With the ships engines irreparable and taking on water the Captain ordered abandon ship. Many of them suffered severe hardships and brutality similar to that experienced by other prisoners held by Japan during the war. There were only seven survivors and Lieutenant Wilkinson was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. They were whimsically known as the Plymouth Argylls (Plymouth Argyle is a football club). [169] Numerous British and Australian soldiers taken prisoner remained in Singapore's Changi Prison and many died in captivity. (31st January 1942 British and Commonwealth forces withdrew from the mainland to Singapore) My mother and two younger sisters (Audrey and Ann) left Singapore on December 22nd (the same day as. Free shipping for many products! Only one lifeboat with a capacity for 28 persons was launched, into which 135 survivors crammed, including Brigadier Paris. Early in February, 1942, Professor G. A. Ransome spoke to me about his plans to try and escape to the Dutch East Indies if the Japanese should capture Singapore. The Japanese then proceeded overland across the ThaiMalayan border to attack Malaya. [58], As the landing craft closed on the Australian positions, machine gunners from the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, interspersed amongst the rifle companies, opened fire. I had 30,000 men and was outnumbered more than three to one. The papers included information about the weakness of the Singapore base. Urgent requests for fire support were made and throughout the night the 2/15th Field Regiment fired over 4,800 rounds. After a full and frank exchange of views, all present agreed that no counter-attack was possible, and Percival opted for surrender. When the junk did not arrive the ADC swam to a sampan and guided her inshore, allowing the party to cross to Johore. He was 31. Gibson, Walter, The Boat Singapore Escape, Monsoon, Singapore, 2007. , Publisher Japanese troops were closing in on the British island of Singapore and it was only a matter of hours, if not days, before the embattled island would be forced to surrender. 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. The Japanese were at the limit of their supply line and their artillery units were also running out of ammunition. Her captain is unknown and she sailed with 4 crew and 25 passengers. In these circumstances the defenders must greatly outnumber Japanese forces who have crossed the straits, and in a well-contested battle they should destroy them. Magazine Subscribers (How to Find Your Reader Number). Britain responded, sending the battleship HMS Prince of Walesand the battlecruiser HMS Repulseplus four destroyers to intercept the invasion force. Amazon has encountered an error. When you buy books using these links the Internet Archive may earn a small commission. [80], By the time of the invasion, only ten Hurricanes of 232 Squadron, based at RAF Kallang, remained to provide air cover for the Commonwealth forces on Singapore. More than 15,000 Australian soldiers were captured. Only 24 Australian Army nurses survived the bombings, massacre and POW captivity. [57] Much of the equipment and resources of the garrison had been incorrectly allocated to the north east sector, where the most complete and freshest formationthe 18th Infantry Divisionwas deployed, while the depleted 8th Australian Division sector with two of its three brigades had no serious fixed defensive works or obstacles. With only a few Navy men and a Merchant Marine among them, and no navigation gear, they make their way to what they hope is safety, where they are reabsorbed into the military machine. The escape was not well thought of by other senior Army officers, and in parliamentary circles it was politely termed unwise. [27][e], At Bakri, from 18 to 22 January, the Australian 2/19th and 2/29th battalions and the 45th Indian Brigade (Lieutenant Colonel Charles Anderson) repeatedly fought through Japanese positions before running out of ammunition near Parit Sulong. [19][20], At the start of the campaign, the Commonwealth forces had only 164 first-line aircraft in Malaya and Singapore and the only fighter type was the sub-standard Brewster 339E Buffalo. A yarn of adventure in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Prior to the main assault, the Australians were subjected to an intense artillery bombardment. Major Geoffrey Rowly-Conwy of the Royal Artillery refuses to obey an order to surrender to the Japanese as they close in on Singapore. Life on the Line Podcasts [165][166] The Japanese sought vengeance against the Chinese and anyone who held anti-Japanese sentiments. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Escape from Singapore, 1942;: The story of an incredible voyage through enemy waters at Amazon.com. ML 310was waiting in the stream for Rear Admiral Spooner and Air Vice Marshal Conway Pulford to embark. With a makeshift crew Li Wo cast off with 84 passengers and crew and made for the Banka Strait. Malaya and Singapore had an ample supply of defending forces, with a British Army supported by Australian and Indian troops, however, many of these had been hastily put together and quantity was not matched by quality. This is without a doubt the most boring WWII book I've come across. [90] The authority for this withdrawal would later be the subject of debate, with Bennett stating that he had not given Maxwell authorisation to do so. station45.cebu At the same time, bowing to Japanese political pressure and possibly compounding foreseen weakness, Britain withdrew from its Chinese based garrisons at Shanghai and Tientsin and repositioned these regiments in Singapore, leaving the last east Asian outpost at Hong Kong alone and vulnerable. 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. [111] The counter-attack was repulsed by the Imperial Guards and the 27th Australian Brigade was split in half on either side of the Bukit Timah Road with elements spread as far as the Pierce Reservoir.[112]. Three other HDMLs for the Straits Settlement Volunteer Reserve (SSVR) were given names in lieu of numbers, Panglima, Penghambatand Penyengat. The capture of Singapore resulted in the largest British surrender in its history. 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. 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. Bennett had urged for specific territorial responsibility for his Division, and this resulted in an area which included Johore and Malacca, coming within his responsibility. After settling in Australia he became known as a sportsman and journalist. [52], Most of Singapore's BL 15-inch Mk I naval guns could be traversed north and were used to engage the Japanese. Were glad you found a book that interests you! When the first Japanese came ashore on Singapore Island on 8 February the thinly spread Australians defending the northwestcoast failed to halt the attack and the Argylls were send to help stem the tide in the brief Battle of Singapore. Communication and leadership failures beset the Allies and there were few defensive positions or reserves near the beachhead. Please try your request again later. 488 Squadron RNZAF, a Buffalo squadron, had converted to Hurricanes; 232 Squadron became operational on 20 January and destroyed three Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscars" that day, for the loss of three Hurricanes. Lionel Wigmore, the Australian official historian of the Malayan campaign, wrote, Only one of the Indian battalions was up to numerical strength, three (in the 44th Brigade) had recently arrived in a semi-trained condition, nine had been hastily reorganised with a large intake of raw recruits, and four were being re-formed but were far from being fit for action. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. . 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. Further, losses on the mainland had resulted in a general shortage of equipment. [153][136] Yamashita, the Japanese commander, laid the blame on the British "underestimating Japanese military capabilities" and Percival's hesitancy in reinforcing the Australians on the western side of the island. A boarding party discovered a small weighted bag destined to have been thrown overboard. The 1942 battle ended with 140,000 troops and citizens in Singapore captured, wounded or killed Around 80,000 British, Indian and Australian troops based in Singapore became Prisoners of War. [78] Many of the Hurricanes were destroyed on the ground by air raids. Singapore was the foremost British military base and economic port in SouthEast Asia and had been of great importance to British interwar defence strategy. Dutch officials were appalled at their unruly behavior and could not wait to be rid of their unwelcome guests. The infantry positions were reinforced by the recently arrived Australian 2/4th Machine-Gun Battalion. 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. Controversially, the commander of Australian forces on the island, Major General Gordon Bennett, escaped the island with two staff officers on the night of the surrender. 14 day loan required to access PDF files. (Brooke 1989). To their right, the 18th Division, the 11th Indian Division and the 2nd Malaya Brigade held the perimeter from the edge of the Farrar Road east to Kallang, while to their left, the 44th Indian Brigade and the 1st Malaya Brigade held the perimeter from Buona Vista to Pasir Panjang. Copyright 2023. [140], A delegation was selected to go to the Japanese headquarters. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. [146][147][148] Bennett blamed Percival and the Indian troops for the defeat but Callaghan reluctantly stated that Australian units had been affected, towards the end of the battle, by many desertions. [56] This was encouraged by the deliberate movement of Japanese troops in this sector to deceive the British. [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. They had a crew of 15 and up to 60 passengers could be crammed onboard. The main weight of the Japanese force, about 13,000 men, from 16 assault battalions, with five in reserve, attacked the 22nd Australian Brigade. The June 2019 edition of this magazine contained an article The Naval Evacuation of Singapore - February 1942which lists MV Kembongamongst forty-five vessels that escaped. One young Indian prisoner with a Bengaluru connection was. With that in mind, thoughts of evacuation were therefore unnecessary. [120] Earlier that day, Percival had issued orders to destroy all secret and technical equipment, ciphers, codes, secret documents and heavy guns. They carried 2 x 4-inch guns, 1 x 3.7-inch gun and 8machine guns, with a crew of 75 officers and men. [39][f] Of this figure, 15,000 men were employed in supply, administrative, or other non-combatant roles. One survivor, Private Arthur Haines from the Wiltshire Regiment, wrote a four-page account of the massacre that was sold by his daughter by private auction in 2008. As Kedahs engines could not be repaired she was towed by Dragonand both safely reached Colombo. [167][168] The other ethnic groups of Singaporesuch as the Malays and Indianswere not spared. ESCAPE FROM SINGAPORE -- 1942 by Ian Skidmore RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1974 A yarn of adventure in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. 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. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. 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