FALL OF SINGAPORE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23319, 1 October 1945, Page 4

FALL OF SINGAPORE

Pertinent Questions About Defence Returned Prisoner’s Experience “Tire fall of Singapore was a bad show. Our stronghold fell to a numerically smaller force. Many questions remain to be answered before the majority of the prisoners of Changi Camp will be satisfied that the best was done to defend the base.”

In making this statement, Warrant Officer P. L. Cooper, recently evacuated from Singapore after being a prisoner of war of the Japanese for three and a half years, told a representative of “The Timaru Herald” that the matter had been one of endless discussion among the prisoners. While in Changi Camp, which was the base camp at Singapore accommodating 40,000 British and Australian prisoners, an address had been given by General Heathe who asked the following questions: 11) “Why was only 50 yards of the causeway, which is three-quarters of a mile long, blown up? (2) “Why was it blown only on the Johore side where the Japanese could and did repair it without interruption? (3) Why was it that the naval guns (15 inch, 9.2 and 6 inch), most of which had a 360 degrees traverse, were not used to bombard the enemy positions? (4) “Why was artillery not allowed to fire oh the Japanese assembly points, roads, railways and headquarters in Johore Bahru? (5) “Why was the Sultan’s Palace and other public buildings in Johore Bahru, which were likely to be used by the Japanese as headquarters or for the billeting of troops, not fired on? General Heath concluded by saying: "One* lesson this campaign should have taught us was that we did not know the meaning of physical fitness as the Japanese did; he was able to carry and run for half a mile with a wheel of a light field piece, or a box of ammunition or some other part of a gun. The total loss of the 22nd Brigade in the Malayan campaign was 1700 out of a total of 2700.” Warrant Officer Cooper, who had been in Malaya since 1929, was a member of the Straits Settlement Volunteer Force. They had been mobilised on December 1, 1941, and evacuated from Penang to Singapore. He was reluctant to discuss details about the fall of Singapore, and was content to say that it was a “bad show.” Conditions in Changi Camp had been reasonably good, but toward the end of their captivity food had been scarce. They had at times to exist on 9ozs of rice a day and a variable quantity of vegetables. Owing to a shortage of food, clothing and medical supplies. 80 per cent, of the prisoners had suffered from malaria, dysentery and beri-beri.

Japanese Atrocities Asked about atrocities he said that he had not personally witnessed any but related the following incident given to him by an eye witness: “Situated in the beautiful residential area of Tanglin was the chief British hospital, Alexandra. This area was the scene of intense fighting on the afternoon of February 14, 1942. Indian troops had been in occupation of the forward area of this position. On their withdrawal they entered the hospital area and placed a machine-gun nest on the front steps. Other Indians entered the building, some getting into beds and others firing from windows. The Japanese eventually entered the building and inspected every bed. They ordered outside all patients who could walk and also the orderlies. The Japanese also entered the operating theatre and bayonetted all the medical officers, orderlies and patients. Only one medical officer and one orderly survived. Meanwhile the patients and orderlies taken outside were marched away to a slit trench where they were bayonetted to death. The number of patients killed in this manner is not known, but between 30 and 40 orderlies were killed. This affair occurred about 5 p.m. Sometime later Japanese officers' came to the building and were incensed at what had happened. They executed some of their men. They then told the patients kept in the building not to worry as they would receive attention. It was late next morning before help did come to the patients who were nearly all helpless cases.”

In Changi Camp, said Warrant Officer Cooper, they had had a secret wireless receiving set from which they heard the war news from London and Delhi. In the early stages the news was grim, but all believed they would be relieved some time. Changi Camp was a base camp from which was drawn most of the working parties. Seven thousand men were drafted to build the railway from Thailand to Moulmein. The Japanese officers at the camp told the men that they were required to work up on the hills and that they could take musical instruments with them, including pianos. The 200 mile march through the jungle at night was a torture and the end of life itself for 60 per cent, of the British personnel. What information the Japanese officers had of the camp was not known, but it would not be surprising if they had been duped as were the prisoners. Warrant Officer Cooper, who is an Englishman, will reside in Christchurch. After 22 years in the East working on the administrative side of the rubber and tin industries he is more than content to settle in the Dominion with his wife, who is a New Zealander. She had her share of experiences when being evacuated from Penang at the beginning of the Japanese wpr. “My experience was a nightmare and the.soone&l forget about it the better,” he concluded.