Page 23 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 61

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Borneo from Sandakan to Ranau which resulted
in the deaths of 2,434 Allied POW’s, mainly
Australian. Only 3 men are known to have survived
these marches.
Post war the Australians held 16 War Crimes
trials on the island.
We left Labuan after 5 nights and headed to our
favourite destination in the Far East, Singapore, my
first posting after 3 years on the RD Staff at the
Depot back in 69. Our usual hotel out at Changi
village was still being used as a Covid isolation
facility, so we moved into the City near to the Bugis
District. A very changed district from the British
Military’s time here!
We have visited Kranji many times over the
years, my first visit being in 1970. Many changes
have taken place in Singapore since then, but the
the TBRC. A journey a thought provoking and 5946198 Sjt W Wood CWGC site remains unchanged and the work of
emotional journey ensued. Army Catering Corps the gardeners and staff a delight to see.
Died 10th June 1945
In addition we also followed the journey of the This cemetery gets many visitors including
– Kanchanaburi War
Grandfather of a very good friend of ours who was schools and the Singapore Armed Forces, who
Cemetery, Thailand –
fortunate to survive the horrors that others suc- 8th November 2022 bring their recruits here as part of their training and
cumbed to, including witnessing a massacre by the history of events during World War Two.
Japanese of his comrades! We paid our respects to the 4 men with known
On departing Thailand we headed to Kuala graves and the 17 men commemorated on the
Lumpur for some more WW2 history and visited Singapore Memorial.
the Cheras Road Military Cemetery. No ACC in There are two Post War ACC graves also in a
here from WW2, but 3 Post War Corps casualties seperate area of the main cemetery.
from the Malayan Emergency, 1948 – 1960. Each Our thanks to the ACC Association for kindly
man was visited along with former ACC WO1 donating the 4 wreaths that were laid on its behalf
Frank Goldsmith’s brother,19043523 Driver Oliver in Thailand, Labuan and Singapore.
Arthur Goldsmith Royal Army Service Corps, It was a long month of travelling, but the rewards
Killed when Douglas Dakota KN630 crashed near were very much worth the time visiting these places
Kampung Jendera on 25th August 1950. and hopefully we will return to Singapore in 2024.
We also visited the Batu Caves which were used
Postscript:
as a shelter and first aid post to the retreating Allied
Since arriving back home I have managed to get hold
Armies following the Japanese invasion of Malaya.
of a copy of, “The War Diaries of Weary Dunlop” by E
Word of warning! Make sure you’re fit enough
E Dunlop CMG, OBE, KSJ, MS, FRCS, FRACS,
to tackle the 272 steep steps to the top! Tom and I
FACS,D.Sc Punjabi (Hon).
completed our BFT for 2022!
Weary was one of the heroic surgeons of the TBR
We stayed in KL for 5 nights before moving
who on the 21st March 1944 performed a skin graft
on to Labuan, once a British Garrison and nearly
in Chungkai, on 10630177 Pte G Oliphant ACC who
a Posting for me back in 1964, before a Posting to
was attached to the 1/5 Sherwood Foresters. The graft
the Depot came along for 3 years on Regimental
was successful, which is all the more amazing consider-
Duties. The island is smaller than the Isle of Wight,
ing the conditions with which it was carried out.
35 square miles, and I’m sure I’d have gone stir
crazy there if the Depot hadn’t called!
The CWG Cemetery and Memorial was not far
from our hotel and in walking distance, despite the
heat which was in the low 30’s C. We relaxed in
the hotel area for a couple of days before visiting
and laid a Corps wreath on the Cross of Sacrifice
and individual crosses on the 2 graves of our Corps
fallen along with an AACC soldier remembered on
the Memorial Columns, they lie with 3898 other
fallen from WW2, mostly Prisoners of War, in this
84877 LCpl G H Collins
the largest war cemetery in Malaysia.
Army Catering Corps Died
Our hotel, the Tiara Labuan, had a memorial
22nd November 1944
to the men who died on the Sandakan Death – Labuan War Cemetery –
Marches these were a series of forced marches in 23rd November 2022
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