Commando Edition 17 2023

The tanker was burning fiercely at dawn [27
September] – at 1800 hours the fire appeared to be
under control.
No.2 Canoe: Lieut. Davidson/AB Falls
Entered Keppel Harbour through the boom but did
not locate suitable targets on the East and Main
Wharves. Subsequently launched successful attacks on
two 3 island type (sic) and one engine aft freighter
averaging 5000 tons at anchor in the Western end of
Singapore roads.
No observed results.
No.3 Canoe: Lieut. Page/ AB Jones
Successfully attacked a 4000 ton 3 island freighter
at Bukum Wharf, a similar vessel at a buoy off Bukum
and a 4000 tonner of the engines aft type in the
Examination Anchorage.
At 1430 the 3 island freighter off Bukum was seen
to have sunk by the stern and be lying with her bows
clear of the water.”
Identification of shipping prior to the attack was
made from Pulau Dongas and Pulau Subar using a
powerful telescope and referring to ONI-208J
Japanese Merchant Ship Recognition Manual. A
combination of this and observation during the attack
allowed the following to be tentatively identified:
Ship 4: Cargo ship, engines aft, cruiser stern, raked
bow, possible 2 decks, unclear if kingposts, in ballast,
identity not matching any ship in ONI 208J.
Ship 5: Cargo ship, 3 island, straight bow, counter
stern, tall thin funnel, in ballast, blacked out.
(Alongside wharf at Bukum).
Ship 6: Cargo Ship, Engines aft, raked bow, stern
unseen, 3 kingposts, grey/black hull, medium size
squat funnel.
Ship 7: Cargo ship 3 island, straight bow, counter
stern.
Note that the number of engine aft cargo ships
claimed sunk by Davidson/Falls (2 vessels) differs from
the number shown in the summary above (1 vessel).
Also note that the description of cargo ships isn’t
necessarily correct as will be explored further.
Four of the raiding party (Canoes 1 and 3) retired to
Pulau Dongas after the attack (Canoe 2 retired to
north-eastern Batam Island) from where they heard
from 5am on the 27 th a total of seven explosions.
Davidson and Falls in Canoe No.2 who were further
east heard a total of 6 explosions.
A diagram showing the attack is as follows:
Taken from the same report, the detailed
description of each ships appearance is as follows
(refer first column above for requisite ship number):
Ship 1: Tanker, cruiser stern, raked bow, upright
squat funnel, dull grey colour with blue and white
camouflaged bridge, no guns seen, 2 masts, aft one
forward of funnel, kingposts abaft bridge.
Ship 2: Cargo ship, 3 island, cruiser stern, straight
bow, split structure amidships, heavily laden apparently
ready to depart.
Ship 3: Cargo ship, engines aft, cruiser stern,
straight bow, large bridge, 3 kingposts, 2 with masts on
top, grey colour overall with lighter grey band on
funnel, ventilators abaft funnel, modern appearance,
heavily laden.
Singapore in 1943
At the time of the raid Singapore was a very
different port to its peacetime operations. Private com -
mercial sea-trade had largely ceased with the city
subordinated to the Japanese war effort. As a major
arterial hub large quantities of war supplies were
brought in for on-shipment, primarily to Burma. Major
exports included bauxite - from nearby Bintan Island in
what is now Indonesia, and Batu Pahat in what is now
Malaysia - that was shipped to Japan primarily to be
turned into aluminum for aircraft production. Tin,
rubber, lead, looted consumer durables and scrap also
constituted significant exports to Japan at this time.
The biggest export however was oil and this was
undertaken from an island off Singapore (Pulau
Bukum). The Imperial Japanese Army controlled
refineries in Sumatra at Palembang and oil ports at
COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 17 I 2023 27