| Show Writer Tells Hardships Of Singapore Fight n By C. C YATES McDANIEL BATAVIA N N. E. E I I I. Feb 20 Delayed UP jp-I jp I I escaped from doomed Singapore February 13 aboard the last vessel to leave the battered and burning fortress and reached Batavia during an air raid alarm this morning In my seven and one-half-day one journey journeys I abandoned a bombed ship was cast up on an uninhabited uninhabited uninhabited habited island made my way through a storm in a small launch to Sumatra crossed that islands island's mountain wilds by truck rail rall pony cart and completed 1200 roundabout roundabout roundabout rounda rounda- bout miles safely through the Indian Indian Indian In In- dian ocean aboard a destroyer Early in the morning we were looking at the peaceful scene of the little islands when two Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese light bombers circled and glided toward us The old ship shuddered when the bombs exploded exploded exploded ex ex- just astern lilt Hit This Time TimeA A few minutes later two more planes came over at not more than feet This time they didn't miss The decks seemed to bounce up to meet us as we flopped on our faces I found a gaping hole through the forward hold Ten minutes later there was another splitting car crash followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed by the hiss of escaping steam The ship listed and began settling The engineer emerged from the boiler room and assured us the boilers wouldn't explode because because because be be- cause hed he'd opened the valves The officers gave no order to abandon ship but within 10 minutes minutes minutes min min- utes a lifeboat was lowered Before Before Before Be Be- fore it hit the water 15 sailors tumbled in and pulled off oft too terrifIed terrified terrified ter ter- to heed the officers' officers shouts to come back Orders Lifeboats After looking over the damage the captain ordered the other two lifeboats put We put Miss Lim the only woman passenger in one The rest of us remained on board hoping that at least one of the leaky boats would be able to reach the nearest island five fI miles liles and aM return return before we had to swim for it The captain said he believed we might have another two hours but the fire Inthe in inthe the coal bunker was spreading and the list was getting worse We got the fires under control but Japanese planes came over o again and again We were about ready to swim for it when one of our lifeboats on pig Pic Two Column Six Battered Writer Tells Hardships Of Flight From Singapore Continued from Page One returned Thirty-six Thirty of us Including including including ing the captain and all but one officer climbed in Six men volunteered volunteered volunteered volun volun- to remain aboard for the next trip as our Doat was leaking badly and we were crammed in like sardines After an an hour of bailing rowing and sailing salling we to touched ched ground on a c coral ta reef We waded ashore db kt I little island of O I Launches Approach Early on February 14 we were breakfasting on a a a tin of I muddy water which neither tasted nor smelled like tea and one small biscuit when the lookout reported small launches approaching our ship which was still barely afloat The others were sure it was a rescue party but Captain Henry Steele formerly attach attached attach d to the public relations office at Singapore Singapore Singapore Singa Singa- pore and I feared it was a Japanese Japanese Japanese Jap Jap- anese patrol i An hour later our lifeboat returned returned returned re re- re- re turned reporting the launches belonged belonged belonged be be- longed to a rubber planter on a near by island who would try to take us off at nightfall Our Our- hopes were dimmed soon after by the the- drone of Japanese planes Up and down the beach they flew They circled off and then we heard bombs exploding They circled over us again and we heard more bombs This process continued for two hours but this time we were not the victims but two ships sheltering on the lee side of one of the Islands near us Toward Toward Toward To To- ward noon a formation of seven bombers circled over our stricken ship We Ve saw two bursts for for- ward Captain Stirred The old pride of the Yangtze I reared by the stern Our captain turned away and took off his cap I It was the first and only sign of emotion he displayed I After sundown all hands were ordered to the beach We waited I an hour knee-deep knee In water while the officers decided on how to get getus getus getus us out to the launches for the tide was far out and even our lifeboats could not approach within with with- in a half We were finally ordered to make our own way as best we could and the next 45 minutes were the worst I ever experienced as I clambered over coral rocks and slipped Into holes I kept my camera and exposed exposed exposed ex ex- ex- ex posed films of burning Singapore and the bombing of our ship high over my head until I was within 20 yards of the nearest boat when I r plunged off a rock into a foot 10 hole Reach Launch I could have cried but I had to toa carry a ry o on swi swimming ming until I was hoist hoisted d into a lifeboat full of exhausted exhausted ex ex- hausted men Somehow with one oar and everyone shouting different different different differ differ- ent orders we managed to push hard enough against the tide to reach the launch five Fifty-five men and one plucks pluck girl piled exhausted and soaked with their legs bleeding from coral cuts into a launch licensed to carry carry carry car car- ry 15 Forty men gave up the struggle and turned back to the Island to wait with the small party left ashore until we could send help If the night on the the Island was miserable the one aboard the launch was indescribable Waves rolled over the deck where we were sprawled wet and shivering but we were still hoping wed we'd make S Sum Sumatra u m a t r a before dawn brought Japanese bombers |
