Ron, There is an old long running thread on this particular subject. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-against-japan/9184-traitor-singapore.html Regards Tom
Tom There is an old long running thread on this particular subject. Many thanks for the link. I should, of course, done a search first to see if the subject had been raised before but relied instead on my memory that said " I don't think I've heard of this before" Sod's law made sure that I was wrong ! I've sent Len the link to this thread and, if he has any comments, I shall post them on his behalf. Regards Ron
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 I am curious given the circumstances of his death and the fact that he was a traitor how is it he is remembered by the CWWC.And despite the existing thread........ Ron, thanks fort the additional info and the book will have to try and get a copy.
I can only think that the reason was due to there being no court Martial and therefore no conviction. Regards Tom
I have the book being referred to; ODD MAN OUT by Peter Elphick & Michael Smith. The history does tend to exaggerate Heenan's importance in the scheme of events. The IJA forces commanded by Lt.Gen.Tomoyuke Yamashita were unstoppable. They had superior equipment generally, a good tactical plan that was brilliantly successful and very competent officers. Most of Heenan's information only confirmed what the IJA already knew. Japanese businessmen and tourists in the year prior to invasion had photographed and reported on conditions the length and breadth of the peninsula. British timidity, a patronising contempt for Orientals and an insufferable concern for political niceties allowed the IJA to gain momentum from the second day of invasion. Yamashita grabbed the advantage with glee and never looked back. He was never put on the back foot even though the defenders seriously outnumbered his own forces. The Japanese were better aided by the quartet of ditherers, Percival, Brooke-Popham, Cooper and Wavell. In WW1, Percival was highly regarded as a staff as well as a combat officer. But his and Shenton Thomas's edicts in order to prevent panic among the Singapore populace bordered on the ludicrous, trying to deny what was happening before their very eyes. Heenan's value to the Japanese was minimal. Biggles Prime
Elphick & Smith doesn't ring a bell, the book I read had a single author. What Heenan was actually doing was reporting RAF activity that enabled Japanese air attack on RAF airfields when the RAF a/c were on the ground refuelling and rearming. This book also suggested that the intelligence officer who escorted Heenan to Singapore was the Gordon Highlanders officer who was later captured by the Japanese after the Krait raid on Singapore. As I previously said, the intelligence guys were evacuated from Singapore.
I enjoyed reading your post. The Elphick book "Odd Man Out" was not enjoyable to read. Elphick in "Odd Man Out" and his other book he wrote about Singapore being an impregnable fortress attempted to shift blame from the British Command for the disaster.
