As the Japanese launched a sneak aerial assault on Pearl Harbour on the 7th December 1941, they coordinated with their landings at Singora, Patani and Kota Bahru in Southern Siam and North Eastern Malaya respectively for their expansion plan. Three Divisions composed of the 5th, 18th Divisions and the Imperial Guards made up the Japanese 25th Army under the command of Lt.General Tomoyuki Yamashita; known as the ‘Tiger of Malaya’, led the thrust.
The Fleet under Vice-Admiral Nagumo sailed with 6 aircraft-carriers (Hiryu, Shokaku, Zulkaku, Akagi, Kaga and Soryu) for Hawaii. The American were so to say caught with their pants down on that Sunday morning, when 360 ship-borne aircraft from the carrier Air Group led by Lt. Cdr. Fuchida attack Ford Island, bombing the battleship row, airfields and installations. It was a complete surprise; like a shooting gallery in a Fun Fair for every Japanese pilot had opportunity of target a ship or a plane to shoot at practically without interruption. Four battleships were sunk including USS 'Arizona' and another four badly damaged. However it was very fortunate for the Americans as their aircraft-carriers were not in port and thereby escape destruction. Their Pacific Fleet was badly mauled in a single blow in what became known as the ‘Day of Infamy’. As for the Japanese, they lost only 29 planes.
Three days later on the 10th December, a running battle was fought at sea with the British Eastern Fleet that made up of the new battleship HMS ‘Prince of Wales’ (35,000tons) and the older battle-cruiser ‘Repulse’ (26,500tons) with their escorting destroyers designated as 'Force Z' sent to interdict the Japanese landings were being discovered and reported. The Japanese Naval Air Fleet based at Saigon, Indo-China responded by dispatching Mitsubishi type 1 Rikko G4M1 (Allied code ‘Betty’) and G3M2 Nell twin-engine bombers to attack. They caught up with the two British capital ships off Kuantan, in the East coast of Malaya and sent both to the bottom of the sea. Their Fleet Commander Admiral Sir Tom Phillips went down with his ship, the ‘Prince of Wales’.
In February/March, another naval engagement followed with the combined fleet of American, British, Dutch and Australian cruisers and destroyers was defeated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the ‘Battle of Java Sea’ in which the cruisers American ‘Houston’, British ‘Exeter’, Dutch ‘De Ruyter’, ‘Java’ and the Australian ‘Perth’ were sunk. Meantime Japanese Admiral Osawa with his carrier task force roamed the Indian Ocean and sunk two British cruisers ‘Cornwall’ and ‘Dorsetshire’. They also attacked the Island of Ceylon (now Sri Langka) and sunk the British aircraft-carrier HMS ‘Hermes’ off the island; thus ending the mirth of ‘Britannia rules the wave’.
In the aerial defence of Malaya/Singapore faired no better as the main fighter element was the American-built Brewster 'Buffaloes' and composed of five squadrons. Two Royal Air Force (No.67 and 243 Sqdn), one New Zealand (No.488 Sqdn) and two Australians (No.21 and No.453 Sqdn)with a total of 52 aircraft. The stubby already obsolete 'Buffaloes' together with two squadrons (Nos.36 and 100) of antiquated ‘Vildebeest’ torpedo-bombers were no match for the Japanese. Their sleek Nakajima type Ki-43 ‘Hayabusha’ (Peregrine Falcon, Allied code ‘Oscar’) fighters were faster and exceptional agile. About 40 machines were delivered to the Japanese Army Air Force and used in Malaya by Nos. 59th and 64th Sentai.
American-built Brewster ‘Buffalo’ fighter F2A (model)
The opposition were simply shot out of the skies, including one John Gorton who was to become Prime Minister of Australia. The unforgiveable folly of under-estimating the enemy proved to be devastating. Britain had been complacent and thought that Japan an Asiatic country of little yellow people was definately inferior and no match for them. They even criticised by figuratively joking that Japanese planes being made of bamboo and rice paper and that Japanese pilots are cock-eyed, cannot even fly a plane properly; let alone fight in one. They must have been thinking that the Japanese were still flying bi-planes. Forgetting the the Japanese has been at war with China in what is called the ‘China Incident’ and are already seasoned pilots with much experience. Then the British discovered to their shocking surprise when engaged in combat with the much superior Japanese fighters. The eleventh hour reinforcement in January 1942, when Britain dispatched advanced ‘Hawker Hurricane’ fighters flown off from the carrier HMS ‘Indomitable’ to Singapore via Palembang to join battle was ‘too little, too late’ to stem the tide of the war. The enemy was already knocking at the doorstep and Singapore was doomed!. It was inevitable that Singapore will fall as the water catchment areas were held by the Japanese, the moral of the defenders low at rock bottom and to avoid further bloodshed General Percival decided to surrender.
Actually the British already had a plan called ‘Operation Matador’ which involved crossing into Siam as a pre-emptive measure; but failed to enforced it for fear of infringing the Sovereignty. The Kingdom of Siam is an Independent country ruled by a monarch, was so far untouched by Western Powers. Meanwhile Siam had chosen neutrality as she dared not opposed the agressive Japanese Army who were using their soil in transit as safe passage to transgress into Northern Malaya.
The big 15-inch coastal guns of Fortress Singapore positioned at Changi for the Johore battery and Fort Siloso at Pulau Balakang Mati (now renamed ‘Sentosa’) claimed to be wrongly positioned in the South facing the sea and expecting an amphibious assault; but instead the Japanese came by the back door from the North. Actually the coastal guns could transverse 360 degrees to shoot back at the enemy at it’s rear (Johore) and therefore it was a lame excuse
British coastal gun at now Sentosa Museum
The Japanese invasion spearheaded by medium/light tanks and with some of the infantry travelling light and fast on bicycles took only 70 days to overrun the whole Peninsular Malaya; smashing through several British defences at Jitra, Slim River, Bakri, Batu Pahat right up to the doorstep of Singapore. As a last resort the British blew up the causeway causing a breech; it was just a delaying action buying time but the Japanese Engineers went to work on it and restored it in no time for the crossing.
My father Hermanus Pattiselanno an Indonesian from Ambon married my Eurasian mother Leonie Laura Minjoot in 1937 and I was born a year later. He was Ship’s 2nd Officer in the Merchant Marine with a Dutch Company called ‘Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij’; eventually he became a captain. At the outbreak of war, all communication had been severed and there was no news coming through ;we did not know whether he was dead or alive. I was then a toddler only 5 years old.
Hermanus. KPM ship ‘Wakde’ at Tanjong Priok
We were living in Katong right opposite to the Joo Chiat Police Station and had our own air-raid shelter dugout in the open ground behind of our two-storied house; we occupied level two and below is void deck where people can pass through. At the wailing sound of the siren we would rush down to our shelter. Meanwhile our faithful amah ‘Ah Sum’ (in those days amahs (Chinese servants) were traditionally clad in cotton white tops and silk black trousers, called ‘samfu’) would continue to cook our meals in the kitchen. She was really a brave little woman who overcame fear, disregard her own personal safety and with a strong sense of responsibility and loyalty.
The surrender of Singapore by the British followed three and a half years of Japanese occupation. The British ‘Union Jack’ was replaced by a red meatball upon a white background’ and Singapore became 'Syonan-to'. We led a very harsh life, deprived of practically everything; food became scarce, rice, sugar were rationed and black market was rampant. The Japanese issued their money locally known as ‘Banana Currency’ which was worthless; a few thousands could only buy a bar of soap
Japanese 'Banana currency'
We, children had to learn ‘Nippon-go’, the Japanese Lingo, the language of the conqueror. I went to St. Hildas’ School, if not mistaken at Ceylon or Haig Road. We learned ‘katakana’ sounds like ‘A, ee, ooh, a, oh - ka ki ku k ko and jokingly saying in Malay ‘kaki lu bengkok’ (meaning your leg deformed). We sang their National Anthem the ‘Kimigayo’ and you can say that most of us were thin, undernourished. In the morning we are given a spoon of red palm oil as a supplement. Owing to acute shortage of basic foodstuff. we ate tapioca, a bulb easily grown became our staple diet and many things were made from it including cakes. So too much of it brought a swelling illness called ‘beri-beri’ and many people died from it beside dysentery, TB and Malaria.
We were quite fortunate because my grandfather David Anthony Minjoot, my uncles Joe and Lawrie each of them had Malay native craft called ‘kolek’ and they took to fishing. It was more lucrative and also as an extra source of food and income from sale of their catch. My youngest uncle Leo who worked as a labourer for the Japanese and brought back rice. My mother made ice-cream and my elder brother Victor had to sell it.
Atrocities were wide spread,the Japanese took utmost pleasure and enjoyed administering it; torturing people was part of their specialty; they had developed it into fine art. There is no mercy or pity and would go at great length to extract confession by whatever means; inflicting grievous hurt or even death. There is total absence of respect for human life; to them it just a digital sum, a figure for addition or subtraction. A lot stories of torture by their Military Police, the ‘Kempeitai’, employing the popular ‘water treatment’ in feeding water until the stomach bloated up and then trample upon it. Extracting finger nails by a pair of pliers, chop-sticks driven to the ears to puncture the ear-drums, electrocution, beheading and bayoneting civilians, prisoners-of-war, etc... Some 60,000 prisoners-of-war and local labourers were sent to Siam to work on the ‘Death Railway’ spanning the ‘River Kwai’, including my uncle ‘Alloysius’, who served with the Royal Artillery. Fortunately thank God that he survived and returned to Singapore a walking skeleton.
Soon after the Fall of Singapore, the Japanese carried out a sort of cleansing operation called ‘Sook Ching’ to get rid of un-desirables, the thugs with tattoo marks, suspected subversive element, pro-China and British sympathizers and the list goes on…They are screened and taken to lorries, being driven away and never to be seen again. There was this story about our Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who had a narrow escape when he somehow was allowed to return home for change of clothing and did not go back. Otherwise Singapore success story would have to be re-written, into a different one.
I personally witness atrocities on three occasions, the first a Male Chinese made to stand bearing a large stone over his head, He stood at the front of the Police Station opposite our house, how long? I cannot not recollect. The second incident the Japanese tied a man to a lamp post at either Jago Close or Kuo Chuan Avenue near to the Church of the Holy Family and left him for days; yet nobody dare to lay a finger to help him. The third one was even barbaric, a male Chinese his hands bound behind his back was lowered from the second level of the two storied terrace shop-houses a few rows from ours, I think next to Tay Ban Guan shop. At the ground floor a group of Japanese in Army uniform waited for him. We saw that his mouth had been sewn with thread and needle. The Army officers were merciless, without pity, without compassion, without even conscience and enjoyed in what they were doing. It was terribly awesome and as kids we were naturally frightened but they ignored our presence and left us alone watching. Also probably because we knew two young Japanese boys as our playmates; whose names were ‘Yosho’ and ‘Toshino’. Their fathers we believed must have been the Army top brass in order their families were allowed to follow.
Anyway during school days we had fun, making paper planes and flying them off from the second level. And near our school at Haig Road the Japanese had abandoned some un-serviceable warplanes under some cluster of trees; one twin-engine bomber and the other single-engine fighter. With my brother we used to play ‘hide and seek’; at times when a herd of cows approaching we would seek shelter in the twin-engine aircraft as we felt safe in a larger fuselage. When we sat in the cockpit, we imagine a lot of things playing pilots flying on a bombing mission.
Un-serviceable Japanese planes abadoned at Haig Road
On one occasion the Japanese had shot down an American bomber and brought the parts to exhibit at the Roxy Cinema, Katong for the public to view. My uncle Lawrie brought me along to see and of course no question asked if you want to preserve your head. On the other hand the Japanese were proud of the display to reflect their ability to shoot down the enemy.
Another occasion a convoy of lorries conveying Australian prisoners-of-war pulled aside in front of our house. From our window at second level we observed that the prisoners had cigarettes but no match to light up; appeared sad and disappointed. We tossed a box of matches that landed exactly where they were seated as if heavenly sent. Meantime we kept away from the window for fear of discovery by the Japanese guards. It was obvious if caught would mean severe punishment for assisting the enemy and could even loose our heads.
By late 1944 American B-29's ‘Super Fortress’ were appearing overhead on bombing mission. We could see them in daring daylight raid not even camouflaged, shinning in their natural metallic finishing and flying courageously in close formation. The tide of war over the years had gradually changed and Japan by then at the receiving end. They lost several important naval battles beginning at Coral Sea, a crippling one at Midway where they lost 4 of their aircraft-carriers; including irreplaceable veteran pilots. They lost Guandal Canal in the South Pacific that set the Americans on island hopping. Then followed the Battle of Phillipine Sea and the American invasion at Leyte Gulf.
Admiral Ohnishi initiated the formation of 'Kamikaze' unit as a desperate attempt to stem the tide of the American offensive. 'Kamikaze' meaning 'Divine Wind' was named after a great storm that destroyed the invasion fleet of Mongol leader 'Kublai Khan'; assembled to attack Japan. From their bases at Malabacat in Luzon they flew in to attack as man-made artificial divine wind to destroy their enemy fleet. They had inflicted much damaged but failed in their main objective to stop the Americans.
In July 1945, two British midget submarines type XE 1 and XE2 towed by their parent submarines were launched to attack two Japanese cruisers at Singapore, the IJN 'Myoko' and the 'Takao'. XE2 managed to penetrate the 'net' defence and placed limpet mines at 'Takao' which blew up and sunk in shallow waters of the Naval base. 'Takao' an 'Atago' class of heavy cruisers of 9,850 tons was laid down in the year 1927. My uncle Lawrie said the Japanese were outraged by the attack and rounded up many fishermen for info and on suspicion of aiding the enemy.
Finally by August, 1945 the war ended abruptly when two Atomic bombs were dropped by USAF B-29’s (Enola Gay) at the City of Hiroshima and the other at Nagasaki, decimating both cities with hundreds of thousands died instantly, horribly as they evaporated into thin air at the ground 'zero' and many others from after effects of radiation illness. So war is bad, it is destructive and as in most conflict both parties suffer enormous casualties running into millions dead or badly maimed.
I wonder if mankind have ever learn a lesson?
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