AERODROME UNIT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 99, 26 March 1942, Page 4

AERODROME UNIT

ESCAPE FROM SINGAPORE - EXCITING ADVENTURES (Press Assn.) CHRISTCHURCH, Mar, %> A dramatic story of a succession of escapes from Malaya, Singapore Island, and Java while being attacked from the air by the Japanese was toLd on the return to New Zealand of the No. 1 New Zealand aerodrome construction unit. commanded by Squadron-Leader E. C. Smart. The unit of'l6B had practically completed three- aerodromes in Johore and two on Singapore Island, and all the aerodromes were demolished in turn to prevent their being made u-.c of by the enemy.

"The authorities gave higii praise for the work carried out by the unit.'' said Squadron-Leader Smart in an interview. He reported that the unit had not escaped casualties, and that some of the men who returned to the Dominion were carrying shrapnel. The unit left New Zealand for Singapore on August 13 last, but was held up in Sydney because of illness, only an advance party going forward. The bulk of the unit reached Singapore in October. The first aerodromes were built in Johorc, the first State north of Singapore Island. "Three aerodromes were almost ready for use when we were forced—to use a military term—to denv them to the enemy. We crossed the Causeway from Johore to Singapore onljr three days ahead or tnc oU...tK,iig Japanese, who found it blown up. On January 31, after a few days' work on aerodromes and for the military, we had orders to prepare our plant for shipment to Sumatra with a view to carrying out aerodrome construction t'-erc.

SHIP SUNK AT WHARF. "By uiui u...c LUiugs Had become •stictLy' on were bombing lu.a. every ujy alia m 6 camp was being shelled. A ship wa» made available to us and our men did all the loading and stowiug and working ol wukiks, uanuiing 23CK> tons in 16 houis. Ja- loading wa* almost finished when tue Japanese made a raid. Two bombs went down two holds and tue suip said* at tue wharf. The loss was uuiortimate as we wore bringing away from Singapore more earth-niuk-iug muclnnery tnan we had taken from i>ew Zealand, addilional plant haviug come from the United States or Having Lccu taken over in Malaya. "We' were never directly bombed when we were out in the iour construction groups, but we had to take cover when bombers came over. We had 250 coolies with us. and we ha/J quite a job managing them when the Japanese were raiding. When we were m Singapore bombing was confined to military targcte, particularly aerodromes, the naval base, and the docks. "For evacuation from Singapore outunit was divided into two groups. Ino first group sailed in a convoy strongly escorted by naval crait and a lew aircraft, and we were soon raided. ■Nodamage was done, and it was reported that two attacking aeroplanes had been shot down. Reaching Batavia three days later, we were machine-gunned from the air at the whart." The adventures of the second party were much more exciting, SquadrouLcader Smart said. They joined another ship, which was to have linked up with the convoy, but because ol crew shortage the ship carrying the remainder ol the New Zealand men was sent back, and it was three days before the vessel finally cleared port. Singapore was then being heavily attacked, and the Japanese had already landed on the island. Camps were under shellfirc and bombing was intense.

MEN MAN DAMAGED SHIP

"On its second day out this ship was attacked by a formation oi 16 aircraft," he continued. "There was only one direct hit, but there were many near misses. 1 ne ship was badly holed. Our men manned the ship. working the engines, manning the stokehold, and carrying out seunien s duty, in addition to putting 67 patches in the hold. Some casualt.es occurred and if it had not been lor the sterling work done by our chaps the ship would not have reached Ba.tavia, whence we sailed to Australia.-' . The effectiveness of Japanese highlevel bombing was described by Squadron-Leader Smart. It was carried out bv ' formations of 27 aircraft in a "V'\ The leading aircraft carried out the bomb aiming and all the crai.t dropped their bombs simultaneously. The whole area straddle! by the "v was covered with bombs. Tbc bombing of the Japanese was fairly effective, but the bombs they used were mostly of the anti-personnel type. Heavy explosive bombs were not used to any extent. , T , The only comment Squadron-Leader Smart would make on the reactions of the Malays to the Japanese advance was that from a military angle they cluttered the roads. Singapore, he sa.iu was not groatlv damaged till the few days of the siege. Tht city always looked "worse than it was. Tli6 shops beino- barricaded, the city had an air of desolation when the construction unit left just before the heaviest bombing and shelling took place. "Our fellows," Squadron-Leader Smart added, "stood un to the conditions wonderfully. Though it was very hot. the climate did not worry them unduly Thev carried out work never before done 'in Malaya by Europeans. Hours of work had to be cut down because of the conditions, but in the reduced hours they did a wonderful job."