As Kedahs engines could not be repaired she was towed by Dragonand both safely reached Colombo. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Kung Woalthough hit with considerable damage there was only one casualty, a Chinese stoker killed by shrapnel. With the option of surrender or attack Wilkinson, with the support of his crew, chose the latter and sank one transport and damaged another before Li Wowas sunk. Only after cross-checking the message with the Automedon papers did the Japanese accept it to be genuine. Much is known of this and the vain attempt by the Prince of Walesand Repulse to halt the Malayan invasion and, the subsequent incarceration of troops and civilians at Selarang and Changi. [50][51] Although his military advisors judged that Istana Bukit Serene was an easy target, Yamashita was confident that the British Army would not attack the palace because it belonged to the Sultan of Johor. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. Produced by the Naval Studies Group in conjunction with the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian Naval Institute, Naval Historical Society and the RAN Seapower Centre. According to Woodburn-Kirby the majority of deserters were from administrative units or were men who had only recently arrived in Malaya and were inadequately trained. All these had considerable armed forces at their disposal, so a move by the Japanese to gain control of their oil, rubber and minerals was a dramatic undertaking without guarantee of success. This was the greatest known defeat of British forces in the distant Far East. There was then a further dangerous voyage through waters controlled by Japanese warships and submarines to the safety of Colombo for British, and Fremantle for the Australian, personnel. This is without a doubt the most boring WWII book I've come across. For the rest of December there were false alerts and several infrequent and sporadic hit-and-run attacks on outlying military installations such as the Naval Base but no raids on Singapore City. After some boring to-ing and fro-ing, a small band of some twenty or so British officers are selected to escape to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) on a dubious native craft. Every conceivable kind of boat, including yachts, was being pressed into service and my thoughts returned to those days of Dunkirk almost two years before. [115] Elsewhere, the 22nd Brigade continued to hold a position west of the Holland Road until late in the evening when it was pulled back to Holland Village. The Commonwealth having thought the terrain made them impractical, had no tanks and only a few armoured vehicles, which put them at a severe disadvantage. With only two boats it would take several trips to get all personnel to some wooded islands about 5 miles distant. Reynolds had other ideas and as a skilled sailor and engineer he borrowed a vessel. [73] The next recorded raid on the city occurred on the night of 29/30 December, and nightly raids ensued for over a week, accompanied by daylight raids from 12 January 1942. In the early afternoon McKerron and the Vlielands were joined by an old friend, Commander C. P. Robinson, the Deputy Master Attendant (Deputy Harbour Master). [45] In the heart of the "Western Area" was RAF Tengah, Singapore's largest airfield at the time. Life on the Line Podcasts [25], Although more Commonwealth unitsincluding some from the 8th Australian Divisionjoined the campaign, the Japanese prevented them from regrouping. Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Naval Historical Review, WWII operations, History - WW2 Japanese operations, Singapore, Ship losses, Australian Naval History Podcasts During the 70-day campaign in Malaya and Singapore, total Commonwealth casualties amounted to 8,708 killed or wounded and 130,000 captured (38,496 United Kingdom, 18,490 Australian of whom 1,789 were killed and 1,306 wounded, 67,340 Indian and 14,382 local volunteer troops), against 9,824 Japanese casualties. [90][89], To the north, the 27th Australian Brigade had not been engaged during the Japanese assaults on the first day. More than 15,000 Australian soldiers were captured. They displaced 85 tons, were 112feet in length, with a top speed of 20 knots. On paper the escape plan seemed straightforward, a 20-mile passage over the Singapore Strait at night, and then laying up under cover of one of the numerous Netherlands East Indies islands, before island hopping to cover the next 60 miles and crossing the Banka Strait to the large island of Sumatra. on Amazon.com. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Following Japanese atrocities in Hong Kong as many female nurses as possible were to be evacuated. The passage of Kung Woas described by LEUT Brooke may be regarded as typical: After passing through our own minefield at first light we were soon discovered by enemy dive bombers. [92] During the initial assault, the Japanese suffered severe casualties from Australian mortars and machine-guns and from burning oil which had been sluiced into the water following the demolition of several oil tanks by the Australians. Please try again. As it starts, it's not really obvious whether it's a novel or narrative, since it's all told third person. [173], Commando raids were carried out against Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour in Operation Jaywick (1943) and Operation Rimau (1944) to varying success. To avoid capture, the senior officers came ashore before she was examined by a Japanese boarding party and her engines disabled. Singapore was no more, it would now be renamed Syonan-To or Light of the South. [46] Also under Bennett's command was the 44th Indian Infantry Brigade. The bombers struck the city centre as well as the Sembawang Naval Base and the northern airfields. Arrival was on Sunday 22 February; while this was only a week after leaving Singapore, it felt like a lifetime. He invited me to accompany him in his pram-dinghy, a flat-bottomed boat about 12 feet long, bermuda-rigged with bamboo mast and boom, and designed for racing in the sheltered waters of . [43], Percival gave Major-General Gordon Bennett's two brigades from the 8th Australian Division responsibility for the western side of Singapore, including the prime invasion points in the northwest of the island. [56] The two Australian brigades were subsequently allocated a very wide frontage of over 11mi (18km) and were separated by the Kranji River. Previous ed. Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2001. The Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse soon after the Japanese landings on Malaya, the fall of Singapore and other defeats in 1942, severely undermined British prestige, which contributed to the end of British colonial rule in the region after the war. With an estimated capacity for 3000 personnel, 1800 spaces were allocated to Army, a few hundred to RN and RAF, and the rest to civil government. In addition, HMS Laburnumwas badly damaged by bombing and she, together with HDMLsPenghambat(LEUT F Man RNVR) and Penyengat were scuttled at Singapore to prevent them falling into enemy hands. [122][123], The Australians occupied a perimeter of their own to the north-west around Tanglin Barracks, in which they maintained an all round defence as a precaution. It is expected that every unit will be brought into close contact with the enemy and fight it out. To prevent the remaining ships falling into enemy hands the senior naval officer, Rear Admiral Ernest Spooner, decreed that these must sail by 13 February. He survived this ordeal and when the opportunity came he and a number of his shipmates escaped in the river steamer Kung Wo. 1 The official history records Wah Sui sailing with 120 wounded but Moreman and Reid (2002) say six nurses and 300 wounded; those onboard say there were between 350 and 450 passengers, many of whom may not have been wounded. A yarn of adventure in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. Revitalising his naval career, from MV. [45] This included the naval base at Sembawang. Just short of Sumatra she was bombed and sunk when about 150 survivors made Banka Island. [140], A delegation was selected to go to the Japanese headquarters. 3 Charles Moses served in the British infantry during WWI. No. "Bennett singled out Indian troops but did not confine his remarks to them. The Highlanders, who had trained in jungle warfare, fought well against the Japanese, until they too were overwhelmed. Britain responded, sending the battleship HMS Prince of Walesand the battlecruiser HMS Repulseplus four destroyers to intercept the invasion force. On sailing there were about300 passengers and crew. After ML310was attacked by enemy ships she grounded on Tjebia Island about 30 miles north of Banka Strait. Another unfortunate consequence leading to confusion was that naval personnel responsible for coding and decoding signals were approved to leave the island aboard HMS Jupiterin the early hours of 12 February. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Also on hand was the elite Indian manned Hong Kong and Singapore Regiment of Royal Artillery (HK&SRRA) and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force. [103] After brushing aside elements of the 6th/15th Indian Brigade, the Japanese again began attacking the 22nd Australian Brigade around the Reformatory Road. The General, accompanied by his ADC, Lieutenant Gordon Walker, and staff officer Major Charles Moses3plus some Malaysian officers arranged to hire a junk. [67], Shortly before 20:30 on 8 February, the first wave of Japanese troops from the 5th Division and 18th Division began crossing the Johor Strait. Those remaining of the ships companies from Prince of Walesand Repulse after successive drafts had been sent to other ships, among them two officers, LEUT G. Brooks and LCDR A.H. Terry, with about 200 men. Finally, on sighting a friendly vessel, they hoist an improvised distress signal, not realizing that the one they select is a warning of their intention to attack. [164] The city was renamed Syonan-to ( Shnan-t; literally: 'Southern Island gained in the age of Shwa', or 'Light of the South'). This was achieved by moving the defending forces from the beaches along the northern shore and from around Changi, with the 18th Infantry Division being tasked to maintain control of the vital reservoirs and effecting a link up with Simmons' Southern Area forces. [152] According to another source, Taylor cracked under the pressure. This brave man had refused to kneel in order to be beheaded. [63][64], Blowing up the causeway had delayed the Japanese attack for over a week. Escape from Singapore, 1942;: The story of an incredible voyage through enemy waters Over the course of an hour, intense fighting took place on the right flank of the 2/19th Battalion, until its positions were overrun, the Japanese then advanced inland concealed by the darkness and the vegetation. . [35][36], During the weeks preceding the invasion, Commonwealth forces suffered a number of both subdued and openly disruptive disagreements amongst its senior commanders,[37] as well as pressure from Australian Prime Minister John Curtin. Grasshopperwas hit twice and set on fire but her captain managed to beach her on nearby Sebayer Islands. Here another bit of luck came the way of the Dalforce party as they heard of another abandoned ship in need of their newfound recovery skills. We are sorry. That afternoon the Admiral called a meeting in his office at Fort Canning and told us that the decision that Singapore could not hold out had been agreed and orders had been given for the remaining naval and Air Force personnel, as well as selected Army technicians, to leave that evening (Pool 1987). , Publisher In the interwar years, Britain had established a naval base in Singapore after the Anglo-Japanese alliance had lapsed in 1923. Maxwell knew that the 22nd Brigade was under increasing pressure but was unable to contact Taylor and was wary of encirclement. This gave rise to great excitement with the Army men sensing salvation just over the horizon. In the first encounter, the last ten Hurricanes were scrambled from Kallang Airfield to intercept a Japanese formation of about 84 aircraft, flying from Johor to provide air cover for their invasion force. As it starts, it's not really obvious whether it's a novel or narrative, since it's all told third person. The next day the cruiser HMS Danae arrived from Batavia and took onboard about 80 officers and 500 men. [169] Numerous British and Australian soldiers taken prisoner remained in Singapore's Changi Prison and many died in captivity. A little after 7.30 pm Kembongs engines were coaxed into life and at 8 pm the anchor was raised. [157] While impressed with Japan's quick succession of victories, Adolf Hitler reportedly had mixed views regarding Singapore's fall, seeing it as a setback for the "white race" but ultimately something that was in Germany's military interests. Survivors from this closely knit unit stayed together and some managed to escape whilst others were taken into custody. She was known locally as The Ice-Box, therefore in taking passengers she was of limited value, only able to use the upper deck. Copyright 2023. [38] Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, commander of the garrison, had 85,000 soldiersthe equivalent, on paper at least, of just over four divisions. Here there was a small Dutch Customs Station who advised them to proceed about 12 hours up river to Pekanbaru where there was an RAF Base. [74] As the Japanese army advanced towards Singapore Island, the day and night raids increased in frequency and intensity, resulting in thousands of civilian casualties, up to the time of the British surrender. Roberts, Janet I., The Yachties Australian Volunteers in the Royal Navy 1940-45, Master of Arts Thesis University of Melbourne, October 2007. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. 0 Ratings 1 Want to read; 0 Currently reading; 0 Have read; Borrow Listen. Yamashita also accepted full responsibility for the lives of the civilians in the city. [39][f] Of this figure, 15,000 men were employed in supply, administrative, or other non-combatant roles. Her captain is unknown and she sailed with 4 crew and 25 passengers. Retrieve credentials. [93] Some of the Guards reached the shore and maintained a tenuous beachhead; at the height of the assault, it is reported that the Guards commander, Nishimura, requested permission to cancel the attack due to the many casualties his troops had suffered from the fire but Yamashita ordered them to press on. , Language Dragonflyand Grasshoppersailed in company on 13 February with about 325 troops, bound for Sumatra. This would see landings in Malaya and Hong Kong as part of a general move south to secure Singapore, connected to Malaya by the JohorSingapore Causeway and then an invasion of the oil-rich area of Borneo and Java in the Dutch East Indies. Under the command of Major General Gordon Bennett, the force initially established its headquarters at Kuala Lumpur. By the end of January 1942, British Empire forces were driven back onto the island of Singapore itself, cut off from further outside help. About 80,000 British, Indian, Australian and local troops became prisoners of war, joining the 50,000 taken in Malaya and many died of neglect, abuse or forced labour. The first embarkation was to be made as soon after dark as possible in order to allow all craft to clear Singapore and its approaches before daylight the following morning. (Brooke 1989). Eventually it becomes clear that Skidmore must have reconstructed it all from interviews with and diaries of those involved, but it makes for an awkward beginning. From here they were taken to Padang on the west coast of Sumatra. The "1942" appears to have been added to the title to avoid confusion with a book by the same name written by S.C. George in 1946. RAF Kallang was the only operational airstrip left; the surviving squadrons and aircraft had withdrawn by January to reinforce the Dutch East Indies. [49] From aerial reconnaissance, scouts, infiltrators and observation from high ground across the straits (such as at Istana Bukit Serene and the Sultan of Johor's palace), Japanese commander General Tomoyuki Yamashita and his staff gained excellent knowledge of the Commonwealth positions. Padang was an important town serving the southwest coast of Sumatra, and the adjacent port was known as Emmahaven. Born into a lively Iraqi-Jewish family who rose from humble beginnings to create a thriving business, Rosie's days are filled with the love of her amusing and exasperating relatives and servants. HMS Panjiwas also sunk by enemy gunfire at Singapore. Fortunately a perceptive captain holds his fire, and permits them to board. There was a problem loading your book clubs. The next day, as the situation worsened for the Commonwealth, they sought to consolidate their defences; during the night of 12/13 February, the order was given for a 28mi (45km) perimeter to be established around Singapore City at the eastern end of the island. The Japanese attacked the weakest part of the island defences and established a beachhead on 8 February. 64 Sentai lost three Ki-43s and claimed five Hurricanes. [61], In the days leading up to the Japanese attack, patrols from the Australian 22nd Brigade were sent across the Straits of Johor at night to gather intelligence. [116], On 13 February, Japanese engineers repaired the road over the causeway and more tanks were pushed across. 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