# Successfull escape from Singapore 1942



## Zoothy (Mar 31, 2015)

Hi everyone, I tagged onto a post below similar but i thought I'd start a new one with a accurate title.
I am looking for info on a ship that was one of the last to escape Singapore around Feburary 1942. The ship carried my grandmother who was pregnant with my dad and my 1 year old Aunty.
It escaped to Perth. I was also told it was strafed.
My Grandad spent WW2 in Changi and luckily survived.
Any help or pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
Email- 
[email protected]


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Welcome Zoothy. I saw a TV programme about the fall of Singapore and I'm sure I remember mention of a Dutch troopship being one of the last to escape Singapore before the place was overrun by the Japanese and landing escapees in Fremantle. Possibly "Johan van Oberbarnvelt" which later became an immigrant ship. Looked it up on the internet but couldn't find any confirmation.

Maybe you could try the Maritime Museum in Fremantle or the War Memorial in Canberra.

Good luck.

John T


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

The Blue Funnel ship Gorgon was present during the fall of Singapore in February, 1942 and sailed, with 358 refugees on board, three days before the surrender to the Japanese. She was then attacked six times by high-level bombers, but, although she received two direct hits, succeeded in reaching Fremantle.


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## researcher77 (Nov 22, 2019)

My Grandfather, Thomas Kennerley, was R.O. on the Gorgon (Blue Funnel Line). It was well known in the family that it got away just in time but it was a pretty close thing. 
The Gorgon was a cargo vessel plying the Western Australia to Singapore route carrying wool and sheep. It had a strengthened hull to let it rest on the bottom of Australian creeks at low tide.


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## Johnny Walker (Mar 27, 2010)

There is an excellent book called 'Singapore's Dunkirk the aftermath of the fall' By a Guy called Geoffrey Brooke. The Gorgon is mentioned briefly, the book is an excellent read and well researched.


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## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

The Vyner Brooke story by Lt Mann was typed onto foolscap about 1956. I hold the original. My wife typed it into computer pages, the digital version has been archived with the Australian Memorial, and with the Imperial War Museum. When I finish my own memoirs of the MN, I hope I'll have the energy to publish Lt Mann's amzing story of escape to Australia after the Vyner Brooke was bombed and sunk.
His memoir opens like this:

Copied verbatum from a 95 page foolscap manuscript presently in the hands of Harry Nicholson of Whitby. Copyright retained by John Pickard of Skelton, North Yorkshire, UK. (Lt. Arthur J Mann is John Pickard's Great Uncle.)

"One Jump Ahead
Yet another escape from Singapore.
Set down ten years after by
Lieutenant A.J.Mann, R.N.V.R.

February the 12th 1942, in the Singapore Strait, His Majesty’s Auxiliary vessel 'Vyner Brooke' was steaming to the East’ard on her patrol of the strait between the strait to Johore Strait and Horsborough Light at the eastern end of Singapore Strait. Away to port near the island of Singapore was His Majesty’s Yangtze River Gunboat 'Dragonfly' engaged in the same duty. Poor 'Vyner Brooke', so brave in being there and yet so futile.
She was a merchant vessel off some 1,000 tons, in case engaged in a regular service between Singapore and Kuching the capital of Sarawak in Borneo, the state ruled over by Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, the white Rajah whose name she bears. In these happy times she wore the yellow, with black and red at cross, flag of Sarawak, and had made the passage so often that it is quite possible that she could have done it without human assistance other than the engine room crew gave her the energy to move.

The war in Europe had brought about a change in her appearance, but her routine of plodding to and fro from Kuching and Singapore went on, passengers and cargo each way but she was now painted grey, and wore a different flag. The white Ensign as the Royal Navy now flew from her gaff, and on the foc’sle a 4' Q.F. (quick-firing) gun pointed the way. On the poop, depth charges in throwers and on rails had been fitted, and with the single Lewis gun sticking up aft the funnel, by exercising a lot of imagination she could be said to have taken on a warlike appearance. Even in this guise her journey on her old beaten track continued, passengers and cargo, passengers and cargo, two days at sea, three alongside, two days at sea, and three days at anchor in the inner harbour at Singapore, and across to Kuching again.
As a job for a ship's officer liking a quiet life with no long periods at sea, it was ideal. The people of Kuching regarded her as 'Their Ship' and always on arrival at port and departure from the wharf there were throngs of native people, Malay girls in gorgeous coloured sarongs and saris looked like flocks of butterflies, all so absolutely lovely of feature and when they noticed themselves being looked at they shyly drew their saris across their faces but left their eyes looking over the top with the most charming twinkle in them imaginable. Presumably, they were seeing friends off, for seldom were they discovered on board after the ship had left. The people ashore were Malay, Chinese and European, all most friendly and the town itself was very pleasant. The officers looked upon Kuching as their 'home port' and even I who was in a sense an interloper felt more at home ashore there, than ever I have elsewhere. It was too good to last."


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## father john (Jul 2, 2009)

Zoothy, the ship that you are looking for may be the 'Bontikoe', a small Dutch coaster that departed Singapore January 1942 with many women and children onboard (I was one), it was one of the last to escape.


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## The Loftsman (Dec 19, 2009)

Harry Nicholson said:


> The Vyner Brooke story by Lt Mann was typed onto foolscap about 1956. I hold the original. My wife typed it into computer pages, the digital version has been archived with the Australian Memorial, and with the Imperial War Museum. When I finish my own memoirs of the MN, I hope I'll have the energy to publish Lt Mann's amzing story of escape to Australia after the Vyner Brooke was bombed and sunk.
> His memoir opens like this:
> 
> Copied verbatum from a 95 page foolscap manuscript presently in the hands of Harry Nicholson of Whitby. Copyright retained by John Pickard of Skelton, North Yorkshire, UK. (Lt. Arthur J Mann is John Pickard's Great Uncle.)
> ...


Hi Harry,
Vyner Brooke was built at Leith by Ramage & ferguson and she features in the 2nd of my books in the series Leith-Built Ships Vol. II
The story of what happened to the nurses taken by the Japanese has to be one of the most chilling tales of that terrible conflict.
I hope that you do get around to publishing this story as they must never be forgotten, if I can help in any way just get in touch with me here or at my website www.theloftsman.com
You can also email at [email protected]

Cheers


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## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

The Loftsman said:


> Hi Harry,
> Vyner Brooke was built at Leith by Ramage & ferguson and she features in the 2nd of my books in the series Leith-Built Ships Vol. II
> The story of what happened to the nurses taken by the Japanese has to be one of the most chilling tales of that terrible conflict.
> I hope that you do get around to publishing this story as they must never be forgotten, if I can help in any way just get in touch with me here or at my website www.theloftsman.com
> ...


Thank you Ron. I'll be in touch in the near future. Lt Mann's script needs an edit. I'll look at it again.
Harry


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