Supplement to the London Gazette, 19 April, 1951

2158 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 19 APRIL, 1951

382. Included in the convoy was Head- were to learn sadly, the same day, .that the quarters ship H.M.S. BULOLO which carried Siamese Government in Bangkok was actually Air Vice-Marshal Bandon and his advance negotiating with the Japanese Ambassador. H.Q. 224 Group staff who moved ashore to •391. "From outer appearances we played Kelanang airfield on September 10th; Telok up to mislead the Japanese ", is one comment Datok on September 14th; Kuala Lumpur on in the Siamese document when discussing the September 18th and Singapore on September defence of Siam during the period of Japanese 22nd. occupation. In their participation in the 383. The landing at Port Dickson, some fifty defence of Don Muang airfield and Bangkok miles south of Swettenham, went forward as against Allied aircraft, it was maintained by planned and without untoward incident. the Siamese Air Force that " we just did it in a formal fashion. The United Nations aircraft 384. On the eve of the llth September, the would fly one way and our aircraft the other D-plus-3 convoy dropped anchor among the way, or at different heights. If by rare chance great concentration of shipping already lying we had to meet we carried on just for appear- off Morib Beach. The scene, with every vessel twinkling lights, resembled more a Cowes ances sake." regatta than one of the largest amphibious 392. Such are some of the statements by the operations of the campaign. Siamese Air Force. But it is on fact, rather than on professions of loyalty, that any final 385. The landings at Morib cannot be assessment must be made. In this respect, described as attaining the same degree of there is one incontrovertible fact concerning success as those experienced at Ports Swetten- Allied prisoners-of-war, which does reveal the ham and Dickson—-due principally to the diffi- silent co-operation rendered by the Siamese culties encountered on the water-covered Air Force from the time of their first prisoner- beaches which, at that part of the coast, are of-war-^William MacClurry, an American nothing more than mud brought down by the pilot from the American Volunteer Group Klang River. Morib is some 20 miles south (Tiger Squadron), who bailed out at Cheing of Port Swettenham and 30 miles north of Mai at the onset of .the war in the Far East, Port Dickson. iWhile there was much to com- and whose custody by the Japanese was mend Port Swettenham and Port Dickson for vigorously contested by the Siamese Air Force, landings by a fighting force, this unfortunately, until they finally confined him themselves to could not be said of Morib. A number of ensure his better treatment and safety. M.T. vehicles which were driven off the landing craft by their Army drivers into what was 393. It must also be marked to the credit considered axle-deep water, later plunged into of .the Siamese Air Force that they did, to our slime and mud while negotiating the shore and knowledge, assist in furthering liaison and remained fast. There were several casualties. communication work within Siam, which included the conveyance of passengers in and 386. These are important factors which out of the country; rendering assistance to, might well have produced serious consequences and providing safeguard for Allied personnel had " Zipper " been mounted against opposing sent into Siam to gather information, and also forces on dry land at this part of the coast., indicating for our benefit, precise targets in the hands of the Japanese. Such acts of co- SOME ASPECTS OF THE OCCUPATION OF SIAM, operation were fraught with grave risk, and it FJjC. AND HONG KONG. is not surprising that the Japanese ultimately 387. On the occupation of Siam, the Don adopted an attitude of suspicion. Muang airfield at Bangkok provided two im- portant functions. It enabled released Allied The occupation of Saigon. prisoners-of-war to be evacuated by our aircraft .394. The outward welcome accorded to the 10 Rangoon and Singapore, while it also Allied Forces from both the French and formed a valuable staging post to Saigon in Annamese alike on our entry into French Indo- French Indo-China as well as a refuelling point China was decidely embarrassing. Our Forces for aircraft lifting there. obviously found themselves in a divided house. 388. In Bangkok, the Siamese Air Force was 395. The main R.A.F. party flew into Saigon found to be extraordinarily co-operative and from Burma on September 12th, and was given markedly pro-R.A.F., since many of them Ijad, a demonstrative reception by the French. At in fact, been trained in England. the same time, there were banners throughout 389. An unusual document, giving an out- Saigon's streets erected by the Annamese line of the activities and organisation of the which welcomed the Allies but bore caustic Siamese Air Force, and also emphasising its anti-French slogans. attitude of passive resistance to the Japanese 396. R.A.F. reconnaissance parties who in- throughout the enemy's occupation of Siam, spected Japanese Air Force installations at was handed over by the Siamese Air Force to Than Son Nhut and Saigon, found them most R.A.F. Intelligence, disappointing. Comparatively few aircraft 390. History must judge this document for were discovered, and none, indeed, were itself. Whatever may have been happening serviceable. It appeared that all serviceable politically behind the scenes in the Far East, aircraft had either been withdrawn for the in these dark days of December, 1941, there defence of Japan or flown to Phu My aero- seems to be no doubt .that units of the Siamese drome, twenty miles east of Saigon, after the Air Force, on December 8th, took the air to cessation of hostilities. The majority of resist the Japanese invader, only to be out- Japanese Air Force personnel previously at numbered and overwhelmed by units of the Saigon had also been withdrawn. more superior Japanese Air Force. While this 397. The Saigon-Than Son Nhut area was commendable spirit of resistance by the the maintenance and repair unit base for the Siamese Air Force may have been evident, they Japanese in French Indo-China, but, since only