[ Home ] [ Up ]

2/20th Battalion

A.I.F.

CONCEALED OBSERVERS?

About 6 pm that night I received orders to report to Colonel Assheton at Battalion Headquarters promptly, along with one other jungle scout.

I asked Adrian Nobbs, a Norfolk Islander, to come with me - he was an older man, reliable and trustworthy. On our way  into Battalion Headquarters in Mersing, Adrian was very concerned about what I thought was in the wind. I said:-

 "I haven't a clue but I'm afraid, under the circumstances, it could easily be a foolhardy suicide job."

He told me he was married with three kiddies and, whilst more than ready to do his bit, by no means inclined to volunteer for suicide jobs, and made me promise if that was what was in store, to get him out of it.

It was black dark by the time we got to Mersing, with not a light showing. Eventually located Colonel Assheton in the Command car, hidden with blackout wraps. He greeted us, then told us he wanted us to remain behind in Mersing in hiding and observe the Japanese occupation, then if possible rejoin our lines.

I have never had a more difficult task. I was young and silly enough to give it a go but had to honour my promise to Adrian. I told Colonel that, as we were "A" Company, our knowledge and familiarity with Mersing was very sketchy. I also told him of Adrian's status as married man with family. He finally saw things my way and told us to rejoin our Platoon 9, back under Johnny Rowe's command. Being just across the road from Headquarters, we speedily joined our own mates and shortly marched out with them on the way back to Jemaluang and of course eventually Singapore.

Colonel Assheton got two others to stay in Mersing after all pulled out, but next day had second thoughts and sent one of the intelligence officers up on a motor-bike to collect them; so we might have made it.

SINGAPORE MERSING ROAD

We walked a couple of miles back toward Jemaluang, then transport picked us up and took us back to new stations. We had been forward Company at Mersing, and were the last to leave (as we had to hold Japanese until the others were back and ready to take over a front line role). Consequently, we were reorganised.

Our new position was astride Singapore Mersing Road. Sid Creek, I and the rest of the section were right next to road.

JAPANESE ATTACK 2/18th

We slept in next morning, then took stock of our surroundings following morning gunfire in front of us which was terrific.

2/10 Field Regiment's 25 pounder guns were putting down a terrific box barrage on Japanese forces who were attacking 2/18 in front of us.

That day I had to take out a patrol of five to the east to see if the Japs were trying to encircle us from wide out. We went out a couple of miles but saw no one.

2/18th WITHDRAW

Late that day 2/18 began withdrawing through us. They were in an exhausted state, having fought heavy action with the Japanese and suffered pretty heavy casualties. One casualty was Col Spence - incidentally Col had managed to kill a Jap officer. [Col is now living in Forster and coming to P.O.W. reunions although like O'Brien he wasn't a P.O.W. .] He was evacuated home, after being hideously wounded by a sword-wielding Jap officer, needing hundreds of stitches. [Col is now a keen shooter.]

REARGUARD

That night we withdrew several miles back towards Singapore where we (9 Platoon) became the rearguard. After all troops had gone back past us, we knew the next to come would be the Japanese again!

Sam Gilmore was our Section 3 Corporal, and the other men were:-

WE WITHDRAW

Remember it was a glorious tropical night, full moon, pleasantly warm and hard to imagine violence could be the order of the day at any time. However, apparently the Japanese were licking their wounds after losses inflicted by 2/18 and our 2/10 Field Regiment's 25 pounder guns.

We pulled out next morning, boarding trucks that took us back to Kota Tinggi.

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.