PRIGI RADJA. Getting up steam as quickly as possible.
1605 Small native canoe with 6 British troops passed by.
1612 Ready to move
1615 Under way. Lt.martin at the wheel.
1645 Picked up native guides.
1655 Tea :- 2 peaches, biscuits, coffee.
1800 PRIGI RADJA sighted – pressure low.
1810 Native guides left us and proceeded to Pringi Radja. We are drifting.
1825 Under way.
1850 Party under Lt Martin rowed over to steamship. Got information from Dutch skipper J.M.BUISSINK. Hoofdagent van Politie – equivalent to our police inspector, came aboard. He gave us a lot valuable information and assistance. He is apparently on his way to sort out some Chinese pirates who are causing a spot of bother in the district, having killed some natives and looted a village or two. – We collected wood and water here and bought some bottles of lemonade, sweets etc.
2000 Tied up to police boat for the night.
Saturday 21stFebruary 1942
0610 Under way
0825 Hove to at LUONG
0840 Lt. Martin took a party ashore.
0945 Shore party returned having obtained wood, tea, coffee, cakes and banana fritters. Lt. Martin reports that the village has a real miniature shopping centre including a barbers shop complete to the usual tip – back chair.
1115 Under way. Turns taken to chop up logs.
1215 Dinner:- Stew with rice, 2 apricots, biscuits.
1330 Small craft sighted on other side of river coming in our direction. Turns out to be an American landing craft, manned by some officers and men of the Royal Navy. They came alongside and agreed to take us on board.
1345 All safely transferred to landing craft. Fires have been drawn the “SIONG AIK” and we left her anchored in the river.
1415 SIONG AIK passes out of sight. L/Sgt. Isaacs obtained a photo of her just as we left.
Here a tribute must be paid to our two engineers – Sgt. Malloy and L/Sgt. Ludgater. They worked unceasingly throughout the voyage, and it is due to them that we got so far. The cooks Sgts. Gale and Petty- Kept us well fed and always had a meal ready when most needed. Their rice pudding made with coconut milk was a masterpiece and deserves special mention.
118thField Regiment R.A. (T.A.)
Evacuees from Singapore
At R.A Depot Deolali India
March 1942
From left Top row Malloy, Porter, Bacon, Ludgater, ?, Smith
Front G.R.A. Smith, Gale, Coppin, Petty, Wicken
Absent from the photograph C.W.L. Prime in Bombay Hospital,
(Wounded Colombo}
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