Malacca

The convoy was heavily engaged by 2 enemy planes.  Richardson describes Proctor’s car and Richardson’s truck being machine gunned. A big bomb was dropped in padi fields some 50 yards to Richardson’s right.  Richardson ‘plodded on but had to stop up-hill as truck was very slow.’  They machine gunned the truck again and gave another bomb.  Then devoted 5 more bombs to the remainder of the convoy. Machine gun bullets struck Ross’s car and O’Callahan’s truck.  Bomb dropped about 10 yards from Ross’s car and Reeves’s car and spattered both of them with mud.  Reeves was blown over by blast. Heavy machine gunning of the convoy for some 20 minutes;  damned unpleasant.  Spent the afternoon in Malacca and had some more bombing.  Met quite a number of Volunteers in Malacca. Pollock and  I cooked a grand makan (meal) in the Malacca Club.

In Fearon’s account he says that the Company was to be billeted in the Volunteers camp by the sea. However, ended up being billeted in the Police Barracks which was a fortunate decision as at 1000hrs the Volunteers Camp received several direct hits from bombs during an air raid over the town.

At 1830hrs the Independent Company moved out in convoy en route for Batu Pahat. An enormous amount of military traffic on the road, both 9th and 11th Divisions moving south caused much delay. The truck distinguished itself by blowing out one plug (clean out). Pollock fixed this but it was only the prelude to lots of trouble (fuel feed was choked with straw and filth).

Fearon indicated that the orders were that the Independent Company was to proceed to CHAAH, via SEGAMAT that night. Frem there the Company was to proceed as rapidly as possible to BATU PAHAT where the threat of landing was imminent and where the Company would find 3 Cavalry under whose command the Company was placed on arrival.