Diary of service - Donald Morrison, 1940 - 1945 - Part 12

Malayan Diary 

Captain N Morrison 
In the afternoon 2/30 were hard pressed but a counter attack with the bayonet brought
temporary relief. Before they could follow up their first success the Japs used what was at
first thought to be gas but later proved to be a harmless smoke and so they retained the
initiative.
Early on 29 January, word was received that the pressure on the West Coast was increasing so
the timings for the withdrawal were put forward twenty four hours and Divisional
Headquarters moved to Johore Bahru. The previous day John Wyett and another officer from
Brigade had gone back to the Western side of the Island to carry out a recce of the unit
positions.
Brigade Headquarters moved back to the 14 mile stone and I stayed there for the night so as
to be handy for the final stages. Twice during the final day I went to Johore Bahru on routine
matters and on the second trip I picked up my last letter, a Christmas card from the Gadd
family.
The wait at the 14 mile stone was very trying and one was always thinking of the things that
could go wrong. The main worry seemed to be could the West Coast forces prevent
themselves being over run as they withdrew. However, things went according to plan and the
AIF as well as 111 Corps embussed in safety and went via the Tebrau Loop Road to the
Causeway. The Loop was primarily a road through a rubber plantation and was not meant to
carry heavily laden army transports for several hours on end. Luckily, the many bridges stood
the stain and the large convoy passed over without incident. The Engineer who reported that
the bridges could withstand the strain certainly knew his job. One broken bridge would have
caused chaos.
I stayed with the Brigadier Pat Garde until all the 27 Brigade had embussed and then followed
their dust down the Loop eventually crossing the Causeway at four o'clock in the morning of
31 January. Once on the Island, we pulled to the side of the road and nibbled a couple of
biscuits, washed down with a tot of rum, until all the Brigade had crossed. The cars then set
off at full speed for the new Headquarters near the Yew Tee oil wells and I followed as best I
could. Brigade Headquarters was a couple of tents in the rubber. I put my feet up for an hour
and then moved on to Division for breakfast.
We had been forced off the Mainland and realised that there was no hope of holding the
Island. It was disheartening to know that no matter how hard the men fought they could be
Johore – AIF in Action: 15 – 31 Jan 1942   

Page 33

Malayan Diary  

Captain N Morrison
bombed into withdrawal without fear of counter-bombing. Every day for twelve days the
troops engaged the enemy and then every night for eleven nights they embussed and were
driven back to a new position. For eleven nights the Reserve MT were on the spot to bring
them out and not once did they look like being late or lost. Some of the MT had come right
down the Mainland and had done a wonderful job.
The Engineers blew a gap in the Causeway and we sat back to await developments,
Johore – AIF In Action: 15 – 31 January 1942   
Page 34 

Malayan Diary   Captain N Morrison
Hand drawn map - see original document
Johore – AIF in Action  Page 35 

Malayan Diary  

Captain N Morrison
SINGAPORE ISLAND
1 – 15 FEBRUARY 1942
I found Divisional Headquarters in de Soussa Road, about half a mile from Bukit Timah
Village. It comprised four houses on the reverse slope of a small hill and was obviously a
place of some importance if the activities of two gangs of Indian labourers were any
indication. These were busily engaged in preparing two large bombproof dugouts in front of
the "G" Office. No effort was being made to hide the spoil from the excavation which
showed as two big red gashes on an otherwise green hill.
Westforce had become Western Area and was disposed like this – 22 Brigade's front
extended from the West bank of the Sungei Kranji to the continuation of the Jurong Road
with the coast. 44 Indian Brigade, a new one consisting of three Battalions of Punjabis under
Brigadier Ballentine, occupied the South-West corner of the Island. 2/29 Battalion was Area
Reserve. The two remaining Battalions of 27 Australian Brigade held the Kranji Woodlands
area. 22 Brigade had an impossible task trying to deny a landing in their sector – a frontage of
16,000 yards with no depth. 3 Corps held the Eastern half of the Island.
Even when it became obvious that the Mainland would be evacuated and Singapore would
have to withstand a siege, the Island remained under the control of the civil authorities. This
meant that no defence works could be carried out by native labourers and as at military
personnel were at a premium nothing was done until the troops were sent to their respective
areas. Then the lads had the heartbreaking job of digging themselves in and erecting wire etc,
all the time being watched by recce planes which flew low overhead most of the day. The
Anti-Aircraft gunners were not permitted to fire on these planes for fear the flashes would
give away their gun positions.
The staff had greatly increased with the return of Butler and Greener from Eastforce and by
the addition of Commander Clarke of HMS Repulse (a most interesting chap) and a couple of
others. I found my valise on the spot and so was able to have a wash and a change before
breakfast. The meals here at de Soussa Road were quite good and could be eaten in a fair
degree of comfort; we positively thrived for a week. I then set sail to get first hand
information about the various Headquarters Brigade. I ran to earth at the Singapore Dairy
Farm where they were settling in a very palatial mansion; it was the first taste of luxury they
had had during the campaign. Brigade Signals were well catered for in a deep but well
Singapore Island: 1-15 February 1942  

Page 36 

Malayan Diary   

Captain N Morrison
ventilated air raid shelter. John Meillon picked up a cut lunch from the Mess and off we rode
on our motor bikes.
We visited 2/26 and 2/30 Battalions in the Kranji areas which was all new ground to me.
Once again it seemed to me that the morale of the 2/30 was better than that of the other
Battalion. Roley Oaks had taken over command of 2/26 from Boyes. I had a peaceful evening
in the Mess with some of the lads where we talked about things in general.
In the morning I went up to Tew Tee Village to 2/29 Battalion to see who was there. They
were half sitting on and protecting a huge ammunition dump. I found B Company under the
command of Dave West but Jock Richards was out on patrol. Only then did I learn that Jock
had missed the Muar show as he had been in hospital with malaria. Round at Battalion
Headquarters I saw Metcalfe and Vincent who had left Division on 25 January to return to a
unit; Bill Dick was there as Intelligence Officer. Back at Brigade, I had some lunch and then
left with Meillon to visit the one time pride of the British Empire in the Far East (the
Singapore Naval Base), which was now being rapidly demolished and then on to make
contact with 28 Indian Brigade. Gurkhas, who were the left flank of 28 Division.
Observation Post of the 2/15 Field Regiment which was right on the water front opposite the
Johore Government Offices. We watched some pretty good registration on the Administrative
building across the Strait and then returned to Division where I told Colonel Thyer that the
Japs were using the tower of the Sultan's palace as an Observation Post; a balloon was
anchored to the tower. Colonel Thyer fairly jumped down my throat. How was I to know that
the Japanese were using the balloon as an Observation Post, might it not be there just to draw
our fire, etc. Whatever they were doing, they had a pretty good look at our position.
Major Dawkins gave me the next morning off so I went into Singapore to do some shopping.
Also, I sent a cable home. The City was a bit of a mess with all the bombing it had suffered
but, most of the people were quite cheerful. My chief desire was chocolate which I could not
get so I settled for a carton of Craven A (cigarettes). After a bit of a ride around I returned to
the Mess where I collected some mail which included a photo of the boys which Ivy had had
taken in Albury. It was an excellent one.
The Airforce had nine fighter planes left on the Island, the few remaining other planes had
gone to Sumatra, twelve Bren guns only were available to replace those lost by the AIF, the
Naval Base was being rapidly demolished. Many of the troops were fed up with the whole
show, why try and defend the Island if the main object of such defence is being destroyed
Singapore Island 1-15 February 1942   

Page 37 

Malayan Diary   

Captain N Morrison
before the enemy was anywhere near it. To make matters worse, a request by 22 Brigade to
have harassing fire brought to bear on enemy concentrations which our recce patrol had
pinpointed was refused, why? because the ammunition for the guns had to be conserved to
last out a six month siege.
Brigadier Taylor asked that a special Order of the Day be published setting forth the facts of
the situation. I think he worked on the assumption that better results would be obtained if the
troops were told that any and every delaying tactic here would allow more time for the forces
to be built up at home. This also was knocked back.
The eight days siesta finished on Sunday 8 February. All day recce planes were overhead
checking up on our latest dispositions. Singapore received its morning raid and then, in the
evening, everything seemed to be thrown at 22 Brigade. The various Headquarters were
bombed, every beach electric light put out of action and all Signal communications destroyed.
The Japs landed that night and in a very short time 2/18 and 2./20 Battalions were over run
while 2/19 was cut off.
News of the landing took three hours to reach Division and the seriousness of the matter was
not, at first, fully appreciated. Eventually it was decided to put in the reserve Battalion 2/29
and I was detailed to lead the Motor Transport to the Unit. For some unknown reason I was
not allowed to ride "Gertie" but was to travel by car with the MT Officer and get back as best
I could.
I stopped the trucks on the main road out of the glare of the burning oil tanks at Yew Tee
Village and then, with Harris of the MT, went forward to where I thought Battalion
Headquarters had been that morning. I recognised an attap hut but there was no sign of
anyone even when I called out so I came to the conclusion that something had gone wrong. So
back to Brigade as quickly as possible where I explained the position and then took a guide
back to the same position near the attap hut I had left a few minutes before. No one
challenged so we drove straight into Battalion Headquarters where the CO, Lieutenant Pond
was just reading his own orders to the Company Commanders and was then about to tell them
the news of the landing.
The orders I brought were for the Transport to rendezvous one mile west of the railway at
Bukit Panjang and the troops were to march across country to this spot. The Unit was at an
hours notice to move but, the Companies were still scattered all over the countryside and the
time taken to regroup caused a further delay.
Singapore Island: 1-15 February 1942   

Page 38 

Malayan Diary   

Captain N Morrison
On my first visit to the attap hut I had not gone far enough forward although I found out later
that I had been seen by a sentry.
When I arrived back to Division I found that things were a bit chaotic, to say the least, all
communications with 22 Brigade had been knocked out and the staff had to rely on verbal
reports of the situation on the West Coast which came to hand from time to time. Some of the
reports were contradictory and some even unreliable as they had been sent back in times of
great confusion and as confusion builds confusion the staff could make only a rather hotch
potch picture of what had occurring. Strange to relate tempers remained pretty even around
the operations room with all the uncertainty in the air. I kept well out of the way but within
call by going to the Mess where I had a drink and then a sleep on the floor.
At 10.30 the next morning Divisional Headquarters and the surrounding area were well and
truly bombed. Everyone seemed a bit dazed so I went off to find the extent of the damage.
Bayne's batman had been killed outright and Clarke from the "Repulse" had a remarkable
escape. He had just come out of his tent when he saw the planes so he threw himself flat on
the ground; he said that there was a hell of a din and when it was all over he found himself
looking down a bomb crater. He was unhurt. The Mess and the AQ's Office each received a
direct hit.
I had just returned to the "G" Office and made my report on the bombing when down came an
Artillery barrage which lasted for a quarter of an hour and all the time everyone was trying to
burrow their way through the concrete floor. The GI and I hid behind some sandbags which
would have given us a little protection. The Signal Office was hit and sixty eight subscribers
went off the air; fortunately there were no casualties. Most of us were a bit shaken, but,
managed to pull ourselves together; the only exception was GB who was no good from then
on.
When the straffing had finished Colonel Thyer grabbed me, we signed out and we headed for
Brigade for a drink and some peace and quiet. However, we were hardly inside the door when
another barrage came down but it was only a few rounds. Here I met for the first time some of
the 2/4 Machine Gunners from Western Australia. They had arrived on the Island about
January 21st.
To help sort things out a little I set forth after lunch to find 12 Indian Brigade which was
somewhere near Bukit Panjang. On my way to Bukit Timah Road I failed to spot a
Singapore Island: 1-15 February 1942     

Page 39 

Malayan Diary   

Captain N Morrison
Section of Twenty five Pounders who opened fire just as I rode past. Beside giving me a nasty
shock the blast of the guns just about blew my tin hat off; I know Gertie wobbled a bit in
sympathy with my nerves.
I located Brigadier Paris about two miles or so down the Choa Chu Kang Road. His Brigade
had been committed and had suffered fairly heavily but his intention was to block any enemy
advance down the road east wards towards Bukit Panjang. However, this could not be done.
Because of the rapid advance from the West our Headquarters decided to move to Holland
Road late in the afternoon of 9 February. Things went a bit astray as Headquarters arrived at
the new location before Administration Headquarters had time to move out. I stayed at de
Sousa Road until the last party left and spent the time talking to Dusty Rhodes and Norman
Couch who managed to produce a couple of bottles. I found the new Headquarters without
any trouble and as usual it was a large two storied residence, but could find no better place
than the lawn for a sleep, so settled down to await the daylight.
There was a hell of a crowd for breakfast next morning but we eventually got a feed after
eating in relays. I then went back to the Racecourse in Bukit Timah Road where 22 Brigade
had established a temporary Headquarters. The news of the Units was very vague as was to be
expected so I did not achieve very much by my trip. On the way back I noticed a lot of men
resting, as I thought, in the roadside gutter but paid them no attention until repeated signs
made me realise that something was amiss so I quickly joined the chaps in the gutter. Three
planes were obviously about to attack but I could not hear them above the din created by
Gertie's engine. I was no sooner settled than down came the bombs. Headquarters, about one
hundred and fifty yards further on had three very near misses and an unexploded bomb in the
driveway. Wavell and Percival had been in the building during the attack and sought refuge
under the office table. They, along with other members of the staff, got covered in plaster but
there were no casualties.
Dawk's once more told me to make myself scarce so I went over to "B" Echelon to get some
clean clothes and to repack the two haversacks I carried on the bike. Then I stood by.
The visit of Wavell and Percival had bolstered the GOC's offensive spirit with the decision to
launch a counter attack to recapture the Jurong Line. The idea was all right in theory but it
lacked certain essentials, men and time. Into the bargain the exact positions of our forces were
not known and this made it a bit more awkward, at any rate, the show must go on. The order
was signed at 1705 and the first objective was to be reached by 1800 hours. I took the order to
Singapore Island: 1-15 February 1942    

Page 40 

Malayan Diary   

Captain N Morrison
the place where I had seen 22 Brigade in the morning but, they were not there. Formed parties
were moving in a south westerly direction up Holland Road and as I knew the context of the
order I told them to stay where they were. I turned about and found 22 Brigade Headquarters
near New Holland Village and handed over the order at the same time telling Brigadier Taylor
what I had done. He Oked my action saying that the men I stopped were going back to form
the AIF perimeter although the order to move had not been given. Brigadier Taylor went back
to Division to find out which order he should obey; the one to go forward to form the Jurong
Line or the one to retire to the Perimeter. Dawks pointed out to him that in the Perimeter
Order he had overlooked the important fact that there was to be no movement before a certain
time. On the way back to Division we ran into Lieutenant Colonel Oakes who had taken over
2/26 Battalion and was bringing his men in to form the Perimeter also. Everything seemed
wrong to me and I must have shown my anxiety as Dawks came up and said that I was doing
all right and not to worry.
I then took the order to 6/15 Brigade Headquarters who were in our old site at de Soussa
Road; Coates formerly GI of 9 Indian Division was the Brigadier. He was quite calm and
collected but did not think much of the proposed attack, although his troops were not far from
the start line. I went back to 6/15 later and found that enemy action around Bukit Timah had
increased. Consequently, the proposed attack did not get beyond the first stage before the
enemy broke through.
Poor Tom Mitchell ruined whatever chance I had of sleep that night. No sooner had I returned
than he wanted to know where he was and why, and all during the night he kept waking and
demanding answers to the same questions. I found out later that his car had run into a rubber
tree and that he was suffering from loss of memory.
During the night the sounds of firing grew closer and early in the morning it was rumoured
that Headquarters RAA was surrounded. After breakfast I went to sleep for awhile and woke
up to find the place deserted. This must have been about 10.30am on 11 February. I ran out to
the front of the building and there met the AQ, Colonel Broadbent, who was having a final
look around before clearing out. He told me that it was time to clear out as everyone else had
moved back to the Tanglin Barracks. I was to hurry and even had no time to collect my
haversacks which I had so carefully packed the previous night so I hopped on Gertie and gave
chase to the AQ. The loss of my spare clothes and personal effects was a big  blow.
Headquarters at Tanglin were in a sunken room which had reinforced concrete walls and roof
as well as buried signal communications to Fort Canning and other strategic points. I had no
Singapore Island: 1-15 February 1942   

Page 41 

Malayan Diary   

Captain N Morrison
sooner clocked in than I went off to find the Headquarters of 2/15 Field Regiment somewhere
in Stephens Road to tell them to bring fire to bear on a target I have now forgotten. The traffic
congestion in the City of Singapore was terrific but thank goodness it was not time for the
regular morning air raid. 2/15 was found in an excellent air raid shelter with my old friend
Major Baraclough in charge of the control room. I was a bit late with the message as they
were already registering on the target. It was Dawks who sent me on the errand and it was the
last time that I saw him as he was killed that morning by machine gunning from the air as he
went up Bukit Timah Road in his carrier. Dawks had carried me a lot and had been a
tremendous help in my job.
Through Malaya Command General Wavell issued an order of the day which said that it
would be a lasting disgrace if we were beaten by a few clever gangsters. It was a damned silly
order as the troops were not fools and they realised a long time ago that their eventual defeat
could not be attributed to their lack of courage or skill. The Malayan campaign was just a
gesture in the overall strategy.
By now things were pretty chaotic and troops were all over the place. The first strength
returns from the Units showed that five thousand men were unaccounted for and were most
probably wandering around the back areas looking for their units. Admittedly some had given
up the fight that they were a very small minority not nearly as many as some British Officers
later tried to make us believe. They reckoned that every soldier in a slouch hat was an
Australian trying to get away but our top brass was able to show that other troops were
wearing Australian hats. Stragglers posts were soon established and the men gradually moved
back to the firing line.
In the evening we heard the rumour that the Yanks had landed at Penang and were rapidly
advancing south; we would soon be relieved. No move was made to stamp out the rumour as
it would stiffen the moral of the troops.
I spent most of Thursday 12 February riding around the place trying to keep the GI informed
of the Unit positions. No reports were coming in so no one could go out. I found 2/26 Battalion
in Tyersall Palace, which had been bombed out and then went on up Farrer Road. Another trip
was up to New Holland Village. Gordon was getting worse and worse and driving everyone
silly with his inane antics but, we just had to put up with him and do his work as well as our
own.
Singapore Island: 1-15 February 1942     

Page 42