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2/20th Battalion

A.I.F.

MERSING

In September, we left Johore Bahru and were taken to Mersing where 22 Australian Infantry Forces Brigade (A.I.F.) was stationed.

Mersing is about 100 miles north of Singapore on what, at that time, was the only really trafficable road along the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. It was considered to be a likely point for invasion by the Japanese, though at this time they were not yet involved in the War.

 Mersing also had the first and until then, the only radar station in the whole of Asia. At the time, radar was a very new technology.

ARRIVAL

Arriving at Mersing, Padang or town park, we assembled, were greeted by Lieutenant Colonel Assheton and were informed of the numbers of reinforcements required by each company.

As "A" Company was the senior Rifle Company of Battalion, was camped on a pleasant sea beach on the edge of a coconut plantation (a mile or so north of town), and had its own cooks, all my mates quietly decided that would do us and we quickly volunteered.

"C" Company was almost 20 miles north at Endau River.

We were taken out to "A" Company camp where the first person I saw was Lieutenant John Rowe whom I knew. [He had taught at Bulby Brush and Coolongolook and had married Mary Sambell whom I had known for years and was a life-long friend of Bessie Cowan. Also, Ivor Rowe had been a clerk in the Bank of New South Wales in Nabiac and engaged to Joyce Hancock.] Johnny Rowe immediately selected me, Sid Creek, Geoff Beaven and George Strode to reinforce his 9 Platoon. Our Corporal, in charge of a section of 10 men, was Sam Gilmore [a "Norco" (a brand name) butter-maker, who had gone through Hawkesbury College with Stan Thiele, a butter-maker at the Tuncurry Butter Factory, which was then managed by my father-in-law].

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