Traitor of Singapore

[Kyt]

Does anybody know anything about Captain Patrick Heenan, the so-called Traitor of Singapore, who passed on details to the Japanese?

Did a google search, but can only find snippets and hearsay. The book on him on Amazon seems to have received bad reviews, so can anybody point to any decent information.

[spidge]

Originally Posted by Kyt

Does anybody know anything about Captain Patrick Heenan, the so-called Traitor of Singapore, who passed on details to the Japanese?

Did a google search, but can only find snippets and hearsay. The book on him on Amazon seems to have received bad reviews, so can anybody point to any decent information.

I have never heard of him however 60 years on you would have to doubt much of what is claimed.

You would imagine if there was a scapegoat for the Singapore debacle it would have come to light earlier than this.

Having said that, life is full of surprises!

[Kyt]

There's no doubt that he did pass on details of British air defences to the Japanese. However, the rest, as you say, is difficult to disentangle. Some people have used him as a scapegoat for Singapore (hence my dismissal of the book on him being sold at Amazon), but the rest of the details are shrouded in secrecy and misinformation.

Oh well, I'll keep looking

[adrian roberts]

I read about him somewhere a few years ago, probably some research in the Daily Telegraph. Going purely from memory, the gist of it was this:

He was an Australian with Irish ancestry, and had a chip on his shoulder against the British. He was contacted by Japanese Intelligence in Australia, and somehow persuaded to work for them - I think for a considerable sum of money.
Prior to and during the initial phases of the advance down Malaya, he passed messages to the Japanese about numbers and disposition of British forces, using a wireless set. This was from a field near one the aerodromes, which meant he could warn the Japanese when the RAF took off.
He was spotted doing this and arrested, and taken to Singapore jail (was that Changi or was that the one in Hong Kong?). The day before Singapore fell, a British officer decided that he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of tasting victory, and shot him. I can understand the temptation, though given the Japanese regard for honour and loyalty, I doubt if he would have lasted much longer in the care of his new chums.

As Spidge says, how much of this is provable now is another matter.

Adrian

[liverpool annie]

I realise this is an old post ... but I found this ... though you probably know this already !

Name - HEENAN, PATRICK STANLEY VAUGHAN
Nationality - Indian
Rank - Captain
Regiment/Service -16th Punjab Regiment
Age - 33
Date of Death -15/02/1944
Service No - 547/AI
Additional information - Son of George Charles Heenan and of Anne Heenan of Cheam Surrey.
Casualty Type - Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference - Column 263.
Memorial - SINGAPORE MEMORIAL

Capt Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan born in New Zealand in 1910 was an Indian Army officer of the 16th Punjab Regiment service number 547A1. The War Graves Commission records show that Heenan died aged 33 on Feb 15 1944 ... the date all those listed as missing in the fall of Singapore were finally accepted as being dead.

Heenan who was found guilty at a court martial was never executed because the Japanese invasion broke the lines of communication and the death warrant was never signed. He was killed by a military policeman as the Japanese closed in to prevent him being freed by the invading forces.

Though this is interesting reading !

Flight Lieutenant Alfred John Elson-Smith wrote a book called Great Was The Fall.

4C Special: No Prisoners Viewpoints: Peter Elphick

Annie

[soren1941]

I know it's only wikipedia but:

Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia