Diary of Arthur William Hence, May - September 1942 - Part 1

Lt Col G. F. Ramsay

The Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus
EXERCISE BOOK
1.4.5 4131
Name Patrick Henry Wone
Standard AW HENCE
Subject
No.30-Single Lined 30 pages
Made by PETER CHONG & COMPANY.
Educational Booksellers & Suppliers, 
Printers, General Goods Dealers, etc.,
Singapore, Malacca, Seremban, Kuala
Lumpur, Ipoh, Penang & Branches.

10 May 42.
Details of working
party for overseas announced.
3000 required from A.I.F.
Senior officers as
follows appointed
Comd.      Brig. A. L Varley M.C.
G.I             L/Col Anderson V.C.
B.M.          Maj. Stringer
L.C.           Capt. R.S. Giffin
Supply
Q               Capt. White
T.O.                "     Hordern   
Interpreter Maj. Grove

Organisation
3 Bns of a total strength 
2510 all ranks.
Bns. numbered
No. 1  Bn comd.  L/Col G E Ramsay ED
No. 2   "      "         Maj. W. Kerr

No. 3 Bn comd. Maj. Green

Bns to be organised as follows.
H.Q.: C.O., 2 I/c, Adjt, Q.M., RSM,
RQMS, O.R. Sgt, 2 Clerks, 2 Storesmen, 
5 batmen total 16
& 4 Corps of 4 pls of 4 secs.
comprising: Coy HQ, O.C., 2 I/c
C.SM., CQMS., storeman
P&O cpl, 2 Cooks, 2 batmen
PC H.Q. O.C. Pl sgt
orderly, 1 Batman
may all he No 1 Bn to be
drawn from from 22 Bde, 27 Bde
& AA.O.C. as under
  22 Bde   310
  27  "        450
  AAOC     100
  Total       860
11 May 42
Lt. Col G E Ramsay ED
C.O. No1 Bn selected the officers
from 22, 17 Bdes & AAOC.
Bn. HQ
2 I/c Maj R O Merrett        ex 2/20 Bn
Adjt Capt A.W. Hence            2/18
QM      "               Pryde             2/30
A Coy
O.C. Maj. C B OBrien               2/18

2 I/c Capt JW Carey                 2/18
No1 Pl.  Lieut F. Farmer          2/18
      2         "       I  McDonald     2/19
      3      Capt   Blair                   AAOC
      4      Lieut  Plunkett.          AAOC
B Coy
O.C.     Maj.       Cousins            2/29
2 I/c    Lieut      Phillips              2/29
No5 Pl   "          Badger              2/29
      6       "          Eaglestone       2/29
      7       "          Kensett              2/29
      8       "          Stanistreet        2/29

C Coy
O.C.     Maj.       L Lloyd       ex   2/29
2 I/c     Capt      Salies                 2/29
No9      "            Lovett                2/29
      10   Lieut     Bonney             2/29
      11       "          Staples              2/18
      12       "         Weller                2/26
D Coy
O.C.     Capt.     Ewart                2/20
2 I/c        "          Thompson       2/20
13          Lieut    Wagstaff          2/26
14             "         Ransome         2/26
15             "          Kreckler           2/30
16             "          Farr                   2/30

Corp are formed as under

		Offrs	OR	Offrs	OR
A Coy	2/18
Bn HQ		4	12	4	12
A Coy	2/18 AAOC	4 2	104 98	6	202
B "	2/19 2/20 27 Bde Hse	5 1	128 51 6	6	192
C "	2/18 2/26 2/29	1 1 4	57 160	6	217
D "	2/20 2/26 2/30	2 2 2	120 89	6	209
				28	832

C.O & Adjt Attend Div Conference
notes as follows.
1. Force to be known as
FORCE A.

12 May 42
RMO appointed to No 1 Bn
Capt. GD[[?Bessmoring]]

Bn muster parade held on
Selerang Barracks par
ground. Coys & pls formed
C.O gives first address to
No 1 Bn. Bn marches off
deportment generally very
good.

C.O. addresses all officers at
1500 hrs. Speaking in
general terms outlines what
he requires from his officers
stressing Example, Loyalty
control.

13 May 42
Officers addressed by G.O.C.
Lt. Maj. Gen Callaghan

who farewelled the force per
medium of the officers

Advice received at o'c 2100 hrs
that time of departure now
daylight 14 May.

14 May 42.
Baggage party consisting of "B" Coy (O.C.
Maj. Cousins) departed by M/T from SELARANG
Bks CHANGI 0750 hours

Balance of No 1 Bn with other units total

personnel 1200 left CHANGI 1130 hrs by M/T. arrived

[[?]] area 1230 hrs & placed in assembly area

in oval and oil dump near wharf. Conditions [[?]]

staying hot left there until 1700 hrs when

ordered to a new assembly position where [[?]]

[[?]] jointed by some personnel of 8/4 C.C.S.

The whole force(Nos. B & C [[?]]) was organised

into groups of 50: each group in charge

of an office. Lt. Col Ramsay was placed in

charge of the group. The 20 sub groups were

divided into three main groups & Majs

O'Brien, Cousins & Lloyd placed up.

The Japanese ordered that all Engineers

[[?mechanics]] etc be collected & 
held by O.C. Groups

[[?]] the cargo consisted of petrol, [[?trusses]], &

stores generally. Bn & Coy etc organisation

was maintained as much as possible.

At 1730 hrs C.O, Adjt & Gp inspected [[?]]

[[?]] At 1800 hrs groups

1/10 commenced to embark into food hold.

Accommodation was very crowded & [[?]]

of [[?]] cubic feet per man was made

by Lt. Col. Hamilton of 8/ C.C.S. All men

embarked up rope ladder.
15 May 42 (Fri) 
The balance of groups (11/20) embarked at

0330 hrs into aft. [[?]] hold so that some 500

No. 2 & 500 last. When the last of the

men were on board a hot meal

was served consisting of rice & stew.

At 0730 hrs the ship was moved outside the

open water where [[?]] were taken on 

board. The balance of "A" force men

embarked on the 'Toyohasi Maru' (Waco town)..

a [[?strict]] count of personnel was made by

the Japanese authorities. The count was

another example the accuracy preserved by the 
Japanese in all matters relating to figures.

At 1230 hrs our voyage to the [[?]]
was commenced. 
At sundown xxx the course
was still SW and 
conjecture as to our destination
was running high.

16 May 42 (Sat).

At sea. Course 
WNW [[?]]. After representations 

by Lt Col. Ramsay the Japanese authority
(who appeared to be a cpl) agreed to 
permit ½ of prisoners on deck at a time 
for fresh air, 3 times daily at meal times.
Conditions below were very trying, due to heat
despite this the men
 generally behaved very
well. 
Meals consisted of rice & a poor 

quality stew (very little meat & some cucumber
stewed). Permission was given for band 
to play.
17 May 42 (Sun).

At sea. Course approx NW. Land on first

thought to be SUMATRA. A warning

order issued by Jap. authorities for 200

to be prepared to ship to another

boat in 2 hrs time. A Coy ordered to be

ready to move and were brought on

deck with gear. These instructions

cancelled at 1000 hrs. A readjustment

of personnel was then ordered to make

accommodation for 350 Japanese soldiers who

were to come aboard at BELAWEN DELI. The

following moves took place 440 men from

2 hatch were moved to No. 4 making 640

in no. 4.                                                      

18 May 42 (Mon)

BELAWEN DELI. A further 230 were moved

to new quarters in No. 3 hold from No 2

hold. This xxx  left C.C.S. complete still in

No 2 hold. Accommodation was very

cramped and No 3 hold very hot being

owing to the proximity of the engine

room. Representations from Col. Ramsay

were well received & shorts were fitted

These alleviated conditions somewhat.

At 1400 hrs 150 Japanese soldiers moved

into No. 2 hold. Moved from the

wharf at 1400 hrs & out in the open

water took on other [[?]] again.

At 1700 hrs moved from BELAWEN DEKI

& headed NW. As condition below 

were very bad troops were allowed

on deck until 2130 hrs. Several

Japanese officers joined the ship at

B.D.

19 May 42 (Tues)

At sea. Course NW. At daybreak two

ships were seen a long way off on 

the starboard bow. They crossed

our course. Our convoy now numbering

six. Noticed Japanese were smoking

& same priveleges were asked for AIF.

This It was argued that smoking would

be permitted below decks & in sleeping

quarters only. Blowing heavily raining

1300 hrs with rising seas. Some cases

of seasickness. Japanese troops

on board given cholera injections.

20 May 42 (Wed)

At Sea. Course WNW. Land to std.

island to port. Thought to be off

Victoria Point. Advised that a

working party of 130 men req'd.

Maj. Ewart's Coy detailed for task.

Anchored in large bay at 1600 hrs.

Commenced unloading stores (oil,

petrol etc). Working party received

extra rations at expense of the

remainder. M.O. Capt. White 

detailed to go ashore & remain

with a party of 1000 who were being

put ashore from Toyoshasi Maru.

No medical orderlies were allowed

to go by Japanese order.    

21 May 42 (Thur)

Anchored Victoria Pt. Shore party

returned at 0800 hrs. Further unloading

of gas & stores. Band played on

bridge for entertainment of Jap. officers.

heard from shore party No. 3 Bn under

Maj. Green ashore & satisfied with

conditions. Shore party rejoined

ship at 1900 hrs. [[?]] Co reloaded.

Remained at anchor all night

22 May 42 (Fri)

At 0100 hrs CO (Lt. Col. G. Ramsay) &

Adjt (Capt. A. Hence) summondrf to

Japanese [[?Comdr.]] (Capt. Noguchui) 
& shown

where an informal officers mess

was in progress. C.O & Adjt were

guests of honour.  Among the

Japanese officers present were Lieuts

Kiteuchi, Sosatei, Itoh. All the

curtesies of an officers mess were

observed. Thanks were extended

to Comd. staff & troops for their

efforts as a working party. Some

food given to guests. 
Party concluded

by singing God 
save the King to

which all stood.

Put to sea 0900 hrs, 
course North

Uneventful day. Fine & 
hot. Steaming

through [[?Tonergui]] 
archipelago. Course

now WNW.       

23 May 42 (Sat)

At sea. course ENE. Fine. Sea calm.

warning order issued that

we would disembark at 1700 hrs.

Ordered to reorganise into groups

of 70 for transport to shore. All

baggage brought on deck. At 1800 hrs

advised that 200 only would be

disembarking tonight as a working

party. The remainder to disembark

tomorrow. Advised that Brig. A.L. Hasley

M.C. had communicated with O.C. ship

& 60 [[?]] only were to come off with us,

balance will go on to final destination,

further that 62 Engineers would 
be disembarked

from other ship 
to fill x this units
[[?complement]]

Comd. (Lt.Col Ramsay) & 
Adjt (Capt. Hence)

L.M.O. (Lt Col Hamilton)
 & Maj Cousins

expected to join 
Comd (Capt Negouchi)

to say farewell. 
Capt. Negouchi said

he was sorry to be leaving us &

was going to make representations to

his comd with the convoy to allow us to

stay with him. Mr Akicko stated

that he was not really our interpreter but

a [[?]] preparations [[?]] report & that he

was very favourably impressed by the

Australians & their attitude towards

the Japanese soldiers. At anchor off

MERGUI. 200 men go 
ashore as ordered.

24 May 42 (Sun.) Mergui

Reveille 0500 hrs. First boatload left 

ship at 0700 hrs. The distance to shore

approx 8 miles and first boatload

landed at 0830 hrs. CO & Adjt being

included in first boat. Landed at

wharf and spent most of day at

padang at wharf unloading stores.

Joined by 499 English troops (and

one Australian Lt Col Coates) from Sumatra.

This force comprises Army, Navy & Air force

personnel. The force was in a very poor

condition so far as clothes were concerned.

being clad in no uniform but [[?]]

in cast off uniforms of dutch units & in 

some cases no shirts & hats.

The force came ashore in groups 

of no special organisation. Opportunity

was taken to reorganise into Coy & Bn

formations.

The force was joined by 62 engineers

[[?]] 2 records, 1 pay & 1 
postal representative).

At 1700 [[?]] British group marched off

& it was indicated that we would

follow when unloading was complete.

At 1900 hrs in heavy rain force (No 1 Bn

C.C.S & [[?]] moved from Padang to

quarters at a school about opposite

from landing stage.

The bulk of accommodation consists of

two large school buildings and one smaller

house which accommodates the officers.

Accommodation was very crowded and men

when fitted in were sleeping shoulder to

shoulder & head to feet it would be

impossible to fit any additional men in.

There was no provision for cooking, nor

for any other essential matters like hygiene

or connected with the housing & keeping

of 1500 men. Sanitary arrangements 

were very basic & it was evident that

trouble from dysentery would eventuate.