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Killed in Action
560 Field Company
Royal Engineers
History
Compiled by Ron Taylor
Selarang Incident
By Ron Taylor
In the late days of August, we experienced our first taste of Japanese " bloodymindedness ''. The I.J.A. issued instructions that all officers and men were to sign a "non-escape" form, which in itself was a flagrant breach of the Hague and Geneva Conventions, On this form one was required to promise not to escape or help anyone else to escape, and to acknowledge that it was understood that the penalty for any contravention of this promise was death. A real "heads I win, tails you lose" proposition from the Japanese point of view. This order was bitterly opposed by Col. Holmes and his staff officers. Officers and men were paraded and the situation fully explained to them, and unanimously all agreed not to sign. This was general throughout all units in the camp. Working parties in Singapore Town, etc., delayed action until they could get a line on our reactions to this order. On our refusal to sign came a Japanese ultimatum giving us about 24 hours to sign, after which time, if we had still not signed, all troops in Changi Camp were to be concentrated in Selarang Barracks, the peacetime home of 2nd Battalion The Gordon Highlanders. From the thousands of PoW in Changi Camp, only four men signed. The ultimatum was put into effect, and the concentration, which was to be completed by early evening of the same day, commenced. This entailed the movement of all troops, both fit and sick, reserves of rations, cooking utensils and containers, kits, bedding, etc.
Owing to lack of transport, anything on wheels was commandeered to assist in the great trek. Perambulators, bogeys, home-made carts, wheelbarrows, all were utilised. R.A.S.C. Transport helped to the best of their ability from their small pool of de-mechanised vehicles. The scenes on the roads leading to Selarang defy description. Thousands of troops making their own way there, laden with all their belongings, and in many cases with the belongings of sick or weaker comrades who could not manage to carry them. As many men as possible tried to get in two trips to ensure that the absolute maximum amount of food, baggage, etc., would accompany us into our incarceration. By evening of the same day, all troops (less Roberts Hospital) were confined in the new area. Seven double-tier barrack blocks, and a barrack square some 250 x 150 yards, were allotted for the accommodation of approximately 14,000 troops. The peacetime accommodation of one of these barrack blocks was approximately 100 men. They were now required to house 1,600 or 1,700 men, several hundreds being required to sleep on the flat roofs of the buildings. Ironically enough, the 2nd Battalion The Gordon Highlanders and ourselves had to toss up to see who was to sleep on the roof and we won. The Gordons slept for the next few nights on the roof of one of their own peacetime barrack blocks. About half the barrack square was occupied by temporary kitchens, stores, sleeping accommodation, etc., the remainder being dug up to provide latrine accommodation. Parties worked day and night to cope with the demands of the latter situation. It could be seen by all that the space available for latrines would be exhausted within a few days. It was, as one can well imagine, a most inhuman and insanitary situation. Our guards were mainly Free Indian troops, and they, together with our Japanese captors, took every opportunity to hand out beatings on the slightest excuse. Machine-gun posts were erected at all points covering our small area, and the penalty for stepping on to the roadway encircling us was instantaneous death.
Selarang Incident by Charles Thrale
In the face of this adversity, however, everyone was exceptionally cheerful. It had been bur first real tilt at the Japs and I think we all felt that we had gained a moral victory. After a couple of days, however, the Japs threatened that if we persisted in our refusal to sign, Roberts Hospital, complete with some 3,000 patients and staff, would be moved in to join us in this diabolical situation. Things were bad enough already, and to have brought so many sick and diseased men into such a crowded and insanitary community would have been nothing short of criminal. Disease was spreading rapidly, dysentery and diphtheria being among those most likely to cause epidemics. On the third day we were ordered by our superior officers, most reluctantly, to sign. Our signatures were given under duress, and I doubt if there was any intention in the mind of anyone to abide by the conditions given a suit-able opportunity of escape. After signing we were all ordered to return to our original billets throughout Changi Camp area.
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