A.T. Wiltshire ERA HMS Sussex
Sunday 9`h Sept. . 9 Dear Ma,
Here, at last, is a free and unrestricted letter. I can tell you now of how 'Sussex' made history, of suicide bombers, of Singapore, of Japs and of naval conditions, though I think I had better save a little till next week.
While we were stagnating in Trincomale we were told that we were either going to invade Singapore or receive the surrender of it. Fortunately for us we went to receive surrender.
Something of our doings you may have heard of the wireless. First mention of us was when the news announced that the British cruiser Sussex was expected to arrive shortly. Actually we had already arrived having come down through the minefields in the Malacca Straits. During the day several mines, broken adrift by our sweepers, floated past and we were expecting to get our blown off that night. Luckily we did not hit any and arrived safely off Singapore early next morning with the cruiser Cleopatra.
The Cleopatra was not meant to be there so the Admiral aboard us sent her away and she is still outside asking to come in.
When the Jap C. in C. and the envoy came aboard to sign surrender everyone crowded along the ship's side to see them come aboard. They came in one of the scruffiest trawlers imaginable dressed in khaki with swords and jack boots. When they were aboard they insisted that they were an unbeaten army 76,000 strong and were not going to be pushed around. They left after nine hours arguing and the next day an Indian division went in to take over. We lay off and trained our guns ashore to give the Japs the impression we were supporting the landing. Actually there was no-one behind the guns and the take over was effected without incident.
That evening we came in alongside the wall, the first time since Chatham. We were hardly alongside before prisoners of war broke out of their camps, Changi and others, and were standing on the jetty.
Cigarettes, matches, chocolates, tins of herrings and salmon were thrown over the side before the gangway was down. What surprised me was that what they all asked for bread, the white bread which we get on ships. They had not seen bread for three years and so now our bakery is working day and night to keep them supplied with a little although we cannot begin to bake for all the p.o.ws. here.
Next day they came aboard and we raked our lockers for tobacco, soap, etc., tins of fruit, chocolates and prepared a slap up feed for them. Although there was much good food what they were most keen on was the bread again, consuming loaf after loaf. Then a cinema show was given for them.
That day I went ashore or rather to get off the ship to go looting. We went through factories, workshops, offices and private houses picking up whatever we fancied of what the Japs had left. In my party there were three and our total gains were a set of tools each and a refrigerator, a beauty. We had some difficulty smuggling it aboard but even now it is doing its stuff for us in the mess. Someone's loss is our gain. Officers have gone ashore and pinched cars, boats, all manner of stores and tools under the broad heading of `requisitioning' which makes it more legal. It still amounts to the same thing but unfortunately such operations have had to cease or there would not have been much of Singapore left.
All along the waterfront every building has been hit by bombers and the p.o.ws. say that it really did cheer them up to see it. Luckily not one of them was hurt although several Japs were killed. The Japs have made very little use of the place considering its possibilities .
Apart from the dock area I have not been able to see much of what there is ashore. The ex-p.o.ws. tell us there is very little, at extortionate prices, $5 or 50 cigarettes for a bunch of bananas. A tin of cigarettes will get far more than a couple of pound notes.
The ex-p.o.ws. all have their own stories to tell but they all have the same opinion of the Japs. They all say that they will beat prisoners and even kill them and then apologise and give them cigarettes or a lavish funeral. They are considered childlike, they starved a cow to death, tied to a tree with food just out of reach because it did not pull a cart. They are very cruel to animals. The Japanese, or Nipponese as they like to be called, soldiers are beaten around by their officers, in much the same way as the prisoners have been treated and so they do not consider p.o.ws. ill treated as they have to put up with much the same thing.
The chief enemy exp.o.ws. have had is not the Japs but disease. They have had nothing to combat it and when they are unfit to work their ration is reduced to almost nothing when they need more. They have had no treatment for malaria and worse diseases and have just had to recover or die. Food, just rice, has been very insufficient and you only have to glance at them to see that they have been p.o.ws. - huge men only weighing a few stone.
Our second day here the ship was opened to prisoners of war and civilian internees and the local Chinese (of whom the p.o.ws. cannot speak too highly). The ship was crowded, visitors everywhere and it was impossible to get into the mess. The last of the spare food went that day. For the last three days I, and hundreds of others, have had no tea or supper. Many of the exp.o.ws. are virtually living on board and don't wish to go back.
Well this is about the longest letter you've had so I'll pack up and save some news for next week. It's pretty obvious is it not that my pen is getting very shaky so cheerio for now.
Love to all from Dick. p.s. I don't know when the postal service from Singapore is going to start.
Submitted February 25, 2015 at 06:34PM by SIr_Jackinton http://ift.tt/18lahzJ history
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