Limbang Raid

Advance to Contact

The raiding force left Brunei port after dark, sailing without lights and in silent routine. It was pitch black - no street lights  in the jungle and not much moonlight. The river was initially about 200 yards wide. Captain Moutrie had advised us  to keep close in to the left bank in order to spot the turnings we had to follow, but we rapidly discovered that the roots of mangrove trees can extend quite some way from the bank and mask the openings of tributaries -  and the closer we got  to the bank, the greater the likelihood of the canopy of trees sweeping the lookouts off the bow ramp or even taking the roof off the wheelhouse!

We bumped our way upstream. The lead boat missed the first turning and explored the handling characteristics of the lighter as he attempted to turn round in confined waters with zero astern performance. Silent routine went by the board - the lurid language of the shiphandler was quite clear over 100 yards away. The second lighter took over lead position until we judged ourselves to be about a mile short of target when both lighters pulled into the bank, literally holding on to the mangroves. Then we waited for an hour or so until the pre-dawn lightening of the sky.  Some catnapped, others tested radio communications and others, - well, have you ever tried to eat a melting chocolate bar in the pitch dark ?

The lead craft made straight for the jetty and the gunboat put covering fire into strong points on the river banks from which cross fire had been detected. Our second surprise was to hear automatic fire from the police post. Unknown to us the police armoury had contained a Bren gun and three or four automatic rifles which were now being used against us. 

Some rebels were using a concrete monsoon drain in front of the buildings as a slit trench  and managed to pin down the first Marines ashore. Two marines in the leading craft were killed and the Coxswain, Petty Officer Kirwan and Lieutenant Paddy Davis RM were wounded. Lieutenant Willis took the wheel himself and re-positioned his craft, in the process crashing into the corner of the jetty and jamming the forefoot firmly ashore. This enabled the remainder of the main force to disembark with some shelter from the boathouse and they proceeded to clear the police post.

This first phase of the engagement was brisk. A Royal Marine’s account of the action states 
“… When asked by QMS Cyril Scoins if he could pull the craft out of line to give the guns a better fire position, the Royal Navy officer aboard her replied “Sergeant Major, Nelson would have loved you” as he took his vessel into a more exposed position …”. Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Peter Waters RM was wounded in the wheelhouse of the gunboat.

The reserve section of Marines was landed and joined up with the main body to move along the riverbank to the hospital area where the hostages were being held. 

The Royal Marines’ account of the action continues “… here the rebels sprung a quick ambush and killed three Marines before fleeing. The hostages were released. A local policeman, who had hidden for five days without food or water in the roof of the rebel-held police station, had overheard them saying that they planned to kill the Europeans on the morning of the 12th …”.