Chapter 293
“The second big Japanese push on Singapore came closer to success than any before. The Fortress bulged, the Fortress cracked but did not shatter. In these dark days immediately after the emotional high of the early stage of Operation Drumbeat on Trafalgar Day the commanding presence of Air Vice Marshal Browning was essential, and it....”
Excerpt from “No.1 RIS in Wold War Two”, Rangoon RBL Press, 2004
General Kuribayashi had assembled every Artillery gun in Malaya, in fact even a few captured British field pieces were arrayed here now, but the Artillery would not fire until the attack was well under way. Assembling the force had been a 'bloody nightmare' to use a British expression, but heavily escorted convoys had deterred the Malayan Militia enough to enable him to assemble this force in relative secrecy. He looked at the long rows of boats that were waiting to take his men across the straights and hopefully over the British coastal fortifications.
He was convinced that at last his men would carry the British before them, his men could do anything if properly motivated. The Artillery was mostly there to distract the British from the real site of the attack.
He glanced at his wristwatch and as the seconds passed he waited in the darkness for midnight to arrive.
In the distance Artillery Fire lit up the night like so many times before and below Kuribayashi the men of the Japanese 11th Division slowly and silently began to row across the straights towards Singapore Island. Behind them two Brigades were waiting to move and Kuribayashi hoped that the British did indeed believe that these units were there to reinforce the landing. Instead, once the 11th had drawn in all the British reserves all his remaining forces would attack and crush the British perimeter around the Causeway Bridgehead.
It took the Japanese less than half an hour to slowly cross the straights and then all hell broke loose upon the British Defenders. The message that they had started engaging the British defences came via a wireless set and a red flare and the General merely nodded.
Meanwhile Air Vice Marshal Browning was standing in his command post, buttoning up the shirt of his uniform.
“Talk to me, people!” he yelled in his dramatic fashion and his Chief of Staff replied:
“We have Nip troops coming out of our ears, Sir. They are shelling our positions in the old Naval Base and in the west the Indians are reporting Japanese forces in front and among their positions.”
Browning quickly glanced at the map and decided that he would personally shoot Kuribayashi if he ever got his hands on him for waking him up like this.
“Right. Unleash the gunners. No ammunition restrictions. I want Lion Battery to do counter-battery fire on those Japanese guns, all others engage targets of opportunity. Send the Armoured Brigade[1] to the Indian Division to reinforce them and alert all reserves. Who is near the causeway?”
He knew that it was 2nd Brigade from the 8th Australian that was on reserve duty and his Chief of Staff was aware of that, but one had to involve the men, and morale was something prime right now. Within minutes the familiar and reassuring rumble of the big guns could be heard.
Browning however had not stopped to react to the newest crisis and issued orders throughout when the next catastrophe hit and he was told that the entire causeway perimeter was under attack. Using the infiltration tactics they had perfected they seeped into the British position, using their numbers to help accomplish something that they had failed to do, and even though the interlocking fields of fire of the Hedgehogs prevented the infiltration of large Japanese forces into their rear a few trickled through.
The small-scale fights all along the line were beyond the control of anyone on either side, but then a chance incident tipped the battle in favour of the Japanese. Behind the position of B Company/25th Indian Infantry Regiment a group of eight Japanese Soldiers found itself in the same ditch, and one of them still had his infamous knee mortar. They fired and the very first shell fell through the hatch into the ammunition bunker. Someone had left it open against standing orders and the massive detonation devastated the British bunker and trench system.
The Company fought on but with the death of the Captain in command and most of the men being wounded to some degree they were eventually overwhelmed and two hours after the first shots were fired a substantial gap was torn into the British lines for the first time and suddenly the entire fortress was in grave danger. The pumping station for the main water supply was now for the first time within reach of the Japanese.
The bad news came flooding into Browning's command post, and he quickly realized that the causeway perimeter was collapsing. Sure, the other units would fight, there were no illusions about the alternatives, but the perimeter was broken. Ironically it was the Fortress' biggest advantage and biggest weakness. As long as it was held all along the line it was strong, but once broken it would prove to brittle. This was something Slim and Browning both had lost sleep over and now they were paying the price.
The 12th Division fought and shortly before the forward telephone lines were cut the General in command reassured Browning that it would continue to fight it out, but by now, at dawn, at least two Regiments worth of Japanese was streaming towards the causeway which left Browning with a horrible choice. The causeway was wired to blow in three places, but destroying the crossing meant that the men of the 12th were effectively sentenced to death with no way to retreat.
Browning was well aware of that has he let his look run over the men in the command post and wished that Slim was still in command. But there was nothing for it but act.
“Broadcast Evergreen on the 12th Command and Regimental Frequency. Blow the charges as soon as possible.”
This would also disconnect the water pipeline from the mainland, but he thanked the gods of war that Slim had in one of his last acts as commander used volunteer and semi-conscripted labour from the city to build an additional cistern that had given the city another breather. So there was just a chance that he would be able to hold on for some more, if he managed to defeat the Japanese incursion on the Island itself.
He had to admit, Kuribayashi was smart. The attacks had forced him to divide his all-important Artillery and now all the guns were either suppressing the Japanese guns or trying to support the 12th Division.
Taking a deep breath he prepared to give more orders.
“Retask Lion One.”
~**---**~
Bombardier Milligan was now the Deputy Gun Captain for Lion-One Able.[2] That was a strange feeling if anything was. It was even more unusual that what was a Corporal to the rest of the Army was in this position, but the Sergeant had managed to drink himself half-blind, fallen off a lorry and then broken his neck.
“Milligan? We have a re-task order.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The Lieutenant was young but no one served in Singapore for long without picking up what was needed to survive. As the deputy he was in command of the large system that rotated the metal turret that contained the actual gun.
The gun elevated to the prescribed angle and Milligan's men the rotated it to the direction the Lieutenant read out, apparently being directly connected to the command post.
“Gun in position, Sir!” Milligan yelled into the Intercom system.
“Prepare to fire!”
Everyone put on the ear protectors over their anti-flash gear and moved away from the viewing slits.
“FIRE!” the Lieutenant yelled and pressed the electrical trigger.
The massive naval gun boomed and the 16'' shell was fired.
Next the gun lowered and was retraced for re-loading. Everyone in Lion Battery was aware of the situation and the men worked as fast as their equipment would let them.
The Units that had crossed the straights were now in a pickle, but even the fire from the two guns of Lion Battery that could bear on them did not deter the now constant flow of small craft across. Lacking any form of Naval Defence only the interdicting Artillery fire from Lion Battery impeded the crossing and that wasn't much with eight rounds a minute. Losses were caused but not enough. And while this attack was easily contained by the Allied Infantry the loss of the perimeter and the Causeway made it much, much easier for the Japanese to cross towards the island, and in effect Browning had lost almost a third of his forces.
Within a day Operation Drumbeat had turned into a race between the besiegers and those coming to rescue the besieged.
Milligan (left) and two colleagues after the war.[3]
[1] Not really a brigade. More a unit that has some twelve operational Mathilda II.
Also, remember Lion Battery is named such because the guns were originally produced for HMS Lion and are thus 9x BL 16'' Mk. II.
[2] Relax, he will meet the Goons. When or if that appears here I haven't decided yet.
[3] See?