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2/20th Battalion

A.I.F.

ARRIVE SINGAPORE

We entered Singapore early in the morning. It was lush green and quite spectacular as we berthed in Keppel Harbour.

I copped duty as sentry on main gangway and of course the visitor to come aboard was General Gordon Bennett coming to greet "Black Jack", who was commanding the convoy. Of course, I had to "Present Arms" and apparently did everything right.

We disembarked, were loaded into open trucks and taken across the Island and Causeway to Johore Bahru, through that town, past the Palace, and out to G.B.D. (general base depot).

We unloaded and then had to hack down scrub with our bayonets and erect tents before dark. We had to don long pants and buttoned-down shirt sleeves to prevent mosquito bites and the associated malaria risk.  It was a court martial offence to disobey this dress order.

LEAVE FROM DUTY

I received leave and visited Singapore a couple of times during my weeks at Johore.

Generally, transport into the city was supplied and we had overnight accommodation at the Anzac Club. This was in a small park at the city end of Orchard Road and just adjacent to the Museum.

We hailed rickshaws for transport, or walked, or used taxis for longer distances.

There were plenty of cinemas and fun parks at Great World and Happy World. The Haw Par Villa was a new attraction and was very good.

Also, we spent a lot of time shopping and looking for bargains and bargaining with shop and stall-holders in Chinatown. I bought most of my purchases at Tangs, which then was only a miniature of today's edifice.

I also went out to the Airport where I had my camera confiscated by the gate sentry. They destroyed the film, because during wartime such photos were not allowed to be taken.

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