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We sailed around nine in the morning, shortly before the days excitement was due. The narrow deck was crowded with Airmen. I would point out that there were no lifebelts for us. We slept, crowded together in a dirty hold with no blankets or anything. Two of us shared a gas cape as an undercovering with nothing at all on top.

About 2 hours out from Singapore, I was on duty with my little lamp on the bridge with the captain. Faraway in the sky we sighted a formation of Japanese bombers. Our total defence was two Lewis guns, also manned by members of our squadron. The deck was, of course, chock a block with Airmen. The Captain said "I wish all these men were below. If the Japs see all these troops on board we are in a bonny mess."
So I said "yell for our Adjutant and tell him to order them all out of sight".
"Damn good idea -- -- Welsh! Welsh!! Welsh!!!" He bellowed.

Quickly the men were herded below -- and the Japs took not the slightest notice of us even though they flew almost directly overhead. It may be that anyway they had a more important predetermined target as shortly after fresh columns of smoke arose faraway in Singapore Island.

The Captain was mighty proud of the way he negotiated the straits. "Just half a mile clearance and the rest is heavily mined" said he, showing the chart to prove it. Then he decided to check his compass which proved us to be two points out -- which gives you another illustration of the kind of comic opera evacuation that it was. Curiously enough, it all combined to give me great faith in a Captain who was obviously experienced and resourceful and didn't need all the modern gadgets usually in use and considered essential by lesser mortals.

Two days later we sighted Sumatra (where the devil we had been I don't know, because it isn't so far really).

At the entrance to the river was a delightfully unusual village. It was built entirely in the water and the swamp at the edge of it. The whole village was built on an elaborate scaffolding and mangroves sticking out of the water and plant paths led from hut to hut. As we drew near, almost the whole village took to its heels -- or rather, its boats -- and flew at the river. This behaviour rather bewildered us at first and then we realised that the large Chinese characters on the side of our ship were hardly reassuring.

The sail up the river was grand -- under holiday conditions it would have been wonderful -- such a profusion of birds and animals and sounds and the thickest jungle I have ever seen on both sides of the river. Obviously it is best seen from a ship on the river. Terence Kelly ("Hurricanes Over the Jungle") describes it. "North of Palembang The terrain becomes appalling. The Jungle is solid and the only breaks in the sea of green are rivers and glistening mudbanks with occasional thatched villages. The jungle swarms with wild animals including Tigers, Snakes and leeches etc and diseases are rife."

We arrived at Palembang at dusk.

This was the first time we had set foot on non-British soil and I fear that our short stay left us with a much greater respect for the Dutch than we had for the British civilians in Singapore. Dutch ladies met us on the quayside and gave us cool drinks and food which suggested that in the East Indies at least, members of the forces were actually considered to be human beings and that there was no risk of dread disease if you came into contact with them.

Later, we were taken by road to our billets in the town itself. We were billeted in a Catholic school near the centre of the town.

February 9th 1942

Coincident with our arrival at Palembang our "remnants" at Kallang had been involved in a day long air battle. The Japs had landed on the north and west coasts of Singapore the previous night and every effort was being made to confine them to the beaches.

Hank Olden ("the fall of Singapore") wrote:-
"considerable air operations. These had begun at dawn when complying with Bennett’s urgent call for maximum air support above the beach battle, our last ten Hurricanes on the island took off from Kallang to intercept a Japanese force of 84 planes flying in from Johore. In two sorties, the Hurricanes shot down six of the enemy for the loss of 1 of their own (they flew back to Kallang halfway through the battle, hurriedly refuelled, then returned to it.). Air flights over the island went on for the rest of the day and by nightfall it was plain that with the few machines we had left Kallang could not be used any longer as a base. With Percival’s assent, the remaining Hurricanes were withdrawn to Sumatra.

Thus it came about that what was left of 232 squadron was reunited once more at Palembang.

We had now got into the habit of taking it all one day at a time and trying not to speculate too far ahead. We soon settled down in Palembang and rather liked the place. The small Dutch garrison (in actual fact only a few dozen men) allowed us the use of the fort and often in the morning -- if off duty -- we would stroll down to sit in the cool rooms and drink the most delicious orange juice. It was kept in refrigerators, served ice cold and with a lump of ice in it just to make sure. Alternatively, we would go to a first-class confectionery shop and cafe kept by a Chinaman rejoicing in the name of Madjoe and drink coffee and eat cakes.

There were two cinemas, showing English and American films with Dutch subtitles. Amongst the films I saw there was "Major Barbara". The cinemas were also remarkable for the number of advertisements they showed. I counted them one night and discovered that it was over 60.

Our drome was the old civil drome (P1) 14 miles north of Palembang town and out in the jungle so we were taken to work in lorries. After the first two or three days I was given work at the operations room in town and found it very convenient, with plenty of time off.

Whilst going about my duties one-day, I came across a signal that rather shook me. It said that the moral effect of withdrawing 232 squadron from Singapore was very bad and that it was imperative we returned to Kallang which was still operable with care. Fortunately the bigwigs didn't see their way to change the decisions they had already made.

After a couple of days, our temporary duties were taken over by the proper operation room staff and we were once again at a loose end. As is usual in the forces, work was found (even if it was a complete waste of time) and we found ourselves supposedly manning a small telephone switchboard in a small derelict Post Office on the edge of town. We never got a sound out of that switchboard and it was obviously a ruse to keep the four of us occupied. The rest of our Signals Personnel were helping out at the aerodrome.

The shops and bazaars of Palembang were full of every conceivable luxury. The best brands of chocolate, fancy biscuits and chocolate biscuits were there in profusion -- chiefly English brands.

I was naturally anxious to let Betty and my mother and father know that I had got away from Singapore. All telegrams sent during my Far East tour were financed by 3 of us because they were so expensive, Brian Wilson and Jack Spencer sharing with me. My father had arranged to get in touch with their families immediately he heard from me. If the news didn't involve all three of us then it had to be indicated on the telegram. When we inquired about the cost of cables Palembang Post Office we nearly collapsed. It was a few days -- after a pay parade had been arranged before we could afford to do it. As it happened it wasn't very opportunely timed and couldn't have brought much relief to people at home.

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