|
War |
Malaya |
Singapore
|
Service with other Units
|
Battalion
Movements |
Order of Battle
Arrived 0130hrs 31/1/1942
Departed 0500hrs 10/2/1942
1) Bob Dickson
NX47691 - DICKSON, Robert A., A/Cpl. - HQ Company, Carrier Platoon
"Jimmy Webster said that he well remembered Bob's wounding at the Causeway, where Bob's Carrier Section was posted with their Vickers, because it was Jim,
who picked up Bob, to take him to the R.A.P. and Bob asking Jim to kill him because of the nature of the wound.
(Source: Jim Webster - Makan No. 264, Jan/March,
1982)
2) Tom's letter
NX53537 - CLYNE, Edward Francis (Ted), S/Sgt. - C Company, CQMS Platoon, Doi Sandakan 27/3/1945
NX47498 - GRANT, Thomas Bertram (Tom ), L/Cpl. - C Company, 14 Platoon
"On the subject of letters, C Company will
remember old Ted Clyne QM Sjt. He came forward on one occasion with the
rations, somewhere on the mainland. There was at the time a deep
foreboding something was afoot, we knew not what. Ted with all good
intentions came amongst us asking would we like him to write a letter
for us? In our situation we did not have time to sit down & write. In a
way, almost paternal he took our names, & addresses of our next of kin.
I was indeed wishing him to hell out of the place, he gave us the
feeling we were writing our last letter. That letter got home, my old
Mum showed it to me almost demanding what it meant. I read it & nearly
dropped through the floor. I had of course not seen the letter before he
posted it. He had written it in the way a love lorn young husband might
write to his young bride. He surely had a talent for such writings. As
my father's name was also Tom & I had given the address as Mrs. T.
Grant, don't think my old Mum was ever the same again. You may be sure I
was pleased when she accepted my explanation. Best Wishes to all, TOM.
Here is Tom's letter to his Mum, she didn't keep Ted
Clyne's letter.
Dear Mum, Well Mum no doubt you are very worried, but
it has been impossible to write the last fortnight or so. I have been
right in the thick of it up in Malaya. We were the first A.I.F. Unit to
go in, and we were in it right through. So far I've come through without
a scratch. We've been outnumbered, outflanked and anything else you can
think of. The first day we met them we gave them hell, all day, till
their dive bombers came - they were bad enough, but a bit later the
tanks came - we were hopeless against them. We knocked six of them out,
but we would have been all wiped out, had we stayed there. "That first
day we copped everything possible, the Malayans are mostly pro Japanese
and I can tell you it’s no joke fighting in a country, being stabbed in
the back all the time. Well that first bottle was Gemas. We came back a
bit, and outside patrols things were pretty quiet. However they got
around us we had to go again. We slept under mortar fire which is not
too pleasant at any time. Well I could tell plenty of tales, but I'll
stick to our main fights. The last one was the worst while it lasted.
Things were fairly quiet all day until about 2 o'clock in the afternoon
when we found the cows once more on our flank, so all we could do was
fight our way out. So a bayonet charge was the order. How we came
through? God only knows. They had machine guns, tommy guns and
everything else on to as, it was hard to make anyone hear, even a few
yards away. We stopped them coming round and we cleared out again that
night. The whole time we were there we never let up. We were chased by
dive bombers by day & had to do all our marching by night." "I think the
bombers were the worst and the machine gunning from the air gave you a
pretty nasty sensation. Well I'll have to cut this short, we're on the
Island now & there is plenty of work to do. I've got to go out wiring
now. There is one thing about this place, the anti-aircraft guns keep
the bombers away. Well Mum don't worry too much, tell Pop the same, I'm
certain to come through after the Malayan stunt. I'll close now, keep
your chin up, everything will come right in time, Your loving Son TOM."
(Source: Tom
Grant - Makan No. 264, Jan/March,
1982)
3) Racing up to Johore
QX5527 -
FLITCROFT, Ian Hamilton, Pte. - 2/26 Battalion
NX15435 - PASCOE (Houpillard), Jon Lancelot Ashley (Hoopla), Pte. - B Company, 12 Platoon, Ex 2/26 Bn 9/11/1943
I met quite a number of 2/26 Bn. chaps, one in
particular being IAN FLITCROFT, who was a transport driver. He & I did a
pretty horrendous trip just prior to capitulation, racing up to Johore
Bahru with Mortar bombs. Everyone else appeared to be making for
Singapore. The Nips had bombed the oil tanks and everything was pretty
messy.
(Source:
Ashley Pascoe - Makan No. 264, Jan/March,
1982)
4) Two man patrol
NX31689 -
MASON. Walter Charles (Wally), L/Cpl. - A Company, 9 Platoon,
Died of illness at Changi on 12/3/1944
NX29196 - MOONEY, Roy Ernest, Pte. - A Company, 9 Platoon
NX68127 - SMYTH, Frank Miles (Wakey Wakey), Lt. - A Company, CSM, killed
in action on 8/2/1942
"When we were at the Causeway, Wally & I were on a two man
patrol, the night Lt. Smyth met his death. We were talking to
him before he shoved off. He wanted me to change places with one
of the boys he had. I told him, if he made it an order I would
go. He said, “I won't do that”. A short time after Wally & I
were walking back along the bank and we spotted a boat, which we
thought was their patrol. On taking a closer look we realised it
wasn't; it was a bigger boat and more men in it. They must have
met with the Jap patrol and before we could report it, all hell
broke loose. I will be writing to Wally's brother, what can you
tell him, except, that he died as he did everything, without
complaint."
(Source: Roy Mooney - Makan No. 263,
Oct/Dec,
1981)
5) Platoon commanders' conference
NX70486 - BOOTH, Edward Holroyd (Baldy or Ward), Capt. - D
Company, O/C
NX12544 - McLEOD,
Graham Stanley, Lt. - BHQ; D Company, A/Adjt.; 17 Platoon
NX59591 - PRYCE, John Carron (Ian), Lt. - D Company, O/C 16
Platoon
"We
did a trip out to the War Memorial at the Kranji, and here I
had the most appalling bad luck. As I went to get out of the
bus, a storm broke and it was quite impossible to go
anywhere. So if I'm to see it, then I'll have to make
another trip. On looking at the map, it seems to me that the
cemetery is situated very close to where the Battalion HQ
was whilst we sat out that week waiting for the Nips to come
over the strait. (It was there that Ian Pryce damned near
got his behind blown off by a Nip shell. He was on top, I
underneath, and various other bods below both of us in a
slit trench when Ward Booth had called a platoon commanders'
conference. He always seemed to pick a time when the Nips
decided to have a bit of artillery practice. Maybe he didn't
really like us. But I forgive you, Ward.)
(Source: Graham McLeod - Makan No. 220,
Jan/Feb, 1975)
6) Blown out a slit trench
NX604 - BRIDGES, Robert George (Bob), Pte. - D Company, 17
Platoon
NX32458 - ALEXANDER, Maxwell Arnold (Max), Cpl. - D Company,
17 Platoon
NX36471 - KING, Norman Leo (Norm), L/Cpl. - D Company, 17
Platoon
"Norm King
reported in 1974 that he saw Bob occasionally in the town in
Goulburn, still a bit deaf, as a result of being blown out
of a slit trench at the Causeway, the same shell, that
killed Corporal Alexander. They were there together and Bob
was so dazed by the blast, that others in the platoon had to
grab hold of him, as he was tottering towards the wiring,
and get him back to the rear of their position."
(Source: Norm King - Makan No. 257,
Oct/Nov, 1980)
7) Naked except for the head gear
NX37294 - FORWARD, Kenneth (Frank Walter L.) (Ken), Pte. - C
Company, 13 Platoon
"Have
you ever heard the story of Ken's doings on 'the Island'. It
is said that Ken was so anxious to get himself cleaned up,
after our run down the Peninsular to Singapore Island, that
he took the first opportunity to "dunk" himself into some
sort of a bath. He was doing just this, when he was warned
urgently, that word had been received of an imminent
shelling of the area by the Japanese and he'd better get out
of the place. It is reported that Ken promptly donned his
steel helmet and pursued his ablutions, naked, except for
that head-gear. Minor shades of Drake of Portsmouth, when
informed that the Spanish Armada was moving up the English
Channel, says my informant."
(Source: Makan No. 234
April/May, 1977)
8) Drop shorts
NX42647 - KIRCHLER, Paul Sydney, Pte. - C Company, 15
Platoon
NX33560 - MEILLON, John Alwyn, Lt. - A Company
"Sid
joined C Coy, on 4th Feb.,1942, when we were perched like
shags on a rock near the Causeway; and immediately showed
his wry sense of humour by his remarks following the first
Jap Air Raid on our position, which greeted his arrival, to
be followed by a couple of drop-shorts from a Pommy Arty
Unit, well to our rear, who were attempting to range on
Johore. (It will be recalled that John Meillon, who was
visiting us at that time, copped it in the legs)."
(Source: Makan – No. 196
Jul/Aug, 1971)
9) Message to 2/2 Gurkas
NX70435 - ANDERSON, Roderic Henry (Rod), Maj. - A Company,
O/C A Company
NX51313 - MADDEN, James Ross Harrington (Ross), Pte. - A
Company, 8 Platoon
STATEMENT BY NX51313, PTE MADDEN R. 2/30 BN. RE DELIVERY
OF MESSAGE TO 2/2 GHURKAS AT CAUSEWAY
My name is NX51313, Pte R. Madden A Coy, 2/30 Bn AIF. At the
time the Bn was holding the CAUSEWAY position. I was orderly
attached to A Coy HQ (Comd Maj. Anderson) I had during
training days completed a unit Orderlies course conducted by
the Bn I.O. and had performed Orderly duties frequently for
Maj Anderson.
On the night 9/10 Feb at a little after 0400 hours, we
recevied orders at A Coy that the Bn was to pull out of its
position and move back. A few minutes later at about 0415
hours, Maj. Anderson gave me instructions to go over to the
2/2 Ghurkas on our right and give them the message that the
Bn was pulling out almost immediately to a position at the
Junction of the Pipeline and the Mandai Road. I made a
special point of remembering the position described, but
Maj. Anderson also gave me a slip of paper on which the map
reference was shown.
I made my way across to the Ghurkas area and soon met two
men carrying barbed wire. These men guided me along a
"Cyclone" wire fence and then pointing through this fence
said their officer was "in there". The fence had a section
which was cut and swung off and I went through to a tin shed
where the officer was found. This officer's name I don't
know but in this camp Leuit Skene of the Ghurkas looks
similar to him, being of like build and features.
I told this officer I was a runner for A Coy, 2/30 Bn, on
his left, and then said that Maj. Anderson's message was
that 2/30 Bn was pulling back almost immediately to a
position at the Junc. of Pipeling and Maindai Rd. It was
dark near the shed but I described the new position to him
and then handed him the note and mentioned that the map
reference was marked on it he said, "My God, my left flank
will be open then", "Yes", I replied, "Wide open". He
thought for a moment or two then said to me "O.K. - I will
fix it up straight away". I then left and made my way back
to my Coy HQ, arriving there before the Coy 2I/C (Capt.
Boss) had left, the withdrawal having commenced at 0430
hours.
Signed at Changi on 26 Oct. 1944
Pte NX51313 2/30 Bn AIF
Witness Maj. 2/30 Bn AIF
(Source: AWM - PR84/074 –
Madden, JR (Private, 2/30th Bn, AIF))
10) Eight Jap
bombers hunted off
NX30509 - SWADLING, Roy Leonard, Pte. - HQ Coy. Carrier
Platoon
On 3rd Feb he wrote they had "just returned from 3 weeks on
the front line." He had "never even got a scratch" but the
enemy's casualties "have been at least 20 to 1."
On Galleghan he wrote: "we used to moan about the CO being
hard on us in Aussie but our tune has changed now. It's
marvellous the way he has got us out of holes and all he's
done for us. There is no praise too high for him and this Bn
will follow him through Hell and high water. No matter where
you go our CO is spoken of as the best leader here."
His group had seen "about eight Jap bombers hunted off" that
morning. They had flown over "in formation and our anti
aircraft guns opened up on them and didn't they split! There
was even little puffs of smoke all round them where our
shells from the guns had burst and they were still following
the planes when they went out of sight. One of the planes we
saw heading north had a trail of smoke a mile long behind
him and two of the others looked like they had been hit too.
Then our fighters came out and the Japs went off home as
fast as they could."
(Source: Letters written by Roy
Swadling - courtesy of Robyn McNamamra)
11) Navy tobacco
QX20003 - TUCKFIELD,
Colin James (Col), Pte. - D Company, 17 Platoon
Battalion positions on the island appear to be gardens now,
except for Don Coy's, which seems now to be (you've guessed
it!) LCHRHCUs (ED: low cost
high rise housing commission units). Somewhere
beneath those foundations is a large tin of Navy tobacco,
left on the shelf in my dugout, after 17 Platoon was cut off
on patrol down the Pipeline. Alas!
Kranji, to the west of Bukit Timah Road, is a large new
industrial estate. I think there were a couple of pineapple
factories among the rubber in our day.
(Source: Col Tuckfield, Makan
No. 231, Dec, 1976)
12) Accident on debussing
NX55473 - O'DONNELL, Colin Squire (Col), Sgt. - C Company,
15 Platoon
NX70453 - TAYLOR, John Lindsay, Capt. - BHQ, M.O.
Col told
me that the loss of his sight in one eye, derived from an
accident on debussing from one of the trucks, which had been
ferrying the chaps in the Battalion. Col had taken the
opportunity to doss on the floor for a bit of shut-eye, and,
when the vehicle stopped, he woke suddenly and hopped down
from the back of it, however one of the lads did not handle
his rifle too well and it caught Col's eye. He must have
been drowsy still himself, so that he paid no attention to
Col, but kept on pulling, with the result that Col's eye was
out on his cheek. CAPTAIN JOHN TAYLOR had put Col's eye back
and his sight was satisfactory until about ten years ago,
when it went completely on the side that had been injured.
(Source: Col O'Donnell - Makan No. 240,
Mar/Apr, 1978)
Back
Last updated
29/08/2022 |
