Unit diaries relating to service of Geoffrey W. Fennell - Wallet 2 - Part 1
5TH FIELD REGIMENT
DIARY - No. 2
1942
1945
About 0200 on the morning of Oct 22nd, a party of 500 Dutchmen turned up, and
were split up in the 11 Div area. They were famished, and almost cried with
joy, when they found a good stew and some cocoa ready for them. They had had
to march from Singapore except for the last mile, when they were given lorries.
What a kindly thought !
Orders to Move
At 0830 hrs on Oct 23rd, a conference was held at Area HQ. 11 Div had been
told to find 1100 officers and men to go overseas almost at once. The party
were to be fit for "light work only," and we were advised to include any
Category B men who were fit to travel. The Regiment were told to find 340
officers and men, which would take nearly all the fit men we had.
On return, a Conference of Battery Commanders was held, and it was decided that
all the officers would go with the exception of Captain McEwen, Lts Reid, Godman,
Vincent, and McKenzie. The rest of the day was spent making out nominal rolls,
dividing up the Red Cross Stores, allotting cooking utensils, and other details.
There was no restriction as to what should be taken,as lorries were being provided
to go to Singapore in. Parties were also going from the Lanarkshire
Yeomanry, 80 Anti Tank Regt and Div Sigs. In addition, an RIASC Officer and
an IAOC officer was attached to each unit. Col Jephson was to be in charge of
the Party with Lt Col Hennersey, Major McIntosh the BMRA, and Capt Martin GSO to
assist him. Those left behind would be formed into a Depot under Lt Col Hughes
of the 22nd Mountain Regt RA.
On the evening of the 24th, there was a new queer medical inspection.We were
marched down to the 18 Div Square, and had a small glass rod rammed up our
backsides! The result was put on a glass side.It was supposed to be a test
for dysentry!
It had been decided that the bulk of the Red X stores would be issued to officers
and men to carry in packs. The scale was 6 tins of Bully, 2 of M&V, and some
cocoa. The Mabela was taken in bltogether with tinned Vegetables and the rest
of the Jam. The balance was left behind to help out those remaining in Changi.
At9.30 on Oct 25th, the lorries arrived for Party A, as we were called. It
consisted of 11 Div HQ, Provost Unit, R Sigs and ourselves, the remainder being
Party B. Capts Crimper and Chick went with us as RIASC and IAOC representatives.
Capt Blair came as MO with MrWheeler as SMO. We tavelled down the Coast
road, and finally came to rst outside te same berth ithe docks onto which we
disembarked from the Orion.There was no band this tme! It started to rain,
but we all took cover in the dock sheds, which were full of rubber, which
appeared to be very part-worn.
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There were two small ships and one large one alongside, but, unfortunately
the large one was a fumigating ship. All our bedding and suitcases were
sprayed with disinfectant on the quay, but the remainder had to be carried on
board, put into bags and fumigated; anything liable to melt being treated on
the quay. We stripped in a large room, and then went into a sort of sheep dip.
It was nicely warmed, and was really very pleasant as the day had become rather
cold. We then waited in another room on mat flooring for our clothes to appear.
There were no tea and cakes as in a Turkish Bath, but a Jap obliged by playing a
gramophone! We then went back to the dockside.
Sgt Langley had made the atta into 10 large biscuits per man. They were really
excellent, and tasted like shortcake, and were a godsend. It was still drizzling,
and about 5 pm we started to go on board the smallest of the three ships, which
was called the England Maru, in batches of 100. 4 holds had originally been
allotted, but at the last moment they decided to put more Japanese soldiers on
board, and gave us only 3; at last everyone was on board - not forgetting the bulk
Red X stores. As a general rate, the Regiment were mostly in No 3 (63 & 73) and
4 Holds, bottom layers, the Japanese soldiers being on the first floor down.
On descending the ladder, a visitor might well have imagined himself to be on a
Slave Ship in the good old Days! Taking No 4 hold as an example, it was about
50ft x 70ft and had a shelf about 4 feet above the bottom floor. Round the floor
were partitions, each to hold about 12 men, and 393 bodies had to be packed in
this space. Both layers were crammed, the space available being just enough
to lie full length in. The remainder, unfortunately, had to stake out a claim
on the central space under the hatch, OK for fine weather, but no fun in the rain.
Ground sheets were quickly rigged up where possible and the evening meal consisted
of bully and the aforementioned biscuits. As a matter of fact, some rice and very
good stew was produced later, but by that time most people had gone to sleep.
There was a heavy shower of rain during the night, and the unfortunates in the
middle had a miserable time, though most of them managed to find a bolt hole
somewhere, but their kits got thoroughly soaked.
Next morning breakfast was up at 1000 hrs, consisting of well cooked rice and some
quite good potato stew, but not much of it. During the day Col Jephson did what
he could to get the LJA to increase the accommodation, but the only result was that
another wooden latrine was built on the deck to supplement the 4 blocks already
there. During the day, coal and vegetables were taken on board, and on the after-
noon of Oct 27th we left dock, and anchored about a mile away from the waterfront
with its prominent landmarks like Raffles Hotel (now a brothel), the Hong Kong
and Shanghai Bank, and the Supreme Court of Justice. We were joined later by a
Tanker and two small cargo ships full of Japs.
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To compete with the Food situation, the officers and men were divided up into messes of 20, each under a mess leader. The messes were subdivided into groups of 4 so that bully could be opened a tin at a time and divided. Any man who could not produce his tin when called for, got none. Stock was taken to find out who had still got their bully and M&V, so that Black sheep who had wolfed their rations were detected at the start.
In the morning of Oct 29th the convoy set off, and it was with mixed feelings
that we passed Changi Point. By now the daily routine worked out as follows:
Reveile 0800 hrs, Rice and Stew 0830, Allowed on deck 0900-1100 and tea could be
drawn from cookhouse. Rice only at 1300 hrs, helped out by Red X Bully. Up on
deck 1400-1600 with hosepipe available for washing at 1500 hrs. Rice & Stew at
1800, Up on deck 10-2000. Bed down. All quiet at 2200 hrs. Owing to lack of
fresh water, shaving rules were abolished, unless it happened to rain, and one could
collect a cup! In spite of the appalling crowded and insanitary conditions,
everyone kept in excellent spirits, and hoped that the sea would remain calm, as
the hold would be most unpleasant if the inhabitants got seasick!
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