When Radio Didn't Work
By
Dave (Syd) Morris
Radio
Operator (Tactical) on H.M.S. Dartington 62-64
Following the quelling of the Brunei Rebellion the confrontation with Indonesia escalated to the whole of North Borneo and early in 1963 the ships of the 6th Minesweeping Squadron reverted to Borneo Patrol with Kuching on the River Sarawak as their operating base.
The usual routine was for one ship to be out at sea on patrol with the other in Kuching for rest and resupply etc. The hand over of the patrol usually took place at sea clear of the mouth of the River Sarawak, off the headland called Tanjong Po. However there was one occasion when Dartington was traveling up river in the early hours of a Sunday morning when round a bend ahead suddenly appeared another sweeper heading down river. Only myself and the First Lieutenant, Patrick Barton Rowe, were on the bridge. He was a very smooth and cool customer and as we generally operated in radio silence he immediately instructed me to flash to the other ship simply `Ca va?' That was it and with a wave to each other passed without hesitating and continued on our separate ways. Very laid back!
Whenever we met another sweeper in the open seas we usually carried out a `bump' transfer. This entailed going alongside each other and steaming along at about 8 knots on a steady course. We would all nip back and forth between the ships to see friends and colleagues and, if the time was right, strangle each other's tots. A general broadcast on each ship prior to breaking away always gave warning of the ships parting and invited us to return to our own ships. The last thing we had to do was to make sure that the dogs where on the right ships. If we did a heaving line transfer, then the most important items transferred were in a sealed classified bag, Captain to Captain, and these were usually the latest James Bond novel and Playboy magazine.
We occasionally rendezvoused with larger units of the fleet to replenish fuel, stores and supplies but we tended not to linger in the company of the big boys - the real navy! Serving in the sweepers of the 6th was like being in a private navy and on these occasions we took great pleasure in dressing in outlandish `pirate' rig to make a point to the correctly dressed officers and ship's company of the `big brother'. I'm sure the ships' companies of these larger ships looked upon us with a certain amount of envy.
When proceeding up the River Sarawak we first came to a small fuel jetty where we always stopped to refuel before carrying on up river to Kuching. When we were on patrol we invariably ended up on emergency food rations and reached our limit on fuel reserves. By fueling on the way up river we were then ready to respond to any operational requirement without delay. It was quite a long steam up river to Kuching. The river was narrow so speed was limited and was normally only negotiated in daylight.
During one patrol period we were usually relieved p.m. on a Saturday. By the time we had reached the fuel jetty and completed fueling it was too dark to continue up river so we would stay there the night. We would show a movie on the forecastle but at this jetty we were always plagued by swarms of flying insects. At first light the next morning (Sunday) we would slip and continue up river with just special sea dutymen closed up. Before reaching Kuching we would pass a large concrete jetty, which we only ever berthed at once. I assume it was considered insecure, as it was quite a way out of the town. On the one occasion we berthed there, some of us, including myself, were late and didn't get back onboard until after curfew. This was because the taxi driver got lost, but this wasn't accepted as mitigation when we were all charged with absence over leave. On arrival in Kuching we normally berthed at the town jetty, a large wooden affair with warehouse buildings separating it from the town square and open market. The market was excellent with good food and drink stalls.
My first visit to Kuching was on anti-piracy patrol in November 62, before the troubles started. It was a magical place then. No British forces, no curfew, everything relatively cheap and of course safe. Once the troubles started the place changed drastically with a continual build up of British forces and strictly enforced curfews. On my last visit there, possibly in early 64, the place was buzzing, crowded with servicemen and red caps on every corner. Not so much fun.
If we were late in ordering our food, usually fried prawns, in the open market and it was getting close to curfew we would pay the stallholder an extra dollar for the plate and would take the food back onboard. This would be placed in the mess deck fridge and then the next day taken out and given a quick dip in the deep fat fryer before being eaten. The market place was another cause of my incurring the wrath of the disciplinary system. A group of us, including junior officers, lingered too long waiting for our food and although only a matter of yards away from the ship arrived back onboard a minute or two adrift. The midshipman who was Officer of the Watch reported us all. I seem to remember that he himself had for some reason just finished a period of stoppage of leave (could he have been the one who lost his boat in an operation near Brunei? - that's another story) and was not too happy about being on duty on his first free day. I was the most junior of the group charged and the Captain made reference to this when I stood in front of him for investigation. As I had been absent over leave not long before and as we were adrift over curfew the charge was complicated, not as straightforward as usual, something like `a repeated aggravated offence'. However, the C.O. pointed out that being in the company of senior people made no difference and I was found guilty, which left him with a dilemma. The last time he had awarded me 14 days number 9 punishment (stoppage of leave and pay, and extra duties) and that apparently was the maximum within his power. This offence should have carried a `warrant punishment', referred to a senior officer, which the captain was loath to do. In his inimitable manner he suggested a compromise; he would indicate mitigating circumstances and record my punishment as 14 days, whereas I would actually do 21 days. My part of the ship and the mast got a lot of paint in the next 3 weeks!
Once we arrived in Kuching on the Sunday morning we could normally relax at last - store ship and give leave. Unfortunately we sometimes had to sail the same day to clear the river before dark in order to take over patrol again. This meant only limited leave to each watch, perhaps only a few hours.
One Sunday morning, some time in the first half of 1963, whilst alongside in Kuching I was duty and had the forenoon watch as quartermaster on the gangway. We received a signal saying that the authorities had a report that 70 Indonesians had crossed the border and attacked a small coastal village. The signal instructed us to embark an army unit and proceed up the coast to land them so they could investigate the alleged attack. There was a problem, as we had some liberty men ashore and someone had to go and find them and instruct them to return onboard. I immediately volunteered my services as I was correctly dressed in whites for going ashore, I knew all the likely haunts and who I was looking for. The First Lieutenant and Coxswain had a brief discussion and I was duly despatched ashore with a nominal list of those who were ashore, all junior rates. This was good news for me as I was under stoppage of leave following my last indiscretion and this would give me the chance for a run ashore and perhaps a couple of wets. Run ashore was the operative term as we were on a tight schedule and I had to find everyone very quickly. I actually found them all in good time, with only one of them saying, "You haven't seen me" as he disappeared out of the door. After we had sailed he presented himself to an army unit and had a couple of quiet days.
When I got back to the ship the army personnel were just completing embarkation and we were nearly ready to sail. The embarked force consisted of 12 Sarawak Rangers, commanded by a British major and a British officer plus 6 soldiers who I am certain were from the Irish Hussars. We were told that the Sarawak Rangers were the local police, jungle warfare trained. Some 35 years later whilst reading the history of the SAS I learnt that they had been formed during the Malayan Emergency as an indigenous section of the SAS. As we steamed up the coast towards the border the embarked force prepared their weapons. They were all well armed and the Rangers had distinctive short barrel rifles with an attachment on the end, which we were told was an anti-flash device. The plan was to land the group the opposite side of a headland from the allegedly attacked village to retain the element of surprise.
En route to the landing point I was summoned to the bridge to be informed by the C.O. (Lt Cdr Marks) that the army's portable radios were not working and our Radio Electric Mechanic was unable to repair them. I wasn't sure why I was being told this until the Captain explained that the force needed some means of communicating with the ship. The only solution was for me to land with the group with an aldis signal lamp and battery. I was instructed to prepare the equipment and myself accordingly and report back to the bridge.
Still somewhat bemused and quite excited I changed into jungle greens and jungle boots, drew ration packs and prepared the aldis and a fully charged battery. On reporting back to the Captain that all was ready he told me to go and see the Gunnery Officer in the Ships Office to collect my weapon. I hadn't thought of this.
On reporting to the G.O. he gave me a revolver and 6 rounds. I explained that there were 70 Indonesian rebels out there and that the army group were armed to the teeth. He was quite nonplussed, instructing me to sign for the revolver and ammunition, insisting that I take all the bullets back and return them to him. However, that wasn't all that I was to be armed with, I also had a secret weapon - a Very pistol and three different coloured flares - my own surface to surface/surface to air missile system! The aldis lamp came in a wooden box with a webbing carrying strap and the 6-volt battery also had a strap. Neither was exceptionally heavy but together they were quite cumbersome to transport.
It was raining heavily when we arrived at the disembarkation point and we were transported ashore by a number of commandeered fishermen and fishing dugouts. Once ashore we took over a native house where everyone checked and cleaned their weapons and engaged in another old British army custom; we had a cup of tea. Whilst preparing ourselves for our trek to the attacked village the officer with the Sarawak Rangers approached me and very politely asked if he could test the weight of the lamp and battery. Having done so he suggested that he get one of his men to carry them for me. "I'm sure you could manage" he said "But my chaps are used to carrying weight and the going might be a bit rough." I had no hesitation in accepting his generous offer. He called one of his men over and told me that if I needed the signalling equipment all I had to do was call `lampo' but this was never necessary, as the Ranger was never very far from me for the rest of our time together. I found this very reassuring. Before we set out I was given a briefing about trekking through the jungle in single file and this included the hand signals that may be used to pass information back and forth along the line. I was to be near the end of the line but of course not tail end Charlie.
The track we started on was quite substantial, wide and firm based with high growth on either side but not too dense. I was caught out when everyone disappeared into the undergrowth, I hadn't been told the signal for that but on later occasions managed to keep up with the rest of the group. Whenever we approached signs of habitation two Rangers, NCO plus one, would investigate whilst the rest of us hung back at a safe distance. The track broke out of the overgrown area to cross the centre of a large open space with waist high vegetation on either side of us. From here the track led onto the beach and we turned left to head along the coast to the village. Whilst we proceeded cautiously along the beach we walked in zigzag formation `in case of strafing aircraft'! Soon we sighted the village and whilst some distance from it the Rangers went ahead to investigate whilst the rest of us stayed back. They soon established that there was no Indonesian presence in the village or the immediate area, nor had there ever been. The villagers were surprised to see us and said that the first they had heard of the alleged raid was when they heard a report on the local radio.
By this time the ship had appeared round the headland and was lying a short distance off the beach so we signalled a sitrep. While discussion was taking place about our next move the ship flashed us up to say that a local fisherman had paddled out to the ship and told them that it was his brother who had informed the authorities of the Indonesian attack. When questioned he willingly informed the ship that his brother was in his village further along the coast. We therefore made our way back up the beach, in zigzag formation of course, to interrogate the man. Passing the point where we had first reached the beach we carried on to the next village where the informant was soon identified. After some interrogation he was taken into custody and whilst the Rangers took him away to collect some personal belongings we checked out the rest of the village. We discovered that the village shop sold bottles of Tiger beer so we were able to get some refreshment. Once the man was in custody we returned by our previous route to the point where we had disembarked from the ship, still maintaining zigzag formation whilst on the beach. We arrived back onboard without incident and returned to Kuching where the army personnel and their prisoner were landed. We later learnt that he been given a prison sentence for `spreading alarm and despondency', something of an anti-climax really.
Looking back on the event I have to remind myself that it was a potentially dangerous situation and there was a real risk. We were definitely expecting to encounter and engage a substantial force of hostile Indonesians, a group that was regularly killing people during confrontation operations. Mind you, it's probably just as well that we didn't come across them, as they wouldn't have stood a chance against my Very pistol and 3 flares!
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