Slitherine

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Dec 12...We pushed off for Kuantan today, or rather, 8th Indian Brigade pushed off. I admire the strength of English women, but one might deduce from the choice of acoutrements of a few in our group that they are planning a holiday in Brighton. The enormity of our challenge became apparent when those civilians wishing to try the escape to Johore bagan to assemble at the designated time and place. Parasols and long white dresses predominated, along with great wooden chests that seemed to contain all the gold of the Orient and scores of Malay servants. Of course, there is insufficient lorry transport, the lion's share of that available tasked to transports heavy weapons forward. The reality of war has apparently not been universally appreciated. After much negotiating and a chaotic scene that reminded me of market day in Singapore, the Captain issued an edict. There will be permitted only one luggage item per refugee and that item must be able to be borne aloft by two adult men. All refugees must have two practical pairs of shoes and are responsible for carrying 24 hrs worth of water for their party. They must also have 10 days of non-perishable food for their charges. Any servants making the trip must meet the same criteria. I learned later we have sufficient rations to sustain the KVF and charges for perhaps one week, but this was not disclosed less it create an expectation among the evacuees. I judged his edict to be Solomonic, but one might have thought the evacuees were being told to choose a limb to leave behind.
At 4:30 in the afternoon, we finally bagn to move, a security platoon of KVF in the van and rear and, in the center, the oddest collection of vehicles ever assembled in Malaysia. Edith and the baby were in the Packard with Mrs. Theobald and her two children. I could procure only 18 liters of petrol, which is certain to be insufficient to the task. God help us.

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ORIGINAL: okonumiyaki

Yes, 127 men would be a below strength company, and either Captain or Major. British Army ranks tend to be one lower than US at bn level (e.g. commander of a battalion in UK is a Lt Col, vs a US Major)

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Dec 13...The day dawns clear and warm. Our strength is now only 96 armed men, owing largely to those who stayed behind with their families or property in Kalentan, but also due to 8 who disappeared last night without the Captain's blessing. I am worried about the Captain. He is not a young man, having achieved his rank at Ypres where he received a terrible mustard gas injury to his lungs. His war pension allowed a comfortable lifestyle here in Malaysia, but a sense of duty compelled him to volunteer to command the KVF. I am quite certain this is not what he imagined, but he is a professional and clearly means to discharge his orders. Should he falter, the unit will surely disintegrate as there is not one of us with the ability to replace him. We made only 6 miles progress yesterday as some of our party is on foot. The Malay villagers have been kind, offering water and rice cakes. I think they are intrigued by the sight of so many Europeans laid low.

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Dec 14...Mrs. Whitcombe was found dead in the back one of the lorries this morning. She had been persuaded to leave Kalentan and the garden and the cats she loved. I am uncertain if it was the travails of our jouney which stilled her heart or, if perchance, she had simply willed it in order to stay in the soil she loved. In any event, she was a casualty of war as surely as those felled by flying lead. The Captain ordered a small party to prepare a grave while the others were ordered on. As she had no family here, a few of us who knew her stayed for a service. The Captain, whom I had not known to be a religious man, recited the 23rd Psalm from memory and then stated simply, "God, take this woman into your care. She will not be the last in this business." His poise in the role put me in the mind that he must have had some experience with such ceremonies during the Great War.

In order to speed our progress and to avoid some of the heat, hot breakfasts have been forbidden to allow the column to get on the road by 7 AM. We are to be permitted a brew-up of tea at 3 PM and such food as we can prepare ourselves at dusk. We have lost contact with FMSV and 8th Indian ahead of us. This afternoon, two Japanese planes appeared overhead, causing much panic in the column. In the event, they did not attack but our presence can scarcely have been missed. Edith is well, though the baby is quite irritable in the hot part of the day. There being insufficient mosquito netting, this is all being used by the women and children. Biting insects are a damnable nuisance at night.

(in reply to Cap Mandrake)

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ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

HEHE?

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ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

At least we dented the damn thing. It has a long way to go for help.

Oh yes...and we found the Kaga and Akagi (probaby)

NOTE: There is a typo on the date...its Dec 23. The copy boy at the News is on thin ice over this one.

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ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

What IS it loaded with?

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ORIGINAL: Terminus

Crom...

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ORIGINAL: Terminus

Crom...

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ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

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ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

What IS it loaded with?

Why Toys for Tots, of course. Its 2 days before Christmas.

I think it was headed East, unladen. Not sure exactly.