+
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MAY
1955.
The sergeant came
C
ORNELIUS BARRACKS was beginning to look like a gipsy encampment. On the concrete floors of the huts men who had spent the night in Batavia slept it off fitfully.
Oddments of clothes and food littered the floors. Half-empty bottles. of Dutch gin' mingled with the clutter of bodies. Empty beer bottles lay on parade-ground like a challenge.
the
These and other sights, met the morning gaze of Sergeant Percival Tottle, RAFVR, as he paced the
camp.
Sergeant Tottle,
equipment
assistant and former pift in the Civil Air Guard, had arrived in Java the day before in the troopship Dunera.
Ever since the ship had left the Clyde, 18 weeks carlier, the news from the Far East had With grown steadily worse.
to PANIC
ISLAND
It was one man's will against 200
-but the 'rabble' stayed to cheer
L
a
Malaya almost over-run, Singa- pore untenable, and Sumatra already chaotic, rumour had it
the British and Dutch turned off the road into a camp: which seemed rushing towards that
to Cornelius Barracks, in all its dissolution and anarchy. armies and air forces were
disorder,
Tottle was big man in every regroup on Java and, start a
A fraction way.
under six feet against the counter-offensive
On either side of the main tall broad-shouldered and big Japanesc.
archway was a line of low, flat boned, he had spent most of his When Tottle saw in the dis administrative offices. Straight 37 years in Plymouth, Devon tance of the crowded quayside ahead, stretched the parade. The spectacle of the demoralised of Batavia littered with troops, ground, a tarmac repository of camp struck at something that he heat. Bordering the square on was a part of his life and being guns, transport and stores, wondered whether the rumours three sides stood some 30 to 40 But what could he do?
An attempt
enforcing might not have some substance. rectangular brick huts. Then, as the ship drew nearer and he saw the quayside for
men.
desperate
They man not detailed for a working- were might quite possibly knife him. party or picket will attend. He thought there was very "There'll be no more all-night good chance that they would. parties in Batavia. Forty men He needed an ally. If he had will be allowed out each even- the support of one man one of ing. That'll give you about one them, as well as the handful of night out a week. You'll be Any ques- men from his ship he might at back by midnight. least make the others think. He tions?" chose a leading seaman.
Tottle went round the huts
side
the camp and 'the leading sea-
Slowly the men digested their online by one N.C.0, without on
what it was an indiscriminate new hotch-patch of shipping and wilderness of dumped vehicles he became sceptical.
H
G
Anger... shame
porc.
with
The
were
from above,"
situation. There was without support from
a nothing organised for them, no permanent staff, no one camp
They would giving orders, have to fend for themselves.
but
The men felt thirsty. there was no water. They felt hungry, but there was no food; no sign even of a cook-house.
the TIS doubts increased as
Dunera berthed alongside a
Most of the men who had liner which Jarger passenger
arrived before. Tottle were had come straight from Singa❤ remnant of the Force that
were lined a decks women and children. It was to have held the so-called seemed to Tottle that without Gibraltar of the Far East; their bodics were exhausted and their crying minds bludgeoned by defeat, exception they Anger and shame and a sense in of his own impotence welled up decimated by enemy action their within him. There was no sign Tanks had beer further thinned-
dysentery by malarid, of recovery here. The verge jaundice. Utterly demoralised was charged with the voltage.
in by the swiftness of events of panic.
Malaya, they now
found them-
and leaderless selves
ada dis organised, separated from their kit. Immobilised and urdisci plined and deserted. They had broken up into little groups and dumped what personal treasure they still clung to in the huts.
On the quayside, unkempt, bedraggled men of indetermin- ale Service were being disgorged by other ships.
at one
the Tottle got into trucks with some men from Singapore. After driving for
o! three-quarters
hour an through
country they the open
and
And so Tottle found himself a camp only N.C.O. in
below, would surely be met by ridicule. Yet he knew where his duty lay.
They
polyglot lot.
one
"What about Chiefy?”
THE EXPLOITS OF
THE GOLDFISH CLUB
Right-Beutenant from HQ. The searched buliding the "building" imortyr sent a message that 150 men, after could
transfer to Llan frequent air raids, disgusted Travallis Barracks with the to And that the valuable idea that they might even equipment they were zlaking tually get away to Australia, their lives to deny the Japs Totile gave a lot had already been looted, 12
of thought to how Indeed it had ever existed. he would select the except on paper. men who were to They
go.. and decided that last building arrived at the
when the anti-
the simplest and personnel bomb fell it killed... most arbitrary way the Australians and shrapnel would be the best sprayed lethally along the When he paraded the men, he num-
round, secchlug into. Tottle's thighs He passed bered them off from out almost at once.
1
1 to 150, dismissed Wifen he came to he found the rest, and march that he could not move his- ed the licky ones to legs. He was lying in a pool
af blood.
Llan Travallis Barracks.
He found the "Bight-sergeant He wriggled out of his shirt in charge there boorishly and tore
out the sleeves but Tottle was binding them tightly round
restined to hand the men his legs
and
Then he crawled. Sround to the cabin, of
the. over properly.
"You've got 150 disciplined truck and hauled his great men there," he said. "You'll baik up into it. He slumped
He into the driving-seat take them over property," steered the sight-sergeant to the fainted parade ground and made hian He fainted five more times. take the men over and dismiss before he reached the hospital. them.
The raid was still on and the Tottle was unprepared for the streets were almost deserted. men's reaction. Someone called His feet were powerless; the
acceler for three cheers for him, and as chatch pedal and they cheered he fought were operated solely by
lump will Once he trove the truck desperately against
wall into sthroat.
the straight turned
avain When then fainted and waved to and walked quickly out of the reached the hospital his eyes camp, the cheers of the men were half-closed, and yet he
•his men still ringing in his steered through the gates. And,
some pay,
in
"We'll stick with you, Chiefy."
When do we eat, Chiety?” They were with him.
Tottle spent, the rest of
the
day repairing an old bicycle he had found in the administrative
11
man went round co
nounced
the other. They an-
that
the
**
whole
camp would
parade
parade
on the ground
at
A Most
four o'clock sharp
block. Next morning he cycled into Batavia.
No
ope excused.
would be
more
of them were air- men, but there were 40 to 50 Army men
and a sprinkling of
seamen,
Tottle saw it this way. If there was any hope of a stand being made in Java,
this reservoir of men be kept must
together.
The
He began with, the announcement prosperous-looking shops in the greeted with main street.
was
Gaths
and
and ribaldry catcalls. No one
stirred.
firmness as he for
At one minute 10 Jour
Tottle strode towards the square..
His step gained in braced himself the part he had to play —If it was a question of evacua- Men started to-pour-from-the- tion, the authorities would con- huts nearest the parade-ground sider a disciplined force of more Tottle, a magnificent, purpose than 200 men where they might ful figure
aimless ameng an repudiate a a remnant of 20 or 30 mob, reached the square, and plus
of undisciplined drew a great breath into his stragglers, difficult to
round up. lungs. The first thing to do was to "On parade!" call a parade and explain to the men what he intended to do and what he expected of them. He sensed that most of them. free from routine had been Service discipline for weeks, perhaps mouths.
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Now to address them,
"As the senior rank present in
By the end of the morning he had signed chits for bread, rice, tea, tinned milk, fruit, Jam, eggs, veget. ables,
salt,
meat,
chanccal for cooking,
and varichs other items sich as cutlery, Glauber's salt. disinfectant, and He the camp,
and
Drawn by 8088
cycled back to then marched a working-party into the town to goods.
ears.
hi
Then
'Hold on'
WHEN Tottle got back
to he
Cornelius Barracks
#
then he went out cold
ind
be
When he came to be was in Dutch a hospital bed, and a doctor was talking to him in English
have an said the doctor. take the shrapnet
"You
have
must
found the place Dimast in operation,"
revolt They were gripped by
to
Last plane
the fear that they were being out of your legs."
abandoned, trapped. Tottle saw his toughest work dill ahead of him. He paraded the men and addressed them They simply had forcibly.
to hold on and not their heads.
Jose
HE doctor arranged for Tottle to be given a place on the last plane. leaving Java, a bat-. tered Dornier fying-boat. For three more agonising Apart from New Zealand weeks Tottle walked
the
tightrope of his own dis bank official called Mitchell,
Their
clothing all the other passengers weTE wore away to rags.
cipline.
Tottle kept the
the
camp alive.
Sali Dutch Government officials.
Mitchell and Tostle were Toutine of
Parade directed to stay in the luggage
When they saw that Tottle was getting results, the men in got thousands of officers and three times a day. Washing by compartment, as there was no
many They
camp.
the
it's my assume command. I'm
duty
doing
to ON
towards men in the same boat." The men formed up
grudg- the camp thawed out
send Some of the ingly, resentfully, some throw him still further. At the six
out to Cornelius wisecracks 1 ing
and some o'clock parade that night Tottle officers
out there are nothing to do with me, obscenities. But they formed found that he still had 222 men. Barracks. The men
Two hundred and twenty-
to up.
over I'm handing nen in all two men
You, y
The the eighth morning in manner
do Batavia Tottle was astonish- "You'll
He's 'out'
them
F
a What
Alight lieutesiant's became threatening. you're told, about sending out
have
to rain this camp, I'm going to discipline. Im going to have three parades a day. I'm
"Where the hell are
He "Wait here"
from?
The warrant officer seemed
About 20 minutes officer returned.
that for the common gooded to see an R.A.F. van parked he said, mine as well as yours. I want in the main street, with to get out of here the same as warrant officer sitting in the some officers?".
do.
front cabin. He hurried across The fight-lieutenant eyed The arst thing I want clearly to the van. understood is that if I'm going
him a moment,
left the
later
you rocan and Tottle sat down.
the
going to have guards posted on not in the least surprised to see 'Assume the rank of war-
up front. It
huts in the morning. Working-room parties to collect food and keep explained that they hoped to down near คม Allied the camp clean. The inevitable put
convoy. guard on the main gate.
It was the 49th day, and he still had 72 men.
יי.
a
Tottie tried to sleep, but his He legs throbbed inercilessly. In the morning a message shifted his position countless came from AHQ He was to times, but found no relict.
Now his there at once. This.
nerves were report
working themselves up to was it.
When the terrible crescendo. The Alght-lieutenant gave explosion came he thought at Tottle instructions for the first it was the igniting of his evacuation of the last of his own nervous tension. men, but asked him to get The flying-boat rocked and volunteers to stay behind and sheets of fame enveloped the destroy valuable equipment cabin "Detail them necessary. All Tottle right???
I'm going to detail
Tottle, and spoke phlegmati rant officer. Carry on as best fir. working-parties for everything cally I'm opening up a
new. you can." He handed
一起 Tottle
warrant maintenance unit," he said.
officer's badge, already attached to a khaki. thought he must be dreaming. wristband. Keep your
that's wanted. If anybody doesn't like the idea of that, they'd better get out now.
"And I'mean now. This'll be their last chance. Anyone who stays and doesn't toe the fine after this will go to the guard room."
"Like hell he will" "What guard room?"
Now-food
"Maintenance uni?" Tottle
"Where are you getting your men instructions from?"
and
men out of trouble report here every "Air headquarters," Tottle listened in a kind of doing what we can
day or so. We're daze. He could hardly credi
that an R.A.F. headquarters had cxisted here.
were
can
31
and tried to sit up, as he did so Mitchell support
d. him quickly "I'm not detailing anybody, ed
ther If I
get one clipped a parachute on to his volunteer, 7411 stay harness Then he pulled the with him. But I'm not air bottle to infate
the Mae detailing anyone," West Mitchell half lifted, The flight-lleutenant half-dragged Totale to the didn't argue
door, alld it open and pushed Tottle went back to him out Tottle put his hand the camp with a heavy on the ripcord handle as he The next thing he heart, He paraded the went, men for the last knew there was a fierce lug time, He told them behind him and he was float that they were being ing gently downs
by
RALPH
BARKER
evacuated. Then he asked for volunteers.
The inferno
Tottle saluted and made his way back. Tottle found the headquarters He was bitterly dis building, and burst in uncere-
two rented with the
of his visit to Air head- "Volunteers are wanted to moniously. There
behind for demolition "Y'LL make a guard room" No airmen sitting in an outer office. quarters, but at least someone stay
knew where they were. Some work," he said "They mayIRECTLY above him he "Is there an officer here
saw the blazing":"Dorsier, He was Tottle waited
be not get would
away." one moved,
how the mea "There's a fight-lieutenant."
then another parachute until the general muttering died
passing the onus of decision to and "Where's his office?"
evacuated.
opened out and he knew that down and then he continued:
The airmen pointed over their The following morning there them
too had escaped. "Tomorrow morning shall go
"I'm not persuading anyone. Mitchell
́fying-boat- became into Batavia 1 shall buy what shoulders with their thumbs. was a delivery of three days
up to you. All I'll say is Then the
inferno as it plunged- food and stores we need under Tottle strode 'an and tapped on rations; and by aking this out. It's
with
the purchases he made this. If anyone will stay, I'll an
downwards to the sea...... local purchase." He had to the door.
"He's out at the moment, ser- in Batavia, Tottle contrived to stay with him,” th
But notion of how he was going to geant," called one of the airmen make them last a week
There was no movement at. Many hours later he opened And a native achieve this but he know it
Tottle sat down. As
bedding com- no equipment,
or first and then two Austra his eyes to
overshadowing him, must be done.
lian seamen stepped forward fellucco "I shall try to make contact posedly as he could. It was two clothing came.
Strong hands lifted him up, together. with
the nearest headquarters hours before the officer could
There was no further move and he felt himself laid gently cent among the men, and in the bottom of the boat Tottle dismissed them quickly
POSTSCRIPT
Bet
you
from here.
on your behalf. I shall try to see him
away "And another thing. As long as I'm running this camp, you'll keep it clean.***.
"What with?"
Barefoot
idea of saving vaguely embarrassed Half an I'd like to WITH the tear on their hour later as had formed them Neither Mitchell nor the ocher
My name's Tottle, sir," he began "I've got 222 men at Cornelius Barracks, hand them over to
some responsible authority
shoes and socks, Tottle gave up again and was marching occupants of the plane survived can't do anything for orders that the men were to them to the rendezvous. When the crash Teltic was trans- "It necessary on your hands. and knees. I shall inspect each you. I've got thousands and go barefoot when in the huts, the men were safely on their ferred from the feltern
You'll
south Tottle turned Nearly every boot and shoe way
Chinese river-boat called the hut daily. And you'll keep have to fend for yourselves"
.on
the Camp
was worn slowly back to the camp. He Wu Sul, which took him to yourselves clean too." "There's no water."
"Fend for ourselves? We've through.
Australians Tottle managed to found the two There's a choti ghat. Each been doing that for eight days. get several large strips of waiting for him.
back will
there cardboard from the traders in the dhobi I'm not going report at
and Batavia, and these were cut ghat as detailed, the first hut unless I've got rations
hut
thousands
see to..
at 0700, the second at 0730, and bedding for, those men, or a to size and
The bomb
promise to get them
**** else. somewhere
to a
Bombay He returned to England in January 1954 but. he never regained the use of his legs and still has to use forearm.crutches Tottle is now
the on the Plymouth dirtrict staf of of the South-Western Electricity
so on throughout the morning
transfer individual shoe, shape of the Each man will have, an oil-can
Le Aapanese bombers were now HAVE 7:30 next morning
right
Batavia regularly, and three men drove out full of water. There's only one can, so you'll take it in turns you'll do what you're told although the camp itself was Cornelius Barracks and into board.
a They spent -- And if 1 have any trouble not attacked, Tottle felt more Batayia. "How about soap??? "I'll get you, some soap.
with you $111. slap you on and more, janxious. "after docks, finding hardly anything "Down in the Drink,” published"
depressing two hours at the their arrival in Batavia, the left to destroy.
"There'll be three parades a charge. Do you think you're Twenty-eight days day, 0830, 1200 and 1800, Every the only ones? I tell you I've
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN
!
NOTHING ELSE
WE CAN DO WITH-- YOU BUT
FINISH YOU
"VAIT--I CAN
ALWAYS JUST RIDE AWAY.
MANDRAKE 'GESTURES. HYPHOTICALLY
➡THE PAINTED HORSE-SUDDENLY) GROWN HUGE-SEEMS TOTAL JUMP OUT OF THE CANVAS-2
By Lee Falk and Phil Davis
| TAKE IT EASY, BOY A BIT WILD *=* GUESS HE'S NEVER SEEN, FIDDEN BEFORE
[These extracts are from
by Chatto and Windus.]
TALK
ABOUT
MAGIC!
Admiral