Judy: The Unforgettable Story of the Dog Who Went to War and Became a True Hero (28 page)
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Authors: Damien Lewis
Tags: #BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Military
As can be seen from the map there are many hundreds of small islands in this area many of which were visited by various officers in an endeavor to collect more survivors of the large number of ships which sank in that area on our about the 14th Feb. 1942. I believe the number to be sunk within a radius of some 40 miles numbered 9 of various sizes, one other of which I believe, was the “St. Briac,” which I gather was a tug and was towing barges of explosives.
Having remained on this small island for 48 hours and having endeavored to make the Whaler more or less seaworthy we eventually were able to contact the crew of the H.M.S. “Grasshopper” by means of a native in a small sampan. We were told to go to another small island where they would endeavor to get a few medical supplies to us. The name of this island to which we eventually got was called I believe Pisec [spelling doubtful]. Unfortunately we were not met here by anyone and it is believed that there must have been a number of places of similar name and we had arrived at the wrong one. Between the time of landing and arriving at this island we had lost a number of the wounded, they having died. See part (c) of the report.
We had been on the second island for about 24 hours when a number of large sampans arrived which were sent by a Dutch Controller of another island some 40 or 50 miles away, he having heard of the various disasters. The town from which they had come was a small Dutch settlement by name of Dabok. We took over the sampans, as by this time the Whaler was completely unserviceable, due to its many bullet holes, and we decided to try and find the personnel of H.M.S. “Grasshopper” which after a night's travel we were able to reach. They were on still another island some 10 or 15 miles away from where we had been, the name of which I do now know, as the village in which we stayed was completely devoid of all local inhabitants who had, it was presumed, gone into the jungle for safety.
It may here be interesting to note that a few of the locals which we had met previously had informed us that the Japanese had been round these islands previously dressed as fisherman, warning all the natives that they would suffer very considerably if they gave help to any British personnel.
Shortly after joining up with the personnel of H.M.S. “Grasshopper” a motor launch arrived to take us off to Dabok which had also been arranged by the Controller of that particular island. It took us three nights to clear all personnel from this one island. However, all that were there arrived safely at our destination (Dabok). Here many of us were put into the local hospital inclusive of myself. While I was in hospital a Committee was formed consisting of the Controller, Commander Hoffman and one or two others and it was decided that all able-bodied personnel including a large number of civilians which were on this island should be sent off in large country boats to Sumatra, which we were informed was about 80 miles away. While I was still in hospital large numbers of personnel left Dabok for Sumatra in this manner.
It is interesting to note that of H.M.S. “Dragonfly's” ships company, apart from those which were in hospital with me, I never saw any again. I can only surmise that either they landed on a different part of the Sumatran coast to that which I did or they must have got across the country a good deal quicker than myself and caught
a previous boat out of Padang. I have, however, only seen one Naval Officer of our party since I arrived in Colombo, and he being very sick was sent off a good deal earlier than most of the others. The Navy is in possession of all his particulars although I forget his name.
Some days after arriving in hospital I was sent off in a motor launch along with a party of walking wounded to Sumatra. We made for the mouth of the Indragiri River and eventually landed at Tembhilahan. It is my opinion that those who had left before us in country boats probably landed at Jambi, which of course was considerably further south, and it is therefore possible that in view of the fact by this time, the Japanese had landed at Palembang, and were making their way north, that many of them were cut off and unable to make the west coast of Sumatra.
From Tembhilahan we went by river to Rengat and from there on to Ayermulek staying a day or two at each place. From there was were able to get a truck which conveyed us to Sawerleunto and eventually down to Padang. Some of the wounded party which I came over with were not sufficiently fit to complete the whole journey, and a number of them were left in the various hospitals on route. I eventually left Padang in the early morning of the 3rd of March 42 which I believe was after S.S. “Rosenbloom” left the same Port and has been reported lost with all hands. I understood that some 300 persons embarked on this ship although there was no definite method of checking the numbers. I am, however, very much afraid that personnel who left Dabok three or four days before I did may have been unfortunate enough to have embarked on this ship.
I left Padang in the K.L.M. SS “De Weert” and on the day we left, Padang was completely clear of personnel with the exception of a Colonel Warren, Royal Marines, who was in charge of the evacuation from that Port. A wire, however, had been received that same day from the East side of Sumatra, I do not know whether it was Jambi or the Indragiri landing place, but it said that there were some 700 persons still to come through. However, as it would have taken anything up to a week for them to arrive, the “De Weert” could not possibly wait for them.
Documents Three and Four
Author's noteâtwo reports on the sinking of the SS
Van Waerwyjck
ârenamed the
Werweck
by the Japaneseâthe vessel on which Judy was shipwrecked for a second time
.
Tranby Lodge,
Hessle,
E. Yorke.
25th May, 1946.
To: The Under Secretary of State,
The War Office,
        Edge Lane.
        Liverpool. 7.
From: Captain J.G. Gordon,
Royal Artillery.
Sir,
In answer to your letter of the 24th May. reference M/954 I will do my best to answer the seven questions, but would point out that I have issued a full report on this disaster to the Judge Advocate General's Office and have made several trips in connection with this and other War crimes to London. However, I will repeat for your benefit.
The Japanese vessel on which I was sailing was making a trip from Medan to Singapore, not Palembang as stated by you.
Answers to your questions.
(4) S.S. Van Warweak.
(5) 1400 hours, July 26th 1914.
(6) Two hundred and seven. (Not quite certain).
(7) Sixty-seven including three who died immediately on arrival at Singapore as the result of wounds.
(8)
a. Sixty miles south of Medan on Sumatra side of Malacca Straits, seven or eight miles from shore.
b Three enemy ships in the vicinity which picked up survivors. One Tanker which took the bulk, and two Corvettes.
c Completely out of sight within five minutes, actually under water in three.
(6) All British were rescued by being picked up by an enemy vessel (to the best of my knowledge and belief).
(7) I regret that this is quite impossible owing to all my records being removed from me on more than one occasion by the Japanese during later imprisonment. However, practically all the information was computed and filed with the records at the base camp at Pakan Baroe, Sumatra, the C.O. of which being Wing Commander P.S. David, R.A.F., the Senior Medical Officer of the S.M.O. Officer being Lieut. Col. E.M. Hennessy, R.A.M.C. The latter in the final stages of Japanese surrender was responsible until his transfer to Singapore for all records of lost personnel. If these records were not complete and you care to ask me for the particulars of any individual, and I am able to remember, I shall be only too pleased to help.
In conclusion I would add that I personally reached a Fishing trap just off the shore by swimming, and was then picked up by one of the small Corvettes. On getting on board, I went up to the Japanese Captain of the ship to thank him for rescuing my party, and asked as best I could if he would go round the wreckage to see if anybody else was left alive on the spot, the main bulk of survivors having already left the scene of the sinking in the other two vessels. To my astonishment he agreed. We then proceeded to go round all the remaining wreckage and rafts, stopping sometimes to examine bodies thereon, and I am therefore able to state that at approximately 1630 hours on the same afternoon there was nobody left alive at the scene of the sinking.
When I later was transferred back to Sumatra I discovered that four allied P.O.W.'s all of whom were Dutch had been picked up by a fishing vessel and taken to the shore of Sumatra. After careful investigation I could find no other trace of any other allied P.O.W.s who had been rescued in this way or who had reached the shore. It is there to be concluded, unless picked up by the Japanese, which was extremely unlikely with an unfriendly local population, and the knowledge that the Japanese brought all Allied P.O.W.s in Northern Sumatra to the base camp at Pakan Baroe; that there were no other survivors other than those contained on the list held at Headquarters Pakan Baroe and at Changi, Singapore, the Changi list being taken to Changi camp by Major P.E. Campbell, Indian Army, approximately a fortnight after the sinking.
J.G.Gordon,
Captain Royal Artillery.
28â5â46.
To: Officer Commanding,
        Command Medical Store,
        Harefield, Middlesex.
From: 7259601 W.O.11. Eckersall, K.P.J., R.A.M.C.
        Det. 12 Company R.A.M.C.,
        Command Medical Store,
        Harefield, Middlesex.
Date: 28th May 1946.
Sir,
In reply to War Office Letter No. MA/OR/954 dated 24th Mar 1946, asking for information on the subject of loss of British personnel, who while P.O.W. in the Far East, were lost by the sinking of
an enemy vessel by Allied action on the 26th June 1944, the following particulars are submitted:
The route was Medan to Singapore and not as quoted in the above mentioned War Office letter.
(9) The name of the vessel I am not quite sure of, it was something like “Kwewegem,” which prior to capture by the enemy, was a cargo cum passenger vessel of the K.P.M. Line. The vessel carried the enemies' serial No. P.1406, this number is to the best of my knowledge correct however, no doubt the Allied submarine commander recorded this prior to sinking the vessel.
(10) Time of sinkingâ1347 hours (Tokyo time) on Monday 26th June 1944.
(11) Approximately 300 Allied personnel of British, Americans, Australian, and mixed European Nationality, also approx. 450 Dutch personnel.
(12) A total of 62 Allied personnel (other than Dutch) were found to be missing when a check was made at River Valley Road Camo, on the 28th June. A further three died as a result of the action in the P.O.W. Camp Hospital at Changi Jail, Singapore. Their names are as follows:
Sgt. Fowler, R.A. | |
Sgm. Conley. R.C. of Signals. | âThis gives a total of 65. |
P.O. Christopher, R. Navy. |
The full total missing was approximately 200, including Dutch.
Of the 65 missing I am certain, as after the fall of Japan in August 1945 I compiled a list of all casualties (excluding Dutch) known in the Pakan Baroe Area P.O.W. Camps, from 1st July 1944 to August 1944. This list including full details of personnel (Excluding Dutch) lost in the sinking of the vessel in question. The details were as follows:
NationalityâNumberâRankâNameâInitialsâOfficer or Other Rank as applicable to the various arms of the service.
Copies of the list quoted above were taken from the Pakan Baroe Allied H.Q. Camp Office by Lieut. Colonel E.M. Hennessey, R.A.M.C. (Regular Army) and handed over to the British Representative at R.A.P.W.I. Headquarters at the Goodwood Park Hotel, Scott's Road, Singapore, in early September 1945.
Further copies of these lists were handed over by me, together with lists of deaths in the Pakan Baroe area and in Medan area, and sick lists categorized for evacuation, to a Captain Carey, R.A.M.C. (Airborne) of the occupying forces, to whom Lt. Col. Hennessey handed over prior to leaving for Singapore in early September, after release.
Note: Dutch records were maintained by their own clerical personnel.
All other Allied statistics were compiled by British P.O.W.s.
5a. Time of leaving Medanâ4pm Tokyo time, on Sunday 25th June 1944, steaming at approximately 6 knots. Vessel anchored at dark and proceeded at dawn. (8pm to 5:30am approx). Note: Owing to clocks being advanced to Tokyo time after April 1st 1942, by Japanese Order, it was light until nearly 8:30pm.
Convoy of three of four vessels, other vessels were tankers, and escorted by three small corvettes, carrying depth charges and small A.A. guns. Two Jap Bombing planes also acted as escort during steaming time.
The ship was sunk by Allied Submarine off Tandjong Bali, a small island about 7 Kilometers off shore, at 1347 hours 26th June 1944, by two torpedoes fired into the Port side from possibly a distance of 6 miles away.
The convoy hugged the coastline all the way from Medan up to the time of sinking, steaming about 4 to 5 Kilometers off shore.
There had been sinkings of other vessels in the same area as wrecks could be seen partially above the water level.
This particular ship after sinking had still approximately 12 feet of its masts showing above the water level.
5b. There were no friendly ships in the vicinity. Enemy ships in the convoy refused to pick up the P.O.W. survivors until Japanese Merchant Navy crew and native crew survivors, also Japanese Military Guards, were picked up.
All P.O.W. survivors were finally recovered from the water by approximately 1645 hours 26th June 1944, either by ships in convoy or small escort corvettes.
This excludes two or three Dutch, one of whom was a doctor, by name A.L. Yurgens, Captain 1st Class, Dutch N.E.I. Forces, who reached shore by swimming and gave themselves up to native police at the nearest village, and were finally returned to a P.O.W. Camp in the Pakan Baroe area at a later date, approximately August 1944.
5c. The vessel was not longer than seven minutes in sinking after being struck.
6a. Two or three are stated in 5b.
6b. Approximately 550 were picked up by the enemy merchant vessels and corvettes.
f. I have previously stated in answer to question No. 4 where complete particulars of personnel lost, or died as result of the action (other than Dutch) may be obtained.
For your information I have added the following details:
The final destination as a result of this move was Pakan Baroe, Central Sumatra. The reason we were conveyed by sea from Medan to Singapore was, the enemy did not at that time possess adequate road transport to convoy from Medan to Pakan Baroe by road, a 4 day journey.
The solution being, transfer P.O.W.s from Medan to Singapore in a large vessel, transfer at Singapore to small flat bottomed river craft in order to return to Sumatra and navigate the long narrow rivers which have their source in mountain ranges on the west coast of Sumatra, in order to arrive at Pakan Baroe by the sea and river route.
I trust that the information given herein will shed some light on this most unfortunate incident.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
K.P.J. Eckersall
7259601 W.O.11. R.A.M.C.