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2/20th Battalion

A.I.F.

A JUNGLE SCOUT

Later on, as the Japanese approached, I was selected as a jungle scout, along with three others from "A" Company, to patrol out in front and locate Japs. We were attached to intelligence section and, as our C.O., Colonel Assheton, told me personally one day, I was responsible to no one but him and even the Sergeant Major wasn't entitled to give me orders. It sounded pretty good but turned out to be pretty ominous.

I left 9 Platoon and joined 8 Platoon up river under John Brookes Lieutenant, sleeping and eating with them, but had no guard duty. We slept all night but were up, ate and left camp before daylight, crossing river in canoes. The reason for the early hour was that if Jap scouts were playing the same game, they wouldn't see where we came from or identify the location of the platoon. 

AREA OF OPERATION

Our area of operation was to patrol a very large rubber plantation, operating in twos, one out in front, the other just keeping the front man in sight.

We were instructed we were there for the purpose of obtaining information, not to fight, hence if the front man was attacked unexpectedly, the rear man was to retire and return with the information.

Malays had a tiger trap in this area but now it was not baited. Kid goats were used as bait.

JAPANESE ENGAGED

One late afternoon after we had patrolled all the area, we were lying on a high hill, with good vision around, when to our right and east, heavy small arms fire erupted and we knew that 7 Platoon, under Lieutenant Frank Ramsbotham, had engaged Japanese coming south, down the road from Endau.

They had laid in ambush between minefields and gave the Japanese' advance guard, all on bicycles, a very warm reception, causing heavy casualties. But plenty more Japanese kept coming on, and, after the initial shock, used the usual enveloping tactic - leaving troops to occupy our ambush whilst others, ignoring minefields, attempted to get behind and isolate 7 Platoon.

However, 7 Platoon was awake to the tactics and withdrew in good order back to bridge, taking wounded, and eventually crossing into Mersing.

A PATROL

As the day ended, we prepared to make our way back very warily to the river where, with a field-telephone, we contacted our O.C. who told us to remain there as standing patrol and our tea would be sent over from 8 Platoon. As it happened, we four were the only Aussies on the north bank of the river. After our meal, about I0pm, a phone call came from Colonel Assheton. He said to take one other man, go about a mile up plantation track to the Coolie lines where plantation workers had been housed and see if Japanese had occupied that area.

Lovely! It was a brilliant moonlight night, and yes, they could see us as easily as we could see them.

I chose Roger Harwood, big sturdy bloke from Canowindra (very reliable and steady). We made it to Coolie lines OK, then I told Roger to hide in the shadows and cover me as I went into the village to observe if it was occupied or not. Not a sound. So I went up under elevated houses instead of walking up the road where I could easily be observed, on lookout for sentries.

Fortunately no one was there, so we went back to the rest of patrol where we tried to get some sleep, sharing guard duty.

ORDERED TO ATTACK

Next morning, just after daylight, I and another (can't now remember who was with me) went back up to the village. En route we spotted a native heading inland in great haste. Still a blank, and so we returned to base to have some breakfast which was sent over the river from 8 Platoon, They had had a good night's sleep, knowing we were keeping lookout in front. We had just finished breakfast when someone who had taken a look up the road, returned in great haste to say that about 50 Japanese were coming down the road.

We immediately informed Major Ron Merrett of Fairlight "A" Company, O.C., by field telephone. He told us he would send a dozen men over to reinforce us and that we were to attack the Japanese. As we only had one Tommy gun and .303 rifles, while the Japanese had plenty of automatics, we weren't too happy.

Standing behind a coconut palm, I observed six Japanese only I00 yards away, going back from the river and disappearing behind a house there. I led a group to attack the house, as I hadn't observed the Japs go past it. I looked around for support to suddenly realise I was alone except for Mac Adam from Port Kembla.

I asked Mac where the others were and he pointed to where another four or five blokes were sitting down behind a fence having a smoke. Really! I don't think they were keen to attack. Mac and I crawled on, across bare ground, hoping no Jap would look out the back window of house and spot us - and shoot before we were even aware of them.

Fortunately, suddenly, all hell broke loose behind the Jap side of house.

I threw a hand grenade over the house, then we went back to the track where others were, to discover that they were 8 Platoon chaps who had come across to give us a hand. They had gone up the track and met about 50 Japanese.

O'BRIEN

O'Brien, who had the Tommy gun, opened up on them from a standing position in the open.

The gun only fired off a few rounds then jammed, leaving O'Brien completely exposed to Jap automatics including many on the hillside rising behind the house. They soon put him out of action.

Some of our chaps carried him to cover where it was discovered he had received a massive wound in the hip and was completely immobilised.

RETIRE ACROSS RIVER

Without any automatics, and realising we were completely outnumbered, we decided we would have to retire.

Fortunately, a large launch from our water patrol, which had brought a dozen reinforcements over, had remained at the river bank on our (northern) side.

Japs were firing steadily but we took no more casualties and so, as everyone was heading pell-mell for boat, I stood behind a big coconut tree and fired at all movement to force the Japs to keep their heads down, while they got O'Brien aboard the launch. I was afraid of the Japs following up and catching all at their mercy.

Finally, I looked around to see if all were aboard only to discover the boat had been pushed out ready to go, minus me. Fortunately the boat driver knew me and noticed that I wasn't aboard so he came back to the bank.

In the meantime I put my bayonet through our rubber dingy which we had hidden in jungle nearby, for use if cut off. But I wasn't leaving it behind for the Jap's immediate use. I took a running jump and made the boat which speedily deposited us on our side feeling very exposed to possible and probable Jap fire whilst crossing the river. Fortunately, my covering fire of our withdrawal gave them food for thought and we were left alone.

O'BRIEN STRETCHERED OUT

O'Brien was put on a stretcher and I volunteered to make one stretcher bearer as I was out of ammunition and wanted to get to Company headquarters for ammo supplies.

We had to carry O'Brien about three miles back - exhausting work in that heat, and very deadweight.

I believe O'Brien was eventually evacuated home to Australia and, looking back to Burma Railway, how lucky he was compared to so many!

AMMUNITION ALLOCATION

I was treated as quite the experienced fighter by all at "Company" headquarters, Sergeant Major giving me all the ammo I could carry.

Whilst patrolling, they would only allow us to carry 20 rounds of ammunition and one hand grenade, as against the normal I20 rounds and three grenades. The idea was that we weren't supposed to fight, merely obtain information and travel light; yet all that was forgotten and no one did anything about getting us more, even though they expected us to act as standing patrol alone the night before.

I went back to 8 Platoon that night and remained with them until Brigade pulled out of Mersing some days later as the main Japanese invasion down the west coast was threatening to by-pass us on the east coast, where we would have been isolated.

JAPANESE SCOUT THE AREA

Here one night, I was with another standing patrol at a very isolated bend of the river and guarding the river patrol launch, moored there after the Jap attack. Ivor Rowe [Joyce Hancock's husband], was Corporal in charge. We had a field telephone and reported every I5 minutes, all night, to platoon headquarters, informing them we still existed. Apparently we were considered expendable.

I came off sentry duty and retired to a high knob where I slept on the ground, dead tired, as we had been weeks without knowing a full night's sleep. I just couldn't get to sleep on the ground, on a ground sheet, being on a knob - it was the only piece of dry ground, in middle of wet season.

Suddenly I heard a stick snap and immediately slipped safety catch of rifle, hesitating to fire, as "Sigs" (Signals) had had to patrol phone wires as phones often going dead and I didn't want to plug "Tich", our little signals' patrolman.

In the meantime, I managed to alert Ivor who was manning the phone, and as they were whisper phones, he let Platoon Headquarters know we had possible company and possibly imminent attack. We had also had a run of dysentery amongst the lads and I realised it could have been one of our chaps returning from hasty visit to latrine.

Eventually I heard another stick break but it was further back so realised the Jap had finished his visit and was making off.

We immediately went out after him, as ordered by Company Headquarters , the whole battalion was alerted by phone.

The night was black as ink, there was no hope of seeing your hand in front of your eyes, I followed the sound of his progress, breaking sticks, etc. but lost him.

Although most of our boys were becoming disoriented , I knew area pretty well and had a fair idea of where I was by the lay of the land, and reckoned the Jap would be making for the river. Dropping down off ridge, I came onto track I knew well leading to 8 Platoon Headquarters. Unfortunately, in blackness, I got off the track and ended up in a well (just off the track), fortunately it was not very deep but still wet.

SOME SLEEP

Finally, after reporting to Platoon Headquarters, I returned to patrol and finally got an hour or two of sleep as we always had to "stand to" at 4 am (or 0400 hrs) and remain alert, prepared for attack or whatever, until 6 am (or 0600 hrs).

Copyright © 2002, Elliott McMaster, "Glen Ora", Nabiac, New South Wales, Australia, 2428.  Original content in these Web pages is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be produced by any process or any other exclusive right exercised without written permission from the copyright holder.