The Fall of Singapore

Probus Club of Ottawa – Rideau Valley Guy Goodman 2013.11.06

The Fall of Singapore 5:15 pm, Sunday, 15th February 1942

Probus Club of Ottawa – Rideau Valley Guy Goodman 2013.11.06

Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the fall of Singapore as “the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history”

Albert Charles Goodman, 44458, Lt., RA Thomas Edward Pickard, 164295, Capt., RA Ronald Frederick Hailwood, 4757382, Cpl., Tank Corps, Burma

William Godfrey Soar, 148308, 2nd Lt, RA His grave in Kanchanaburi Bridge on the River Kwai

We shall remember them William Godfrey Soar, 148308, 2nd Lt, RA • Credits

• Background Japan

• Capitulation French Indo-China • Escape

Singapore Rengat, Sumatra Credits • Derek Barton • Peter Stubbs • Stan Pyke Why Was Singapore so Important for Britain?

• British East India Company • Population grew • Japanese rise as industrial power • Major British Naval Base for Far East Key Factors in First Half of 20th Century (1)

• 1911 Anglo-Japanese Alliance Treaty • Treaty terminated 1923 • Economies dominant after heavy costs of WW1 • 1921/2 Washington agreement • 1919 “10 year rule” • Britain selected Singapore as their main naval base in Far East • Built slowly in 20s and 30s • Japan renounced Washington agreement in 1936 Key Factors in First Half of 20th Century (2)

• By June 1940 Britain was at war with Germany and Italy • Needed all available resources for these two fronts • In September 1940, Japan invaded French Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) • Recognized that Japan would probably attack Singapore through southern Siam and northern Malaya • London did not want to be the first to invade Siam • Churchill’s Far East priorities Japan Strikes

• On December 8th 1941, Japan launched simultaneous strikes against • Pearl Harbour

Japan Strikes

• On December 8th 1941, Japan launched simultaneous strikes against • Pearl Harbour • Hong Kong • Manila • Southern Siam and northern Malaya

Japan Strikes

• On December 8th 1941, Japan launched simultaneous strikes against • Pearl Harbour • Hong Kong • Manila • Southern Siam and northern Malaya • And bombed Singapore • Complete surprise, not even an air raid warning

Japan Strikes

• On December 8th 1941, Japan launched simultaneous strikes against • Pearl Harbour • Hong Kong • Manila • Southern Siam and northern Malaya • And bombed Singapore • Complete surprise, not even an air raid warning • Japanese reached Singapore on February 8, 1942 Malaya

Singapore

Source: Farndale Malaya

Singapore

Next slide

Source: Farndale

Berlayer Pier Pulau Hantu

Siloso Point Berhala Reping

Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Batteries Faber Fire Command Berhala Reping is now the 6th hole of the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course! The Capitulation Source – Capt Tom Pickard’s Report Written - much later, in Ceylon Sunday, 8 Feb • Invasion of Singapore started Wednesday, 11 Feb • Pickard’s report starts in detail • Berlayer area heavy shelling - no material damage Thursday, 12 Feb • Numerous high-level bombing raids • All Secret and Confidential papers burnt Night Thursday/Friday, 12/13 Feb • Very heavy artillery bombardment taking place to the north and northwest on Singapore island Friday, 13 Feb (1) • Situation obviously desperate • Very heavy air attacks and shelling from the ground • About 2 pm the Japanese hit Labrador 6” Battery • One gun destroyed and 25 casualties • About 2 pm Pickard destroyed all remaining papers, security books etc except nominal and next-of-kin rolls Friday, 13 Feb (Evening) Evacuation Preparations

• Pickard would get 30 minutes notice to demolish Berlayer and Hantu • He would arrange for evacuation of Berlayer and Hantu crews to Blakang Mati (after demolitions) then join forces with Capt Bill Richey at Berhala Reping Tonkang Merriam-Webster: a large native boat or junk used in the East Indies in fishing and in local trading Tonkangs feature significantly in our story A tonkang was normally moored at Hantu Friday, 13 Feb (Evening/Night)

Berlayer Pier Pulau Hantu

Siloso Point Berhala Reping

Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Batteries Faber Fire Command Saturday, 14th Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

Berlayer Pier Pulau Hantu

Siloso Point Berhala Reping

Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Batteries Faber Fire Command Saturday, 14th Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

Berlayer Pier Pulau Hantu

Siloso Point Berhala Reping

Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Batteries Faber Fire Command Saturday, 14th Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

Berlayer Pier Pulau Hantu

Siloso Point Berhala Reping

Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Batteries Faber Fire Command Saturday, 14th Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

Berlayer Pier Pulau Hantu

Siloso Point Berhala Reping

Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Batteries Faber Fire Command Saturday, 14th Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

Berlayer Pier Pulau Hantu

Siloso Point Berhala Reping

Siloso Point to Berhala Reping approx 3½ km as the crow flies Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Batteries Faber Fire Command Saturday, 13 Feb (Morning)

6:30 am, Saturday, 14 Feb, Arrival Berhala Reping • Met by Lt A. C. Goodman • Slept for a few hours, felt better but . . . • . . . depressed at having had to demolish guns without firing a single round at the enemy Saturday, 14 Feb (Small Hours)

• Goodman written comment:

“Captain Pickard was officially in charge of this party, though I must say that when I saw him on his arrival he was in a state of collapse and did not look capable of taking charge of a sheet-changing party, let alone bringing in a bunch of men from three forts, as he had done.” Saturday, 14 Feb (Daylight Hours)

• Met Capt Bill Richey, OC Reping, and was given a position on the perimeter to defend • About 200 officers and men at Reping, joined by a Lt Tranter (Aus) and 12 men, canoed from Singapore Island • Serapong - Connaught - Reping area (Blakang Mati east end) subject to several high-level bombing attacks in the morning and Singapore all day Saturday, 14 Feb (Late Afternoon)

• Richey was informed that Japanese were between Serapong and Reping (later heard that there were no Japanese at all on Blakang Mati, 2nd false report) • Due this report, Richey decided to blow guns and magazines – Pickard assisted Interlude - The Curlew

• Three men with sea-going qualifications • Sunday morning, spotted the Curlew • All perfect except gearbox damaged • Lashed tonkang alongside, bow to stern, didn’t work • Starting about 10:30 pm, started to load all men and supplies • Pickard not feeling too good • Only about 5 or 6 hours sleep in the last week • Leg so painful he could hardly stand on it • Next morning (Monday), Curlew declared unrepairable and unusable Sunday, 15 Feb

• Morning bright and clear • Terrific hammering of Singapore recommenced • All efforts on Curlew • Found a beat up tonkang to use as ferry to Curlew and got men to patch it up while waiting • About 6 pm, “ominously quiet” in Singapore • A Sapper arrived, had just blown up Battle HQ and informed that C in C had surrendered unconditionally • Richey sent Goodman to Connaught to get escape permission, came back 3 hours later with chit Boom and Gate

Berhala Reping Boom and Gate

Berhala Reping Sunday, 15 Feb (Evening/Night)

• Gradually numbers of both officers and men opted for the risks of surrender over those of attempting escape • Summary in a moment • Also other events which reduced the numbers, e.g. • After tonkang failed to steer Curlew, Capt Richey assigned to join those men already in it and try to get away Monday, 16 Feb (About 3 am) On Board Curlew

• “Goodman (splendid chap) produced a small flask of Johnnie Walker, we had a nip each” Monday, 16 Feb (Morning)

• Pickard writes “After the terrific din of the previous few days, the silence was almost uncanny. White flags were flying all over Singapore and in the kampongs of the neighbouring islands” • Japanese aircraft flew low overhead, thought we had been spotted • More men lost heart, some went off to surrender • Others “coming through the jungle wanted to join us” • Pickard decision: anyone who left would not be allowed back; due shortage of space no more would be allowed to join Monday, 16 Feb (Later Morning) • Since Curlew unusable, Armstrong and Hall went to Pulau Brani to see if they could find some small boats • They found three tonkangs, shot up and leaking badly, but serviceable • Men worked hard to repair them

Monday, 16 Feb (Later Morning) • Since Curlew unusable, Armstrong and Hall went to Pulau Brani to see if they could find some small boats • They found three tonkangs, shot up and leaking badly, but serviceable • Men worked hard to repair them • Earlier had seen at least 27 Japanese boats, loaded with troops, going out of the boom gate • Several more men became discouraged about trying to escape Monday, 16 Feb (Afternoon/Evening) • Pickard speech: every man had to decide within 10 minutes whether to go or not – wow! • Risks • might be shot at going through the boom gate • long sea trip in open boat, without charts • only sketchy knowledge of minefields • Pickard couldn’t guarantee any man’s safety • He was putting himself under orders of Armstrong who was appointed skipper of the first boat • Result: • Most remaining decided to try to escape • About 27 others decided to stay and surrender How Many Wanted to Escape? • By Sat 14th, well over 200 officers and men on Reping • Sun 15th, Lt Carter, 50 BOR and all IOR went to Connaught • Wee small hours, Mon 16th, Capt Richey and about 15 others left Curlew in tonkang to try to escape • Several more subsequently decided escape attempt was riskier than surrendering: • Sun 15th night, 2/Lt Walker and about 20 men and NCOs • Mon 16th morning, about 30 more • Later that afternoon, Prentis, Crisp and about 25 others • Down to 50 - 60 in total, re-arranged between 3 tonkangs Monday, 16 Feb (Evening)

• Armstrong to command #1 boat, Pickard under his orders • Goodman navigator • Tranter to command #2 boat • McCulloch to command #3 boat - still working on engine • No arms, but white flag • About 10 pm, McCulloch decided engine not sufficiently serviceable • #3 boat decided to stay • About 11:30 pm, #1 and 2 boats pushed off Monday, 16 Feb (Evening) #1 Boat: The Bedbug – decided after “adventure” over

Monday, 16 Feb (Evening) #1 Boat: The Bedbug – decided after “adventure” over

One of Tom Pickard’s favourite poems

“The dragon-fly has wings of gold, The fire-fly wings of flame; The bedbug has no wings at all, But it gets there just the same.”

Monday, 16 Feb (Evening) #1 Boat: The Bedbug – decided after “adventure” over

One of Tom Pickard’s favourite poems

“The dragon-fly has wings of gold, The fire-fly wings of flame; The bedbug has no wings at all, But it gets there just the same.”

And so it did Tuesday, 17 Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

• #2 boat seemed to have engine problems • Heard it start, travelled slowly • Never saw #2 boat again • Joe Cusselle

Tuesday, 17 Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

• #2 boat seemed to have engine problems • Heard it start, travelled slowly • Never saw #2 boat again • Joe Cusselle • Headed for boom gate • Wrong turn at boom • McMillan recognized problem and guided through boom • Passed within a few yards of Signal Tower • nearly 30 hours after the fall of Singapore • Once out, opened throttles, headed for open sea and freedom Singapore – Rengat by “Bedbug” Tuesday, 17 - Tuesday 24 February, 1942

Wed 18th Tue 17th

Thu 19th

Fri 20th

Sat 21st

Sun 22nd Tue 24th

Mon 23rd Tuesday, 17 Feb (Wee Small Hours)

Berhala Reping

Accident at Peak Island (now Kusu) Landed just after 2 am Tuesday, 17 Feb (Mid Morning)

• Left St John West about 9:30 am for St John East, maybe 600 yards! Wednesday, 18 Feb (Very Wee Small Hours)

Pulau Sambo, site of wreck Wednesday, 18 Feb (Morning)

Pulau Sambo, site of wreck Nongsa

Kampong

Rhio Strait Wednesday, 18 Feb (Afternoon)

• Villagers estimated 6 - 8 hours to reach Tanjung Pinang • After rounding Longsa Point, cleared rocks (very nasty) then to Pulau Omar - warned journey would be rough (it was) • There was a burning oil installation on Omar

Tanjung Uban Thursday, 19 Feb (Morning/Afternoon)

Tanjung Uban

Overtook Sambo 3

Friday, 20 Feb (Morning)

• Rose about 6 am, “ready to sail anywhere” – really grateful to the 2 Dutchmen for their help to all visitors • Controller gave them fresh bread to take with them

Friday, 20 Feb (Morning)

• Rose about 6 am, “ready to sail anywhere” – really grateful to the 2 Dutchmen for their help to all visitors • Controller gave them fresh bread to take with them • Left Pinang 9:15 am • Arrived Alor Island about 4 hours later • Originally intended to land on Alor Pompong but terrain hostile

Pompong Friday, 20 Feb (Rest of Day and Night)

• Stayed overnight as “no hurry” • Night was quite uncomfortable due creepy-crawlies • Lay on beach with feet just above high water mark but that put heads in jungle

Saturday, 21 Feb Alor

X

• Rigged up awning over Bedbug, Sambo 3 crew built rudder to replace their steering “sweep” • Hoped to hit Sumatra coast due west of Alor (about 2 am) • Left Alor about 4:20 pm but heading WSW • Sambo’s rudder • “Hit” Sumatra coast very hard

Sunday, 22 Feb Cast off (Morning and Afternoon) Sambo 3

Perigi Raja

• Very uncomfortable night for all • Engine completely saturated with sea water • 2 hours to dry engine but able to move on at 9 am • Set course S by E, enquiring how to reach Indragiri River • Answers were anywhere from 1 to 10 hours • Early afternoon had to cast Sambo off as very short of petrol and no sail (Sambo had tarp for sail) Monday, 23 Feb (Small Hours and Morning)

• Over night, Bedbug started to take in water at “an alarming rate” • Tide was falling and stem firmly settled on top of the pole to which painter attached • Hanging at rakish angle - all hands to the pump after somehow untying or cutting painter

Perigi Raja

• Left Perigi Raja at 4:50 am, arrived Tembilahan just before 9 am, following Sambo, which was being towed by a small river steamer Monday, 23 Feb (Morning and Afternoon)

Perigi Raja

• No petrol available at Tembilahan • Got a tow in the same group as Sambo • About 1 pm, pulled into Sunggei Sala for supplies • Left about 2:30 pm, still under tow Monday, 23 Feb (Afternoon)

Perigi Raja

• Cookson (Ship’s Doctor) sick • Self diagnosed as malaria • Tied up for the night en route to Rengat Tuesday, 24 Feb (Morning)

Perigi Raja

• Cookson much better • About 5 miles from Rengat, unhooked from junk and completed journey under own power • Arrived Rengat about noon Tuesday, 24 Feb (Midday)

“And so, in a more or less dignified manner, we completed about 300 miles in our little Bedbug. Not very comfortable at any time, but never uncomfortable enough to warrant that much abused word ‘hardship’. Never short, in the real meaning of the word, of food or water. And having a far greater share of good luck than we had any right to expect.” Tuesday, 24 Feb – Tuesday 10 Mar

• From Rengat they were taken by truck, bus and train to Padang and then by ship to Colombo, Ceylon and Bombay • 2 days at Ayer Moelek, a rubber estate near Rengat • 1 day at Sawa Loentho, head of railway to Padang, coastal port • 2 days in Padang Unable find reference to Ayer Moelek, Sawa Loentho or railway • 5 days at sea to on any map or search engine Ceylon “Bedbug” • Doctor checked Pickard’s leg • 1 day in Colombo • Left Pickard in hospital • 5 days at sea to Bombay

Albert Charles Goodman, Thomas Edward Pickard, 44458, Capt., RA 164295, Major, RA Questions ???

The first three of the following slides (which were part of the presentation) go with answers to some of the questions asked. The remaining seven, which were omitted from the talk due to time considerations, have been added in this web version. Answer to first question; continued on next slide Rest of answer to first question Friday, 20 Feb (Morning)

• Rose about 6 am, “ready to sail anywhere” – really grateful to the 2 Dutchmen for their help to all visitors • Controller gave them fresh bread to take with them • Left Pinang 9:15 am • Arrived Alor Island about 4 hours later • Originally intended to land on Alor Pompong but terrain hostile

Pompong Relates to question about Pickard’s leg

Albert Charles Goodman, Thomas Edward Pickard, 44458, Capt., RA 164295, Major, RA And finally, seven slides which, due to time considerations, didn’t make the final cut: • one giving the various sources used in compiling this talk; • one elaborating on the origins of Singapore as a British possession; • one showing where the Japanese first landed on the east coast of southern Siam and northern Malaya as well as the existing railway tracks all the way to Singapore • three adding details on the demolitions of the Berlayer Pier fort; and • one showing the complement of The Bedbug and the role assigned to (or adopted by) each. This slide was omitted from the talk but is added in the web version for the convenience of any who might be interested in getting more detailed information

Resources

•. THE HISTORY OF COAST ARTILLERY IN THE BRITISH ARMY – COL. K. W. MAURICE- JONES, D.S.O., late R.A. (1957) - (Canadian War Museum Library through Ottawa Public Library)

• History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery The Far East Theatre 1941-46 - General Sir Martin Farndale, KCB (2000) - (Extracts from Derek Barton - see below)

• SINGAPORE 1942. BRITAIN’S GREATEST DEFEAT - Alan Warren (2002) - (Ottawa Public Library)

• THE DEFENCE and FALL of SINGAPORE 1940-1942 – Brian P. Farrell (2006) - (Toronto Public Library through Ottawa Public Library) • http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/20507-history-of-the-royal-artillery-regt-far-east- theatre-1941-46-by-farndale/ - contributor Derek Barton

• http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/page2.html - webmaster Derek Barton

• http://www.fortsiloso.com/ - webmaster Peter Stubbs

• http://www.sgpyke.co.uk/dad/pompong%20trip.htm - webmaster Stan Pyke

• Wikipedia, Google Maps, Bing Maps etc • Often described as the “Father of Singapore” • Started at age of 14 working as a clerk in the British East India Company • In March of 1818, aged 37, appointed Governor General of Bencoolen, Sumatra

Bencoolen

• In January of 1819, established a post in Singapore, where there was no Dutch presence • In February, secured the transfer of control to the East India Company

Population • negligible in 1819 • 53,000 in 1850 • 311,000 in 1911 • 700,000 in 1938 Singora was also called Songkhla

On 8 December, 1942, the Japanese first landed at Singora in southern Siam and at Kota Bharu in northern Malaya. Their progress south through the jungle was made somewhat easier by the existence of the path of the railway all the way.

Source: Farndale Friday, 13 Feb (2) The Demolitions - Preparation

• 30 minutes notice would be given • To prepare, had 150 cartridges opened in #2 magazine • Cordite packed around 10 lb gelignite with primer, detonator and fuze (sic) • Pickard detailed officers and men to: • smash up all searchlights and equipment in control towers • destroy guns, magazine and engine room • marshall men with all small arms, machine guns, hand grenade, rations etc Saturday, 14 Feb (Wee Small Hours) The Demolitions – Action (1)

• Men, with required stores, marched down to the pier • Prentis and an NCO smashed everything in the control towers and threw telephone sets into the sea • All men were clear of the Fort area and Prentis was ordered to: • tell L/Cpl Stanley (RE) to smash up the engine room • take charge of men on the pier • shove off without Pickard and Melhuish if they weren’t out in 15 minutes Saturday, 14 Feb (Wee Small Hours) The Demolitions – Action (2)

• Pickard and Melhuish did the demolitions: • drove a brass drill shell with a large driving band down the muzzle of each gun with a 14 lb sledge and burred the mouth of the rifling over it • loaded a high explosive shell with delayed action fuze with percussion cartridge-tube in each gun and attached a long lanyard • blew C2 gun first, taking cover in the RA store • about 10” blown off muzzle and stump split back about another 10” • then blew C1; not quite such good results but gun was rendered useless #1 Boat Complement

This slide was omitted from the talk but is added in the web version for those who might be interested. Roles were assigned to (or adopted by) each member of The Bedbug’s crew. This was done in part to maintain morale and team spirit. The roles assigned to (or adopted by) each were, of course, based on each person’s previous experience.