A Party of R.A.O.C.  men , both "Z" A.O.W and 14 Section ,left Singapore on the mine sweeper Malacca13/2/1942 Senior British officer Lt/ COL Wolf-Murry of the seaforth highlanders , the Senior  “Z” AOW RAOC officer was  LT S.G. Terry 185922, The ship was heading for Java along with other ships carrying R.A.O.C personnel to set up Work Shops . On route they  picked up a stranded seaman who informed the captain that shipping were being attacked in the Banka Strait by a large Japanese force invading Sumatra , as a result of this information , the captain changed course and headed for the  Indragiri River , at Tembilahan they met up with another party Including Major W C Biss R.A.O.C Base Ordnance Workshop,  and travelled across Sumatra . arriving at Padang on the 20/2/1942 . On the 23/2/1942 the RAOC men boarded a Dutch Vessel the Tinombo” which sailed to Bombay , LT S.G.Terry and Major Biss stayed behind , Major Biss is reported to have left Padang on the Ship
SS Ban Ho Gwan whitch was sunk after leaving Padang , possably LT Terry was also on that ship as I cannot find him mentioned as working on the Sumatran Railway.

"Z" A.O.W.

14 Section

 Many of the evacues from Singapore tried to make for the Indragiri River in Sumatra ,
in an attempt to cross Sumatra and reach Padang and the hopefully board a boat to
India or Columbo (Modern day Sri Lanka)

In Geoffrey Brookes Book "Singapores Dunkirk" , he states the escape route was
Traveling West along the Indragiri River to Tembilahan
Then onto Rengat, Finally onto Iyer Molek.
Transport was provided to the Rail head at Sawahunto and then by Rail to Padang

The Escapees were assisted by the Duch and Sumatrans with the help of Armed forces Officers
who volunteered to stay behind , knowing full well that they would eventualy be captured by the Japanese .

escape