CHAPTER 1 1

THE MISSION OF KRAI T

T 6 p.m. on 8th September 1943 General Eisenhower, in Algiers, A broadcast the announcement of the Italian armistice . On 10th Septem- ber the master of a small motor sampan wearing the Japanese merchan t ensign and heading westward through the Java Sea approximately 60 mile s south of Borneo's southernmost point, Cape Selatan, wrote in his log : The day is fine, a few scattered clouds and a slight haze around the horizon . Everyone was very pleased to hear that Italy had thrown in the towel freeing th e Mediterranean Fleet from its duties . . . . By dark tonight we will be across the main shipping routes from Sourabaya and Batavia to Balikpapan and all ports usin g the Macassar Strait. Our lookouts are particularly keen and so far have alway s sighted any objects long before we could possibly be seen by them. . . . Most of the dye has washed off by now and we all resemble studies in black and white . . . . The sampan and her brindle company belied the flag under which the y sailed. The sampan was, in essence, of Japanese nationality, having bee n Japanese built as the Kofuku Maru, a diesel-engined vessel of 68 gros s registered tons, 70 feet long and 11 feet beam, capable under favourabl e conditions of six-and-a-half knots, with a range of 8,000 miles . As Kofuku Maru she was, before the Far Eastern war, owned by a Japanese fishin g firm in , employed as a fish carrier and supply vessel for th e boats fishing in the vicinity of the Anambas Islands. When war cam e with Japan she was seized by the British and used in the rescue o f survivors from ships sunk off the east coast of Sumatra . During this period about 1,100 persons were transported in her, including a number rescue d from the island of Pompong in the Lingga Archipelago . When the Nether- lands East Indies surrendered in March 1942, she left the Inderagiri River in Sumatra and was sailed to India by a civilian, W . R. Reynolds. After some months in India she came out to Australia and, after many vicissitude s owing to engine trouble, sailed from Exmouth Gulf on 1st September 194 3 on a voyage to her old home port of Singapore . She was now th e Krait, operated in the service of the Allied Intelligence Bureau . Her company, fourteen in all, was made up of six "operatives " of the Services Reconnaissance Department of A .I.B., who were to attack with limpet mines Japanese ships in Singapore ; and eight crew members whose job was to take the operatives in Krait to near their destination, and pick them up and return them to Australia when their mission was completed. The Services Reconnaissance Department had its origin in March 194 2 when Colonel G . E. Mott arrived in Australia from Britain, where he was a member of the Special Operations Executive, a body responsible for th e organisation of subversive operations in enemy territory, and of resistanc e movements in enemy-occupied countries . Mott—advised by the D .N.I.,

318 THE MISSION OF KRAIT 1942-43 , and by Lieut-Colonel Oldham' who was detailed by Genera l Blarney—formed in Melbourne in March 1942 a replica of the Specia l Operations Executive in the form of the Inter-Allied Services Department , with headquarters in Domain Road, South Yarra, Melbourne . The first unit formed by I .A.S.D. was "Z" Special Unit, an administrative unit for men who performed secret and unorthodox tasks . Such a task envisaged was that of attacking ships in Singapore . Among those who escaped thence in 1942 when the Japanese invaded Malay a were Major H. A. Campbell, of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, an d Captain Lyon2 of the Gordon Highlanders . They came down to Australia. In Melbourne they called on the D .N.I. and to him outlined plans they had in mind for such an attack . Commander Long, who was impressed, sent them with his recommendation to Admiral Royle, and Naval Boar d approval of the scheme was received . Krait was secured, volunteers from the Navy were forthcoming both to man the ship and join the operatives , and training was carried out. There were, however, successive delays due to engine trouble in Krait —the only available vessel suitable for the task—and early in 1943 it wa s decided to abandon the operation. The naval personnel were transferred , as a unit, to "Special Operations" and Campbell and Lyon, who wer e anxious to remain in Australia, were attached to the Inter-Allied Service s Department which, in July 1942, had become a section of the Allied Intelligence Bureau . In April 1943 Colonel Mott returned to England, and the name Inter-Allied Services Department was changed to Special Opera- tions, Australia, soon afterwards being changed yet again to Service s Reconnaissance Department with Colonel P . J. F. Chapman-Walker a s Director. Associated with the Services Reconnaissance Department at it s South Yarra headquarters was Mr Manderson, 3 a former Melbourne journa- list. Manderson, a man of varied and outstanding talents, was of consider - able behind-the-scenes help to the three senior operatives in the Krait expedition. Later in 1943 the plan to attack Japanese ships in Singapore was revive d and developed. After much work Krait was made seaworthy, and in Septem- ber, posing as an Indonesian trader, was ready to sail on her hazardou s voyage from Exmouth Gulf. The route was to be through Lombok Strait , across the Java Sea, along the south-west and west coasts of Borneo, and thence westward across to the Lingga Archipelago and the islands south o f Singapore . On 1st September 1943 Krait was in Exmouth Gulf ready to sail . She carried a supply of limpet mines, and two-man canoes in which the opera- tives would enter the chosen harbours to deliver their attacks on ship s alongside and at anchor . The six operatives were Lyon—now a majo r

1 Lt-Col A . G . Oldham, ED . HQ 6 Div and "Z" Special Unit (comd 1943-44) . Merchant ; of Melbourne; b . Melbourne, 9 Dec 1906 . 2 Lt-Col I . Lyon, DSO, MBE . 2/Gordon Highlanders and (SOE) . Regular soldier ; b. 17 Aug 1915 . Killed in action October 1944 . 3 H. B . Manderson. Journalist ; of Melbourne ; b. Melbourne, 17 Jul 1886. Died 29 Mar 1961 . (R .A .N . Historical Section ) Dutch ship Bantam under air attack, Oro Bay, 28th March 1943 .

(Captain G . C . F . Branson ) H .M .A .S . Pirie after air attack at Oro Bay, 11th April 1943 . (R .A .N . Historical Sectio n H.M .A.S . Hobart. showing damage sustained to quarter-deck and after turrets from a torpedo hit on 20th July 1943 .

!It .A . .N' . Historical .Scctinn 1 A Fairmile motor launch . (R .A .N . Historical Section ) H .M .A .S . Gascoyne, December 1943 .

(R .A .N . Historical Section ) H .M .A . Ships Australia and Amnia bombarding at Cape Gloucester, 26th December 1943 , as seen from H .M .A .S . Shropshire . (R .A .N . Historical Section ) The crew and operatives of Krait . L . to R . front : Lieutenant H. E . Carse, Lieutenan t D. M . N . Davidson, Major I . Lyon, Major H . A . Campbell, Lieutenant R . C . Page ; middle row : Corporal A . A . Crilly, Leading Seaman K . P Cain . Leading Stoker J . P. McDowell, Leading Telegraphist H . S. Young, Able Seaman W . G. Falls, Corporal R . G. Morris ; back row : Able Seamen M. Berryman, F . W . L . Marsh, A . W. Jones, A . W . G. Huston . (Campbell, who came out of Singapore with Lyon, did not accompany th e JAYWICK expedition .)

(R .A .N . Historical Section ) Krait .

1-9Sep1943 A DESPERATE-LOOKING CREW 31 9 and in command of the party ; Lieutenant Davidson, 4 R.N.V.R. ; Lieutenan t Page,5 A.I.F. ; Able Seamen Falls, 6 Jones 7 and Huston. 8 The ship's com- pany were Lieutenant Carse,° R .A.N.V.R., Commanding Officer ; Leading Stoker McDowell, 10 Leading Telegraphist Young ; l Leading Seaman Cain; 2 Able Seamen Berryman 3 and Marsh;} and Corporals Morris, 5 R.A.M.C., and Crilly,6 A.I.F. At 5.30 p.m. on 1st September Krait cast off from Ondina from whom she had been oiling and watering, and proceeded on her voyage . One minute later her propeller shaft broke—the final pre-mission misfortun e in a long series of mechanical troubles—and she anchored, and was repaired by U .S.S. Chanticleer, 7 and eventually sailed at 2 p .m. on the 2nd north bound for Lombok Strait . The voyage, though without incident, was starred with apprehension. To lend an air of verisimilitude to what would otherwise be a possibly bald and unconvincing Krait if sighted in enemy waters by aircraft or other vessels close to, colouring matter had been provided to darken th e skins of her company, and on the 4th the first experiments with it were made on Lyon and Davidson . "It proved a rank failure," recorded Carse in his log, "more black everywhere than on the person after an hour o r two." Nevertheless, at 4 p.m. next day : "The crew now resemble black- amoors, a more desperate looking crowd I have never seen . " The mountain peaks of Lombok and Bali were sighted just after noon on 8th September, but it was nearly 24 hours later before the hazardous passage of Lombok Strait, with its possibility of meeting enemy patro l craft, was accomplished . Heavy adverse tides and rips held Krait in the strait. Carse recorded in his log of the night 8th-9th : A night of worry . Until sundown we proceeded at about four knots towards Nusa Besar increasing speed to 860 revolutions at 1825 . Nusa Besar about 11 mile s distant. Course N .N.E . 2100 Nusa Besar almost abeam Red 80 . 2200 Nusa Besa r

4 Lt-Cdr D. M . N . Davidson, DSO ; RNVR. SRD. Farmer and merchant . Presumed killed in action October 1944. s Capt R . C. Page, DSO; AIF. 2/4 Pnr Bn and SRD . Medical student; of Potts Point, NSW ; b . Sydney, 21 Jul 1920. Executed by Japanese 7 Jul 1945 . ° AB W. G . Falls, DSM, S6543 ; SRD . Dairy farmer ; b . Aberdeen, Scotland, 5 Jan 1920. Executed by Japanese 7 Jul 1945 . 7 AB A . W . Jones, DSM, F3383 . HMAS' s Perth, Manoora, Krait (SRD), Colac. Grocer's assistant ; of Perth ; b . Guildford, WA, 24 Feb 1922 . 8 AB A. W . G . Huston, DSM, B3312 ; SRD. Of Brisbane ; b . Brisbane, 25 Dec 1923 . Presume d killed in action October 1944 . 9 Lt H . E . Carse, RANVR . Comd m .v's Gnair and Kraft (SRD) . Foreman ; of Sydney ; b. Rutherglen, Vic, 28 May 1901 . 10 Ldg Stoker J . P . McDowell, DSM, B2575 . HMAS's Heros, Krait (SRD), Australia . B . Belfast , Ireland, 23 Sep 1900 . Died 10 Jan 1964 . 1 Ldg Telegraphist H . S . Young, S3428 . HMAS's Goolgwai, Krait (SRD), Yandra . Of Sydney ; b . , 11 Apr 1921 . Ldg Seaman K. P. Cain, B1506 . Kraft (SRD) . Of Brisbane ; b . Brisbane, 13 Aug 1915 . 8 AB M. Berryman, PA2717 . Krait (SRD), HMAS Vendetta. Sharebroker ' s clerk ; of Adelaide; b. Adelaide, 9 Nov 1923 . 4 AB F. W . L. Marsh, B3666 . Krait (SRD) . Apprentice ; b . Brisbane, 20 Jan 1924 . Died while prisoner of war, 1 Feb 1945 . Sgt R . G . Morris, MM, BEM ; RAMC . SRD. Coalminer ; of Wales. e Sgt A. A. Crilly, MM . 24 Fd Coy, 2/14 Bn and SRD . Labourer ; of West Ipswich, Q1d ; b . Fauldhouse, Scotland, 23 Oct 1913 . Died 20 Sep 1963 . 7 Chanticleer, US submarine rescue vessel (1942), 1,653 tons, two 3-in guns, 16i kts.

320 THE MISSION OF KRAIT 8-9Sep1943 almost abeam Red 85. 2300 Nusa Besar almost abeam Red 80 . So in spite of maximum speed, a glorious 6# knots, we are steadily losing ground . Midnight Nusa Besar abeam, Hurrah! Sep. 9th 0100 Nusa Besar still abeam. 0200 We commence to make slight headway and by 0400 have made good six miles since midnight . At 6 a.m. on the 9th, day dawned to find Krafft still in the strait, and it was not until 10 a.m. that Carse entered a heartfelt "Thank Christ! W e

Track of Krair from and back to Exmouth Gulf Track of Kraft from and to Tem ang Strait in walling period

Cruise of the Krait

are through." Extracts from the log give something of a picture of th e voyage : 9th September, 1030 sighted Macassar prau dead ahead sailing with a good breeze on the beam in an easterly direction . Altered course NNW to avoid her. 1100 resumed course. This war is certainly hard on the nervous system. 12.30 sighte d Macassar prau, altered course to avoid. 1315 resumed course. 1700 sighted Macassar prau bearing Red 80 . Mast tops only visible. The game of hide-and-seek with other vessels was continuous but, a s Carse recorded: "Our lookouts are particularly keen and so far have always sighted any objects long before we could possibly be seen by them ."

10-18 Sep 1943 OPERATIVES DISEMBARKED 321 The ship's water-supply was a problem because of lack of space : I have been praying for a good shower of rain ever since the days have becom e hot. In latitude 5 degrees south with the sun only 5 degrees north its heat as clos e to the water as we are is terrific . The decks become too hot to stand on in bare feet . To counteract this our freeboard is so little that with even a calm sea our wais t is continually awash. A key member of the ship's company doing a memorable job was McDowell : Our engineer, Leading Stoker McDowell, has been invaluable . He has worked day and night training crew and operatives to help him in his duties and to be abl e to operate the engine should anything happen to him, as well as tending and servicin g the engine . In fact he looks after the engine better and treats it more carefully tha n a mother would a baby . No matter how long the hours he works away, stoppin g troubles before they have developed and always cheerful and happy . No ma n could be better suited to the job than he is . Tanjong Puting, on Borneo's south coast, was sighted at 9 .15 a.m. on the 12th, and at 8 .15 next morning Krait rounded Tanjong Sambar , Borneo's south-western extremity, and sailed northwards along the island' s west coast to go north about the Karimata Archipelago . At 7.30 a.m. on the 14th, Krait, between Penebangan Island and the Masien Tiga Island s and heading W.N.W. across the China Sea for the Lingga Archipelago, was "surrounded by nine sailing craft, including one large junk apparentl y on our course. The others were nondescript rigs, gunter rigged one master s and two masters." That afternoon Carse summed up : I decided we had seven more really dangerous days with the ship . Namely toda y and tomorrow, dropping and picking up the operatives, two days for this passag e on return, and last but not least the STRAIT . If we survive the next two day s the operation should be carried out successfully and then for our return journey . All the ship's company are in the best of health and spirits and are thoroughly enjoying the trip. . . . The sailing vessels seen this morning were all apparently engaged i n the coastal trade along the coast of Borneo as we have seen none since we starte d to cross the Karimata Strait. . . . It seems peculiar that we should be cruising at our leisure through these seas with no sign of challengers, but there is a feeling of anxiet y all the same . This is definitely not the same as the Lombok type but is there al l the same . Each day as the sun goes down I mutter a heartfelt `Thank God! ' On the 16th Krait passed through Temiang Strait in the Lingga Archi- pelago. The night of the 16th-17th was spent anchored off Pompong Island . Occasional aircraft passed overhead, and from 4 .30 a.m. to 6.30 a.m. on the 17th "the sound of engines being revved up was plainly audible" . Anchor was weighed at 8 .45 a.m. and the 17th was spent "zigzagging an d zigzagging all day long from one deserted looking spot to another" in search of a suitable disembarkation point . At 2 a.m. on the 18th, after seeing "the lights of Singapore glowing a mere 22 miles away", Krait anchored off Panjang Island in the Rhio Archipelago and commenced disembarkin g the operatives, their canoes and other gear. "The operation went off without a hitch and at 0445 we raised anchor and started to retrace our steps ." For the next fourteen days Krait cruised around mainly off the south- west coast of Borneo, filling in time before she was due back in the Lingga

322 THE MISSION OF KRAIT 21-29 Sep Archipelago to pick up the operatives off Pompong Island . It was a trying period, made more so for those on board by a total absence of new s regarding the fortunes of the operatives. Krait rounded the Karimata Archi- pelago north about on 21st September, and Carse recorded : "We listen to hear if there is any news of our party of which no news is good news"— but that assessment of silence was to change as time went on . At day- break on the 22nd Tanjong Beras Basah, on Borneo's west coast, was abeam but hidden in low overcast and haze . Crilly, the cook, whose culinary qualifications were "that he was a fair motor mechanic and ha d a rough idea how to cook pancakes", traded on that sparse knowledge, and Carse recorded : Our cook is certainly living up to his name of Pancake Andy . We get them at least once a day. When the cruise commenced pancakes were one of my favourites . A t the present rate if I ever look at one again I will be sick. I must admit however that they are far more appetising than hard biscuits . What wouldn't we give for a loaf of bread and a good sirloin steak. In variable weather Krait hung about off and on the south-west corne r of Borneo for some days . As opportunity offered her company scraped off the grass now befouling her bottom. The 24th was the day on which the operatives planned to make their attack on the ships at Singapore, an d that day Carse wrote :

This waiting about is the worst part of the trip so far. If we had an objective it would not be so bad or if the weather was fine and we could work on the ship . We have lately been rising to the seas but today the waves are so close togethe r and so steep that they just curl over and topple on to the fo'castle while the win d picks up the spindrift and whirls it away . Well the show is on tonight, and completes half our estimated time in Japanese waters . Next day : "Well, we are waiting for the first Japanese broadcast now to tel l us the news of Singapore ." But news was not forthcoming . Later in the day Carse wrote : This afternoon's session gave no indication of any raid on Singapore so we wil l try again tonight . This waiting for something to happen is not easy and news o f the raid would be very welcome . "Still no news from Singapore" on 26th September, and Carse recorde d then and on the 27th and 28th : There is one thing I am heartily sick of and that is hanging around the coas t of Borneo trying to dodge all comers . . . . Still no news from or of Sho-Nan. . . . We are all filled with anxiety as we have had no news at all of the party and this doe s not seem too good to us . On the 29th Krait, which had worked north again along the Borne o coast, started her run across the China Sea to the Lingga Archipelago, and , as Carse noted: We feel a little more cheerful now although we have had no news of the part y as we now have a definite rendezvous and are going to it . Anxiety remains howeve r as we do not know if we are walking into a trap or not.

20 Sep-3 Oct SUCCESSFUL ATTACK 323 In the event, the first news those in Krait got of the operative partie s was when they picked up one canoe at Pompong Island soon afte r midnight 1st-2nd October. The crossing of the China Sea was made safely and Krait entered Temiang Strait on 1st October . "Everyone is anxiousl y awaiting news of the party," says her log of the period . "Another twelve hours now should either be the finish or allay all our fears ." The ship reached Pompong at 12.20 a.m. on the 2nd and anchored, and "shortl y afterwards we saw a canoe approaching . It contained Davidson and Falls ." The other two canoes were there but could not find the ship in th e darkness, and Krait retired south of the Temiang Strait for the day, and returned and picked them up at Pompong Island at 9 p .m. on 3rd October. The mission, so far, was successfully carried out . During the absence of Krait the operatives had a fruitful period . After the ship left them they spent two days resting on Panjang Island, and at midnight on 22nd September established an observation post on Donga s Island in the Rhio Archipelago, whence it was possible to see into Keppe l Harbour. Lyon recorded in his journal :

There was no change to be seen in the general outline of the city . A row of five to seven tall wireless masts have been constructed on the site of the former Pay a Lebar station and there is a single mast on the roof of the Cathay Building. On the southernmost point of St John's Island there is now a small signal station . At Sambu, three miles from our O .P., all visible oil tanks were still as left by th e Dutch . There was tremendous activity on the western side of the island ; th e hammering of plates and drone of engines by day and night suggested either ship repairing or building. In the harbour and roads of Singapore there was considerabl e movement of shipping. At no time during the five days of observation was ther e less than 100,000 tons at the same time . In the night of 24th-25th September the three canoes left Dongas fo r an attack on some 65,000 tons of ships, but the attempt was abandone d at 1 a.m. on the 25th because of strong adverse tidal current. That night the party shifted from Dongas to a better placed observation post o n Subar Island, overlooking the Examination Anchorage, and at 7 p .m. on the 26th the three canoes set out from Subar on a successful attack . Canoe No . 1, Lyon and Huston, attacked a tanker and placed two limpe t mines on the engine room and one on the propeller shaft . Lyon later recorded: Halfway through the work Huston drew my attention to a man who was watchin g us intently from a porthole ten feet above . He continued to gaze until just befor e we left the ship, when he withdrew his head and lighted his bedside lamp . He took no apparent action and we set off for Dongas twelve miles away . Canoe No. 2, Davidson and Falls, attached limpet mines to three ship s in the Roads . "Each ship was attacked on the port side, away fro m Singapore 's lights. We timed ourselves by a chiming clock (presumably on Victoria Hall) that told us the quarter hours ." Canoe No. 3, Page and Jones, attacked a total of three ships, one a t Bukum Island and the others in Keppel Harbour . "The wharves were

324 THE MISSION OF KRAIT 26 Sep-11 Oct lighted normally . Arabic numerals were in use in numbering them, and a sentry was posted on guard near the bows of the tanker, stationed on the wharf ." All the canoes were well clear of their target areas (Nos . 1 and 3 were back at Dongas Island) before the first explosion was heard at 5 .15 a.m. on 27th September . It was subsequently confirmed that, in the raid, seve n Japanese ships were sunk or badly damaged, including the 10,000-to n tanker Sinkoku Maru—in all between 37,000 and 39,000 tons .8 At 3 a.m. on 4th October Krait cleared Temiang Strait for the last time and set course E.S.E. for Borneo. Tanjong Sambar was rounded early o n the 7th. On 10th October Carse noted in the log : Now that we are getting close to the strait again, about 26 hours steaming, w e are starting to get that Lombok feeling again. So far the weather has been perfect for us and we are hoping it will last for at least 300 miles south of enemy territory . . . . This afternoon we will adopt our disguises for the last time on the trip and then trust to good luck for the run through . At 4.30 p.m . on 11th October Krait was approaching Lombok Strait . Lombok Island was clearly visible about 10 miles distant, and Bali's Agung peak was in sight above a cloud bank, bearing W .S.W. We have all painted up again excepting Act/A .B. Jones, who in cases like this act s as a hand waver . He has the build of a Jap and somewhat the same colouring an d is to show himself on deck and wave to any inquisitive Japanese plane that might circle round the ship either today or tomorrow or the day after. . . . Today has easily been the clearest day since commencing our return journey and the one day that we really did not need to see at all far. As there is nearly a full moon tonight I hope that it clouds over a little before we enter the strait . With the approach of darkness Krait was driven at her utmost speed into a fresh south-easterly and short choppy sea, and tide rips in th e northern narrows broke all over her. The weather eased about 11 p.m. as she got into the strait proper, and the water was fairly calm . At 2330 the lookouts, Act/A .B's Falls and Jones, reported a sail approaching fro m the Lombok side . On looking at it I saw it was a large naval patrol, with a bon e in her teeth, approaching rapidly on our beam . All hands were called and arme d and everything prepared to evacuate . She approached bows on to within about on e hundred yards, then slowed down and turned alongside on our port quarter . Seeing her beam on she appeared to be a modern type destroyer between 260 and 300 fee t long. After pacing us for about five minutes she sheered off and went directly away from us . Although we were undoubtedly seen she did not hail or challeng e us in any way, neither did she use a searchlight . As she turned a light was visible aft, otherwise she was in darkness . It was midnight before she was out of sight. Why the stranger did not challenge remained a mystery . It was bright moonlight at the time and we were flying the Japanese ensign which would have been plainly visible to them . This, plus our type of vessel, apparentl y swung the balance of doubt in our favour and left us in one large lump, safe an d sound, although many sighs of relief were heard . At the time we were off Tanjon g

8 Only two Japanese ships—Hakusan Maru (2,197 tons) and Kizan Maru (5,077 tons)—are listed by the US Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee as having been sunk in this raid. Japanes e Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses During World War II (1947), p . 44 .

12-19 Oct 1943 MISSION COMPLETED 325 Batu Tiga on a S .S.W . course and all we could do was to alter course due wes t and hope for the best and it worked. After this encounter Krait had a clear run through the strait, and a t daybreak at 5.45 a.m. on 12th October was in the open sea, thoug h Nusa Besar and Telok Blongas were still in sight astern. "Well," wrote Carse in the log, "if we survive today and tomorrow all should be well , but if possible we do not want another half hour like last night ." They were spared a repetition of that experience, and at 7 p.m. on the 12th Carse was able to record : No sightings . We have just hauled the Japanese ensign down for the last tim e on this trip . From now on we once again become an efficient fighting force an d instead of skulking by the by-ways and corners of the sea can now travel th e main shipping lanes . It's a grand feeling to be free again on no-man's sea . At 6 p.m. next day, 13th October, Kraft's company "spliced the mai n brace" to celebrate their departure from the area of Japanese influence . At 11 .40 a.m. on the 15th speed was reduced and the voyagers stood to arms when a flying boat, heading due east, was sighted "too far away to distinguish whether friend or foe"—but it passed from sight without apparently seeing the ship . The Monte Bello Islands were sighted at 1 1 a.m. on the 17th, and from then on the islands were raised and passe d in quick succession—Barrow, Anchor, Long, Flat, Observation, Fly , Eva—and on the morning of 19th October 1943, Carse made his fina l entry in the log: 0200, came to anchor two miles east of USS Chanticleer. 0600 weighed and proceeded alongside Chanticleer . Work immediately commenced on urgent repairs . Operation JAYWICK was successfully completed .