CO129-590-25 Accounts of events leading up to surrender and subsequent treatment of prisoners- etc 23-4-1942 - 28-9-1943 — Page 154

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personnel in the event of Flotilla being order to leave Hongkong. If it was not possible to pass. through the lines I was to operate as a guerilla force against the Japanese in the hope or relief by Chinese forces.

- ཡུ མ

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I was told that some niluential Chinese night: also travel with the party and that I was to be guided as far as possible, by the advice of Mr. P.W. K. both in preparation for this operation and in the operation" itself. I obtained a map from leadquarters and returned to Aberdeen Base. With the exception of MTH 10 and 11 no night operations were carried out this night which was one of heavy rain and hard north wind. TB 10 and 11 proceeded at: 2145, located APOEY at 2230 and 10 got into position to the south of No. 13 buoy where water was deep enough for a torpedo shot.. Qwing to north. wind APOEY was swinging north and south which made this an angling shot, nor was there much room to manoeuvre in the darkness consequently torpedo missed,.. Consequently 11 was told to fire torpedo but replied that the operation was not feasible as with a defective engine she had been driven down by north wind and got foul of the boat boom from which she was extricating herself. I then got into position for an east and west shot, having taken a sounding and found that the high water allowed 7 fathoms, sufficient water, and fired my second torpedo from 10, a shot course east at 700 yards set for 4' below surface which seemed impossible to miss but it was found afterwards that the torpedo outrigger rail had carried away and torpedo did not drop truly. From December 8th it had been impossible to give MTB's their normal careful maintenance and this sort of. accident was the result. B's 10, and 11 accordingly returned to anchor in Aberdeen Channel. at midnight with remainder of flotilla.

Dec. 21st..

On Sunday, December 21st, every confidential book including LOO code was destroyed; plain language being used until a "playfair" type code was promulgated for specially confidential messages. An improvement in communications was found when using plain language speed being often more vital than secrecy.

Mr. F:W.K. and his assistants joined Flotilla' with bombs and Bren guns, There was considerable

/bombing..