From Richardson’s account, while still in BATU PAHAT, lots of mosquitoes and sandflies made sleep rather difficult. Japanese recce plane was fired on by ant-aircraft battery. A little while later 3 planes heavily bombed and mahine gunned anti-aircraft battery. believed two planes shot down. Battery forced to shift.
About midday, sudden burst of machine gun fire from river bank. Nunelly’s platoon firing on sampans believed to be Japanese. Later thought to be intending looters. So many mosquitoes about that it is only a matter of time before we all have fever.
A fairly good drive to Johore Bahru in truck with Richardson, Pollock and Ross (all Volunteers) aboard. Road itself was bad with floods in many places. Some 50 trucks all ditched on roadside. Arrived in Johore Bahru about 0030hrs (19th). Had a meal and slept under the stars. Heavy columns of smoke from 1,000,000 gallon fuel tanks on Seletar Naval Base.
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