Lawton R 1061885 ASM

Escaped from Singapore on the Minesweeper Jarak

Minesweeper JARAK

Left Singapore 16:00 Hrs on the 12th February 1942 and spent the night anchored at the southern end of the swept channel  as the ship was going to be the lightship for the other craft designated  to leave Singapore on the 13th of February heading for Java carrying manly RAOC personnel to set up a workshop in Batvia .

 The Ship set sail at 06:00 Hrs on the 13th and after 3hrs anchored between two small islands , several enemy aircraft flew over the ship but did not attack.

 At 13:30 hrs on the 14th of February  an enemy  reconnaissance seaplane came down to observe the ship but took no further action , ten minutes later three ships appeared astern of the Jarak and closed rapidly , about 1 hr later when the ships were approximately 10,000 yards away they turned broadside and singled the Jarak with a lamp , the ships turned out to be two Japanese Cruisers and a Destroyer  , the Jarak Captain returned singled a code challenge group , the Japaneses replied “No No No” and opened fire .

The Captain gave the order “Hard to Port” , after 20 to 30 six inch salvos the Jarak to evasive manoeuvres , the cruiser ceased fire and the seaplane reappeared and mad two dive bombing attaks which the Jarak managed to ovoid . During the attack Lewis guns and rifle fire were levelled at the seaplane and also the Jaraks  12 pounder gun maned by Petty Officer Tucker was employed , firing shrapnel  set on a sort fuse.

Shortly after the seaplane attack , the Japanese Destroyer appeared to be coming along side the Jarak so the order was given to throw all confidential documents overboard. The Destroyer opened fire at about 2,000 yrds range , hitting the bridge and the forward hold  . A Mr Hooper had kept firing signal lights during the action and it may have been due to this that the Destroyer deported shortly after the Jarak ships complement began to abandon ship.

Two of the Jarak boats were used to row to a small island about 12 miles away and landed there about midnight .

At about 8:00 hrs that morning , 15th February the Jarak was sighted , still afloat  , a small party of Navel rating under Lt Huntly R.N.V.R returned to the Jarakand successfully managed to pump out the engine room and brought the ship back to the island to at about 18:00 Hrs . The next day , 16th February the Jarak was attacked again by a seaplane , which strafed the ship and the beach but there waere no casualties as the personnel we already dispersed .

 New of the fall of Palembang was heard on the ships radio so it was decided to head for Rengat in the Indragiri River , but on route the engine bearings gave out and the ship was stopped at southern end of Sinkep Island, after removing all the ships stores the Jarak was taken offshore and skuttled.

The men stayed near the beach while Mr Huntley reconoitered the island in a sampan , returning on the20th February  , they then sailed to Daba on Sinkkp Island . on the 22nd February the party sailed to Rengat and then on to Padang.

RAOC men onboard the Jarak :-

Captain F E Coulthold 74056         “Z” AOW

AQMS A E Wyatt 7582954             “Z” AOW
ASM      R Lawton 1061885            “Z” AOW

ASM Lawton was Captured in Padang

Worked on the Sumatran Railway , he is mentioned in the Roll of men

Liberation Questionaire

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