St Francis Gorton Honour Roll

Royal Army Chaplains Department
14th January 1940
Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class
Rev Aidan Jackson

26511 Jackson Septimus A capt 108267 A ( for Army ) captured 15/2/42 liberated 2/9/45 Camp MA
STET     Jackson Septimus Aidan 1/930 Captain RAChD Priest ..... crossed out in red but next to that is 1/930 ( I think it says) Overland 25/6/43 Ret'd Cha Dec 43
So does this mean he was at Changi ?? Yes ! it does .... from his liberation questionnaire .......

Number: 108627   Rank: Captain (chaplain)   Surname: Jackson
Christian Names: Septimus Aidan   Unit: RACD Att 125 Anti Tank Regiment 18th Div
DOB: 13-2-1909       DOE: 14-1-1940
Private Address and Telephone Number: The Friary, London, E7    Gta 3900
Place and Date of Capture: 15-2-1942     Singapore

Civil General Hospital, Singapore      15/2/42 - 18/2/42   Blank
Fullerton Buildings, Singapore         18/2/42 - 9/3/42   Lt Col Middleton RAMC
Changi, Singapore            9/3/42 - 25/4/42   Lt Gen Percival
River Valley Road, Singapore         25/4/42 - 5/8/42   Lt Col Preston
Changi, Singapore            5/8/42 - 25/4/43   CS1 Holmes
Tamura Pak, Thailand            7/6/43 - 25/9/42   Capt Wood SSVF
Kanchanaburi, Thailand)            25/9/43 - 18/12/43   Blank
Changi, Singapore            22/12/43 - 5/5/45   Lt Col Newey SSVF
Krangi, Singapore            5/5/45 - 15/9/45   Maj Bradshaw RA

( There are no other answers to the standard form asking if you'd been involved in any escape attempts, do you know anyone who has, who is in the escape committee, did you assist by helping to reduce the enemy's war capacity and did you see anything that may constitute illegal activity ? )

The Singapore Voyage

The Empress of Asia, after embarking troops, sailed from Liverpool for Africa on November 12th, 1941, on what was to become the ship’s final voyage.  Freetown was reached on November 26th, 1941, and while en route to Capetown the attack on Pearl harbour occurred, expanding the war into the Asia and the Pacific.  Christmas Day was spent at Durban where orders were received to disembark the troops on board and to proceed to Bombay.

Bombay was reached on January 15th, 1942 and the Empress of Asia embarked 2200 troops and sailed for Singapore on January 23rd, 1942.

On February 4th, 1942 the ship, as part of a convoy that included the FELIX ROUSSEL, PLANCIUS, DEVONSHIRE, and the CITY OF CANTERBURY and led by H.M.S. EXETER, was attacked in Banka Straits by an aircraft formation.  However no direct hits were encountered.

The next day, February 5th, 1942, another aerial bombardment occurred that resulted in several direct hits that soon set the mid-section of the ship ablaze.  The ship was subsequently anchored and abandoned.

Many ships came to the rescue of the crew and passengers of the Empress of Asia and were responsible for greatly reducing loss of life.  These vessels included the H.M.A.S. BENDIGO, H.M.A.S. WOLLONGONG, H.M.A.S. YARRA, H.M.S. DANAE, and H.M.I.S. SUTLEJ.  The H.M.A.S. YARRA, under the command of Lieutenant Commander W.H. Harrington RAN, was particularly prominent in rescue, pulling along side the burning ship and taking off over a thousand survivors.  Harrington drew attention to the courageous conduct of one YARRA sailor, Leading Seaman Ronald Taylor.
As the Empress of Asia lay anchored and burning off Sultan Shoal, the crew and military personnel who were on board as passengers were recovered and taken to Singapore.

War Diary 125TH ANTI-TANK REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY

After an uneventful night, the morning of the never-to-be-forgotten 5th February duly arrived. Away on the horizon, dead ahead, was a black smudge which everyone thought was a cloud - we later found that it was Singapore with a pall of black smoke hanging over it. Arrangements made for the stacking of kits, and withdrawal of the remaining arms and ammunition from the armoury were progressing excellently when the warning sounded again. With the experience of the previous day still fresh in our minds no time was wasted and within 2½ minutes everyone was at Action Stations. Again we saw a formation of 27 planes, this time traveling away from us towards the island. The warning had been given by our own ship, not by the escort vessel, and after a few minutes, as nothing happened, the 'all clear' was given from the bridge. Within four minutes the A.A. guns of our escort opened fire, and, without waiting to hear any further warning from our own ship, everyone was back at Action Stations. This time there was no mistaking the intention of the planes. From the formation, aircraft were seen to peel off ringed by the bursts of A.A. fire. The channel through which we were passing was fairly narrow, and the depth of water did not allow ships of deep draught to swing - consequently we had to carry on and hope for the best.

The FELIX ROUSSEL was the first ship to receive a direct hit and was soon on fire. Luckily, a second direct hit landed in a water tank which burst and the rush of the escaping water put out the flames. Then it was our turn. The curtain of fire from the Asia must have been intensive and the first wave of aircraft dropped their load all wide of the ship. With a roar they passed over our heads followed by a second wave almost on their tail. Columns of water spouted all round the ship, but still we were untouched. Then a single plane appeared from out of the blue. For a second we were able to see a bomb released from the aircraft and then all we could hear above the din from our own guns was that long swish-sh-sh getting louder and louder and ending with a sickening thud. The bomb had passed over the bridge, through the roof of the Officers' Lounge and exploded somewhere below. Fourteen officers were collected in the lounge at the time and in a flash a scorching, searing flame which removed hair and eyebrows filled the room, followed by dense fumes which made the smoke laden atmosphere too hot to breathe. Tin hats, water-bottles and haversacks were torn from the officers' bodies by the suction created by the bursting bomb. Amidst the smoke, those who were able fumbled their way to the boat deck, there to gulp fresh air into their lungs. One officer of the Regiment was killed, and two were seriously injured.

At this stage the enemy bombers turned their attention to our escort, H.M.S. Exeter, but by skillful manoeuvring and intense A.A. fire, no hits were registered and again the attack was switched to the Asia. Magazine after magazine was emptied as our men stood up to their first real encounter with the enemy - each man an example to his neighbour, but by this time the fire had got a real hold on the tinder-dry woodwork and the 'fiddley deck', where the guns were sited, was enveloped in smoke which made it impossible to see more than a few yards. More planes came over and further bombs made hits on the ship. Meanwhile the party of volunteer stokers had proceeded to 'A' deck aft, amidst the wreckage of cabins and bathrooms. They ran out a hose, but on turning the cock all they were able to get was a mere trickle of water. Had the circumstances not been so serious we could have appreciated the humour of the situation. If only water had been available, the story might have been different, but for some unknown reason, probably damage done below by the explosion, all pumps ceased to function from the time the first bomb landed on the ship.

Meanwhile Medical Officers and First Aid parties were doing wonderful work in the hospital and at various first-aid points throughout the ship. The hospital was cut off and the M.O. in charge had to evacuate his patients by pushing them through the portholes into the sea. Down in the mess decks, troops, under responsible officers, were sitting at their mess tables well below the water line, singing and joking. Their lot was by no means an enviable one, shut off from everything except the noise of the guns, and with no idea of what was happening above, yet there was not a single suggestion of panic.

The ship was burning furiously and although the Captain did his utmost to prevent the flames from spreading by swinging as much as he dare, it soon became quite evident that unless a miracle happened the Asia would soon be burning from end to end. The bridge was burnt out and the Colonel had joined the Captain on the flying bridge, but soon even this position had to be abandoned and the senior officers who had gathered there climbed down a rope to the forward well-deck.

The atmosphere between decks was by this time unbearable. Instead of fresh air being drawn into the ship, smoke was circulating, and it became absolutely necessary to order all men up on deck. The Asia was virtually cut in two, with about 90% of the Regiment forward. The Colonel was an inspiration to all, standing on a bollard giving orders as though on parade, whilst aircraft still flew overhead. Ropes were lowered, rafts slung overboard and everything possible done in readiness for the order which we knew must follow very soon. The deck was almost too hot to stand on when, with the help of the men, the Captain lowered first one anchor and then the other. At approximately 1.0 p.m. the order 'Abandon ship' was given. Those who were able to swim were ordered to leave first, and within about twenty minutes everyone except the Captain, the Colonel, the S.M.O., the ship's Chief Officer and Padre Jackson were clear of the ship.

http://www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/armedforces_125th.htm

Father Aidan was in Changi Jail - spending his time hauling food supplies on engine-less lorries - the motive force being - man power on a ropes end !
Years of frugal living stood him in good stead - until a minor operation was necessary and faulty serum used for the spinal anesthetic - led to meningitis.
He survived this initial illness - to set out on Easter Sunday 1943 for Siam and it's terrible railway - 34 men to a truck with one stop a day until the following Thursday - ensured that dysentery was rife and hardly a man fit for the inevitable forced marches which followed.
From April to November he toiled on that infamous track living in a camp not far from Three Pagodas Pass until the force was so exhausted that the Japanese withdrew it as being practically useless.
Sand fly fever, starvation, malaria, dysentery, scabies, and the rest were their daily torture - but Father Aidan says little of it ........ preferring to chuckle over the occasion when he and his fellow POW's managed to rustle three emaciated bullocks from a herd destined for the Japanese forward troops - the animals were hacked to pieces in the jungle - every man landing up with about 2 lbs of meat !
" After our diet of unending rice - it made us all very ill but it was wonderful while it lasted "

Despite the lack of adequate food and medicine, the hard physical work and the cruelty of the Japanese, Father Aidan held services whenever he could. One day over 100 men attended. It is alleged that a prisoner died for every sleeper of the 350 miles of track.

An early arrival back at the camp at Kamburi where the men of his force were assembling - he was in time to bury the 4th of them there - he remained only one month but by the end of that period there were 800 graves ......... not lightly was it named - the Railway of Death
By Christmas 1943 he was back in Singapore - " wonderful after the railway " !! and then worked in Changi hospital on the main road to the Causeway - until on a night in August - an illegal short wave radio told of some strange bomb which had dropped on Japan ... a week later they were free !

In October 1945 Father Aidan docked at Liverpool and within hours was back at his friary ... his uniform laid aside for ever !
The stroke of a pen made over to the order - the sum of 1100 pounds - back pay due to him while a prisoner ....... and once more he was a friar !
Was it a difficult transition ? " just like moving from one chair to another "  came the reply  " though I never regret being a prisoner - it has I think - given me tolerance and understanding and I was certainly able to do more for others as a POW than ever I could have done as a free agent "

There is no doubt that in the most appalling conditions imaginable, many men were sustained by the devoted work of Father Aidan and yet he never said a critical word of the Japanese.  Truly a wonderful man.

http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Overviews/japaneseinvasionmalaya.html

Snippet ..... I talked to the nephew of Father Aidan - who recalled as a boy - the family's concern when he was captured - he also remembered months later - a 25-word postcard arriving one day  - carefully giving them news of his health, saying mass etc. Then he came home and during his leave made their home his base. He would suffer from violent fevers - malaria - and his mother would nurse him - something Father Aidan did not mention when asked about his experiences. 

Snippet ..... Fr Aidan was the Guardian at Gorton for the Centenary of the Gorton Monastery 1861 - 1961 and he wrote the Foreward for the Centenary Booklet - this booklet told briefly the story of the century that, the Franciscans had been in Gorton. He was one of the many hundreds of Franciscans who had lived in the Friary and served the Church and people of Gorton.

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Please check the Photo Gallery .... there may be a photograph of "our" priest or his headstone there !