on Radji Beach, a fisherman whose grandparents                    witnessed the massacre and helped bury the dead

British Army and Parade Ground Singapore

A plaque at the Parade Ground Singapore

I also enjoyed spending time with my brother and sisters on Bangka Island.  Since leaving Indonesia I travelled in Cambodia for a month  and have just recently returned home.  Now I have time to look at the photos again and tell our story to family and friends.

Although our visit to Muntok  was only one week we were able to glimpse an important  time in our aunt’s life.   We reread segments of her diary as we stood on the very ground that she stood on as a captive.    I have come away with a much greater respect for her and her stoic and determined fellow POW’s.

 The last day of my holiday was spent in Singapore and as I wandered  about on Sentosa Island, which is now a huge fun park, I discovered the old British Army Barracks and parade grounds.   The gurkkas were based here so it is quite probable that Australian officers were also here.   I am sure that our aunt  would have socialised with many of them,  perhaps even nursed some. 

If only their defences had been superior, the rest of the story may have been quite different.