Selarang Barracks, Changi - stories

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1) Through the Wire

John McGregor (2/4 M.G Bn) describes..., how he and Lt. Dean bluffed their way out of a gate in the wire at Changi on 17/3/42  ......read more"

(Source: Makan No. 258, Dec, 1980)

2) An affair to remember

Shortly after the Capitulation, when the food became somewhat scarce, Clarrie Miller, Lindsay Boys, Athol Charlesworth and myself decided on a means of improving our welfare  ......read more"

(Source: Les Perry - Makan No. 216, July/Aug, 1974)

3) Skilled in shorthand

NX67315 - DUNCOMBE, Raymond Stewart (Ray), Pte. HQ Company, Signals Platoon

"Shortly after all troops were within the wire at the Changi end of the Singapore Island, and the top level of Command believed in the possibility of an early release, the junior officers were being given lectures upon the recent campaign and other training. A call went out for someone, skilled in shorthand, to record the detail of the lectures for future use. Ray tells me, that he was occupied for some time with this job.

Other training in unarmed defence had been commenced in expectation of another crack at the Japs, but had to be discontinued, because wear on clothing, boots more particularly, and state of health had to be considered."

(Source: Ray Duncombe, Makan No. 259, Jan/Feb, 1981)

4) Education classes

NX38682 - McDOUGALL, Eldred Ernest (Jock), A/U/Sgt. - C Company, 15A Platoon
NX51616 - SIMMONS, Raphael Emanuel Truscott (Ray), Lt. - BHQ Company, O/C D&P Platoon
NX32334 - SURTEES, Robert Edward James (Bob), L/Sgt. - C Company, Ord. Room

Many will remember those months, when time dragged, and education classes were started for those interested. It was then that Ray started lectures on the 'Furnishing Trades', dealing solely with carpet and lino laying. I went along and became very interested and attended all of the ten talks and demonstrations he gave. I took copious notes and copied the many diagrams, and today I still have the 30 pages of original notes written in Changi. The first lecture is dated 25th January, 1943 and the last 3rd March, 1943. The first heading in the lecture entitled Approach and Conduct to Customers was 'Act the gentleman'. Ray himself always did just that. He certainly knew his job, having learnt his trade at Beard Watsons. Before enlisting in the army, Ray had his own business known as 'Carpet Laying & Service Company'.

(Source: Bob Surtees, Makan No. 263, Oct/Dec, 1981)

I also attended some of those lectures in Changi, and after one of them, I said to Ray, “I had Beard Watsons lay my carpet before the war at Mosman.” He replied, “Draw me a floor plan of your house and I will tell you whether I laid it or not.” On showing him the completed drawing, he said, ''When you go home, look at the foot of carpet against the wall on the left hand side of your fireplace and you will notice that, although it is the same colour, it is not the same carpet. We had to sew this piece of 1 foot by nine inches in, as we had run out of carpet, but you will have to look closely, as it is hard to tell". Sure enough, I remembered the conversation, when I returned, looked and there was the insert, exactly as he had explained it to me.

(Source: Jock McDougall, Makan No. 263, Oct/Dec, 1981)

5) Art classes

NX56719 - BURBURY, Reginald (Reg), Pte. - A Company, Coy. Store
NX46619 - KORSCH, John Donald, Cpl. - C Company, 14 Platoon
NX59635 - MACLAY, John Richard (Jack), A/U/Cpl. - B Company, 12 Platoon

"When the Division was settling in to P.O.W. life and the University of Changi was established, both John Korsch and Reg Burbury were fellow students in the Art Class conducted by Murray Griffin, and naturally regretted the short time that they had with him. However on "A" Force together, they were able to carry on their sketching, more or less under the very eyes of the guards.

Jack Maclay has commented on those sketches, which John had at home, "they were so true in detail that they take you back to those dark days of ours".

(Source: Reg Burbury, Makan No. 242, Oct/Nov, 1978)

6) Happy feet at Changi

NX51660 - CAREY, John Peter (Jack), Pte. D Company, 18 Platoon
NX47759 - JOHNSTON, George Evan (Joe), Pte. - D Company 18 Platoon

In the early days of captivity at Changi, many men suffered from "Happy Feet". NX51660 - Pte. Jack CAREY pays tribute to a fellow sufferer, NX47759 - Pte. Joe JOHNSTON. more.....

(Source: Jack Carey, written in 1989 - 2/30 Bn. Archives.)

7) Resting at Selarang before going up North

NX54143 - CHARLTON, Alan Edgar, Pte. - HQ Company, Pioneer Platoon
NX65486 - QUINTAL, Laurie Patterson, Pte. - HQ Company, Signals Platoon

"I got to know very well on "F" Force. What a fine young man he was. I will never forget him! While we were "resting" at Selarang before going up North, he had found a guitar and used to sing, in quite a good voice, a song about 'The Singing Hills'. He like a lot of our mates, is still 'up North'."

(Source: Alan Charlton, Makan No. 240, March/April, 1978)

8) Water carrying parties

NX57062 - CAREY, Athol Bligh Wilpent, Pte. - A Company, 8 Platoon

"At Changi, Athol was more or less a permanent on the water carrying parties, on the table top trucks down to the beach."

(Source: Athol Carey, Makan No. 262, July/Sept., 1981)

9) Mobile again

NX67447 - PURDON, Arthur Henry Maitland, WO1 - BHQ, RSM

Dexterity, of mind and hand, was always one of Arthur's gifts - he will be remembered by many of the boys who became mobile again after being fitted with limbs designed and made by Arthur and his team at the Limb Factory he set up in Changi - he had even invented the Purdon joint, which allowed the limbs to move in something like a normal fashion.

(Source: Makan No. 195, May/Jun, 1971)

10) Making do

NX67447 - PURDON, Arthur Henry Maitland, WO1 - BHQ, RSM

Arthur, as we all know, was the recognised expert in the manufacture of artificial limbs in Changi. He had to make do with all sorts of materials, so that there would be very close to natural movement of the limbs with comfort to the wearer. I am told by George Aspinall that Arthur turned toolmaker making a set of dies, so that he could cut the threads on small screws and bolts, which it was necessary to make for the adaption of limbs to the natural muscular movement, that would have taken place if the limb had not been artificial.

George wonders if you brought that set of dies back to Australia, Arthur?

(Source: George Aspinall - Makan No. 139, Jan/Feb, 1978)

11) Changi typewriter

NX26154 - DANDIE, Alexander (Alex), L/Sgt. - HQ Coy. Ord. Room
NX67447 - PURDON, Arthur Henry Maitland, WO1 - BHQ, RSM

He is one, whom I have not seen since 1943, but he picked me out, when I leaned on his table and asked how he was, to ask me if I had been able to bring home a typewriter, he had given me in Changi. I had to tell him no such luck. It was easy, when the search was at the wharves in Singapore, a convenient pile of concrete pipes were receptacles for everything the whole of the party did not want the Japs to see, and in true Nippon style they looked only at what we laid down in front of us, with never a look into the pipes. The typewriter went on board the freighter with me, on to the train in Japan, and was not looked at, although I left it with all the rest of my gear for the search on the Kobe baseball grounds. Inside the camp it had to go to the office to be locked away with all other valuables of others on the party and, on 5 Jun 1945, when the Yanks dropped their incendiaries on Kobe with a stick of bombs into our warehouse camp, the typewriter was forgotten, in any case none of those valuables were obtainable, all were destroyed in the fire.

(Source: Makan No. 243, Oct/Nov, 1978)

12) Teaching the Alphabet

NX18176 - ALCOCK, Geoffrey Edward, L/Cpl. - B Company, 11 Platoon
NX33353 - FARRAR, Cecil Stanley, Pte. - BHQ.

At the Annual Reunion "Dutchy" had some newspaper Recovery Lists of P.O.W. with photographs of Changi scenes. Geoff Alcock noticed a photograph of Cec. Farrer amongst others and commented that he was one of those, who commenced to teach Cec the Deaf and Dumb Alphabet at Changi. Geoff said that he might be able to remember the signs himself now, but he would be very slow for a while as he has not had need to use them for a long time.

(Source: Makan No. 244, Dec, 1978)

13) Through the wire

NX29116 - BROWN, Raymond John Tresillian (Ray), Pte. - B Company, 12 Platoon
NX26330 (NX5078) - CHARLTON, Ronald Alan (Zipper or Ron), Pte. - B Company, 12 Platoon
NX29656 - RUSSELL, Harold Edward, Cpl. - Pte. - B Company, 12 Platoon

Harold Russell had been given command of 8 Section, after Corporal 'Red" Ambrose was killed at Fort Rose Estate. When the Battalion reached Selarang Barracks as Prisoners of War of the Japs, I'm told, that Harold had the Section pool all the monies that they had in their pockets for the pool to be for the benefit of all in the section, especially if any of them became sick.

Ray Brown, who had been wounded at Gemencheh Bridge, but had recovered to go out to Thomson Road Jap Work Camp for the "Shrine Job", took sick there with dysentery. It led to him spending seven months in Roberts Hospital, Changi, During that time his mates looked after him. It was "Zipper.", who went through the wire at night, in order to evade the guards at the regular crossing point, so that he could take cigarettes or some food to Ray to build him up.

(Source: Eulogy for Ron Charlton, 2/30 Battalion Archives)

14) Accident at McRitchie Reservoir

NX37451 - BURKE, Samuel John (Jack), Pte. - C Company, 15A Platoon
NX25651 - EGAN, Jack Edgar George Banner, L/Cpl., B Company, 11 Platoon
NX36588 - WARTON, Allen Charles, Pte., B Company, 10 Platoon

I was in hospital, when ALLEN WARTON was in plaster sent back from the Bukit Timah Road Job. He was on extra rations to keep the plaster tight; also, I remember, he had a piece of wire that he used to shove down his back, so as to try and shift the bugs, that got under the plaster. Since the plaster was in short supply, they could not take it off and put another one on.

(Source: Jack Burke - Makan No. 239, Jan/Feb, 1978)

15) Dying from the toes up

NX41568 - DINGWELL, John Herbert Albert (Jack), Pte. - A Coy, 7 Pl.; C Coy, 13 and 15A Pl.

"The occasion of canteen supplies comes to mind. It must have been at Changi. The credit system at the time, allowed us a certain amount of some things such as, soap, bananas, gala malacca; things like this according to your choice. Soft drink could be had also. These were moments of great decision making. "Ding's" eyes got the better of him, so he settled for a bottle, maybe two, of soft drink. He was somewhat guilty about this. It was suggested that something more substantial would be a wiser choice. All to no avail. Sitting on those slats, which we called our bed, idly looking at his toes, he noted that his nails appeared to be turning brown. It was suggested that he might be dying from the toes up. He scoffed at the idea. Any damned fool could see it was the soda in the drink working through his body and showing in his toe nails. Ah! Well! He must have been right after all. He stayed with us till Jan '79. May the turf lay gently on Jack Dingwell.

(Source: Tom Grant, Makan No. 246, Mar/Apr, 1979)

16) Doover's

NX26723 - ANGUS, James Corbett (Jim), Pte. - A Company, 8 Platoon
NX34792 (2/37501) - DUFFY, Desmond Jack (Mum or Des), Lt. Col. - B Company, O/C
NX53793 - JOYCE, Leslie William (Bluey), Pte. - A Company, 8 Platoon
NX77892 - MOORE, Ronald (Porky), Pte. - B Company, Protective Platoon

'Porky' Moore was there and he retold the tale again for me because I just like listening to it of the Officer's Doovers. Big Duff was there and enjoyed it very much. I know it is an old story but you will recall the Officer’s Doover problem Changi when Big Duff found a tray full of doovers at the top of the kitchen and asked why they were there. Porky Moore, who was in charge at the time, repined that they were the Officer's Doovers and he had intended to distribute them to his mates. Big Duff, you will recall for the thousandth time, sacked the lot of them on the spot, so he should too. That wasn't the problem though. The greatest tragedy was that Bluey Joyce who had been promoted to the kitchen that day after four months incessant wangling to gain the position was also sacked. Even that wasn't such a tragedy although he had not had one mouthful of doover in the kitchen during the day that he was there. The real problem was that Jimmy Angus, Bluey's cobber and about four hangers-on had been licking their chops for weeks waiting for the excellent doovers to be dished out by Bluey Joyce from the kitchen. It really affected about 6 people and they moaned for months over it. Bluey Joyce laughed about it years afterwards. I know its stupid but I can't help enjoying that little story.

(Source: 'Porky' Moore - Makan No. 168 Dec., 1965)

17) Chess set

NX34999 - RAMSAY, George Ernest (Gentleman George), Lt. Col. - BHQ, CO. 1942
NX37566 - GROSSMITH, John Robert (Jack), Pte. - HQ Company, Signals Platoon

I seem to remember spending many hours at Selarang Barracks, near by the corner, which you shared with Col. Galleghan, carving a chess set. On completion I think that I presented it to you. Do you remember?

(Source: Makan No. 259, Jan/Feb, 1981)

18) Barber shop

NX51313 - MADDEN, James Ross Harrington (Ross), Pte. - A Company, 8 Platoon
NX29247 - THORNE, Leslie George, Pte. - HQ Company, Mortar Platoon
NX45731 - YOUNG, Lionel Frederick (Darby), Pte. - HQ Company, A/A Platoon

"You will recall that he (Les Thorne) worked with Darby Young and Ross madden in the barber shop at Changi."

(Source: Makan No. 112, 1st May, 1956)

19) England's best accordionist

The enchanting Gipsy music provided at the small open-air concerts in the early days at Changi by "Gil Mitchell's Gipsy Serenaders", which was comprised mainly of 8 violins and 4 piano accordions, including one "Dutchy" Holland, who was reputed at that time to be one of England's best accordionists?

(Source: Darby Young, Makan 216, Jul/Aug, 1974)

20) Have a cigarette?

NX47823 - TAYLOR, George Gorman, Pte. - HQ Company, Transport Platoon
NX45731 - YOUNG, Lionel Frederick (Darby), Pte. - HQ Company, A/A Platoon

When George Taylor and Darby Young were sitting together at a Changi Concert. Jap guard with rifle standing alongside.

Taylor to Young: "Have a cigarette?"
Young: "Thanks."
Taylor: "I wouldn't offer one to that bastard standing beside you.”
Jap Guard (in perfect English): "You needn't bother, anyway, because I don't smoke."
(Sustained silence)

(Source: Darby Young, Makan 216, Jul/Aug, 1974)