- Author
- Bee, W.A. ("Buzzer")
- Subjects
- Biographies and personal histories, History - WW2
- Tags
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- RAN Ships
- HMAS Perth I
- Publication
- March 1987 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
It was then that I decided I had better get topside and have a look at what was going on. Half way up the ladder there was a loud swoosh as a stick of bombs fell down the starboard side giving us a near miss. The next moment a great sheet of salt water came cascading down the hatch nearly knocking me back to the bottom of the hold. The old tub seemed to lift right out of the water then fall back in again with the explosions. I clambered to the top as quickly as possible and looked about me. There were bodies and wreckage strewn all over the after deck. The old Great War vintage field piece which had probably been removed from a museum or some such place, had also blown up at the first attempt to fire it killing the entire gun crew. My erstwhile benefactor therefore was the first of the casualties on board.
It was obvious too that the near miss had done more damage than had at first appeared, the ship was developing a list to starboard and was going around in circles as if out of control. We found out later that considerable damage had actually been sustained below the waterline amidships. The other transport was sinking fast and the escort vessel could not be seen anywhere; furthermore, the Liberators were still circling overhead preparatory to another bombing run or perhaps just playing a wait and see game.
A glance up at the ship’s bridge platform suggested that it was deserted and because of the excitement and general confusion existing among guards and crew alike, the thought struck me that this was an opportune moment to obtain a signalling lamp with which to communicate with the aircraft. Having worked our own aircraft with an Aldis Lamp in better times, I knew that air crew could receive and transmit Morse by light and at least it should be possible to let them know who we were. Even if the ship’s bridge was manned I reckoned that I could convince the captain that my purpose in being there was solely to help save his ship.
Without any hesitation or interference from the guards I made my way up to the bridge via the port ladder and gangway and was about to enter the wheelhouse when I saw an officer dressed in white shirt and shorts who I presume was the captain, standing beside the man at the helm. The captain didn’t give me a chance to say very much before he had wheeled around shouting something unintelligible at the same time drawing a pistol from its holster. It seemed to be levelled at me for a long time while I made a backward retreat gesticulating madly as I went. I have the feeling that the gun could not have been loaded because he had plenty of time to shoot me, if he wished. Or perhaps he thought that I had gone mad and took pity on me as often happens in these cases, such is the mentality of our captors. Anyhow, I literally fell down the gangway to the deck below and thinking I was being followed quickly got to my feet and hurriedly returned to the after part of the ship to mingle with the others. It was all over in a few minutes and nobody apart from the two Japs on the bridge and perhaps a couple of my mates were aware of what had happened. I thought it prudent to say nothing and remain inconspicuous for a while, in case the guards came looking for me. Thankfully, they did not.
Back in the vicinity of the hold activity was at a peak, quick thinking by some able bodied men who had snatched up all available buckets and using sea water, were dowsing a fire which had broken out on the gun deck threatening the ammunition lockers. Had we not been able to control the spread of the fire, the carnage especially among the POW who were quartered in close proximity, could have been horrific. The Japs, realising the danger to the ship as well, were strangely lavish in their praise for the fire-fighters and this behaviour probably contributed most to making life easier for us for the remainder of the voyage. My own indiscretion was possibly overlooked for this reason, too.