Diaries and papers relating to the Second World War service of George James Feakes, 1942-1946 - Part 1

[*No 1 Holt*]

 

Diary of
G.J. Feakes
(1)
H E C A

No 1 Holt 
Singapore
4^th Feby '42

Bombing by Jap planes became worse today.
one high-explosive bomb landed on our
Grass Tennis Court about 11 am, within 15
yds of the house. All ceilings in house collapsed
& rear of house pitted by shrapnel, which
penetrated to Dining Rm & Kitchen. Servants
Quarters also damaged ceiling dislodged
The shrapnel from the bomb 
horizontally from the crater. "You
the grass & burning holes. 
One incendiary bomb also R
Number 1. Holt Rd), but not
there as 
eaux - we  
etc left of the 
It was a very free will  wd have gone if
receipt of    to) in order to carry on at
Following   Riviere, Feakes, Joyce, Blackwell
their own & Robins & some local Staff.
They wished (the Singaporeans) slept & lived in
the office was from that time away to intense
Docker, Punting T [[?]] & danger on the roads in
 Had plenty of food at off
 to wash clothing items
 

(2)
A third bomb fell outside No. 2 Holt Rd.
& landed in a drain doing little damage.
Spent all the afternoon with Dr Williams
& Miss Bond, trying to straighten up the 
house a bit. Front of the house untouched
therefore cane furniture etc not spoilt.

5^th to 11^th Feby 1942. 
Bombing increased & often had to take to

A party from the office, including

Nauze, Olds, Young, Bassett

Stevens, Gamble, labourers

5.30pm on 11^th Feby for Batavia

arrived departure ) one on

 

 

 

has cause   our
servants upset   worst  

& the best the Kebun. Latter like the

in our underground shelter when the

& was uninjured as shelter over 6 yds. The Co

Thank God Ettie left S'pore on 

James for Colombo otherwise the bomb 

 have been at home. I was at the [[?]]

home by car when news

 that house had been 

rarian to "Jaga" the few English periodicals.
I am reading Goldsworthy's "Indian Summer of
a Forsyte, & In Chancery", We take it in
turns to sweep, clean, do the Lavatories, while
there are 6 kitchen helpers. All the 
women are interned in our old quarters all who
take Societ [[?]]. We are not allowed out
along house, even for exercise, & must conform
We had to as the lavatories & to do 

Feel the lack of expression and

excitement [[?]] do much, on this for a 

 reading "Kimono 

 

 

A  J. ordered us to move to a briefing outside The Gaol,

had formerly been used as  a Dutch Club (our

move that day). We humped our luggage again

settled down for the night & started to get a 

bed ready. We heard today that all Dutch &

Therefore, women & children - had also been into

Japanese here.

 

Monday 11^th 42

we have been here 4 weeks started to

my diary since then as I 

to lack of food. for Barrett

 cup full of rice & cup 

Breakfast is [[?]] for

 

My birthday   12^th Feby 1942

Only a skeleton staff working office. I went to

Katong Cable House & cut 3 cables there as

a precaution - also removed all labels there.

Airport at Katong was bombed by Japs while

we passed there & we had to stop the car and

take shelter. All streets deserted. All way

along Beach Rd & Kallang Rd badly damaged.

We had to take shelter 3 times near the [[?]]

House while doing the job there owing to the

overhead. Got back after an exciting morning

about noon. Thanks for [[?]] a card

from Ettie saying she was safe at Colombo.

Washed my pyjamas etc at office where

slept.

 

Friday 13^th Feby 42

Shelling & bombing increased as the Japs
penetrating further on Singapore Island.
No news from the house (6 Holt Rd) where
I last heard Williams & his Band were

About 4PM we received word that all

remaining Europeans & any technical locals

were to leave. Riviere asked us to rush

down in the car to find out by what

ship we are leaving etc.

4

Drive down to the wharf myself, & while I

was making enquiries the office received a

direct hit. I had to take quick cover

in a street drain owing to bombs at same

time office hit. Spoke to Colonel Simson

in charge of evacuation & he told me

must all be aboard in 10 minutes if you

wish go". Rushed back to office in car to tell

Riviere & our crowd who then came down straight

away. [[?]] & godowns by this time were ablaze

many cars also, due to bombing.

Only allowed one small suit case (hand size) so

had to leave all other luggage, clothes etc behind

got out to our ship, which we found to be

HMS Grasshopper. About 100 civilian evacuees

going aboard & as we went up gangway 9 Japanese

planes came over & dropped bombs missing us, but

hitting the wharves again causing more fires & 

casualties.

We steamed off at dusk, being H.M.Ss Grasshopper &

Dragonfly, & motor vessel. After reaching Pulao

Bukom - instead of continuing on towards Batavia

the ship circled around Blakan Mati, P. Bukom,

etc. & eventually returned to Singapore. It was then

 

5

about 9.30pm on Feby 13^th 1942. & from the sea Singapore

appeared to be a mass of smoke & flames. We

anchored alongside HMS Laburnum, but were driven 

from there by Japanese shrapnel from their guns

out past Katong from where they were shelling us

As I was tired out I went up to the top deck  to try

to snatch a few minutes sleep but the shrapnel was

too close, & I had to take shelter quickly  in - of

all places - the Ladies Lavatory! Where a marine 

told me to lie down on the floor for a little while

& rest, which I was thankful to do.

We re-commenced our journey at mid-night & I slept

with many others over the engine room hatches. As I

only had the clothes I wore, plus some in the

suit case, the warmth from the engine room was

welcome.

 

Satdy Feby 14^th 1942

9am Jap plane came over us & dropped one bomb missing

ship by a few yards, but slightly injuring the Capt, &

one or two of crew.

10 am  A squadron of 27 planes passed over &

bombed us, there being several very near misses. The 

planes flew on to another objective. Saw bombs dropping

near H.M.S Dragonfly which a hundred yds or so

from us. As soon as we became attacked we

6

3 ships fall out of "Line Ahead" formation & separated

up into 3 different positions.

11.30 am

We are heavily attacked by more Jap planes &

we see "Dragonfly" badly hit & sinking stern

first. Many of our crew badly injured &

a fire breaks out out amidship close to where I am

sheltering with others. A direct hit by a bomb

causes our ship to rise & fall in the water & the

noise of falling bombs is awful Commdr Hoffman

of our ship decided to try to beach her on a

nearby island  on our port bow. Bombing

continues.  Ship grounds about 11.50am, &

another bomb hits nearby. My wrist watch glass

I notice is blown off. ^{A Malay seaman with foot nearly} _{blown off bleeds over Joan's case.}

Jumped overboard, & lost my steel helmet in doing so but

searched around in the water & got it before it sank too

deep. Gave a helping hand to 2 Elderly men in the water

who clinging to a piece of timber & unable to swim.

Told them to hang on to the wood & I'd tow them ashore.

When 30 yds from the sand I glanced up & noticed 9

Jap planes overhead, so we sheltered behind a tree trunk

which growing in the water. Fortunately these 9 dropped

no bombs (we'd already received about a dozen) & we 

made the shore OK. I immediately shouted to the others

 

7

to run in to the Jungle with me as I expected the 

Jap planes would machine gun us. Within 5 minutes

the machine gunning started & we threw ourselves on our

faces in the vegetation - felt the leaves & twigs falling -

but nobody hit. Slept in the jungle that night, &

clothes nearly dry again. Seemed to be about 80 of us.

1 Python shot in jungle.

Sunday Feby 15^th 1942

Found water in the form of a small spring which flowed

into a hole which we dug in the ground to make a well.

Some of the wounded in a bad way. Had a ration of a

biscuit & enough bully beef to cover it & a mouthful

of water. The palm leaves I gathered to sleep on last

night made a fairly dry bed. Luckily weather is dry.

Some of the party discovered a large tree python - swollen

in the middle - & shot it although it was probably

harmless.

4 pm, I waded out to the ship again, at low tide, to see

if any clothes or my suitcase there, but everything

burnt up. All I possess is a shirt, pair of dark

blue shorts, penknife, 5 or 6 dollar notes, handkerchief, &

pr of shoes in which I swam ashore. During last night

the ship's magazine blew up, through fire, & caused terrific

noise. I helped carry a case of 4 doz tins of milk around

the beach towards where we thought we'd be better off &

more water & perhaps find a Malay Kampong.

8

Feby 15th (continued)

5pm, the Coxwain of the ship produces my pigskin Despatch

Case ∧^(Joan's) which he retrieved from the Ship before fire burnt

everything. I am overjoyed to get it, as it contains

my private papers, in addition to 2 pks of cigarettes

mirror, & odds & ends. I thank him profusely!

6.30pm  At dark we move off in a body along the

beach towards another island, as it is essential to

try to contact someone to get help for the 20 wounded

some of whom are in a bad way. A nurse is in

the party. Buried two people during today.

I helped two sailors carry a wounded Maly on a

stretcher made of boughs towards our destination.

Joan's pigskin Despatch Case is stained badly with

dried blood, as I remember that on the ship a

Malay with a badly gashed leg fell on it. His

leg was almost severed at the ankle. I am nearly

knocked out helping carry the stretcher, so one of

the sailors save me 3 gulps of neat whisky for

which I am very thankful. Finished up at a beach

about 9 pm & left with Cmdr Hoffman, Nurse Fisher,

& about 20 others for a Malay Kampong (boat journey

of about 2 miles). Found an empty hut in which to

sleep & woke in the morning delighted to find 8

fresh hens eggs which very acceptable after small

 

9

rations were had.

Feby 16^th '42

Washed out my only shirt, which very dirty & had

a sleep. Our ration today consisted of small plate

of rice & little bits of fowl which had to be divided

amongst many of us, as others of the party arrived

during night (including survivors from HMS "Dragonfly"

which was sunk). Some of the survivors of the latter

in the water for 30 hours, & badly sunburned.

At midnight on 16^th we set out by Diesel Launch

for Kuala Raya (which is an island of SingKep,

an island of the Lingga Archipelago).

Where our ship the "Grasshopper", was driven ashore

was on an island in this Archipelago, which is

situated south of the island of Rhio.

Feby 17^th '42

Arrived on Kuala Raya after a very cramped &

uncomfortable trip on the launch. About 40 of us

K.R. is a small Dutch village mostly fishing. We are

all very dirty, tired & hungry. Got a banana

here & a mouthful of water. Also asked a Dutch

policeman for a piece of soap & got it & washed

heads & face which filthy.

The Dutch supplied motor lorries to take us to

the small town of Dabo on Singkep Island, which

is about 16 miles from Kuala Raya.

Feb 17^th '42

At Dabo on Sing Kep Island, where
 we were supplied with a meal of

dried fish & rice at the Police

Station. Wounded are coming on

stretchers later.

Later today we moved to the

Club House of the Tin Company's

Staff. Sleeping on bare floor & not

enough water to go round.

Feby 18^th to 21^st 1942

Remain at Tin Company Club House

which very over crowded - no water for

sanitary purposes. Sleeping anywhere.

Glorious weather. Bought a spare

singlet in the village. Food severely

rationed. Jap planes came over

several times but dropped nothing.

Some days ago they bombed this 

town (Dabo). The Dutch Officials Villas

here are very well furnished & comfortable.

Some are air conditioned

 

22^nd Feby 42

By order of the Dutch Controller here we

moved to the house of the Administrator

(several hundred yards away up a hill).

Camped on the verandahs, - anywhere

inside. About 45 of us. Wounded

went to the local hospital. Food still

severely rationed - consisting of a cup

full of boiled rice & same quantity

of spinach twice a day. Sometimes we

scrounge an egg or banana. My

money very short as only had time

in Singapore to bring away what was

in my pockets (about $12.00)

My health is fairly good but feeling

the strain of this sort of existence.

22^nd to 26^th Feby '42

Remain at Administrators House, town

of Dabo on Sing Kep Island in the

Dutch Archipelago of Lingga. On 

the 25th Feb we attempted 12 of us

to set off by launch for the mainland

of Sumatra, 50 miles away by water,

as we think Japs will occupy Dabo

Thursday 26^th Feb 42

We again set off by small launch from

Dabo enroute for Padang in Western

Sumatra, in order to try to get away

to Colombo or Australia before Japs

capture these places.

A rough map is drawn on next

page of where we go:-

½ an hour after leaving Dabo by launch

we sighted 27 planes in the sky flying

east diagonally to our route &

very relieved that they either didn't

see us or didn't worry about us

5pm/26^th pulled the launch up for

an hour at an Island marked X

before making the crossing by night to

Sumatra. Too dangerous to cross

here by day. 20 miles or so to the

North we were bombed on the 

"Grasshopper".

27^th Feb '42

Arrived at mouth of River Indragiri  at

5am, after smooth crossing though the

launch rolled a good deal.

 

Dabo to Padang (Sumatra)

 

Diagram - see original document

 

[Dabo, to mouth of R Indragiri, to

Tembilahan to Rengat to Ayer

Molek to Taleck to Sawoleunto:

From Sawoleunto to Padang by rail]

(Left the water travel at Ayer Molek).

27^th Feb (contd)

Travelled up R. Indragiri about 20

miles to Tembilahan, a small river

town, where plenty of food thank

goodness. Coffee, eggs, pineapples, etc

changed some straits dollars into

guilders. Rested in a dirty Godown

9pm Left by a larger boat (named

"Kingfisher") for Rengat, 50 miles

further up River. Slept on deck

with about 25 others & it rained

heavily. So tired that I slept

through the rain - wet through.

28^th Feb 42

A long weary trip up to Rengat

where arrived about 2 pm. The

Country looks very rich (from the 

river bank) abounding in bananas

Kapok, pineapples etc etc. This

river is very fast flowing & varies

in width from ½ mile to 200 yds.

It is brown coloured from the mud.

Lots of Rubber trees on both

banks & thick vegetation