Walter Pollock and James Richardson move from Farley Road to No 1 Temple Hill, which is where Malaya Command HQ (MCHQ) staff are housed. 9th April 1942: Pollock becomes 2nd-In-Charge in MCHQ cookhouse. 12th April 1942: Pollock & McNiece out on Purchasing Party. Had a good haul – Bread and Coconut Oil. Had fried bread…
View MoreRichardson, Pollock and Chamier left Fort Canning in Jay’s car and drove to Changi Barracks. Most POWs walked, while some were able to get a lift. Heavy barang sent by Motor Transport. Saw some gruesome corpses in SMC truck, relics of Serangoon Road shelling. Quarters rather crowded at Changi (No. 7 Ferry Point Road, typical…
View MoreSpent a dull day mooching around. Pollock and I discussed plans of attempting to cross to the mainland and go “up country” hoping to meet up with a resistance group. Turned down these plans as impracticable. So we are now POWs – what a position! Probably the next most interesting experience to following a victorious…
View MoreThe Japanese bombarded Fort Canning and Serangoon Road area. Lots of superficial damage. Then the shelling of the Cathay Building commenced. Many shells landed on and in the building. One on the 6th floor in back of our quarters. We were in the front at the time. One landed one yard behind our W.D. car…
View MoreOn the 14th of February 1942, the Independent Company was disbanded and members dispersed to the Military Reinforcement Camps. Major Fearon, CO of the Independent Company, said: The brave and gallant 2i/c, Capt. R.A. HOFMAN, was killed on the 15th of February and that evening the remnants of the No. 1 Independent Infantry Company (Malaya)…
View MoreTo town with Chamier and to Yacht Club. Shelling and brisk bombing around Fort Canning again. Allied artillery put up heavy barrage intermittently through the night and the Japanese put some up too. Two shells hit Cathay Building and several near it. Spent the day at Fort Canning. Went into the “Battlebox”, the ‘nerve centre’…
View MoreThings not going too well today. Shells and bombs around the Mess made things somewhat exciting. Bombs all around Government House. Last official escape boats left Singapore.
View MoreJapanese dropped shells just below Fort Canning (http://battlebox.com.sg/). One hopped over the Mess and exploded in a tree. All Japanese and Thai speaking interpreters of General Staff Intelligence embarked for Burma together with many other folk and lots of women. Lucky to be away.
View MoreTo the Docks to see Doris then back to Fort Canning. Back to the docks to say last au revoirs to Doris on board the “Empire Star”. Hellish parting like this, but at least she has the chance of going away to safety. Richardson did not feel at all brave about coming back to Fort…
View MoreHome for tiffin and found that Doris had her marching orders. Up to P & O office but nothing doing. To the docks “on speck” and learned from Chief Officer of “Empire Star” that passages may be obtained via Sea Transport Officer. Back to Singapore with the party (Doris, Jay, Grace and Geoff Harral). We…
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