7639532 PTE Bonnet P E

A Party of R.A.O.C.  men , both "Z" A.O.W and 14 Section ,left Singapore on a small coastal vessal on the  13/2/1942 Senior British officer was Major W C Biss  R.A.O.C Base Ordnance Workshop. The ship was headed for the  Indragiri River , at Tembilahan they met up with another RAOC party that had sailed in the “Malacca”  , together they 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 of the "Z" AOL RAOC was also on that ship as I cannot find him mentioned as working on the Sumatran Railway.

The RAOC  men onboard the coastal vessal

14 Section

• Major W C Biss             119116
• Pte J N Y Willcock         7610393
• Pte S Henson                  7628245 Att 2nd East Surreys
• Pte H Denham                7643697
• Sgt W Marvell                7592648 Att 2nd East Surreys
• S/Sgt H Stevens              7582936 Att 2nd East Surreys
• Pte H Brittain                  7643697
• Pte M Graham                7614028

"Z" AOW

• Pte P E Bonnet                7639532
• Pte H G Cruse                 7651156
• Pte C F Hankey               7628423

 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 .