Evening star., 1942-02-21
By C. YATES MCDANIEL,

hSSOCidbcQ EIcsS W ar SOiicbpOIuCHts
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies,
Feb. 20 Delayed Il escaped from
doomed Singapore February l3
aboard the last vessel to leave the
battered and burning fortress and
reached Batavia during an air raid
alarm this morning.
In my 7k-day journey I aban-
doned bombed ship, was cast up on
an uninhabited island, made my way
through a storm in a small launch
to Sumatra, crossed that islands
mountain wilds by truck, rail, pony
cart and completed l 200 roundabout
miles safely through the Indian
Ocean aboard a destroyer.
From the saltwater soaked pulp
which is all that is left of my
journal I will attempt to piece to-
gether my story, which in a larger
sense Is the story of the last days
of Singapore-of the few who sue
ceeded and many more who failed
to escape the deadly and efiicient
fury of the final Japanese onslaught
on Britain's last stronghold in
Southern Asia.
A portion OF Mr.. McDdniePs
dispatch at this point has not
been received, having been de-
ldyed in Transmission.
Bombers Fly Low.
Early in the morning we were
looking at the peaceful scene Of the
little islands when two Japanese
light bombers circled and glided to-
ward us. The old ship shuddered
when the bombs exploded just
astern.
A few minutes later two more
planes came over at not more than
500 feet. This time they didn't miss.
The decks seemed to bounce up to
meet us as we Topped on our faces
I found a gaping hole through the
forward hold.
Ten minutes later there was an
other ear-splitting crash followed
by the hiss of escaping steam. The
ship listed and began settling. The
engineer emerged from the boiler
room and assured us the boilers
wouldn't explode because he'd
opened the valves.
The officers gave no order to
abandon ship but within 10 min
utes a lifeboat was lowered. Before
it hit the water, Is sailors tumbled
in and pulled off, too terrified to
heed the officers shouts to come
back.
One'Woman Passenger.
After looking over the damage,
the captain ordered the other two
lifeboats put oversize. We put
Miss Lin, the only woman passen-
ger, in one. The rest of us re-
manned on board. hoping that at
least one of the leaky boats would
be able to reach the nearest island
five miles away and return before
we had to swim for it. The cap
tain said he believed we might have
another two hours but the fire in
the coal bunker was spreading and
the list was getting worse.
Propped against coil of rope I
tried to continue my journal but
was forced to drop the job twice
to answer the call "All hands to
fight fire" as just one of A men
aboard the burning and fast set
tling ship.
We got the fires under control,
but japanese planes came over
again and again. One was so low
I saw the bomb swing on the wing
rack but he didn't drop it. helped
hoist the life RATS overheard but
the rotten bamboo lashings broke
and the rusty tanks sank.
We were about ready to swim
for it when one of our lifeboats
returned. Thirty-six of us, in
Guiding the captain and all but
one officer climbed in. Six men
volunteered to remain aboard for
the next trip as our boat was leak
ing badly and we were crammed
in like sardines. After an hour
of bailing, rowing and sailing, we
touched ground on coral reef
We waded ashore on the little
island Of Bangka.
Settled Down on Beach.
A hundred men and girl settled
down for a miserable night on the
narrow beach. Japanese planes
knew exactly where we were and we
knew there was little hope of our
being rescued. Wet sand, mosqui-
toes and ants didn't help our situa-
tion.
Early on February IA, We were
breakfasting on a cigarette, q tin of
muddy water which neither tasted
nor smelled like tea and one small
biscuit when the lookout reported
small launches approaching our ship
la L. -