Diary of Avon Reah Smith-Ryan, 1942-1945

5.

Mon 9 Feb 42.

Severe shelling all day.  Rumours of Japanese landings

on West and our possible withdrawal.  Stood to

practically all the time.  2200 the main engagement in 
this area started.  Firing all along the coast. Cessation of 
shelling.  Could hear the enemy taking on our immediate 
front.  Very tired but maintained lookout towards
Kranji Grain in hopes of picking up G.D.F. Found out 
∧after hospitalisation later that 2/26 had been driven back from Grain by 
enemy artillery fire.  Eventually received orders from O/C C Coy ^[[?Bn]]
HQ to open fire.  Situation was completely confused - could 
obtain no information whatsoever. ^[[?]] Received cautionary order to

withdraw on [[?]] Capt. [[Lanacraft?]] asked for fire on his immediate 
front. [[?]] Gave him No 3 gun with very good results.  Just 
prior to our withdrawal ^to [[?]] made No 4 gun mount outside 
of pit & [[?]] assist No 3.  Successfully cleared our front of 
any danger. Mortars also did very good work here.
Withdrew in very orderly manner. [[?]] Loaded about 2 tons of
stores on 18 wt truck - destroyed surplus ammo  left
packs & food.  Trucks moved off with 2/30 vehicles.
Tues 6 Feb 42.  [[Anti?]] "C" Coy 2/60 moved [[?]] to further them & me
Marched from Causeway to the Kia Mandai Rd - Pipe line
ref. 758236.  Dispersed here - heavily shelled - mainly artillery
but no casualties except 1 native killed. Attached to
D Coy 2/30 ^by [[2 I/C]] 'C' Coy [[2/24?]] & told to find Capt. Booth.  [[?]] was
delayed about 2 miles down the road & arrived about 1 hour

6.
later.  Extremely difficult country for A.M.G.  Capt Booth
wanted us to cover pipe line & hills to the right.
Positioned Sections No 4 Section in C Coy area was
heavily shelled - C Coy moved so withdrew this Section
to new position within D Coy's perimeter.  Hung in
during day constantly interrupted by planes.  Could
hear Indians fighting some distance forward.
Wed 11 Feb 42.
Position seemed to become more & more confused owing
to lack of intercommunication & liasson. Eventually
received advice ^?from Capt Booth that a further withdrawal was imminent
& then heard that practically all the rest of the Bde
had already withdrawn.  Got two guns onto truck
when situation became fairly acute.  With Capt. Booth's
permission ordered this Section back into action &
more ammo to other two guns.  Japanese by this
time strongly attacking.  Opened fire with all four
guns to cover Infantry withdrawal approx 1100.
Stopped enemy advance at that point. Infantry all clear
withdrew our guns to truck in bounds. Shoved out to
contact Inf. couldn't locate them.  Road in enemy
hands.  Received report Pte D.A. Day mortally
wounded.. Ordered Sgt. Sandilands to take PL up
through Quarry ^also [[?]] to Pipe line.  Sgt Hambley  Ptes
Jackson & Curtin & self attempted to destroy
guns & truck & then followed PL.  Machine gunned
unsuccessfully.

7.
Contacted rear of Inf 5/30 under Capt Booth at top of
hill about 300ft from Rd.  Found Cpl. Draper with
his sub section  Received report Sgt Sandilands badly
hit & paralysed from waist down.  Pte Carruthers
was last seen about 100ft down this forward slope resting.
Volunteers called for to attempt to get wounded Ptes Hadden,
Robertson, Ryan, Hall ac  L/Cpl McMaster & Sgt xxxxxxxx Hambley
returned.  Ascertained Pte. R.L. Smith had been killed.
The reserve party under Sgt Hambley had a very close brush
with the enemy.  Pte Hadden actually spoke to one of them
mistaking him for an Indian.  All returned safely.
Marched along pipe line ^with 2/30 D Coy then through jungle [[?]]
constantly delayed by recce planes.  Had lost all
Pt stores & had no idea as to actual casualties
which could have been anything up to 25 for all I
knew.  First possible check was at meeting spot for
tea & casualties were:
[*[[?]]*]  
Pte R.L. Smith  Killed.
Sgt. R. Sandilands.  seriously wounded & missing
Pte. D.A. Davy                    "               "            "        "
Pte R.F. Carruthers  Missing.
Had tea & then moved on organised at Inf Pt
& took up position with D Coy 2/30 on rifle
range at 824183
Thur 12 Feb 42.
Received advice that 4 guns had been borrowed for us.
so we moved out from the rifle range - collected the guns
& awaited further orders.  Now attached to 2/30 Bn ^Coy Capt [[?]]. I spent all
day manning hopeless positions in a vain endeavour

[*[[?]]*] [*[[?]]*]
8.
to use the guns.  Eventually gave it up - left a small
party, under Cpl Nelson, with the stores & xxx xxxx the
remainder as Infantry attached to Capt Hampson ^which Coy? 2/50 [[?]].  No action.
Thurs 12 Feb 42. Fri 13 Feb 42.
At about 0300 hrs. commenced to withdraw ^whose orders, Capt Burney again
Rumours that the enemy were all around us. No contact
however.  Retired to area of ^Islands Golf lincs where we
breakfasted.  Moved out to C Coy 2/30. [[?]] Unable to
locate [[?]] guns or Cpl Hilsons party ?why did they [[?]] & actually
never did locate them until after the capitulation, but
understand they did quite good work with D Coy 2/4 MG Bn.
Took up Inf position with C Coy in General Base
Depot  Plenty of food & clean clothes.  First good
meal since Sunday 8^th  No action.
Fri 13 Feb 42  1230 hrs withdraw again this time right
back to Botanical gardens, partly on foot partly in
M.T.  Bombed once.  At Gardens we had
shave, wash, change of clothes & a hot meal &
rested until approx 1930.  shoved up to 2/30 at ? fewer still without

9.
Sun 15 Feb 42.
Prepared the guns for firing & [[ordered?]] Sections out
to their positions [[?]] No 3 Section under L/Cpl McMaster to
A Coy 2/26 No 4 Sec under Cpl. Draper to C Coy. 2/26
Cpl Gorringe sent to RAP with Malaria.
No action throughout day.  Some severe shelling
Capitulation  2230.
GMacKinnon Lieut.
PL Comd. 8 PL
B Coy
2/4 MG Bn.