Post by graham488 on Nov 6, 2014 10:54:22 GMT 12
Another great batch of photo's - not sure either what happened to Godsiff's whoops ! From this latest batch I can offer information on the following:
Photo 1 Accommodation hut - part of a group of buildings that were on the seaward side of Kallang a good twenty minutes walk across the airfield to the work areas. Destroyed by Japanese bombing very early in the conflict.
Photo 3 Col Cameron (in the hole) and Nobby Hall during excavation of foxholes on the Kallang perimeter and put to good use when the bombing started.
Photo 5 Damage to the airfield "Dope" Store. The gun barrel alongside was part of a bizarre installation carried out by the authorities to install dummy guns around the airfield in an effort to deter the Japanese. They were received hilariously at the time by the squadron personal until someone correctly suggested that they would be more likely to attract the attention of the Japanese with renewed attacks to eliminate them. Such was the mentality of the authorities at the time.
Photo 6 This is the Telok Kurau Girls School in nearby Katong which were used as 488's billets when the original billets at Kallang in Photo 1 were destroyed by bombing. Just days after 488's departure the school was used as the base for one of the worst atrocities carried out by the Japanese Kempatai against the Chinese civilians in Singapore. Truckloads were taken away during the night and executed on the Siglap Road in the interior of the island. It is thought that up to 50,000 were executed in a campaign known as Sook Ching to eliminate all the ethnic Chinese males between the ages of 16 & 60
Photo 7 The squadron Dispersal Hut with the remnants of Christmas decorations still in place !
Photo 8 Further excavations of foxholes I think at the school grounds at Katong.
Photo's 9,10,11,12 & 13 Scenes taken at Northam Military Camp north of Perth where 488 ended up for R&R before en-training across Australia to Adelaide for the final evacuation to NZ. The various weaponry shown was from a large consignment of arms and ammunition found in the hold of the Empire Star. Among the cache was Thompson Sub Machine guns and even pearl handled pistols. Bert managed to bring a Tommy gun & munition back to NZ where he eventually traded it for a set of flying boots with George Clancy. George's family had a farm at Cambridge where I believe it was used for shooting wild pigs on the farm!
The group photo's of personnel are of interest and it would be great to have names put on these guys. Well done Les - keep them coming. They are a great record of a NZ squadron at war.
Photo 1 Accommodation hut - part of a group of buildings that were on the seaward side of Kallang a good twenty minutes walk across the airfield to the work areas. Destroyed by Japanese bombing very early in the conflict.
Photo 3 Col Cameron (in the hole) and Nobby Hall during excavation of foxholes on the Kallang perimeter and put to good use when the bombing started.
Photo 5 Damage to the airfield "Dope" Store. The gun barrel alongside was part of a bizarre installation carried out by the authorities to install dummy guns around the airfield in an effort to deter the Japanese. They were received hilariously at the time by the squadron personal until someone correctly suggested that they would be more likely to attract the attention of the Japanese with renewed attacks to eliminate them. Such was the mentality of the authorities at the time.
Photo 6 This is the Telok Kurau Girls School in nearby Katong which were used as 488's billets when the original billets at Kallang in Photo 1 were destroyed by bombing. Just days after 488's departure the school was used as the base for one of the worst atrocities carried out by the Japanese Kempatai against the Chinese civilians in Singapore. Truckloads were taken away during the night and executed on the Siglap Road in the interior of the island. It is thought that up to 50,000 were executed in a campaign known as Sook Ching to eliminate all the ethnic Chinese males between the ages of 16 & 60
Photo 7 The squadron Dispersal Hut with the remnants of Christmas decorations still in place !
Photo 8 Further excavations of foxholes I think at the school grounds at Katong.
Photo's 9,10,11,12 & 13 Scenes taken at Northam Military Camp north of Perth where 488 ended up for R&R before en-training across Australia to Adelaide for the final evacuation to NZ. The various weaponry shown was from a large consignment of arms and ammunition found in the hold of the Empire Star. Among the cache was Thompson Sub Machine guns and even pearl handled pistols. Bert managed to bring a Tommy gun & munition back to NZ where he eventually traded it for a set of flying boots with George Clancy. George's family had a farm at Cambridge where I believe it was used for shooting wild pigs on the farm!
The group photo's of personnel are of interest and it would be great to have names put on these guys. Well done Les - keep them coming. They are a great record of a NZ squadron at war.