- Author
- Bee, W.A. ("Buzzer")
- Subjects
- Biographies and personal histories, History - WW2
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- HMAS Perth I
- Publication
- March 1987 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Our friends above us apparently thinking that we too were in a sinking condition, eventually departed the scene leaving us to clean up and sort ourselves out. I took the opportunity to retrieve my boots, which I reasoned were no longer required by their latest owner. The unfortunate gun crews’ cabins were most accessible and indeed I believe had already been ransacked by some of our more enterprising comrades.
The attitude of the Japanese was remarkably generous considering the losses so recently and swiftly inflicted by our bombers. At times like this we prisoners are usually the victims of more vicious bashings and less liberties but instead of us being herded down below which is the usual custom, we had the freedom of the after deck and were allowed to assist with the recovery of survivors from the other ship. Johnny Coe, an Australian soldier, dived overboard with a rope’s end to help a Dutchman who wasn’t making much progress in the water and who was in fact nearly exhausted. This Dutchman, still in his old Army greens, had the biggest haversack strapped to his back that I have ever seen and sitting on top of the lot seemingly oblivious to everything, was a cat. Needless to say, they were all hauled safely aboard much to the mirth of the onlookers. Unfortunately for the poor cat though, the Japs considered it to be an unnecessary burden and immediately tossed it back into the water. The Dutchman didn’t appear too happy either, to be thwarted at this stage, at the promise of the delights of alley-rabbit stew, was definitely not part of the plan.
There were no further interruptions and we arrived at the mouth of the Salween River late the following day. A number of dead natives, presumably the result of natural causes, their bodies puffed up to huge proportions, were passed floating out to the open sea as we limped our way up river. We finally came to a berth at Moulmein on I think, 17th January 1943.
POW casualties amounted to seven dead including Steward R.W. Smith (HMAS Perth) who was badly wounded during the bombing and died later in Moulmein whilst a number of others suffered cuts, bruises and shock of varying degrees of severity. Apart from Commissioned Gunners John Ross and Frank Hawkins who were both on loan from the British Navy, no other senior officers of HMAS Perth accompanied our party.
Listed herewith are the names of others of our ship’s personnel who I can recall being with us and who have not already been mentioned.
Steward Don McLean
Seaman Des Denic
Seaman Les Bruse
Stoker Norm Toulmin
Stoker Bert Simons
Telegraphist Peter Nelson
Seaman Ted Burley
Seaman Bill Bevan
Steward Roy Corcoran
Sick Bay P.O. Jock Cunningham
Seaman Tom Mooney
Seaman Jim Hewitt
Seaman Ted James
Stoker F.E. (Popeye) Parke
Seaman O.S. (Ossie) Lomas
Wireman Charlie Wray
Seaman Fred Skeels
Seaman Wally Johnston
Seaman Clarrie Glossop
Stoker Jeff Latch
Stoker Val Savage