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"Postbridge”, wongneichons, 19th December, 1941.
1.
At dawn on the 19th December, 1941, a party of H..R.N.V.R. officers, including myself, were despatched to Mr.Tinson's house, "Postbridge" near Wongneickong, on special duty. At that time it was known to us that the Japanese had landed a few hours before, but it was not known whether they had penetrated the Island defences to any depth. As it turned out the Japanese unexpectedh reached Songneichong at about the same time as we did, and we accordingly took up battle positions in "Postbridge" along with a unit of the H...8.R
2.
Mr.Tinson was there, having been granted a few hours' leave from his official .R.P. duties. He informed us in the course of the day that he had been due to return to duty that morning but had been told by telephone that his own area had been over-run by the enemy, and had then found himself beseiged in his own house by the Japanese and unable to report anywhere.
3. He accordingly assumed full .R.P. duties on the spot throughout the ime that we were being shelled, machine-gunned and sniped at by the Japanese from their positions overlooking "Poatbridge"; bombers flew over us on more than one occasion, but they did not drop anything close. In addition to being exceedingly busy anticipating risks from fire, helping re-organise the house for action stations, sandbagging windows and doors, rendering first aid, etc., Mr. Tinson also took on all commissariat duties and provided us with scratch meals.
4. At 14.00 hrs. whilst he was clesing up a window with sandbags he was shot by a Japanese sniper and later died.
5. When the Japanese eventually blasted us out of
"Postbridge" at 20.30 hours by blowing up the front of the house we had to leave Mr. Tinson's body behind.
(Sga) J.C. McDouall
Lieut. H.K.R.N.V.R.
7th August, 1948.
Member, War Memorial Fund Committee.