Media: paperback - 76 pages
Year: 1992
Author: F. Stahl

P.W.(J) = Prisoner of War (Japanese)

Mr. F. E. Stahl joined the staff of the A.M.P. Society in Melbourne in January 1925. During his service he held such senior posts as Investment Manager Head Office. Manager New South Wales Branch, and Manager South Australia Branch. He retired in 1968 and now lives at Belair in South Australia.

During World War 2 Fred Stahl served with 8 Divisional Signals and saw action in Malaya and Singapore, for which he was awarded the M.B.E. and was Mentioned in Despatches. This book is a document of some of his experiences as a Prisoner of War.

FROM CHAPTER I 

15th February to 3rd April 1942

The silence was intense, almost frightening. The first official timing for the surrender was 1830 hours, but this was subsequently put back to 2030 hours. There had, however, been no action after 1830, and now at 2031 hours, the silence was complete. No longer did the Zeros zoom over A.I.F. Headquarters at Tanglin Barracks, machine-gunning and dropping their fire-crackers; the Mitsu bishis with their bomb loads had gone from the skies, and the enemy artillery was silent. So too, were the guns of the Australian battery astride the Tanglin Road. Even the normally chattering morse keys in the Signal office were quiet, the weary duty operators resting their tired heads on stilled hands. Those not on duty were fast asleep, exhausted after seven days of ceaseless activity.

From the time the Japanese landed on Singapore Island at 2000 hours on Sunday night, Sth February, I’d not even had the opportunity to change my socks. When the Japs landed, Divisional Headquarters (and its Signals office) was established on the Jurong Road, near Bukit Timah. Less than 24 hours later, at 1900 hours on 9th February, we retired to a new Headquarters on Holland Road and a new Signals office was established. It didn’t take the Nip bombers long to locate us there, and next morning they dropped a packet on us while General Wavell was at our Headquarters conferring with General Percival and General Bennett. You had to hand it to the Jap’s fifth column - it was really good. I wouldn’t be surprised if they knew Fred Stahl was the Sigmaster there’ The aim of the Jap bombers was very good but they were a bit unlucky, because one of their 500 pound bombs landed outside the room in which the Generals were conferring, curved under the room, but obligingly didn’t go off. I say obligingly because I was in the next room, and in the pressure of the times I’d neglected to order either a halo or an asbestos suit. It was from this meeting with the Force Commanders that General Wavell issued his famous message that there must be no thought of surrender and that officers must fight with and die with their men. Having issued this inspiring message he then flew away. We were not impressed!

The bombing continued through the day and the enemy artillery also lent a hand and tried to pick us off. During the night the Nip infantry got close enough to lob some mortar bombs on us, and at 0630 hours on 11th February we took off again - this time to Tanglin Barracks. Here we set up our last Signals office, for we had finally run out of land. From here we just had nowhere to go.

Despite General Wavell’s mention of surrender no-one had really given the possibility a thought and the first intimation, early in the afternoon of 15th February, came literally like a bolt from the blue. Initial disbelief was followed by slow acceptance as confirming messages came in. It was incredible, but true. The British Force had surrendered to the Imperial Japanese Army. The bastion had been breached and Singapore was literally in ruins. Our cup of bitterness was complete - or so we thought. 

And now the silence. The all-pervading, engulfing silence. As the day died, and Singapore died, it seemed that we too, were sinking into everlasting oblivion. 

However that didn’t prove to be the case, although we did go into the limbo for the next 3-1/2 years. In the story that follows I’ll try to set out the happenings of those 3-1/2 years as they affected me personally ...