Taylor JB

Corporal James Bernard Taylor (1921 - 1984) 2/9th Armoured Regiment, 9th Division

From left, the 1939-1945 Star, The Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Australian Service Medal 1939-1945, Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 (SW PACIFIC) (latter eligible as it was not until 1946 that he returned to Australia after the war for discharge - 1939-1945 star only awarded to Mum after Dad's death - he always lamented that he should have earned it, but only afterwards did the Government rectify it).

Background

The first part of these notes are based on a letter to me from my mother dated 06 September 1988, when I asked her to outline what she could remember.

"Dad belonged to a militia unit before the war and until he joined up. It was the 18th Machine Gun Regiment. A famous South Australian soldier, Col or Lt Colonel Blackburn, formed it into the 2/3 Machine Gun Regiment, which became famous as they became part of the Australian 5th division based in Singapore and all became prisoners of war when the Japanese captured Singapore. Dad would have given anything to join them, but he was just short of 20, which was the legal minimum age for joining the army (the RAN and RAAF took 18 years, but Dad was ARMY only).

"Lots put their ages on, but the Commonwealth Bank, where Dad worked, being frightfully short of men, would not agree to holding their jobs when they returned, if they did so. To add to the complications, parental signatures were also required if under 21. Dad had two close friends in Gawler, Don Barkley and Maurice Cundy (later best man). Don turned 20 3 months before Dad and his father signed. He couldn't wait for Dad. Maurice wasn't going to be 20 until May. So Don went, into the 9th Division Cavalry.

"Then the battle with Grandpa Taylor started - he just wouldn't sign. The day Maurice turned 20, he and Dad cooked up a story, went home and told their respective fathers that the other had signed. They, (Grandpa and Mr Cundy) worked together, checked up, found the boys out, but relented and both signed. So yes, the 2/9th Armoured Regiment was gearing up to form itself into active service. Dad's army number was SX13915 (S for South Australia), 2 more than Maurice on SX 13913. The man who came between them alpabetically, was drafted into a different unit and was later killed in New Guinea. (Peter: I rarely met Maurice, although I knew his brother Graham, quite well as he became the local Edwardstown Manager of the Commonwealth Bank, but I did have a good chat with Maurice at Dad's funeral in 1984.)"

So I, my sister and brother had about 2 "lives" before we were born even. Very few of Blackburn's men survived the atrocities of the Japanese in Singapore, and this made Mum, Dad and others of their generation, most of whom lost friends and relatives, so against the Japanese taking over the country, not by war, but by cunning.

There was much frustration in Dad's unit, about not getting away to fight. Several times they were ready to leave - at least twice on pre-embarkation leave, when circumstances changed, e.g. trained for the Middle East, then the Japanese came into it; found their tanks were not suited to the areas being trained for, etc. They always felt their fighting came so late that they hadn't shouldered enough of the responsibility and this is why Dad didn't think that they had earned their place in the Anzac Day march. I recall him only marching once, and that was when a large contingent came specially from interstate.

Still in Australia

I had Dad's diaries of 1943, 1944 and 1945, which show life in training in Australia leading to the major landing to come, including at time frustrations at not being involved. These diaries were scanned and at this stage because of the file sizes I have not posted them here. However they cut short on Thursday 08 March 1945, which only has the entry SHE'S ON AT LAST before going blank. In fact they embarked from Queensland to Morotai, their final stop before the landing. The 1943 and 1944 diaries are now with the AWM, but the 1945 diary is now missing, I thought I gave it to John, but neither of us can find it.

Just as background his regiment had three squadrons, each with five "Troops". Each Troop comprised three tanks. One tank had an officer with corporal. Another had a sergeant as commander. The third was commanded by a corporal. Dad was in 2 Troop of A squadron, and he was the corporal in command of the third tank.

The Australians were under the command of US General Douglas Macarthur. Australians were given responsibility for a major landing on Borneo in June 1945, while US troops landed on the same day in the Philippines. Basically 60,000 Australian troops all landed on Borneo on the one day, about 20,000 in each of three different sites. Dad was in the Labuan landing. I visited in 2004 Port Victoria Beach there where the monument states:

THE LIBERATION OF LABUAN (1945)

The landing of the Allied Forces under the command of General Douglas McArthur on the island of Labuan on 10th June 1945 led to the liberation of Labuan and British North Borneo. An operation called Oboe Six was launched by the 24th Brigade of the 9th Australian Division headed by Major General George F Wootten with the help of American and British Air and Naval Forces. The Allied Forces left Morotai Island in early June 1945 and reached Labuan on the 9th June 1945. By the 10th June 1945 Labuan was under massive bombardment by the Allied Forces and the 9th Australian Division Army landed at Port Victoria Beach. The heavy bombardment caused the devastation of Port Victoria and the surrounding area.

On 10th September 1945 Lieutenant General Masao Baba, Commander of the 37th Japanese Army, formally signed the instrument of surrender at Layang Layangan Beach before Major General George F Wootten. Labuan became the first British Colony to be liberated from the Japanese, a few months ahead of Malaya. Labuan was placed under British Military Administration (BMA) before being made a colony of British North Borneo on 18 July 1946.

I have found Dad was able to write a diary of the landing on 10 June and events for a few days after. Of A Squadron, 5 Troop was transferred to B Squadron while Dad's 2 Troop was assigned to divisional reserve, held in backup for an extra day aboard an American ship before landing the following day. Various tanks were assigned to various infantry regiments for further engagements in future days. In fact Dad's 2 Troop was attached to the 2/32nd infantry batallion for the invasion of Weston, near Beaufort, in what is now Sabah. Dad was able to diarise this and his notes are below. I have been able to get further details of these engagements from the Australian War Memorial, which show maps, etc of where everyone was. I presume, but may be wrong, that "picquet" is a term for watch duty.

Morotai to Brunei Bay

Squadron split up for the big show. 5 Troop to B squadron 2 Troop (us) to Div Reserve. Loaded ourselves on to LSM 133 and so said good bye to boys of other troops for time being. Very comfortable on this craft and my crew slept first 3 nights on weather deck forward. Pulled out into bay to await sailing orders. Only our troop and some M/M amd M/Gs on this craft. Got drenched on 2nd night. Becky and I volunteered to work every other night in ship’s galley helping with bread and general cooking (watch).

Sailed then slept remainder of trip on stretcher slung on front of tank. Boat rolled very badly at times but never felt sick although Jock and Lothar had bad voyage. Stand to each night but not in morning. Played cards each night and read. Made good friends with some of Yank sailors who were a good crowd. Meals were very good as Yanks mixed their tucker with ours, so lived pretty well.

Got cigars, cigarettes and gum by trading papers, coins, etc. A great change to be able to get around stripped off.

Route – Palawan, Zamboango (Mindanao), Brunei Bay.

Struck several heavy storms. Looked over ship’s equipment.

Sunday 10 June

Awoke early, everyone tense. Cloudy morning and first we saw was lone Jap Frances bomber that dropped egg about 200y off our bow and got away.

Bombardment from cruisers, destroyers, etc opened up at 0805 followed by planes. No news of landing for 2 days as we stood at Sugar off Labuan waiting debarkation. Mounted a Q-boat watch for 2 nights and only saw smoke arising on horizon.

Saw Westralia and Manoora also Dimboola in convoy and cruiser Hobart.

Tuesday 12 June

Landed on Brown Beach – personnel only. Marched about ½ mile along beach and made camp 100y from beach at Ramsay Point near water point. Left with drivers to return to LSM for added rations. Hard job – LCVP. Guests of crew – sleep in TQ. Ate with Yanks. Air raid.

Wednesday 13 June

Got ashore by LCVP, LCM, LST and duck. Erected 2 man humpy in area with Cliff Gould. Picquet – plenty of shooting during night. Good swimming – tarry bottom.

Thursday 14 June

Visited Victoria Town – razed to ground. Souvenirs from wrecked houses. Another swim.

Friday 15 June

Traded with natives at compound. Jap money. Shifted opposite compound. Tanks ashore. 7/7 and 6/D with us. Briefed for stunt. Paid in S/S. Picquet – pictures in area.

Saturday 16 June

Rose early and deep water proofed. Left Labuan at 2 and loaded on LCM 27. Finally tied up with assault force near lighthouse isle. Had a swim. Erected stretcher on barge.

Sunday 17 June

Left Labuan at 0300 for invasion of Weston. Navy escort of cruisers and gunboats, 2/32 Battalion (Lt Fromm) our Troop and flame throwers. Crossed Brunei Bay and silently approached expecting barrage to open up. Infantry landed – no opposition. My tank first ashore at railway pier – dozer tore up line. Only got 100y and bogged making turn. Took several hours to extricate. Light opposition so Troop camped on railway station and settled in 1 picquet on.

Monday 18 June

De-waterproofed and settled in. Little opposition ahead. Helped build road over line with engineers. Terrible area – under water smelly bomb craters. Arty [artillery?] opened up nearly all day and all night. Aust and Jap ammo found nearby. Several casualties up at Ringkungan. Regular customer at RAP with skin rash. Many prisoners brought in at odd times.

Had to go 1½ (?) for water. Transfer from jeep into trolley and push. 28 [2/28 I suppose] relieved 32 [2/32]. Perimeter picquet alternate nights in native huts over water with two LMGs. Leaky roof.

Cooking done by crews in turn with ABL rations 902. Arty replaced by mortar troop as push made up Padas to Beaufort.

Plane dropped one bomb. Native compound established by BBCAU. Did plenty of trading.

Saturday 30 June

Went for patrol in native canoe to a village 2 miles south 11 in boat. Introduced to Chief. Distributed biscuits. Played bridge in pm. Picquet 3 – 5 at night. Storm broke and got very wet.

Sunday 1 July

Got wet through during night – little sleep. Slept in morning. Read and cooked tea. Rain set in at tea time. Attended church – padre major. Tent well under water.

Monday 2 July

Went for a monkey hunt with “Mahomet” – 2 canoes. Croc – no monkey. Panic to move to Memapukal. Lt and Sgt left. My tank until LCM unloaded LST. Backed down to end of pier. Slipped off barge. Towed native canoe past perimeter.

Tuesday 3 July

Loaded tank first light. Picked up wounded Jap prisoner from canoe at Sipatang. Arrived Mem at 11. Beautiful area in c/pl. Went for swim. Rear HQ sqn in area. Sat on wharf. Sing song to guitar.

Wednesday 4 July

Left with Champ and Moyser for Labuan. Toured island. Air strip – John. Dinner at BBCAU. Spent afternoon looking for transport back without success. So visited B squadron and had tea with George. Saw pictures at Yank boat squadron area. 3 of us slept in a duck.

Thursday 5 July

Caught courier at 8 back to Mem. Arrived at 9. Showered and then went fishing in hired native canoe to nearby island. Rest of Troop on working party. No fish. Gordon Smith (?).

Friday 06 July

Caught courier to Weston with Gordon Smith to show him about and also to collect some Jap 44 gallon drums. Cold – slept barge. Cold. Returned in time for tea. 5 troop and B squadron personnel arrived here. Chatted with Joe Moore.

Saturday 07 July

Big mail at last.

(The diary stops here. They remained for several months before being able to return home, but I assume it was a boring time in a secured area, with the war virtually over by this time.)