(Continued from page 1) She told me, by the by, how the Catholic Bishop of Singapore had offered hospitality to refugees. "From what I heard and saw, priests throughout Malaya during the campaign gave a splendid example."
During the fierce fighting following the breaching of the Jahore Causeway and the main assault on the island, my friend was able to obtain a crow's-nest view of the blazing battle area from the huge Cathay building. " Some of the soldiers were bitter, most were depressed, We all saw how useless it was without protecting planes."
"A last point," / said. " Had you any trouble in boarding a boat to take you off?"
" There could have been. Seaevacuation—I found—was organised so that if you knew someone who knew someone else who had the influence you were pretty sure of a place. Had I any trouble? Well, two or three of us got hold of a sampan and made for the horizon beyond the harbour. We had spotted smoke, and where there's smoke at sea there's a ship . . . and here I am."