7: Hard Labour, Batavia Airfield - Part 1.

On our first morning at work we wondered what was in store for us. All the airmen were formed up in the yard in ranks of four, and with several guards and a Japanese officer we were marched out of the gates along through the town with a number of spectators watching, then on to a rock chipping road where we heard machine gun fire in the distance, then across fields and eventually arriving at Batavia Airport.

After some consultation between the officer in charge of us and those in charge at the airport, we were marched to the runway which had been devastated by three charges detonated at intervals which left huge craters along it. There were several other craters that had been caused by bombing. We were then marched twenty men to a crater and given tools which consisted of a wicker basket with a pole through for two men to lift and a three sided wooden tray, which was to be filled using a mattock and hammers to break the rock.

Work began in the sweltering heat watched over by Japanese soldiers, the slings and baskets had to be loaded full, the trays weighed twenty eight pounds when full and had to be picked up by one man and carrier to the crater and tipped, then back again and refilled. This was accompanied by constant shouts of “Speedo, Speedo”, it was going to be an awful day. Any man appearing not to do his best was beaten, some were made to hold an empty oil drum over his head at arms length then beaten when they could not carry on.

At lunch break our meal consisted of rice packed in a two inch deep rectangular box with a small piece of fish which we were allowed to eat in the shelter of the palm trees. Our meal over, it was back to work with no let up. We would have liked to change about with the work, but it didn't seem a good idea to chance anything which might aggravate our captors and cause further beatings.

At last we were told to put our tools together, leave them and form up ready to march back to prison. We were dead beat and fortunately they didn't worry too much about our marching together until we reached the main roads. Halted at the gates of the prison we were then counted before entering, locked in our cells and food brought shortly afterwards. The usual diet again. Not much was said as we sat or laid down feeling completely exhausted and almost too tired to eat.

After the meal and a drink, we began to talk and discussed our various experiences of the day. Some had removed their shirts and been badly sunburnt, some had blistered hands and others sore shoulders from carrying heavy loads. Unexpectedly, during the evening a RAF medical officer appear at the bars of our cells accompanies by a guard asking if anyone was unwell. He told those suffering from sunburn to come to the bars then rubbed them with ointment warning them to wear their shirts in future as he hadn't much hope of getting further supplies of medication.

There was another roll call that night. We carried on in the same pattern for a fortnight. The searing heat and the pace at which we had to work , plus the lack of decent food began to take its toll, we were unable to go on being pushed to our very limits. With no rest, raw hands and diarrhoea, then dysentry, work was slowing so we suffered more beatings and blows with rifle butts, we just couldn't go on.

That night the M.O. came to the cell bars and was furious when he saw the state we were in. He told us he would try to see the Commandant with the C.O.

The next day we were not called for work so just sat or laid resting until afternoon when the door was unlocked, we were then herded out and put into ranks on the square. The camp Commandant then addressed us and said that we had worked hard so had been given the day off. Some restrictions were to be lifted but would be renewed if we didn't behave. Then our C.O. spoke to us saying he had had a talk with the Commandant regarding our working and living conditions. He had told him there would be no prisoners left to do any work if there were no immediate improvements.

The changes to be made were that the cell doors were to be left open and if we so wished we could sleep outside the yard. We were not to stroll about outside and must not collect into groups. Washing facilities were to be made in the yard and another concession which pleased us greatly, was that RAF and army cooks would take over the preparation of food. The rice and stew was to be put into tubs and collected from the cook house by men from each cell, the grandly named stew consisted of some type of greens, the water it was cooked in plus an occasional potato and the liquid. We were each to keep our own tin bowl and dish. Food was our top priority, so this news alone was much welcomed by all.

Our spirits were lifted with all this information and that evening after roll call I moved my blanket outside along with a few other. It was great to lay under the purple sky looking up at the stars. I slept well that night free from bugs at last. Our blankets and any belongings still had to be kept in our cells at all times, except when in use.

There were always guards present in the yard, they had to be saluted or bowed to and were pretty troublesome at times, we never knew when to expect a beating. The real purpose of going outside was to wash or do washing.

Toilet facilities were to be made in the year as the holes in the cell floors were full of flies and were the main cause of the dysentry which had broken out. The RAF officers, who up until that time had been placed in the various cells along with us men, were now moved into one cell together and were put in charge of various sections of men as we were marched to work.

At the airfield we were now allocated a ten minute rest time, four men at each interval, depending on the guard, sometime we weren't so lucky. We were being driven as hard as ever but it was a relief to know there wold be the occasional rest, no one slackened, things were a little better and it was in our interest to keep it that way.

Over the next few days cubicles were built out of the bug ridden table tops by some of the prisoners and placed in the centre of the yard over the main drainage channel that run under the prison wall through an iron grille. This was a cement channel eighteen inches deep and approximately twelve inches wide, designed to cope with the tropical downpours. The cubicles straddled this drain and were to be our toilets. There was running water from a fire hose, this was placed in the channel for flushing purposed each morning and evening for our use before leaving for work and upon return. The cell toilets were clean and not used again. Other cubicles were made with gratings to stand on, so we were able to wash and have hand showers. Water for this purpose was obtained from a tap in the yard.  Behind the prison was a small river into which all the sewage ran. On the opposite bank live Javanese in bamboo huts. Their toilets were cubicles place on bamboo rafts moored to the bank, so all their waste went into this river in which they also bathed and did their washing.

6: Batavia, Bouie Glodok Prison

We were put into some sort of order and marched off feeling better for the food and rest, but awfully tired as it was our fourth night without proper sleep. I've no idea how long we marched, time didn't count anymore, someone else has control of us, so, we just did or acted as instructed. It began to sink into my brain that I had to think for myself, survival was to be the aim and how to achieve it. I had no knowledge of what to expect or what lay ahead ad wondered, can I stand what was to come with no control over my future.

Eventually we halted outside a large building, double doors were opened into what appear to be the entrance to a railway station booking office with a window and a door at each side. There were also double doors with guards at the other end of the room. A Japanese officer was counting us into groups of twenty, bringing his sword down between each group. We were then roughly searched and moved on through the far end double doors into a yard. We now realised this was a prison. We stood waiting until a large number of us had assembled and were then marched to the cells. I was put in a cell which had a cement floor and walls, one of which had iron bars from half way up the wall to the ceiling, together with another seventy nine men. The cell measured twenty feet by twenty feed and had a large bar door which was slammed shut. There were two small light bulbs which didn't shed much light, with wooden tables set up closely together in rows which some of us had to sleep on. Others slept on the floor beneath them with one blanket for each man. A hole in the corner was the toilet, two barrels of water was our supply for drinking, washing and flushing the toilet.

After spending nights sleeping rough on cement roads I thought wood wouldn't feel as hard, but dead tired as we were we had an awful night. The joins in the tables were full of bugs that bit us all over.

Daylight came and we had a chat to decide how we should use our water supply. It was agreed that drinking water was a priority, so decided one barrel was to be kept solely for that purpose, the other to be used for washing, the toilet to be flushed with dirty water only We washed with friends, sharing a bowl of water between four.

Breakfast came, a shallow aluminium bowl measuring approximately six inches across with an inch of rice in the bottom, pressed down by being stacked on one another. They were brought by Javanese convicts who seemed to be in charge of the cooking and distribution. We were also given small pudding shaped basins, the contents of which looked like cooked privet hedge clippings. Most of us sampled it but found we were not yet hungry enough to eat much of it, thinking the next meal must be better. The morning was spent talking amongst ourselves and wondering what was going to happen to us next, we felt we couldn't live under the present conditions for long. We busied ourselves trying to rid the tables of bugs. It was impossible for all of us to stand and move about at the same time, our space was limited and understandably no one wanted to be near the toilet.

Lunch came. It was a repeat of our breakfast menu but, as I was beginning to feel very hungry and this seemed likely to be our diet, my thoughts were that I had better get used to it, so down it went. We passed the afternoon just chatting until dinner was served that night, our usual rice and hedgerow greens plus the luxury of small tins or corned beef, which was shared on tin between seven men which we mixed in with our rice, it seemed quite a feast.

The next morning after breakfast we were driven out of our cells and gathered together in the yard, the guards acting as was to become their standard behaviour, jabbing with their bayonets and rifle butts to move things along.

An address from the Japanese Commandant was read out by his interpreter informing us that anyone attempting or being caught escaping would be shot and that we were to be put to whatever work they desired. We were then each handed a paper stating that we agree to that work and told to sign on the bottom. It did not specify what type of work we would be put to. Our senior officer, a Group Captain then told us not to sign as it was against Geneva Convention for P.O.W.'s  to be put to work on military installations, which he thought was probably the work we were intended for. We could do any other task that did not help the enemy forces. We then returned to the cells.

The following day the guards arrived, hurled the door open, charged in and herded us out into the yard. Our Group Captain then told us he had been informed that twelve airmen and twelve soldiers had been taken from their cells and were facing execution within hours if we didn't sign the papers given to us. If we still didn't comply when the executions had been carried out, another twenty four men would be shot and so on until the papers had been signed. He then said he could not gamble with the men's lives and would take responsibility for our signing under duress. We duly signed and handed the papers to the guards.

We were informed we would be put to work the following day and each handed a piece of cloth which had a number printed thereon, mine being 132, and told to sew it to the back of our shirts. On our brief outings into the yard we could see that the prison was divided into two parts, all RAF personnel were in cells and the army prisoners were kept in barracks. The cells were situated round the large yard and backing onto a twenty feet high concrete wall with gun posts at every corner. The cells were of varying sizes and together held about four hundred airmen. Our food, on arrival, was pushed one bowl at a time under the barred door. Overlooking the yard was a large building which housed the Japanese. Situated in the centre of the building were the double doors where we passed through when going to work and returning. We later discovered the prison was called Bouie Glodok which was a criminal gaol for murderers and desperate criminals.

Early next morning the cell door opened and a Japanese officer with guards in attendance entered, we lined up for roll call and had to number off. This we did but were told that in future we would have to reply with Japanese numerals. This roll call was to be a regular order first thing in the morning and last thing at night, which was an obvious check to see that no man went missing.

The learning of Japanese numerals was a rather painful process, the officer would call ICHI, NEI, SAN (one, two, three) etc as he went along the line and each prisoner repeated whatever number he happened to be at. After about a week, we were expected to call our number in Japanese without any prompting, which caused an awful panic some mornings when some of the men only feeling confident with one number such as six or twelve, would try to get six or twelfth in line, any mistakes were rewarded with a lump round the face. Needless to say we learned very quickly. After roll call came our usual breakfast and then half an hour later we had to be ready to march to work. Whenever we were required outside the cell, the door would open and guards would rush in and drive us all out like cattle with rifle butts and bayonets.

5: Capture and Back to Batavia

Unbeknown to us the Jap's had offered a twenty-five guilders reward to the Indonesians for the whereabouts of every allied serviceman report to them. After about three weeks, suddenly an English speaking voice through a loud hailer warned us to stay where we were until collected by Japanese soldiers. We were warned not to move outside an area marked with white flags and if this order was not complied with, we would be shot. During this time we had seen no sign of Japanese soldiers or anyone else for that matter. We carried on as normal as was possible for another three days.

The following morning as we were clearing up after breakfast, into the clearing walked a Japanese officer accompanied by ten soldiers. The officer, who spoke good English, ordered us to stop what we were doing and listen to what he had to say. He wanted to know where we had come from, how we had arrived here, also, where were our vehicles. He was informed we were from Batavia and had arrived in three trucks which we had destroyed. Upon hearing this he just surveyed us and then commented “So you must walk”. He then ordered us to prepare to move out, informing us that we would not be given any food or water from the Japanese until we reached our destination.

It was then I realised that although we had been warned three days previously that we would be picked up, we had done nothing in preparation for the move. We were given just ten minutes in which to be ready. Most of our stock of food was in large tins, the corned beef for instance was in 7lb tins. The tins of biscuits we found were too large to put in our kitbags, these were hastily opened and shared out.

It was agreed that one of us would carry a tin of corned beef to share amongst a group of us, taking turns to carry it on the way. I packed my haversack with biscuits, the kitbag which I had obtained in Batavia, I packed with 2lb tins of peaches, the corned beef and more biscuits, managing to fill my water bottle just in time as we were moved on. The Japanese soldiers making it clear with digs from rifle muzzles that it was time to go.

All too soon it became obvious that most of us had packed far more than we could carry. My only experience of carrying a kitbag was over short distances packed with soft clothing, not hard edged tins that moved with every step, clearly, this was going to be a terrible journey. Fortunately for us, the Japanese soldiers soon began to wilt. They wore a full kit and uniform, and each one carried a rifle and ammunition. They were soon soaked with sweat in the hot humid tropical heat and suffered as much as we were.

We came to a halt for a short rest and were told that anyone unable to keep up the pace would be shot. I think the impression the Japanese officer was trying to convey, was that the stop was for our benefit, rather than for his troops. My immediate thoughts upon stopping was to endeavour to lighten my load somehow. I mentally went through was I was carrying and decided that the tinned fruit, which were in two pound tins, must go first. I opened a tin of peaches, ate what I could and drunk the juice. I looked around and found that my fellow airmen were all like minded, busily sorting their loads and eating what they could manage. The break came to an end all too soon.

We had left the bush and scrub behind and were marching on a dirt road, the heat was intense. I had kept a tin of peaches handy so I as I walked I stabbed it with the spike of my jack knife, drunk the juice and threw the tin and fruit away.

At the next break I did a hasty repack, I decided to discard my blanket which I had taken to sleep on, also, to keep out the cold at night, it was proving to be too bulky and cumbersome. I reasoned that my blue jacket would keep me warm if needed, so wrapped it around the tinned meat.

The tinned peaches needed to be got rid of, so I decided that on the first day I would just consume peaches and biscuits, I would then be relieved of their bulk and weight. This would leave just the meat and biscuits together with my small amount of kit, making it a more comfortable load to carry. I calculated I could spread the food I had left over five days.

The road we were now travelling on was rough walnut size gravel and in more open country, the sun blazed down from a cloudless sky as we trudged along.

The breaks came about every hour. My arms ached from holding my kitbag on my shoulder but was able to keep up the pace quite easily. I was fed up with the taste of peaches and had an unquenchable thirst. The syrupy juice tasted thicker with each tin and I longed to drain my water bottle but knew that the water I carried was more important to me taken in small sips. The end of the first day came at last and we were to sleep where we had stopped.

An army truck arrived with food for the Japanese guards, also, a small water tank where we were allowed to fill our bottles. As I laid down on the ground that night my thoughts were of our day's journey and it occurred to me how strange, we had not passed a single person all day. On the second day of our long trek we were joined by more prisoners and were now travelling on a better road surface and provided with a small water truck at intervals. The soldier escort was now being worked in stages with a truck supplied to relieve them every hour, one hour marching and one hour rest, so they were refreshed which didn't help us, the night stops were a relief. The third day some of the chaps were beginning to flag and some suffered terribly blistered feed. The pace had slowed considerable but our captors persevered with stragglers and did not shoot anyone as promised.

During rest time an Air Vice Marshall who was marching with us, spent some of his rest time moving amongst us, bringing water to some of the men and telling them not to give up. He set us all a very good example. We were told we would rest the following day.

Marching on the next day, we at last arrived at a railway station yard where we boarded a train and were put into carriages where we could sit, bliss. Water was given to us, also a rice meal. Ups and downs were to come throughout my life as a prisoner, but this was a definite up.

Of our whereabouts, we had no idea. We set off and soon passed through a railway yard, in the sidings there were lines of trucks loaded with crate after crate, which had been opened to reveal Tomahawk fighter planes with American markings that had been sent to Java and never used.

Day turned to night as we continued our journey. There was no glass in the windows of the carriages, just wooden shutters to keep out the ash and dust from the burning wood the train was being fueled with. We kept the shutters open and watched the continuous cascade of sparks flying from the engine, we were also curious as to where we were going. At last in the darkness we pulled into a station, where we were ordered out and found we were back in Batavia once again, my fourth visit here.

4: Flee to Southern Java - Part 2.

We moved off next morning feeling a little subdued after this episode, thinking of our plans to live in the wilds and wondering what other hidden dangers lay in wait. The made up road petered out and we were then on dirt track. Before long it started to rain in torrents, a typical tropical downpour, which didn't improve matters. We pushed on until early evening when the two wheel drive truck got stuck in the mud up to its axles. We had enough for the day, so it was corned beef and biscuits whilst we sheltered from the downpour.

It was a pitch black night, we were wet and uncomfortable and I had a pretty restless night. We slept in the two four wheel drive trucks under cover of the canopies, outside was squelching mud.

We were all up and about early, the morning hot and sunny as usual. The bogged down truck was fully laden with provisions which had to be unloaded and transferred to the remaining two trucks before any attempt could be made to pull it clear. We squelched our way back and forth for most of the morning until the task was finished, we then had a quick bit to eat, pulled the bogged down truck free and moved further into the scrubland.

Soon after we came to a rocky area, on the one side there was a thirty feet drop, the sides overgrown with small trees and the opposite side just rock. The gap between was deep in mud due to the previous downpour, needless to say the two wheel drive truck became bogged down once again. It had to go. It was completely stripped, pulled out of the mud and driven to the edge of the drop. Oil and water was then drained and the engine revved up. It wouldn't seize up, probably worn out with too much clearance in the bores, so it was finally pushed over the edge.

Continuing our journey we found that the going was very slow, as the vehicles were in low gear. We had only travelled a short distance when we saw running water and decided this was to be our camp. That night we had a stew up, which after our previous meals, tasted pretty good - I slept well that night.

The trucks were unloaded the following day, the food being stacked in amongst bushes and undergrowth. We had some canvas and our groundsheets to make tents when needed, and so we set up our camp. We drove the remaining trucks back to where the first one had met its fate and pushed them over the edge of the ravine and out of sight.

All meals were to be cooked together now, as previously we'd been eating in small groups and helping ourselves and had no idea how long our food would have to last. We took it in turns to do the cooking and two men were to be the look out for the enemy aircraft at all times.

4: Flee to Southern Java - Part 1.

At headquarters we met up with another twelve airmen who had prepared three trucks loaded with food, water and petrol. Our instructions were to make for Southern Java where we might possibly find a ship to take us away. The Dutch, we were told, were ready to capitulate under threat of bombing, possibly within forty eight hours. Without further delay we set off.

We had been travelling for about five hours over flat countryside passing a few banana plantations and rice fields when at about four o'clock in the afternoon a lookout spotted a plane coming towards us. Stopping, we dived for cover. It was a two seat light bomber with a gunner in the rear. It flew up and down above us twice without firing, he had most probably used all his bombs and ammunition on other escapees. As he flew off we dashed back into the trucks hoping to find cover before he or his pals came back to look for us.

Cover was found a few miles on. There was a banana plantation nearby. We pulled in among the trees and hastily cut banana trees down placing them in and around our vehicles. About half an hour later we heard planes approaching and dived under the trucks and lay listening to bullets pattering through the leaves. This continues for three passes, fortunately nothing caught fire, then they departed. We stayed undercover, had our evening meal and moved on after dark. The darkness cut our speed down but it was more relaxing than travelling in broad daylight.

By early morning the road became more of a climb and there was now a mountain range ahead of us. We stopped for a quick bite and a cup of tea, the general opinion being, we would have to continue our journey in daylight, as the mountain road had no barrier or curb and would be hazardous in the dark.

The Japanese aircraft were attacking the North and South of the Island so we were not troubled with any visits from them that day. We cleared the mountain, made our way down and headed for the south coast. At our evening stop we heard on the radio that the ships leaving ports were under fire from Japanese warships and the Dutch were going to surrender and set up roadblocks to stop movement of allied troops, we realised then that the chance of boarding a ship was very remote. It was agreed that we would turn inland at the next junction, find as remote a spot as possible and hopefully survive on our food until liberated. We didn't go much further that day.

Moving on the next day, we left the valleys of rice behind us and found ourselves in wooded scrub country with small kampongs dotted about with banana and coconut trees about them. By late afternoon we came upon an area completely covered by large trees and wide enough to drive the trucks off the road and under cover. There was a river nearby, the ground solid and well used which suggested this was possibly a watering hole for buffalo, goats etc of the local people.

Fires were lit for our evening meal, the usual tins of corned beef and tinned vegetables accompanied by hard biscuits. The smoke of one fire angered a swarm of hornets that had been hanging from an overhead branch around thirty feet above, unnoticed. Suddenly they swooped down and landed on one man, covering his head and entire back. It was impossible to beat them off, some shouted to him to jump in the river and as he ran, more hornets followed. He submerged himself completely, but the hornets still clung to him. Some of the men tried beating them off with towels but to no avail.

It must have been at least fifteen minutes before they suddenly flew off. Obviously the man was badly stung but we had nothing with which to treat him. Two of the chaps said when we were travelling on higher ground earlier in the day they had seen a military ambulance in the distance some miles ahead of us and thought it likely the driver had pulled in somewhere for the night. So one of the trucks set off with him and did manage to find the ambulance, but we heard later that he died the following day.

3: Java, Batavia to Surabaya and back again - Part 2.

His father, a Dutchman by the name of Berg and married to a Javanese lady, explained to us that Singapore had fallen to the Japanese, therefore the currency that we had was useless. He then offered Bill and I a loan until we received our next pay, which we readily accepted and were able to repay the following day. He also loaned each of us a change of clothing and the use of his large tiled bathroom with bath and shower which was situated in the garden separate from the house. We were then invited to stay for the rest of the day and have dinner with the family. Mr Berg told us he was a linguist in local dialects and a broadcaster on radio.

On leaving that evening we were invited back the next day to dinner, also to collect our newly laundered tropical uniforms and underwear, in fact I went along two further evenings on an invitation from the daughter.

We were confined to the school in the following days usually being told we were free to go out in the afternoon, but on the fifth morning, I took a chance and popped along for a visit as there were rumours that we might be moving on. I returned to the school later in the day to find everyone had disappeared, and my haversack had been left in the corner of the room. I decided to try to find the whereabouts of another school where I knew other airmen had been billeted. Fortunately for me I was reunited with my old crowd there.

The following day we were moved from the school to a tea plantation in the hills to a place I believe was called Buitenzorg, where we spent five days resting.

Back at Batavia RAF Headquarters we, the operations room staff, were told to go to Surabaya to start a fighter control centre to demonstrate to Dutch personnel there, how to set up and operate. I collected a few more items of what kit was available, packed my kitbag and along with the rest of the crew, caught the night express to Surabaya.

We arrived in Surabaya early next morning and were met by Dutch army personnel, then transported to barracks where we went to bed to catch up on some sleep. There seemed no urgency in getting us to work. Each morning at eleven o'clock we were told 'Nothing doing today, you can go out if you wish', which we usually did. We were accommodated at the barracks, but apart from the Dutch.

Our meals were brought from outside by lorry in aluminium containers and consisted of rice, green vegetables, peppers and meat or fried rice with shrimps and fruit, which was not to our liking. We eventually complained and asked if we could have meat, vegetables and potatoes. The next day the officer in charge was given money to pay us so we could buy our own food. After that we used to eat out in bars and restaurants. Our evenings were spent in the bars, there was no shortage of cash as we were being paid every other day. The only person I met who seemed concerned about air raids was a civilian  who operated the warning system. We used to meet up each night with some Americans who were flying out on patrol each day, and like us, were propping up the bars at night. They were operating three Catalina flying boats and kept us up to date with any news.

This went on for about nine days when our bubble burst. We went to our favourite bar that night, the Americans were there and greeted us saying we were just in time as they were leaving for Australia. They told us there was an invasion force about two days away with nothing to stop them, as the Dutch were not preparing any defence. They told the group of us they had room to take us with them and invited us along. We thanked them for the offer saying we had no orders to leave, it would therefore be desertion if we went. We said goodbye and returned to our barracks. At eleven o'clock two hours after the Americans had left, our C.O. came in and told us to pack, we were to return to Batavia on the night express. We hastily packed, had a count up and found six men still out. Jumping into a truck we rode round the streets shouting their names outside the bars and managed to round them all up except for two. Eventually we returned to the barracks, as time was running out, and found the missing two had returned and prepared for bed. They grabbed their clothes and boarded the train wearing just their pyjamas. We duly arrived back in Batavia next morning.

3: Java, Batavia to Surabaya and back again - Part 1.

We reached Java after about three days with no further hindrance or sight of the enemy. As we steamed into the dock the crew of the cruiser 'HMS Durban', which was already moored up, cheered 'HMS Kedah' wildly, waving their arms and hats in the air, a fitting tribute to the marvellous seamanship and skill of its Captain.

We were detained on board for a time whilst a discussion took place as to whether we should continue our journey and sail for Australia. Eventually we were told to disembark. We boarded trucks and were taken to a school in Batavia where Javanese workmen were making beds for our use. These they were making entirely of bamboo, the slats, post and binding, all cut from seven foot lengths with machetes.

When given my bed, I laid on it and found it surprisingly comfortable, especially after the last few nights spent sleeping on the ship's iron decks. The bamboo being green, was very pliable.

As mentioned previously, I had very little kit with me and what I did have contained no toiletries whatsoever. I was too aware of my unkempt appearance and filthy clothes. Food arrived, rice with meat and green beans, unusual but I was starving. That disposed of, I then sought out my mate Bill. I suggested that we took a walk and try to find some shops where we could purchase some soap and razors for starters.

The temperature was high and felt humid. The streets were lined with trees which provided some shade as we walked. We could find no shops and the few people we encountered spoke no English, so we were unable to make ourselves understood.

After a while we stopped and after some discussion, decided to try walking in another direction, when suddenly I spotted a Javanese with a tray slung with straps from his shoulder. We approached him and saw he had a display of various toiletries laid out on his tray. I picked up razor blades and soap and offered some straits dollars in payment. These he refused and showed me Dutch gilders. Watching the proceedings was a young white lad of about thirteen or fourteen years of age. He walked over to us and asked in English if we were having problems. I explained our predicament, he then offered to take our money to a bank and get it changed for us, to which we agreed. We hung about for more than an hour waiting for his return and were about to give up thinking that was the last we would see of him or our money, when he arrived in a taxi.

He then told us to get into the taxi and that we were going to his house to see his father. After about a ten minute ride we arrived at a large house set in its own grounds on the outskirts of the town.

2: Air Attack at Sea - Part 2.

It was now three and a half hours since the first air raid had begun and Singapore was well behind us. We kept watch and waited, prepared for another attack, wondering if the Jap's would give up, leaving us still afloat. Our answer came soon enough, as another alarm sounded. We had obviously moved out of range of the previous aircraft as now, high in the sky was a formation of large twin engine bombers.

Now, after the noise and commotion of the low level flying and the continuous firing of the smaller guns, it seemed uncannily quiet, only the larger guns went into action and were firing at what seem longer intervals, there were only two on our ship that could reach the altitude required. The planes were keeping high and continued flying towards us with no apparent damage to them from our gunfire. As I watched I saw some bombs glint in the sun as they left the aircraft and as they whistled through the air, it looked as if they might hit us.

There was silence on board except for the guns which kept up their fire, then, as the sailor and I stood gazing up, we heard course alterations being shouted out from the deck above, the ship immediately heeled over onto a new direction as four bombs crashed into the sea where we would have been.

The ship felt and sounded as if a giant had hit us with a very large hammer, there were four rapid blows as large geysers of water with bright orange centres went skyward.

I wondered how much of this can a ship take before the riveted steel plates sprang and began to leak water. My sailor friend was quite happy, he had been through it all before and had great confidence in his Captain who, he explained was lying on the above deck keeping watch on the planes through binoculars, waiting for the bombs to leave the aircraft, deciding where they were likely to fall, then taking what evasive action was necessary. He was quite rightly, proud of his Captain, also, regarding the closeness of the bombs, the ship's hull could stand plenty of that treatment. There might be some joints that leak steam and light bulbs may be broken in the engine room where most of the damage would occur.

The raid continued with the aircraft using their bomb  singularly. They had no doubt observed our Captain's actions, as with the next attack, as one plane dropped his bombs, the ship changed course, turning to the right, another plane dropped his bombs into the area we were turning into. Our Captain had no choice but to turn back in the hope we would be between the two sticks of bombs. Those to the left of us exploded first only yards away. The noise was deafening as the ship seem to stop dead before plunging on into the next concussing noise of the bombs to our right. This time there was damage in the engine room with burst pipes, but the ship still moved forward and we were all alive.

It was almost 1:00 p.m. when the last planes departed. We had endured and survived four and a half hours of attacks.

The 'Empire Star' had been hit twice and suffered casualties as had the cruiser 'Durban'. We maintained our position at the rear as we continued on our way and now at half speed due to the damage inflicted on the ship during the bombing. The rest of the convoy gradually sailed out of sight as we gradually made our way to Batavia, now know as Jakarta on the Island of Java.

2: Air Attack at Sea - Part 1.

We made very little progress and eventually stopped. Mines had been laid and it was too risky to proceed in darkness. We spent the night chatting and wandering about the blacked out desk, occasionally trying to rest.

Daylight came and we continued our journey, picking our way through the minefields. We had just eaten a makeshift breakfast when the ship's alarm sounded. The Captain spoke over the loudspeaker system asking his airmen passengers to be helpful and try making themselves useful in the forthcoming action, or get below decks out of the way as we would be under air attack within the next few minutes. I decided to try to be helpful and walked over to a sailor I had noticed standing by a Lewis gun mounted at the ship's side. At his feed were several loaded drums of ammunition. He was busily scanning the horizons as I asked him, "Would you like me to load for you?", "I would be very pleased", was his immediate reply. It was a glorious day, a brilliant morning sun in a cloudless sky, the time was around 8:30 a.m.

We recently caught up with two merchant ships that had left Singapore the day before us. One of them was crowded with airmen and had aircraft refuelling tankers on deck. I recall seeing the name 'Empire Star' on its stern. Our ship heeled over as it went into open sea behind these two ships, the cruiser 'HMS Durban' which had been alongside, sailed to the front.

It was agreed that I kept a look out for enemy aircraft to the left whilst the sailor I was assisting searched the sky to the right. Suddenly there was a shout of "There's one" from him, I turned and saw a plane coming towards us at about fifty feed above sea level, with flashes coming from a single gun on each wing as the plane rushed towards us. The sailor open up with his gun as the plan seemed to be making a direct line for us, emptying one drum which I immediately changed, the plan passed over with a roar. 

The noise was now deafening, shell bursts everywhere, bombs exploding in the sea around us and aircraft attacking from all directions. 

The ship was vibrating and sailing at maximum speed as we changed direction frequently to try to evade our attackers, a trail of black smoke marking our course. As suddenly as the attack had started, so it ended with no apparent damage being done. 

My sailor companion and I discussed the attack, he telling me he was happy to be in the navy and on a ship as it was maneuverable whilst under attack. I told him I preferred to be on land as I couldn't walk on water and an airfield didn't sink.

Lookouts were scanning the sky as we waited for the next attack. The other ships were all steaming on as if undamaged. It didn't seem likely we would be left to continue out journey unhindered. There obviously wasn't another squadron waiting to move in to carry on the attack, so I pondered how far the planes had to go to bomb up and refuel.

The alarm sounded again, then we heard the aircraft engines and saw shell bursts high in the sky. Around the shell bursts were the planes and as I watched, some of the aircraft started to dive. We resumed our erratic course and as the aircraft came within range the multiple pom poms from the deck above filled the path of the dive bomber with exploding shells. The tactics were a success, the bomb missed us, falling into the sea. The aircraft, their bombs gone, resorted to low level attacks with cannon fire and machine gun, before flying off.

I began to see the sailors point of view as we seems unscathed apart from small dents and chipped paintwork. Buckets of tea began to appear, which was a welcome sight. The tension eased as we took a break and enjoyed a cup of tea.

1: Evacuation, Singapore to Java

The situation was pretty grim as most of the island was in Japanese hands. I was working in the Operations room of 224 Group Fighter Control.

It was the morning of the 12th and another unpleasant few minutes at work was ahead. The controller got the news that three aircraft had just passed the eastern side of Singapore and were now coming along the south beach towards us.

'Find your tin hats and when I give the order, get under the table'. Then it came. They roared overhead at low level, I thought someone had given our activity away, then quick as they arrived they were gone. 'Back to normal', said the controller.

There was no talk of being taken prisoner, we just carried on. We knew fighting was going on at Singapore as Army ambulances were going along East Coast Road filled with wounded soldiers.

Had breakfast and walked to work with just water bottle, mug, knife, fork and spoon in a side haversack, for eating lunch. Around 11am we were told to destroy all our equipment and then go outside for transport to the docks. What about our kit? Told, not much of Singapore in our troops possession, go and see if you can get on a ship.

We were then transported to the docks where some warehouses had been set alight and others bomb damaged, as shelling was going on nearby. The quayside was covered in black oil and littered with hoses where ships had bunkered and left in a hurry. There were many airmen waiting on the quay and a few more truck loads followed after us - approximately three hundred men gathered, but not a ship in sight.

It was late afternoon when a small river boat, HMS Li Wo, manned by Royal Navy personnel tied up at the quay in search of coal. I approached a young naval officer who had come ashore and asked if he would be taking us on board. He said he was on his way to a nearby R.N. office to get further orders. He requested for us to assist with the coaling up of his boat and said we would be going along with them if nothing else was coming. Later, he returned to inform us that two ships would be collecting everyone that night. When they left on the 13th February, we felt isolated. Time seemed to drag very slowly.

After a while I decided to have a saunter and walked over to a bomb damaged warehouse that was no alight. Inside was stacked with cases of Plymouth Gin. I opened a bottle and took a swig, my first taste ever of gin, which I thought tasted pretty disgusting, needless to say, I've changed my opinion since then. I picked up half a dozen bottles to take over to the chaps thinking someone must have a taste for it. The first couple I offered it to turned it down when an officer who had obviously been watching approached and asked if he could have some. I told him he was welcome and gave him the lot remarking, there was a warehouse full over the way if he needed more. I decided to take another stroll and entered another warehouse. The one was stacked with cases of condensed milk, something of which I was fond of. I managed to open a tin with my jack knife and drank the lot, that tasted far better than gin and more to my liking. I was feeling very hungry, as I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Towards evening a flight of Japanese bombers flew over but didn't drop anything. We assumed it was because there were no ships in harbour to be bombed and secondly, they had no wish to damaged the quay as they themselves would shortly have use of it. Darkness eventually came but the shelling continued and the fighting was getting closer.

Time hung heavily until at 2.00 a.m. two ships glided in out of the darkness, lit only by the flames of the still burning warehouses. The total silence of their arrival was amazing, they were well within our sight before any sound could be heard, needless to say, a very welcome sight. A Chief Petty Officer appeared at the side of the ship saying loud enough for us to hear 'lively lads', we needed no encouragement, the ship represented freedom.

We embarked in complete silence, each man boarding the ship nearest him, the one I boarded was an armed merchantman named HMS Kedah, the other a cruiser HMS Durban. We stood on deck silently watching the shell fire and flames recede as we slid out of the harbour leaving Singapore behind us.