SKILLS OF THE

WARRAMUNGA

BY

GREG KATER
 SKILLS OF THE WARRAMUNGA
Copyright © GREG KATER 2018

First published by Zeus Publications 2018

http://www.zeus-publications.com
P.O. Box 2554
Burleigh M.D.C.
QLD 4220
Australia.

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photocopying or by any

electronic or mechanical means, including information storage or retrieval
systems, without permission in writing from both the copyright owner and the
publisher of this book.

This book is a work of fiction.

The author asserts his moral rights.

ISBN: 978-0-6482780-8-5

Images, used under license from Shutterstock.com

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© Cover Design—Zeus Publications 2018

 Previous Works by Greg Kater

The Warramunga’s War

The Warramunga’s Aftermath of War

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my grandchildren, Georgie, Camilla,

Sarah, Henry, Laura and Julia with love.
 Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Marilyn Higgins, Clive Dalkins and all the
people at Zeus Publications for their friendly, helpful and
competent work resulting in the publication of this book. I would
also like to thank my editor Gail for her excellent structural editing
and Julie Winzar for her fine editing and formatting. I am also
grateful to my family for their support
 CHAPTER 1

Colonel Johnny Cook struggled to understand what was happening to

him. He was staggering, sweating profusely and breathing heavily,
through the Malayan jungle along a barely discernible trail, with
leeches sucking at his ankles and insects of all descriptions finding
their way up his nose and into his eyes. Saw-toothed leaves tore at his
clothes and scratched his bare arms. Every time he slowed to catch
his breath, he was prodded heavily in the back with the butt of a Bren
gun.
By late afternoon, the group of eight bandits who had kidnapped
him arrived at a small dry clearing and set up a temporary camp of
several small bashas, rough shelters made of bamboo and nipa.
The leader of the group, a Chinese with a round, pock-marked
face, walked up to Johnny and said, ‘We rest here, Tuan.’
He then handed him a tin cup with tepid water that tasted salty and
brackish, probably from one of the swamps they had waded through
on the way.
Exhausted, Johnny slumped to the ground. One of the men gave
him a lighted cigarette and pointed at his ankles, indicating he should
use it to burn the leeches off his skin. As he touched them with the
hot end, the wriggling bloated creatures dropped off one by one.
Although he didn’t smoke, Johnny took a couple of puffs and
somehow felt slightly better. The same man handed him a piece of
brown paper with some cold dried fish and rice and indicated that he
should eat. Not exactly cordon bleu, Johnny thought, but a necessary
misery if he were to survive this perilous situation.
It was raining softly when he was shown the basha he could
shelter in, and he lay down inside the low structure, barely able to
think. He felt totally disoriented, having no idea in which direction
they had been travelling. At the same time, he was bewildered as to
why he had been targeted for kidnapping.

1
 ****

As the MI6 head of operations for the eastern hemisphere, Johnny

Cook had flown from London to Singapore in mid-March 1946 to
assist the new Malayan Security Service (MSS), set up by the British
at the end of the war as an intelligence agency for the region. The
MSS was responsible for security during the ceremonies on the 1st of
April to accompany the creation of the Malayan Union. Following his
arrival in Kuala Lumpur, Johnny borrowed a car and driver, known as
a syce, from Major Algie Browning, the chief of the MSS station in
Kuala Lumpur, to visit the group’s operational centre in the Cameron
Highlands. The car was an old two-door Alvis, which struggled and
groaned as they navigated the rugged thirty-five miles from the
village of Tapah, north of KL, to Tanah Rata, the main township of
the Cameron Highlands. The winding, rough road was surrounded by
thick jungle growth over the hills and flats. Occasionally, it was cut
into cliff sides so that there were steep drops on either side. Johnny
had begun to doubt whether the old Alvis would ever make it, when
they finally reached the plateau incorporating the Cameron Highlands
settlement, a sharp contrast to the rest of the countryside. As they
approached Tanah Rata, he noted various tea plantations, farms and
orchards as well as bungalows, mansions and holiday homes. An
oasis in the wilderness.
The syce asked for directions and they continued up an even
rougher winding road, which weaved for about five miles through
thick jungle growth, ending at an old Tudor-style house known as the
‘Moonlight Bungalow’, the headquarters of the MSS in Pahang.
Geoffrey Landers, a former MI6 operative and now chief of the
centre, greeted him, as did three young MSS agents who had been
local English policemen before the war. Later, he could only
remember their names as Barry, Lew and Stu.
Landers, an old Malaya hand who had red veining on his cheeks
and nose, was about thirty-eight years old. To Johnny, he seemed
experienced enough but the other three looked green about the gills.
During the late afternoon and evening, they shared a pleasant
dinner and a bottle of Scotch while discussing the strategies for
compiling intelligence information, particularly on the Malayan

2
Communist Party (MCP). The MCP, largely Chinese-Malays with
resourceful leaders, had been trained in guerrilla warfare and armed
by the British before the fall of Malaya and Singapore to the
Japanese. The MCP had had significant success against the Japanese
during the war, especially in ambushes and sabotage. The British
authorities now feared that with the end of hostilities, the MCP might
be entertaining ambitions to take control of Malaya and eventually
expel the white foreigners who they perceived had been so easily
defeated by the Japanese in 1942.
The main task of the MSS in Pahang was to keep a close watch on
the activities of the MCP, or other such organisations in that region,
for any signs of mutiny.
The following morning, Johnny Cook set off in his car back down
the rough track from the Moonlight Bungalow. They had only
travelled two miles when the Alvis was stopped by an armed group of
men. Wordlessly they pulled Johnny from the car, shot the syce and
immediately marched Johnny off into the jungle.

****

In the high altitude of the jungle camp it was cool but Johnny found it
difficult to sleep on the damp ground. At first, a long silence was
broken by the loud clicking of crickets accompanied by the shriek of
cicadas, the grunting of frogs, and other unknown jungle noises. He
was hungry, and every bone and muscle in his body seemed to ache.
He had thought he was fit, but apparently not fit enough for this. He
fell into a fitful sleep but awoke when the myriad jungle noises
stopped suddenly while still dark.
As he lay there he felt determined that he would survive this. No
point in losing hope and wallowing in despair. He would endure
whatever these people had in store for him, and perhaps even find out
why he had been taken in the first place. He wondered if they were
MCP bandits.
As the light began filtering through the tapa roof of his basha, he
heard the others talking to one another in Cantonese. He recognised
the language but didn’t understand it.

3
 One of the men kicked his boot and said in Malay, ‘Bangun [get
up].’
After another quick meal of dried fish and rice, they set off
through the jungle, following some indiscernible trail, with one of his
captors again prodding him in the back whenever he stumbled or
slowed. Despite the cooler climate in the mountains, Johnny could
feel the sweat running down his back. Their progress was relatively
slow, but the constant pace was unrelenting. Ignoring the barbed
leaves and bamboo sticks scratching his skin, Johnny squared his
shoulders, determined to show no sign of weakness.
Around noon, the party stopped for a rest and more dried fish and
rice. Johnny sat under a tree and watched them while they smoked
and chatted in their curious dialect. Then they were off again through
the infinite jungle.
About mid-afternoon, they reached a large clearing. Emerging
from the dark canopy of the jungle, Johnny blinked in the harsh light.
A large, long bamboo and tapa hut stood next to a stream to his right.
Staring at them from in front of the hut was a small group of men,
women and children. The children were all naked. One of the bandits
pointed at them and said, ‘Temiar.’
Johnny had read about the Temiar Senoi, the aboriginal people of
this region of Malaya. He realised he had probably been led along one
of the almost concealed sakai trails of the Temiar over the past couple
of days.
They left the Temiar behind and continued for another half-hour
along a well-trodden track, arriving at a larger encampment with
many bamboo huts with tapa roofs and about fifteen men and a few
women, mainly Chinese. They all stopped what they were doing to
stare at the new arrivals, particularly Johnny.
A thin, authoritative-looking Chinaman, obviously the chief,
emerged from one of the huts and spoke angrily to the moonfaced
leader of the group that had kidnapped Johnny. His words came out
like a machine gun, and the other man looked around self-
consciously. With its guttural tones, Cantonese is a good language to
be angry in, Johnny thought.
The chief finally walked over to Johnny and asked in relatively
cultured English, ‘Who are you?’

4
 ‘My name is John Cook, and I’m wondering why I’m here,’ said
Johnny. ‘Who are you?’
‘What’s your position in the British Military Administration?’ the
Chinese persisted.
‘I have no position in the BMA. I’m just a tourist from England
who was visiting the well-known Cameron Highlands,’ said Johnny.
‘Your men picked me up there. I have no idea why.’
The Chinese studied Johnny, spat on the ground and said, ‘My
men made a mistake.’
‘Well, you know my name and I’d like to know yours before you
take me back to Tanah Rata,’ said Johnny.
‘We can’t do that, unfortunately. My name is Tan Boon Cheng.
You can call me Boon. You shall be our guest for a while, Tuan
Cook.’
‘Why would you want to keep me prisoner here?’
‘Never mind. I’ll show you to a hut where you can settle down at
night. Follow me.’ Boon turned on his heel and strode towards one of
the smaller huts.
Johnny followed him, protesting, ‘How long do you intend to keep
me prisoner? Am I to be locked up?’
Ignoring him, Boon entered the small hut and said, ‘We’ll get you
some blankets and a few spare clothes. We’ll even see if we can find
a spare toothbrush. You can set up camp in here.’ Then looking at
Johnny with a grin, he said, ‘I don’t think we need to lock you up. Do
you?’
After he left, Johnny inspected his new quarters, realising that
what Boon had said was true. There was no need for them to keep
him under lock and key. He was unarmed and without a clue where
he was. No one in the outside world knew where he was either, and
the thick jungle surrounding the encampment was as effective as any
prison walls.

****

The radio call came through to the offices of the Commonwealth

Investigation Service (CIS) in Darwin in the late morning on the 20th
of March 1946. Garry ‘Sparky’ Speck, the Darwin CIS group’s radio

5
operator, office manager and general factotum, found his boss, Jamie
Munro, mumbling moodily as he wrestled with paperwork in his
office at the old Hotel Darwin on the Esplanade overlooking Darwin
Harbour.
‘Jamie – sir, there’s a fellow from Malaya on the radio for you,’
said Sparky. ‘He said his name is Major Browning, of the Malayan
Security Service. He wants to speak to you urgently.’
Jamie was happy to be relieved of the tedium of filling out reports.
He strode after Sparky into the CIS radio room and picked up the
headphones and speaker.
‘Hello! This is Jamie Munro. Over.’
‘Ah! Hello, hello! My name is Algie Browning. I’m with the MSS
in Kuala Lumpur. We have a situation here which you might be able
to help us with. Over.’
‘Yes. Go ahead. Over.’
‘A senior MI6 agent has gone missing, believed kidnapped, in the
Cameron Highlands.’
Jamie noted a degree of desperation in his voice.
‘I’ve been onto MI6 in London and they suggested I contact you
directly. You may know the chap. Over.’
‘Okay. What’s his name? Over.’
‘Colonel John Cook. MI6 in London said that your organisation
would be the best bet to find out what happened to him as quickly as
possible. Over.’
‘Yes, I know Colonel Cook. What have you been able to find out
so far? Over,’ said Jamie, intrigued.
‘Very little. His car was found just northeast of the main village of
Tanah Rata, and his driver had been shot,’ Browning said
breathlessly. ‘Actually, I’d lent him the car and the driver was mine.
Over.’
‘Yes, go on. Over.’
‘Well, there were signs that they took him into the nearby jungle,
but the trail has been impossible to find. The jungle is quite thick
there, you know. It’s known as the “high ulu”. Over.’
‘Okay. I’ll contact MI6 in London and then arrange to get to Kuala
Lumpur as soon as I can. Over.’

6
 ‘I can meet you in Singapore, if it’s easier for you. Over,’ said
Browning.
‘I’ll let you know. Anything else at this stage? Over.’
‘No, but the BMA is worried it might be the start of some sort of
insurrection by independence activists or the MCP. Over.’
‘What’s the MCP? Over.’
‘Malayan Communist Party. Over.’
Jamie frowned. ‘I thought they were on our side against the
Japanese. Over.’
‘They were, but there could be some fanatics amongst them.
Over.’
‘Okay, I’ll let you know when I have my arrival date for
Singapore. Over and out.’
Jamie removed the headphones and stared thoughtfully at the
radio. He had known Johnny Cook since the North Africa campaign
during the war. He and his close friend, Jack ‘Jacko’ O’Brien, had
worked with Johnny for British MI6 to expose and capture German
spies in Cairo and confuse Rommel’s Afrika Corps with false radio
signals using German frequencies. Jacko, a half-caste Warramunga
aborigine, had saved Jamie’s life during the earlier Syrian campaign.
After the war, with the cooperation of MI6, the three of them had set
up the Northern Australia operations of the CIS in Darwin. If Johnny
Cook was in trouble, they had to help him, and quickly. Jacko had
highly developed tracking skills, essential to any strategy aimed at
extracting Johnny safely.
Jamie’s immediate problem was that Jacko was not in Darwin. He
and his fiancée, Monique Rousseau, were currently in the Philippines
with Monique’s father, a wealthy Frenchman who had been a major
manufacturer of fine furniture in Egypt, where Jacko had met
Monique. The Rousseau family had recently immigrated to Australia,
much to Jacko’s delight. M. Henri Rousseau wished to investigate the
Philippines as a furniture-manufacturing centre, because of the range
of fine timbers and the many English-speaking craftsmen in that
country. With them was Jacko’s half-sister, Sarah Nangala, a young
Warramunga lubra from Tennant Creek. Carna Hidalgo Munro, a
Filipina with many contacts in the country and Jamie’s new wife of
only three weeks, had also agreed to go with them.

7
 Jamie knew he would have to fly to Singapore via Manila to pick
up Jacko on the way. Sarah would want to go with Jacko, and she
would certainly be an asset if tracking through the Malayan jungle
was necessary. Jacko had always said that his sister could track an ant
up a stringybark tree. Jamie smiled. He had seen Sarah in action and
could well believe Jacko’s boast.
Breaking from his reverie, he stood and faced Sparky who was
hovering by the door.
‘Sparky, would you try to phone Harry Williams at the US High
Commission in Manila?’ he asked. ‘You’ve got his contact details
somewhere.’
‘Yeah, not a problem, boss!’
‘When you get him, I’ll take the call in my office,’ Jamie added.
Harry Williams Jr was the intelligence chief in the Philippines for
the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). He had worked closely with
Jamie and Jacko a few months previously in the successful
apprehension of a ruthless gang involved in the kidnapping and
smuggling of young orphaned children out of the war-torn Philippines
to Australia and the USA, financed by paedophile rings. Jamie
thought warmly about the tall, obliging Texan who had been vital to
their success and who had been wounded during the operation. He felt
certain that Harry would be happy to assist him in arranging travel to
Singapore from Manila. It seemed like only yesterday that he had last
seen Harry. Jamie now anticipated the joy of seeing his beautiful
Carna again in a day or so.
The telephone rang, and Jamie recognised the Texan drawl of his
friend in Manila. ‘Hi there, Jamie. I’ve seen your buddy, Jacko, and
his gorgeous girlfriend. I’ve also met your brand-new wife. She’s a
real looker, you old fox. Are you coming back here again? This place
has been as dull as dishwater since you guys were here last.’
‘Good to hear your voice again, Harry,’ said Jamie. ‘I was
wondering if you could help me.’
‘Just say the word, ol’ buddy.’
‘We have an urgent situation in Malaya. An MI6 colleague has
been kidnapped in the Malayan Peninsula, and I was planning to get
to Manila as soon as possible to pick up Jacko and his sister, and then
fly to Singapore.’

8
 ‘Yeah, I can sure help you get to Manila,’ said Harry. ‘There’s a
group of US aircraft engineers leaving Darwin today or tomorrow for
Manila. If you contact our OSS man in Darwin, Dan Morrow, I’m
sure he’ll be able to fit you in.’
‘That’s great, Harry. I’ll get onto him right away.’
‘Malaya’s a bit out of my bailiwick, but I’ll see if I can arrange
something to get you to Singapore from here. I’ll call Jacko at the
Manila Hotel. It’s lucky you called now, ’cause they were all
planning to go to Cebu tomorrow.’
‘Thanks a lot, Harry. How is your wounded shoulder?’
‘Okay now. Aches a bit once in a while, but improving.’
‘That’s good. I’ll call you when I know the schedule. I’ll call Dan
right away.’
‘Real good. I’ll have a cold San Miguel ready for you, ol’ buddy.’
‘That’ll do me, Harry.’

9
 CHAPTER 2

For the first few nights in the bandits’ encampment, Johnny slept
badly. On the first night, his cramped muscles throbbed following the
forced march through the jungle. By the fourth night, he had become
used to sleeping on the bamboo flooring, and even to the nightly
shrieks and clicks of cicadas and crickets, interspersed with the
grunting of pigs and clucking of chickens. The animals were kept in
large cages in the camp, safe from predators. He was sometimes
woken by an occasional growl, probably tigers prowling the Malayan
jungle.
He was pleasantly surprised to find the food was reasonably good.
The camp cook was a small, old, wizened Chinese named Ah Wing,
who augmented pork or chicken dishes with produce from a small
garden that he maintained beside the stream. Apart from their leader,
Boon, no one spoke to him during their mealtimes, but they didn’t
seem to bear him any animosity. He calculated that there were about
thirty-two men and seven women living in the encampment, but now
and again groups of around ten men were sent on missions into the
jungle for up to a week. Outside of meals, Johnny was left on his own
in a state of never-ending boredom. Helplessness.
From his brief conversations with Boon, it seemed the kidnapping
party had mistaken Johnny for their real target, Colonel Samuel
Martin, the aide-de-camp of General Ralph Hone, Secretary-General
to the Governor-General of Malaya. Colonel Martin had been
scheduled to be in the Cameron Highlands at the same time as
Johnny, in the lead-up to the Malayan Union celebrations. When Sir
Edward Gent took over as Governor-General of the new Union,
Colonel Martin was to become his aide-de-camp. The intention had
been to hold the colonel hostage to negotiate money and potential
influence with the governor-general and the BMA. After discovering

10
that Johnny was not Colonel Martin, the bandits had been frustrated
and confused for several days.
Johnny was informed that Boon’s men were not part of the MCP.
Like the MCP, they were mainly of Chinese origin, had been supplied
by the British during the war, and had fought against the Japanese as
guerrillas, but most of them had been previous sympathisers of
China’s Kuomintang government. They were now at odds with the
MCP, which supported the Communists fighting a civil war against
the government in China. Johnny understood the situation was very
complicated. He realised he wasn’t much value as a hostage to either
the bandits or the BMA, and suggested to Boon that he might be able
to negotiate on their behalf if they released him. Boon flatly refused.
He speculated that if the bandits decided to move on, they would
probably execute him or abandon him in the jungle. Being free to
move around, he had walked the short distance to the little Temiar
village a couple of times and been greeted with curiosity, particularly
by the children who followed him around chattering and laughing.
Perhaps the Temiars could help him if he were abandoned, but he
couldn’t rely on that. He couldn’t even communicate with them.
He hoped that the MSS in Kuala Lumpur had had the sense to
inform MI6 in London about his abduction, and that they were
looking for him, although no one would know where to look. It was
doubtful that the bandits’ encampment could even be spotted by
aircraft in this vast jungle. His thoughts turned to the Australian CIS
group. Of all the people he knew, Jamie and Jacko would have the
best chance of finding him with their proven skills, but he couldn’t be
sure that his London office would think to involve them. It was most
likely a forlorn hope. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud burst of
laughter from somewhere in the camp. He sighed, and flicked a beetle
off his arm.

****

Sarah gazed out of the dining room window across Manila Bay.
Breakfast at the Manila Hotel involved generous helpings of eggs,
bacon, hash browns, pancakes, and syrup. American breakfast, they
called it. Far too much for one meal, she thought, picking at it. A

11
north-easterly wind had whipped up some whitecaps on the surface of
the bay, and her gaze was held by two double-masted yachts slicing
through the turbulent water towards a breakwater further south.
The last few days had been the most exciting of Sarah’s life. With
her brother Jacko, Carna and Monique and Henri Rousseau, she had
flown many miles in an aircraft and arrived in a town with an
unbelievable number of people. She had never imagined that such a
large town or so many people could exist together, anywhere. If she
hadn’t been with her brother, she might have been a little frightened
but now, she was feeling quite sophisticated and experienced. None
of her relatives or friends in Tennant Creek would ever believe this.
Last evening, Harry Williams, an American friend of her brother,
had informed them that Jamie would be arriving that afternoon and
then they would be flying off somewhere else. She glanced at Carna,
and sensed her anticipation and happiness at seeing Jamie again.
Jacko and Monique were lost in a world of their own, staring into
each other’s eyes, hardly aware they were eating. Henri Rousseau sat
straight-backed in his chair concentrating only on the eggs.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Harry, who greeted
them all with a wide smile. ‘Hi folks! I hope you are all well this
morning. I’ll pick up Jamie this afternoon at Nielson Airfield. I’ve
arranged for him, Jacko and Sarah to take off tomorrow morning in a
USAF flight to Singapore. Mr Rousseau and you two ladies will take
a local flight to Cebu around the same time, and I’ve arranged for a
mutual friend, Oscar Choy, to pick you up there at Mactan Airport,
across the bay from Cebu City. Oscar and another friend, Manny
Alvarez, will be happy to look after you and give you all the
information on manufacturing and timbers in the Visayan Islands that
you need to know. How does that sound?’
Henri Rousseau smiled, murmuring, ‘C’est formidable!’
‘That’s really great, Harry,’ said Jacko, ‘you’re amazing!’
‘You usually tell me my blood’s worth bottling, Jacko,’ Harry
laughed.
‘Yeah, that too.’
Harry joined them at the table and after ordering breakfast, sat
studying his companions. In his late fifties, Henri was an impressive

12
figure, a decisive Frenchman who had made his fortune in Egypt and
was moving to make another one in this part of the world.
The three women were also impressive and beautiful in their
different ways. Carna Hidalgo Munro, recently married to Jamie, was
a lovely mestiza Spanish Filipina, her pale skin contrasting with her
long black hair and dark eyes. Jamie had met her in Darwin where she
had been sent during the war, and love had blossomed from the start.
Monique Rousseau, Henri’s daughter, possessed a bright
intelligence and ready smile to go with her spectacular beauty. Her
bewitching green eyes and flowing hair were a legacy of her Syriac
mother. Jacko had met Monique in Cairo during the war, but had
never considered himself worthy of her in spite of their love for each
other. They had, however, recently decided to marry sometime in the
near future, with the full support of her family. Harry had never seen
Jacko so happy.
Jacko’s young half-sister, Sarah, wearing a pale-blue dress
contrasting with her jet-black skin, was pretty and animated.
Generally serious in company, she didn’t smile often but when she
did, Harry figured she lit up the room.
Harry looked at Jacko. Well, Jacko was Jacko. Harry had helped
him and Jamie capture the ruthless gang of criminals kidnapping
young boys in the Philippines to send into slavery overseas. He had
seen Jacko do some remarkable things, but to see him chatting
happily at the breakfast table, you would think he had never had a
care in the world.

****

Johnny Cook woke in the morning to discover a rash on his arms and
legs. It was red and blotchy and extremely itchy. He felt like
scratching his skin off, but managed to discipline himself to leave it
mainly alone. Had he been bitten by something, or was it some sort of
jungle malady?
He went in search of Boon, but couldn’t find him. He noticed
Moonface, the pock-marked Chinese who had led the kidnappers and
brought him here, hovering around the cook who was preparing
breakfast. Moonface took a look at the rash and said, ‘Temiar,

13
Temiar,’ pointing down the track towards the Temiar village and
signalling that Johnny should go there.
As he set off down the track, he assumed that the local Temiar
people must have a cure for this type of condition. Walking quickly,
he arrived at the village after twenty minutes, encountering the usual
silent curiosity. Six half-naked men leaning on their long cane
blowpipes stared at him.
Using his limited knowledge of the Malay language, he wished
them a good morning. ‘Selamat pagi!’
No response.
Finally, one of the elders appeared and approached him, studying
his arms. He then beckoned Johnny to follow him to a central hut,
about forty feet long, which seemed to be the communal meeting
house of the tribe. The smell of human sweat inside the long hut
indicated that it might also serve as communal sleeping quarters.
Johnny was past caring about smells at this stage.
The elder made up a viscous liquid from some plants stored at one
end of the building, and rubbed it gently on Johnny’s rash. He then
mixed up a watery liquid from other plants and indicated that Johnny
should drink it. It tasted foul. Johnny coughed, but managed to drink
most of it. The old man patted him on the back and smiled. Johnny
thought there was a good chance these remedies would relieve his
rash. The Temiar people had dwelt in the jungle for thousands of
years and, over time, must have developed an intimate understanding
of the medicinal properties of jungle flora.
Using sign language, Johnny tried to ask the old man if he thought
his rash was due to insect bites or a poisonous plant. The old man
only continued to smile.
Using his only other Malay phrase, he thanked him, ‘Terima
kasih.’
The old man laughed and said, ‘Sama-sama.’
Johnny waved to him as he set off back down the track to the
bandits’ camp. Well, the old man speaks a little Malayan, he thought.
If only I could speak it myself.
He walked quickly with his head down to follow the track, but was
brought to a sudden stop by a loud roar ahead and found himself
staring into the eyes of a large tiger standing in the centre of the track

14
only ten yards in front of him. He froze, looking straight into the
unblinking yellow eyes of the large orange, white and black cat. Its
muscled body was about four feet high and at least eight feet long. He
swallowed hard. He had read that if he showed fear or ran, he was
dead.
After a period, which seemed like an eternity, he sensed the tiger’s
uncertainty and resolved that assertiveness was his only chance.
Flapping his arms at his side he yelled, ‘Scat! Scat!’
The tiger rocked its mighty head from side to side, turned and
silently trotted off into the jungle to his left. Johnny stood there for
about another two minutes, disbelieving what had just happened. He
shook his head, nervously watching the jungle to the left of the track,
and continued walking quickly towards the bandits’ camp. As he
approached, he heard someone shouting, ‘Harimau!’
The first thing he noticed as he walked into the clearing was one of
the Chinese bandits flapping his arms about in front of a few other
men and shouting, ‘Scat! Scat!’ So, his encounter with the tiger had
been observed.
As soon as the men sighted him, they all regarded him with a
respect he had not previously experienced. He had generally been
ignored, but now they viewed him with undisguised interest. Keeping
his head held high, he walked past them into his hut and shook
himself to make sure he hadn’t dreamt the whole thing. He also
noticed that his fiery rashes had somewhat subsided. Now, his chin
was itchier than his rash, due to the unaccustomed stubble growing
unchecked.
It had been a red-letter day: a friendly encounter with an elder of
the Temiar tribe, and a modicum of respect from his captors. It
occurred to him that one of the Temiar must have been with his
kidnapping group to guide them along the obscure sakai trail from the
Cameron Highlands. Perhaps, if he could work out how to
communicate with the elders of the tribe, he might be able do a deal
with them.
He only had a few Malay words, and no knowledge of the Temiar
tongue, so the thought didn’t help him anyway, but it made him feel
more optimistic.

15
 ****

When Jamie appeared in the lobby of the Manila Hotel, Carna rushed
into his arms.
‘Querido!’ she cried. ‘I have you for a short while, just one night.
Then we must part again.’
‘Only for a week or so, my love,’ said Jamie.
She smiled up at him with tears in her eyes. ‘Fate is not kind to
newlyweds. I must help Monique’s father with his business in my
Philippines, and you have to help your friend in Malaya. Así es la
vida!’
Jacko walked over to them and coughed. ‘I hate to break into this
tête-à-tête, but I’m breathless with curiosity about our friend Johnny.’
‘Yes. All I know at this stage is that the British have set up an
intelligence outfit in Malaya, the Malayan Security Service or MSS.
MI6 sent Johnny to Malaya from England to advise on their setup and
help with security,’ explained Jamie. ‘Apparently, Johnny borrowed a
car from a Major Algernon Browning, the MSS chief in Kuala
Lumpur, to drive to the Cameron Highlands, the location of the
central Malaya Peninsula operations for the MSS. While there,
Johnny was held up by unknown bandits, his driver was shot and he
disappeared off the face of the earth.’
‘Does anyone know how or why?’ asked Jacko.
‘Nobody has a clue. They assume he’s been kidnapped, but
nobody knows why, or where he is.’
‘Well, he’s got to be somewhere,’ said Jacko. ‘I guess our job will
be to find him.’
Jamie nodded. ‘That’s what they’ve asked us to help with. It won’t
be easy. There’s dense jungle covering a vast area in that central part
of Malaya. Really thick stuff crawling with wild boars and buffaloes,
monkeys, tigers, elephants, and, I guess, bandits.’
Jacko smiled. ‘Sounds interesting.’
‘Sounds horribly dangerous,’ said Carna. ‘Can’t the British handle
it? Do you have to go?’
‘Yes, my love. We were close to Johnny during the war and he
needs us now,’ said Jamie. ‘Most of the members of the MSS are

16
green around the gills, and I don’t think the British have anyone who
can track through the jungle.’
‘May I interrupt and join this conversation?’ said Monique,
approaching them from the far side of the lobby. ‘I think I heard the
word “dangerous”, n’est-ce pas? Jacko, what will you be doing?’
‘Yes, well, not dangerous exactly, my love,’ he said, smiling.
‘Nothing that Jamie and I can’t handle. Anyway, we’ll have Sarah
with us to make sure we don’t get into trouble.’
‘You may joke, but I need my Jacko to come back to me in one
piece,’ Monique said, trying to hold back tears. ‘Do you want me to
grow up an old maid?’
‘No, no, no, that would never do,’ said Jacko, putting his arms
around her. ‘I promise we’ll be careful. Extra careful for you. And for
Carna, of course.’
‘We’re not going to do anything stupid,’ Jamie protested.
‘No, we know you’re not going to do anything stupid,’ said Carna,
straightening her shoulders. ‘This is what you do. So, go ahead and
do it. Monique and I will be waiting for you when you get back.
Won’t we, Monique? Just look after one another. For God’s sake!’
‘Well, we won’t be doing anything until we’ve had a good night’s
sleep here,’ said Jamie with a laugh to lighten the mood.
Henri and Sarah were watching from the far side of the lobby.
Henri looked at her and said, ‘They are all happy again. Please look
after your brother for me.’
‘Aye yu! Yes, Hon Ri,’ she replied seriously.

****

The USAF Douglas C54 Skymaster landed on the north-south runway

at RAF Changi airfield, on the eastern tip of Singapore, just before
midday. Before landing, Jamie had spotted the Changi prison where
Allied prisoners of war had been incarcerated during the Japanese
occupation. Depressing place, he thought.
On the tarmac, the aircraft taxied up to several cars waiting near
the airport gate. Various other passengers, mainly Americans,
disembarked first. As Jamie stepped out of the aircraft, the glare of
the sunlight hurt his eyes and he nearly stumbled down the few steps.

17
He was followed by Jacko and Sarah, who also squinted in the glare
that was intensified by the white concrete. When his eyes became
more accustomed to the dazzling light, he noticed a tall, heavy-set,
moustachioed British officer walking towards him. The man held out
his hand and asked, ‘Colonel Munro?’
They shook hands and Jamie said, ‘Just Mr Jamie Munro, sir. I’m
no longer in the army. May I introduce Mr Jack O’Brien and his sister
Sarah.’
‘Oh, jolly good! Algie Browning. I’m the chief of the MSS here
and in Malaya. I’m based in Kuala Lumpur where we’ll be driving
this afternoon. Do you have any luggage?’
‘Yes, Algie,’ said Jamie, ‘it should be unloading in a moment.’
‘I say. The girl Sarah. Is she an Australian Aborigine?’ asked
Algie.
Jacko stepped forward and said, ‘She certainly is, and so am I.’
Algie pulled one side of his moustache, unsure of what to say. ‘No
offence meant. I just hadn’t seen an Australian Aborigine before.’
‘No offence taken, mate,’ said Jacko. ‘So what’s the story on
Johnny?’
‘Yes. Damned awkward business,’ Algie replied. ‘Colonel Cook
took my car up to see my fellows in the Cameron Highlands and
vanished. My car was abandoned just north of the main village,
Tanah Rata. My syce, my driver, was shot. Blood all over the front
seat, and a nine-millimetre bullet lodged in the back of the front seat,
probably from a STEN gun. No sign of Colonel Cook. Awful
business!’
‘Here’s our luggage now,’ said Jamie.
‘Ah, we can put those bags in the boot of my car over here,’ said
Algie, indicating a shiny blue Wolseley 10 with the driver standing
beside it. ‘We can have a quick bite of lunch in Singapore and then
get underway to KL. We can talk on the way and when we get there,
I’ll show you the Alvis car from which Colonel Cook was snatched.
Damned awkward business!’

18
 CHAPTER 3

It was already early evening by the time the Wolseley reached Kuala
Lumpur after a six-hour drive. Algie Browning had explained the
complexity of the different ethnic and ideological groups making up
the Malayan population in the aftermath of war.
‘There were, in fact, a number of diverse resistance groups during
the Japanese occupation,’ he said. ‘There were Malayan and Indian
troops under Major “Singa Melayu” Richardson. He was widely
known as the “Malayan Lion”. Another Malayan Chinese group was
run and armed by Freddie Chapman of Force 136 commando group.
Then there was the Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army, or
MPAJA, which was mostly made up of members of the MPC. All
these groups have been disbanded, but some of them are still well
armed. There are, we believe, other shady groups that are still
operating as bandits in the jungle, and were probably collaborating
with the Japanese at some stage. It’s a bit complicated, what?’
‘Shady groups? What sort of people?’ asked Jamie.
‘Some of them were locals recruited and armed by the Kempeitai
units of the Japanese military,’ explained Algie.
‘Kempeitai units?’ Jamie inquired.
‘Yes. The Kempeitai were the Japanese Gestapo,’ said Algie.
‘Very ugly! They were responsible for the massacre of thousands of
civilians in Malaya during the war. A number of them, including a
couple of Japanese generals, are to be tried as war criminals. Nasty!’
‘So, what about the bandit groups still operating in the jungle?’
asked Jamie. ‘Are they Malayans?’
‘Malayans, Chinese, Indians, and possibly a few Japanese. They
would have very few friends now,’ said Algie. ‘The local population
hate them. Even the Communists hate them. We’ll need to hunt them
all down eventually. They have some help from unknown criminals in
the community, and they’re responsible for various robberies and
murders in recent times.’

19
 ‘Could one of those bandit groups have kidnapped Johnny?’ asked
Jamie.
‘Could be! Either them, or maybe one of the Chinese Communist
units still centred in the jungle,’ said Algie.
‘I thought all the Communist units had been hailed as heroes for
fighting against the Japanese,’ said Jamie.
‘Well, some of them have morphed into pro-independence units,’
said Algie. ‘Some of the leaders of the MPC have dreams of taking
over control of Malaya from the British. They’re lying low at the
moment. Part of my job as chief of the MSS is to keep a careful watch
on them.’
‘So, which unit would be the most dangerous as far as Johnny is
concerned?’ asked Jamie. ‘The bandits, or the MCP?’
‘Bandits for sure,’ said Algie. ‘The MCP want to win the hearts
and minds of the Malayan people, to vote them into the government
eventually. So they’re playing nice chaps. Bandits might keep
Colonel Cook alive to derive some advantage, or ...’ He coughed.
‘We’re coming into KL now.’
As they entered the city, it was apparent that there was nothing
like the devastation that Manila had suffered during the Japanese
occupation. However, much of the infrastructure in Kuala Lumpur
badly needed maintenance. Many of the buildings showed wear and
tear and needed a coat of paint, and there were a few potholes in the
road.
‘I’ve booked you chaps into the Majestic Hotel just across the road
from the KL Railway Station building,’ said Algie. ‘A jolly nice
hotel, you’ll find. Many of the rubber and tea planters as well as the
wealthy tin miners stay there when they’re in town. The local colonial
elite and the hoity-toity mob spend a lot of time there in the Rooftop
Club, but you won’t have to rub shoulders with them unless you want
to. You’ll find the rooms comfortable. One of them has the ghost of a
Japanese officer who committed seppuku there, the traditional suicide
rite of the samurai, but they keep it unoccupied. We’re coming up to
the hotel now.’
They pulled up at the front door of the hotel and Algie leapt out of
the car, opened the boot, and signalled to two porters to take the
luggage to the front desk.

20
 Walking through the lobby, Algie said, ‘I’ve booked three
adjoining rooms for you on the second floor. They all have a north
aspect, so you’ll have a good view of the beautiful Government
Offices building and its tall clock tower in the central district. It was
built in the late 1800s and is one of Kuala Lumpur’s most famous
icons.’
‘Will you join us for dinner?’ asked Jamie when they were
checking in.
‘No, not tonight. I have things to do and I’m sure you chaps will
want an early night,’ Algie replied. ‘You can get a snack in the tea
lounge on the ground floor, or something more exotic in the dining
room on the first floor, or in the Chinese restaurant on the second
floor. They also serve food and drinks in the Rooftop Club. I’ll pick
you chaps up at nine o’clock tomorrow morning, and we’ll go to my
office to make plans to find our missing colonel.’

****

Johnny studied the small book Tan Boon Cheng had lent him. It was
a phrase book with basic words and phrases translated from English
to Malay. It gave him something to keep him occupied during the
long, dreary days. Although some of the bandits spoke Cantonese
amongst themselves, he found they all spoke Malay and he was
becoming quite adept at greeting them with ‘selamat pagi’ (good
morning) and ‘selamat petang’ (good afternoon). He could also say
‘thank you’ and ask some basic questions. The bandits who had
hitherto ignored him now responded, as it was entertaining to have
this white man who could frighten tigers trying to learn their
language.
As he emerged for breakfast every morning, he was now greeted
with a chorus of ‘Selamat pagi,’ to which he responded in kind. When
he retired to his hut in the evening, they all rushed over like a bunch
of children to sing in chorus, ‘Selamat malam!’ Boon always laughed
at this performance and gave Johnny the thumbs up. At least
everyone’s becoming more friendly, Johnny thought. It helped to ease
the strain of the empty monotony.

21
 Over the weeks, he had carefully watched the comings and goings
of the members of the bandit gang. None of them had ventured
towards the track they had used to reach the encampment. They
always used a well-beaten track heading due west from the camp,
often returning with supplies and sometimes, what he imagined was
booty from some robbery in one of the villages near the western
coast.
One mid-afternoon when he could see no one about, Johnny
decided to explore the western track. For a couple of miles, he found
it easy to follow through the thick jungle. At the crest of a hill, the
track divided into three separate tracks. He pondered which one
would be the best to follow, when he heard a cough behind him.
Turning around, he saw Boon and Moonface ten yards behind him,
both carrying Bren guns and looking angry.
Boon said, ‘You had better not continue, Tuan Cook. We have
guards a little further along. They would not hesitate to shoot you.’
‘Have you been following me for long?’ asked Johnny.
‘All the way, since we saw you leave the camp,’ said Boon. ‘Did
you think you could escape?’
‘Sorry, Boon. I just thought a little walk would do me good,’ said
Johnny, walking back towards them. ‘I didn’t realise I might get
shot.’
‘Just head back to the camp. I might decide to shoot you myself,’
said Boon. ‘Go ahead. We’ll follow.’
Half an hour later, they reached the camp and Boon told Johnny if
he tried that again, he would probably not return alive.
Using one of his latest Malay phrases, Johnny said, ‘Minta maaf
[I’m very sorry].’
Boon laughed. ‘Okay, okay, no problem this time, Tuan.’
Back in his hut, Johnny contemplated the impossibility of escape
and lay back on his thin mattress. Rescue seemed unlikely. Nobody
knew where he was or even if he was alive. Doomed to live in the
jungle for years, he thought. He opened the phrase book, deciding to
continue his new linguistic education in the fading light of the late
afternoon.

****

22
They all met in the morning with Algie Browning, who suggested it
would be best for the three Australians to go to the Cameron
Highlands and confer with Geoffrey Landers, the MSS chief in that
district. Algie would not accompany them because he was tied up
with an investigation of a series of murders and robberies in and
around Ipoh.
He twisted the right-hand side of his moustache and shook his
head. ‘Damned awkward business. Gangs of bandits carry out hit-
and-run incidents on banks and payrolls. They come in out of the
jungle and always seem to know exactly what target to hit at the right
time. Then they just disappear back into the jungle. So far, five
people have been killed, including two of our own military police.
They must have good informants here and in Ipoh, but we haven’t
been able to work out who they are.’
‘Could they be the same bandits who kidnapped Johnny?’ asked
Jacko.
Algie twisted his moustache some more and said, ‘Could be, but
we haven’t been able to pin any of them down yet.’
‘So, how do we get to the Cameron Highlands?’ asked Jamie.
‘You can take the Wolseley. The driver knows where Landers and
his group are quartered,’ said Algie. ‘It’s a little under a hundred
miles from here to the village of Tapah along the main highway, and
from there about thirty-five miles into the Cameron Highlands. It’ll
be more comfortable with only four in the car. You’ll be there by this
afternoon.’
‘And Geoffrey Landers knows the when and where of the
kidnapping?’
‘Everything! He can show you exactly where the car was stopped,’
said Algie. ‘He can also accommodate you. The Moonlight
Bungalow, where he and his men live, is quite large. It’s also close to
the crime scene. Landers should be able to help you with anything
you need once you decide what to do.’
Five hours later, as the Wolseley, rarely exceeding ten miles an
hour, bounced and juddered along the narrow gravel road from
Tapah, jerking its passengers around, Jamie was inclined to agree
with Algie that it was probably more comfortable with only four in
the car.

23
 The Wolseley 10 was not ideal for the rough, winding, gravel road
to Tanah Rata. Although only five years old, with its small four-
cylinder engine, the car laboured up the steep inclines and perilously
slipped sideways on the loose gravel when negotiating some of the
stretches with steep slopes.
As they approached the Cameron Highlands plateau, Sarah stared
in wide-eyed wonder. The countryside changed dramatically from
rough jungle to cleared land, plantations, farms, orchards, and neat
bungalows. The road was also much smoother. They passed through
the village of Tanah Rata with its small shops and market stalls, and
finally headed up a rough winding road north of the town flanked by
thick jungle growth. After about five miles, they came to a clearing,
passing a large stone and brick house, before arriving at an extensive
Tudor-style house 100 yards further on. Several cars were parked
outside. The Indian Malay driver informed them that this was the
Moonlight Bungalow.
After alighting from the Wolseley, they were greeted at the front
door by a young thin-faced man who introduced himself as Stuart
Compton.
‘Mr Landers has been expecting you,’ he said. ‘He has visitors
upstairs, but he asked me to take you straight up to him as soon as
you arrive. Follow me. Your driver can bring in your luggage.’
‘Okay, thanks,’ said Jamie, ‘we’re right behind you.’
Stuart Compton showed them into a room where three men were
sitting, smoking, around a large untidy desk covered in documents,
books, crumpled pieces of paper, overflowing ashtrays, glasses, and a
half-full bottle of Scotch. The man behind the desk leapt to his feet
and introduced himself as Major Geoffrey Landers. He had a sweaty
red face, untidy dark hair, bloodshot eyes, a bulbous nose, and a large
stomach that protruded over his belt. The other two men were athletic
looking, one medium height with brown hair, the other tall with
blonde hair.
‘Did you have a good trip?’ asked Landers. ‘Devilish road that, for
the unwary. I want you to meet my visitors. Frans van Houten,’ he
said, indicating the brown-haired man. ‘Hendrik Janssen,’ indicating
the tall blonde man. ‘They are from one of the Dutch East Indies

24
trading firms. Since the war, they have set up in KL and Singapore.
They’re here to look at trading in tea, rubber and tin.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ said Jamie, stepping forward. ‘I’m James
Munro and these are my colleagues, Jack O’Brien and his sister,
Sarah.’
‘Dis black girl is your sister?’ queried Frans van Houten in a broad
Teutonic accent, looking at Jacko, puzzled.
Sarah eyed Van Houten and smiled shyly.
‘Yeah, that’s right,’ said Jacko with a mischievous grin. ‘We’re
Australian Aborigines, the real thing.’
‘Ya, ya, I see,’ said Van Houten, looking at Hendrik Janssen who
shook his head at him.
‘It’s nice to meet you all,’ said Janssen, with an outstretched hand.
‘You can call me Henk. Geoffrey here has been telling us a little
about your friend who disappeared. If there’s any way we can help,
we’d be happy to do so.’
‘That’s kind of you to offer. We haven’t been able to look around
yet, so we don’t know what’s involved ourselves,’ said Jamie. ‘If we
need help, we’ll let you know.’
‘Yes, damnable situation,’ said Geoffrey. ‘Can I pour you all a
shot of whisky to slake the thirst?’
‘Not for me,’ said Jacko. ‘If you’ve got a cold beer, I’ll be in that.’
‘Stuart, go and organise a few beers from downstairs,’ said
Geoffrey to the young man who had first met them.
‘So! What are your plans to catch up with these kidnappers?’
asked Henk.
‘We don’t have any plans yet,’ said Jamie. We’ll have to look
around first.’
‘Ya, ya! That vould be so,’ said Henk. ‘Of course.’
A Malayan servant arrived carrying two bottles of cold Tiger beer
and three glasses. Jacko asked him if he would also bring a glass of
fruit juice for Sarah.
‘Ya, vell, I think Frans and I’ll be going now,’ said Henk. ‘We are
staying at lodgings in the village. Perhaps we might see you around
tomorrow, ya?’
‘Yes! Jolly good of you to visit,’ said Geoffrey. ‘Drop in any time.
Stuart will see you out.’

25
 The two Dutchmen said their goodbyes and made their way
downstairs. Sarah didn’t quite know why, but she didn’t like those
two men.
After they departed, Jamie glared at Geoffrey and said, ‘Do you
think it’s wise to discuss Colonel Cook’s kidnapping in front of those
strangers?’
‘Strangers to you, perhaps,’ Geoffrey protested. ‘I’ve known them
for a few months now. They’re decent chaps. We often have a couple
of noggins together.’
‘Yes, well, when we decide what we’re going to do, I don’t want
anyone outside the MSS to know,’ said Jamie. ‘Is that clear?’
‘Yes, yes. I understand,’ said Geoffrey, his face taking on an even
darker shade of red. ‘I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about
with those Dutchmen. They’ve only been in Malaya since the end of
the war.’
‘Geoffrey, we’ve got to keep a very tight lid on this,’ said Jamie
sternly. ‘Neither we nor you know who could be involved.’
‘All right. I understand. Mum’s the word,’ said Geoffrey, picking
up his whisky glass. ‘Let’s bury the hatchet and drink to the success
of your mission. I hope you are able to find Colonel Cook safe and
sound.’
‘Yes, okay, we’ll drink to our mission,’ said Jamie.
‘Hey, this Tiger beer’s not a bad drop,’ enthused Jacko.
‘Particularly after a long day. How’s your fruit juice, sis?’
‘Not bad drop,’ she said, repeating his words and grinning.
‘After you’ve finished your drinks, Stuart can show you to your
rooms,’ said Geoffrey. ‘We eat at 7.30. We’ve got a good Chinese
cook. Tonight is roast pork and local vegetables. Tomorrow after
breakfast, we’ll show you exactly where we found the Alvis car after
the colonel was abducted, what?’
‘Yes, we’ll need to see that first thing,’ agreed Jamie. ‘Do the
Dutchmen know where that is?’
‘Everyone in the Cameron Highlands knows where that is,’ said
Geoffrey.

****

26
In the bright morning sunshine, Geoffrey pointed to the road and then
cast his watery eyes on the thick jungle alongside.
‘This is the exact spot where the car and the dead syce were
found,’ he said. ‘As you can see, there are no tracks leading into the
jungle, which is very thick here. It’s a devil of a mystery. Where did
they go after kidnapping Colonel Cook? If they’d passed through the
Tanah Rata village, someone would have noticed. A damned mystery,
that’s what it is!’
Jamie studied the road. ‘So, this is the exact location, eh?’
‘Yes. Up until four days ago, there was still some of the driver’s
blood on the road, but it’s rained since then. That stake on the side of
the road marks the site.’
‘Sarah and I’ll take a look along the edge of the jungle,’ said
Jacko. ‘We might be able to see something.’
‘We’ve all combed the area pretty thoroughly,’ said Geoffrey,
shaking his head. ‘There are no tracks we could see. I don’t think
you’ll find anything. Although there could be something we’ve
missed. Possible, I s’pose.’
‘We wouldn’t be more than two miles down the road from your
bungalow?’ suggested Jamie.
‘Yes, that’s about right,’ agreed Geoffrey. ‘There are no dwellings
near this part of the road, so no witnesses I’m afraid.’
‘Okay Geoffrey, we’ll take it from here,’ said Jamie. ‘You can
leave us to it and return to your normal activities.’
‘Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?’
‘No. We’ll be concentrating on trying to work out what happened
here,’ said Jamie. ‘It may take some time. We’ll see you later today.’
‘All right then. I’ll up sticks and leave you to it,’ said Geoffrey.
‘And make sure you don’t talk to anyone about us.’
‘Righto! Mum’s the word.’
Jacko and Sarah had been working their way down the road for a
hundred yards in the direction of the village, carefully studying the
jungle on the western side of the road. They were now coming back
in the other direction, examining the jungle growth with great care.
About ten yards north of the stake marking the kidnap site, Sarah
suddenly disappeared into the thick undergrowth. Jacko looked at

27
Jamie and nodded. Ten minutes later, Sarah reappeared smiling
broadly and pointed into the jungle.
‘Liklik, brother. Bush track oright. Sampela men yusim,’ she said.
‘Good job, Sar. Looks like Sarah’s found the trail the bandits used
when they took Johnny, Cap,’ said Jacko. ‘It’s one of the local
aboriginal tracks they call a sakai. Not easy to see. It’s been used
recently by several people.’
‘Okay. Great work. We’ll go into the village now and get some
supplies for a few days’ hiking,’ said Jamie. ‘Then we’ll borrow a
rifle or two from Geoffrey and set off first thing tomorrow morning.’
Jacko grinned. ‘Yep! Off at piccaninny light, Cap?’
‘Bloody oath, Jacko!’

28
 CHAPTER 4

Returning to his hut after breakfast, Johnny Cook was sitting on the
floor studying his book of Malayan phrases when he heard raised
voices at the western end of the campsite. Quietly skirting around the
back of the campsite, he drew closer to the hut where the loud
conversation was taking place. Hiding behind a thick stand of scrub,
he had a good view of the hut. The language was Malay; however,
they were speaking too fast for Johnny to understand anything.
After a while, the conversation became quieter and he heard
several people say, ‘Selamat tinggal.’ He knew those words.
Goodbye.
Watching from his shelter, he saw several men emerge from the
hut, including Boon and Moonface. With them was a man wearing a
khaki shirt and shorts and a broad-brimmed hat. Although he could
only see his back, he was sure the man was European. The man
waved and set off down the western track, and a sunbeam shone
down on his light-brown curls under the hat. That’s interesting,
thought Johnny. What’s a white man doing with these bandits?
He worked his way back to his hut along the bank of the small
stream near the camp, the source of all fresh water. One of the
Chinese bandits was standing there watching him suspiciously. Better
not look guilty, Johnny thought.
He smiled. ‘Selamat pagi.’
‘Selamat pagi.’
Back in his hut, Johnny reflected on this new intelligence.
Obviously, the bandits were well organised with help from outside
the jungle. Foreigners, perhaps even British, were involved in the
network. Johnny shook his head in frustration. He realised there was
nothing he could do about it. It was unlikely he could ever do
anything about it, even if he survived, and that was in the lap of the
gods. He lay back and opened his little book of Malayan phrases.

29
 ****

With Sarah leading the way, followed by Jacko and Jamie in single
file, the trio walked carefully through the thick jungle along the sakai
trail. The tracks were difficult to differentiate in the gloom of the
dense jungle. Sarah, however, seemed to have no trouble identifying
the trail, although their progress was painfully slow as they pushed
through barbed leaves, sharp bamboo, branches, ferns, and rancid-
smelling undergrowth. They sweated as they struggled through the
muggy, airless silence, and their backpacks seemed to grow heavier.
Occasionally they waded through brackish muddy water, causing all
types of insects to rise to their arms and faces. Jamie could feel
leeches working their way into his boots. This is going to be a long
and tedious expedition, he thought.
The previous afternoon, they had found a general store run by an
Irishman, Pat Sweeney, who had spent some time in the jungle. He
advised them on what they would need for a week or so walking
through the dense wilderness. They bought backpacks, rations, boots,
water flasks, first aid kits, torches, and a parang, a type of Malay
machete for chopping undergrowth. He also advised them to take
cigarettes and matches for burning off the leeches prevalent
throughout the swampy areas of the rainforest.
Jacko occasionally took over the lead to cut a way through thick
clumps of barbed and saw-toothed leaves and cane. Even mid-
morning was quite dark under the heavy jungle canopy, beams of
sunlight occasionally breaking through, playing on the dripping
leaves and fronds. Jamie never ceased to be amazed at how easily
Sarah and Jacko were able to follow the trail in the semi-darkness.
They trudged on through the fetid airless heat, only stopping for a
quick break whenever they reached a rare, small, dry clearing. They
took advantage of these breaks to use a cigarette for burning off the
leeches attached to their arms from the foliage. All around them the
jungle was eerily quiet, the menacing silence only broken once in a
while by a sudden surge of movement by monkeys overhead, an
aroused iguana in their path, or the whine of mosquitoes indicating a
nearby morass. Screeching birds swooped and dived above them

30
when disturbed. The rancid smell of rotting leaves was ever-present,
as was the constant dripping of water from the overhead canopy.
At midday, they found a small clearing and sat down to eat
sandwiches packed for them by Pat Sweeney the day before. Jamie
was happy to offload his backpack and sidearm, both of which
seemed to have grown heavier by the hour. He estimated that they
had only achieved four miles or so since early morning.
‘Bloody hell! She’s a bit different from the Australian bush, Cap,’
said Jacko. ‘I wonder how much further we have to go before we
catch up with Johnny’s kidnappers.’
‘You’re sure this is the right track, Jacko?’
‘Fair dinkum! No doubt about it, Cap. We can even pick out which
footprints are his.’
‘That’s amazing!’
‘Yeah, but Sarah’s better at following the track than me.’
Jamie looked over at the slight young girl who was sitting back on
her haunches and smiling at them.
‘Sarah, your skill in tracking is incredible,’ he said.
‘Thank you, Jemmie,’ she replied carefully.
‘And your English is improving out of sight,’ said Jacko.
‘Aye yu! Thank you, Jacko bikpela brother,’ she said, laughing.
‘We’ll get going again in another ten minutes,’ said Jamie. ‘If we
can find a good dry spot later this afternoon, we’ll kip there for the
night.’
As the afternoon wore on, the going didn’t get any easier. The
scratches on their arms attracted many types of insects, and the
leeches which had worked their way into their boots made walking
increasingly uncomfortable as they plunged on through the thick
scrub. Sarah showed no signs of uncertainty as she led the way, every
now and then pointing out where the kidnappers might have rested or
even stumbled.
By late afternoon, they arrived at a dry clearing where some low
shelters had been erected. Sarah spoke briefly to Jacko, who looked
back at Jamie and said, ‘Sarah says the bandits camped here for the
night. They built little humpies using broad leaves and cane to shelter
them, probably from rain.’

31
 ‘Yeah, we may as well camp here for the night too,’ said Jamie. ‘I
feel a bit bushed anyway. Maybe we can get a good night’s sleep
using their shelters, and push on early in the morning.’
‘Good plan, Cap. You’re not the only one who needs a break.’
‘I wish we had a billy. A cup of hot tea would do wonders,’ said
Jamie.
‘You’d have a hell of a job trying to find some dry wood for a fire
around here, Cap. Everything drips in this jungle.’
‘So, I guess some cold roast meat, tinned beans and tomatoes are
the order of the evening, eh?’ Jamie said, shaking off his backpack.
‘Yeah, real cordon bleu, Cap.’
‘This jungle is so silent, we should be able to sleep well tonight.’
‘Like logs, Cap.’
Later that night, Jamie took off his boots and spent half an hour
burning leeches off his feet. Soon after, he fell into a deep sleep, but
was woken by a deafening chorus of cicadas and crickets shattering
the silence. Good heavens, he thought, I think I spoke too soon.

****

To the southwest of Ipoh, at sunrise, Pieter de Groote was studying

the tin mining operation. Although he had an athletic build he walked
with a pronounced limp and with the assistance of a knobbly walking
stick. He was six foot two and had fair hair and bright-blue eyes.
Squinting in the bright glare, he watched as high-pressure water from
large monitors gouged rock and gravel from the sides of the hills. The
flow was directed into long wooden sluices, where hundreds of
coolies concentrated tin ore using large pans. The workers were
mainly females, wearing wide hats and swathed in close-fitting
clothes to protect them from the sun. The concentrates were deposited
in stockpiles ready for further treatment. De Groote nodded with
satisfaction. Labour-intensive but effective, he thought.
Dragging his eyes away from the bustling scene, he walked
towards the building with a sign over the door reading ‘Mine
Manager’. Entering the building, he announced his name to a pretty
young Malay secretary. She conducted him to an office where he was
greeted by the mine manager.

32
 ‘Ah yes, Mr de Groote,’ he said. ‘I’m Cedric Croxon. You are
right on time. I believe you want to explore the possibility of buying
tin concentrates from us? Please take a seat.’
‘Ya! Here is my card, Mr Croxon. I am with a major Dutch
company, the East Indies Trading Company. We are most interested
in a long-term contract for you to supply us with tin concentrates for
shipment to Batavia.’
‘I see. Mr de Groote, you must understand that we already have a
number of export contracts for our tin ore, but it’s possible we might
be able to ship some to you. What sort of tonnages are you thinking
of?’
‘We can take as much concentrate as you are able to provide for
us, Mr Croxon. We would prefer as much as 1,000 tons of cassiterite
per month.’
‘Hmm. I’m not sure we can supply that much to you, Mr de
Groote. Maybe a few hundred tons a month. I’ll have to work it out.
When were you thinking of starting these shipments?’
‘Two months from now, Mr Croxon, if that is possible.’
‘Well, I’ll have to review the mining plan for the next few months
and confer with our board of directors. Then I’ll let you know, Mr de
Groote.’
‘Can you give me a draft of your usual contract, and a sample of
your final product, Mr Croxon?’
‘Yes, of course. I’ve got some draft contracts in my drawer here
and if you’ll wait, I’ll get a sample of our pure cassiterite from the
safe.’
Having handed over some documents, Cedric knelt in front of a
large floor safe and started turning the dial on the front. After several
turns, he gave a satisfied grunt and pushed down a handle to open the
safe.
He only briefly heard the swish of the walking stick before it
crashed down onto the back of his skull. As the mine manager
crashed to the floor, Pieter de Groote pulled a narrow-blade sword
from his walking stick and plunged it into the neck of the prone figure
on the floor.
Pushing the body to one side, he rifled through the contents of the
safe, finding £10,500, mainly in £100 notes and smaller

33
denominations. Stuffing the money into a small briefcase he had with
him, he locked the safe, went to the door, and called out to the
secretary.
‘Quickly, come in here, miss! Something has happened to Mr
Croxon.’
She rushed past him and when she saw her boss spreadeagled on
the floor by the safe, she squealed, put her hand to her mouth and was
about to turn around when the walking stick hit her on the side of the
head. She dropped to the floor. De Groote dragged the unconscious
young girl across the room and deposited her next to Cedric Croxon’s
body. He then stabbed her through the heart with his sword. Wiping
the blood from the blade on her dress, he secreted the sword back into
the walking stick. He then crossed to the safe and wiped the dial and
handle with his handkerchief.
Winding the handle of the telephone, he asked to be put through to
the police in Ipoh.
A Malayan constable answered, ‘Ipoh police.’
De Groote assumed a distressed tone. ‘Officer, there’s been a
murder at the tin mine near Parit.’
‘Murder? Just a moment, Tuan.’
In a short while, a British voice answered, ‘Police Superintendent
Major Fairweather here. To whom am I speaking?’
De Groote smiled but continued anxiously, ‘Oh sir! My name is
Pieter de Groote. I am a Dutch trader from Batavia. I have just arrived
to talk to the manager of this tin mine about trading tin ore. When I
walked into the office, I found two people dead on the floor. A man
and a woman. Blood everywhere. It is horrible!’
‘Where are you now?’
‘At the reception desk. No one else is around in the office. Many
people at the mine.’
‘Yes, yes. Where is the mine?’
‘I’m not sure how to describe. I think just west of Parit. Southwest
of Ipoh.’
‘Yes, yes. We’ll need you to stay there, Mr de Groote. Some
officers will be on their way immediately.’

34
 In a quavering voice, de Groote said, ‘I can’t stay in this office.
It’s too horrible. Horrible. Verschrikkelijk!’ Then he hung up the
phone.
Rushing outside, he yelled, ‘Help! Murder! Inside the office!
Quick! I think they’re dead. Help!’ startling the women working in
the sluices.
The sluice workers looked at one another, not quite understanding
the tall foreigner who was waving his arms and pointing excitedly at
the office building. As one of them walked tentatively towards the
building, de Groote went to his car and started the engine. Laughing
loudly, he drove away.

****

Although it was relatively cool, Jamie, Jacko and Sarah continued to

sweat in the still, humid air of the jungle. Since early morning, they
had made slow progress along the sakai trail and had just encountered
a particularly thick barrier of barbed leaves and chest-high razor
grasses. Jamie heard Jacko grunting as he hacked away at the
menacing thick foliage, and marvelled at the confidence of his two
companions that they were always on the right track. After Jacko had
finally opened up a way through the barrier, they continued along the
trail, with Sarah leading.
Jamie remembered the relief last evening when he had removed
his sodden boots and burnt off the leeches that had worked their way
onto the skin of his ankles, feet and between his toes. As he walked
along, he could feel new leeches on his ankles and was determined to
ignore them. As before, his backpack and rifle seemed to get heavier
as they trudged on.
Suddenly, Sarah held up her hand. Hurrying back, she said
something to Jacko, who whispered to Jamie that someone was
coming along the trail.
They carefully moved to the side of the trail, trying not to disturb
the foliage, and found cover behind thick scrub from where they
could look along the trail. Lying on the damp ground amongst rotting
leaves that emitted a putrid smell, they disturbed numerous crawling
insects that had a great interest in the humans.

35
 After ten minutes of keeping still, they observed an elderly dark-
skinned man with partially grey hair and a wispy beard walking with
an easy grace along the trail towards them. Clothed only in a
loincloth, he carried a stick in one hand and had a long cane blowpipe
slung over his shoulder. A machete-like parang hung from his waist.
As he drew abreast of the thicket where the three Australians were
hiding, he stopped. After looking around in all directions he nodded,
smiled and with a satisfied murmur, headed back silently in the
direction from which he had come.
After he had gone, Jamie whispered, ‘Who the hell was that?’
Jacko shook his head. ‘I think he must be a Temiar. One of the
Malay aborigines who live in the jungle, Cap.’
‘Do you think he saw us?’ asked Jamie.
‘I don’t know if he saw us, Cap. I’m pretty sure he knew we were
here, though. What d’you reckon, Sar?’
Sarah smiled. ‘Aye yu, bik brother. He know!’
Jamie grimaced as he brushed insects off his arms and said,
‘Bloody hell. Do you reckon they’ll ambush us along the trail?’
‘Dunno, Cap. Don’t think so. He didn’t seem too concerned about
us. We’ll have to be careful, but! I think we’ll be able to sense the
presence of an ambush if we keep our wits about us, eh sis?
‘Aye yu, bik brother.’
Jacko stood up, shaking himself off. ‘Might as well get underway.
No point in hanging around here, eh Cap?’
Brushing leaves and insects off himself, Jamie nodded. ‘Yeah,
you’re right, Jacko. Let’s get this show on the road.’
‘Yep! Maybe it’s not too far to the Temiar village where that old
man lives.’
‘Yeah, that’s a good thought,’ said Jamie. ‘Let’s go.’
After another hour of exasperatingly slow progress, with the broad
barbed leaves and razor grass again tearing at their clothes and skin,
they found a dry clearing and shared the rest of the sandwiches for
lunch. Inexplicably, after another hour, the trail became much easier
to follow and they were able to speed up their progress.
Eventually, Sarah held up her hand and said something to Jacko,
who beckoned Jamie to join them.

36
 Jacko whispered in Jamie’s ear, ‘Sarah thinks we might be close to
a village or encampment. Probably the Temiar one. I’ll go ahead,
Cap, and reconnoitre the landscape. I suggest that you and Sarah wait
here. I’ll be back in a jiffy.’
Jamie nodded, and Jacko was quickly swallowed up by the jungle
as he continued up the sakai trail. Forty minutes later, he returned
with a smile on his face.
‘We’re not more than ten minutes away from the Temiar village,’
he said. ‘I had a good look around. There are quite a few men, women
and children living in the village. I even saw our friend, the elderly
fellow we met down the track. No sign of Johnny or any bandits.
They have a long hut in the centre surrounded by many smaller huts,
all built with bamboo and nipa, similar to huts we’ve seen in the
Philippines. Nobody saw me, but the old man smiled and looked in
my direction, so I think he somehow knew I was there.’
‘Do you think it’s safe to go there?’ asked Jamie. ‘They could be
in cahoots with the bandits.’
‘From what Sweeney told us back in Tanah Rata, the Temiar are
peaceful,’ said Jacko. ‘As far as I know, they’re dead shots with their
blowpipes but they only use them for hunting. It’s a risk, but I don’t
think we’ve got much to fear from them unless there are bandits in
their village. And from what I could see, I don’t think there are. They
might be able to tell us where Johnny is.’
Jamie thought for a while. ‘That’s true. A risk worth taking. We
should think about how to show them that we come in peace.’

37
 CHAPTER 5

Police Superintendent Major Russell Fairweather had seen many

murder scenes in his time, but nothing quite like this. Six foot tall,
with a military bearing, he was solidly built. His florid complexion
contrasted with clear, grey, intelligent eyes and a well-groomed
military moustache below a prominent aquiline nose.
Detective Sergeant David Devroe stood next to the bodies, writing
in his notebook. The mine manager, Croxon, and his secretary, Mira,
seemed to be locked in a deadly embrace between the large
mahogany desk and the floor safe. David Devroe was of the opinion
that the secretary had been murdered in another part of the office and
dragged into the present position. One of her shoes had come off and
lay in the centre of the room.
Major Fairweather cleared his throat. ‘Has anyone been able to
track down the Dutchman yet? De Groote?’ he asked.
‘No, sir, not yet. I am told, however, that he does have a
connection with one of the Dutch trading companies in KL,’ said
Sergeant Devroe.
‘Any sign of the murder weapon?’
‘No, sir. It looks like they were both knocked out with a heavy
object and then skewered with a long, thin blade,’ Devroe replied.
‘We haven’t been able to find either weapon.’
Major Fairweather winced at the word ‘skewered’ and grunted.
None of the workers at the mine had been much help. They had
described the Dutchman as a tall foreigner with a limp, but nobody
had heard anything before de Groote had rushed out yelling for help.
He had driven off before the police arrived on the scene.
‘Tell them to keep searching, Devroe,’ said Fairweather. ‘Then
you can get onto Inspector Douglas at the KL office. Ask him to find
out which one of those Dutch trading companies this de Groote
fellow is associated with.’

38
 ‘I can do better than that, sir. There was a business card in Mr
Croxon’s pocket. It’s de Groote’s card. He’s an executive with the
East Indies Trading Company. The telephone number is on the card,
sir.’
‘Jolly good, Sergeant,’ said Fairweather, putting the card in his
pocket. ‘I’ll give de Groote a ring. He might be able to give us a lead.
Try to find someone from the mining company who can open that
safe, eh?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Damnable business,’ Fairweather muttered as he left the mining
office.
Back in his office, Major Fairweather dialled the telephone
number on the card. A female voice answered, ‘East Indies Import-
Export Company.’
‘Ah, yes. This is Police Superintendent Fairweather. I’d like to
speak to one of your people. Pieter de Groote,’ said Major
Fairweather.
‘Pieter de Groote? We don’t have anyone with that name here, sir.
Would you like to speak to anyone else?’
Puzzled, Major Fairweather replied, ‘Yes, yes. Put me through to
someone in charge.’
‘Just a moment, please, sir.’
‘Goot afternoon, sir. I am told you are from the police. How can I
help you?’
‘Yes. I am Superintendent Fairweather. Who are you?’
‘Ah! I am Hendrik Janssen, general manager of this company.’
‘I am looking for a Mr Pieter de Groote,’ said Fairweather. ‘Your
switch girl didn’t seem to know who he was. I have his business card
with this number. I understand he is tall, walks with a limp and
carries a cane.’
‘That is strange,’ said Janssen. ‘We don’t have anyone by that
name or description in our company.’
‘Is that the East Indies Trading Company, Mr Janssen?’
‘No, Superintendent. This is the East Indies Import-Export
Company. You say his business card had this telephone number?’

39
 ‘Yes, that’s right,’ said Fairweather, slowly shaking his head and
rubbing his moustache. ‘So, you’ve never heard of this de Groote
fellow?’
‘That is correct, Superintendent. That is a Dutch name, but I’ve
never heard of him. Never!’
‘Do you buy tin ore from tin mines in Malaya?’ asked
Fairweather.
‘Ya. Sometimes. When we get a request for it. That is not often.
We mainly buy rubber and palm oil from around here.’
‘Rubber and palm oil, eh?’ said Fairweather, scratching his head.
‘How many Dutchmen do you have in your company?’
‘Two here in KL and two in Singapore,’ answered Janssen. ‘Our
other staff are all locals.’
‘Would you ask the others whether they know Pieter de Groote,
Mr Janssen? I’m anxious to speak to him.’
‘Has he committed some crime, Superintendent?’
‘No, but it’s important I speak to him.’
‘I’ll ask around. If anyone here knows him I’ll let you know,
Superintendent.’
After leaving his telephone number, Major Fairweather hung up
the phone and stared out the window with a strongly furrowed brow.
Curious!
He slitted his eyes against the glare from the window and played
with the bristles of his moustache, watching some of the small boats
navigating the Kinta River. So, this unknown Dutchman, de Groote,
was obviously a rogue and now definitely the chief suspect in these
murders. Tall, fair-haired, with an athletic build and a limp. Perhaps a
fake limp. There must be someone somewhere who knows this man,
thought Major Fairweather. He would surely stand out. He would find
it hard to hide in Malaya.

****

Jamie, Jacko and Sarah peered through the bushes at the small Temiar
village where several men, women and children were walking around
in front of the large central longhouse that dominated the clearing.
They were healthy looking, the men dressed only in loincloths while

40
the women were draped in colourful material. Most of the children
were naked. The old man whom they had seen earlier was not in
evidence. A fresh-water stream was visible behind the huts. They
could hear the snorting of pigs from an enclosure to the side of the
row of small huts. Chickens wandered freely throughout the clearing.
Jamie whispered to the others, ‘Let’s go. Palms of our hands
outwards to show no weapons.’
‘Lead on, Cap.’
As they emerged into the clearing, the people looked at them
curiously. They showed no sign of being startled. Almost as if they
were expected. As they neared the long hut, the old man appeared in
the doorway and approached them.
‘Selamat petang, Tuan,’ he said.
Jacko responded, ‘Selamat petang.’ In a low voice to Jamie, he
said, ‘I believe that’s Malay for good afternoon.’
The old man smiled and touched them all one by one on the
shoulder. Some of the other villagers joined the group and appeared
to be fascinated by Sarah. They surrounded her and then each one of
them touched her on the head. The small children joined in and
touched her arms. She stood perfectly still, watching them. She then
turned around, a full circle, and smiled. As though it was a signal, the
people broke out into laughter and chatted excitedly to her in their
local dialect, which sounded different from any language the three
Australians had ever heard. The old man watched the whole process,
nodding and smiling.
‘They’ve never seen anyone like Sarah before, Cap,’ said Jacko.
‘No. I think they regard her as something special,’ said Jamie. ‘At
least everyone is friendly here.’
‘Dunno how we can drag Sarah away from her group of admirers,
Cap.’
‘Nothing much we can do,’ said Jamie, laughing. ‘We’ll leave it
up to the old man to make the first move.’
After a while, the old man walked up to Jamie. He touched the
rifle slung over his shoulder and then his face, and pointed along a
well-beaten track leading away to the west from the village.

41
 ‘I think he’s trying to tell you that there are men with rifles up that
track, Cap,’ said Jacko. To indicate he had understood, Jacko pointed
at Jamie’s face and then at the western track.
The old man nodded and said, ‘Lelaki putih.’
‘Aha, Cap. That’s probably Malay, but I think I know what it is,’
said Jacko. ‘I’ve learnt a bit of Filipino from your wife. In Filipino,
lalaki is man and puti is white. Could be similar words in the Malay
language. I’m sure he’s talking about Johnny.’
‘Okay, gotcha Jacko,’ said Jamie. Pointing at his face, he looked at
the old man and said, ‘Lalaki puti.’
The old man nodded eagerly and pointed down the track.
‘I wish we could ask him how many bandits there are,’ said Jamie.
‘No problem, Cap. If I can drag my sister away from her admirers,
we’ll go and reconnoitre the position this evening. You can wait for
us here.’
By this time, more villagers had arrived on the scene and Sarah
was so much the centre of attraction, it was almost impossible to see
her through the throng.
Jamie opened his backpack and pulled out five pounds of tobacco
and forty chocolate bars. The old man smiled broadly and said,
‘Terima kasih.’
‘I’m pretty sure that’s thank you in Malay, Cap,’ said Jacko,
jumping up to catch a glimpse of Sarah’s head in the centre of the
crowd.
The old man indicated the long hut and headed off towards it.
‘I think he wants us to follow him, Jacko,’ said Jamie. ‘What about
Sarah?’
‘She’ll be right for the moment, Cap. I think she’s basking in the
glory.’
They entered the central longhouse, which smelt strongly of
human sweat and the smoke rising from the bamboo cane flooring.
Jamie speculated that a large number of the villagers cooked and slept
together in this longhouse, which was about forty feet long. Jacko
noticed a tin pot in a corner of the hut. He picked it up, went out the
back door of the hut and filled it from the stream. The old man
watched Jacko lighting a match and then pointing at the pot.

42
 The old man nodded, picked up a bunch of dry sticks from under
the hut and lay them down next to the pot. In a short while, Jacko had
a fire going and when the water boiled, he threw some tea from his
backpack into the pot and gestured as though he was drinking. The
old man quickly went back into the hut and emerged with four tin
mugs. Holding the pot with his handkerchief, Jacko filled three mugs
with the hot tea and started drinking from one. He then pointed at the
cup and said, ‘Tea. Tea.’
The old man watched him and after sipping some tea, nodded
enthusiastically. Jacko then gave him two large packets of tea-leaves.
Again, ‘Terima kasih.’
‘I think we’ve made a firm friend here, Cap.’
Sarah’s voice came from the door of the longhouse, ‘Where’s my
cuppa, bik brother?’
Jacko filled a fourth mug. When she joined them, he noticed the
doorway was full of her admirers watching her as she sipped her tea.
‘You’ve made a bit of an impression, sis,’ he said.
‘Aye yu, bik brother. Don’t lusim me again. I give you painhead,’
she said.
‘Okay, Sar. Promise.’
‘I suggest we have an early bite to eat and then go and have a look
at the bandits’ campsite,’ said Jamie. ‘Instead of just reconnoitring,
we’ll see if we can find Johnny and extract him.’
As they pulled some bread, cold meat and salad from their
backpacks, the old man clapped his hands and shouted to the people
watching from the doorway. ‘Gabu! Gabu!’ Shortly, a thin young
man emerged from the crowd and stood next to the old man outside
the hut.
The old man looked at Jamie, put his hand on the head of the
young man and said, ‘Gabu.’ He then pointed towards the west where
the sun was beginning its descent.
‘I think he wants this fellow, Gabu, to come with us when we go,
Cap,’ said Jacko.
‘Yeah, I think you’re right,’ said Jamie.
‘Aye yu, he come,’ said Sarah.
Jamie nodded at the old man. ‘Okay, okay. We’ll take Gabu with
us. He might know where Johnny is.’

43
 The old man looked pleased, and then pointed at the tin pot and
said, ‘Teh, teh.’
Jacko stoked up the fire with more wood and refilled the pot with
water from the nearby stream. ‘I think he likes this billy tea,’ he said.
In a short while, they were drinking more tea while the curious
villagers watched on.
‘If we can ascertain where Johnny is with Gabu’s help, we’ll have
to work out how to extract him without stirring up a hornet’s nest,’
said Jamie.
‘That’s easy, Cap,’ said Jacko. ‘I’ll go and get him. He knows me,
so I think I’ll be able to get him out without making a noise. Unless
he’s heavily guarded or kept in a cage or something.’
‘Don’t think he’ll be guarded, Jacko,’ said Jamie. ‘The bandits
have him in the thick jungle where he wouldn’t know where he is.
They probably let him wander around. When you’ve finished your
tea, we might as well take off before it gets dark.’

****

By late afternoon, the news that the office safe at the tin mine had
been opened by one of the directors of the mining company had
reached Major Fairweather’s office. It was known that a great deal of
money had been stolen. The fortnightly payday for the mine workers
and executive staff was to be the following day. As was customary,
sufficient money had been placed in the safe the previous day to
cover all the wages.
Fairweather thought it all smacked of an inside job, but as far as
his investigating police could ascertain, there were no Dutchmen
associated with the mining company in any way. Certainly not a tall,
fair-haired, limping Dutchman. Yet he must have had knowledge of
the procedures of the company. Most likely, one of the workers in the
mine was a crony of the Dutchman, a source of information about the
timing of paydays. But how could he have known about the money in
the safe? Perhaps the secretary, Mira, had been an inside source. If so,
why had she been murdered so brutally?
Fairweather racked his brains as he watched the early sunset
reflected off the Kinta River. Nobody seemed to be able to locate that

44
damnable limping Dutch murderer. He should stand out like the
proverbial sore thumb in this country, he judged. No sign. Perhaps
he’ll turn up somewhere. More than £10,000. Damn!
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his office door.
He called out, ‘Come in!’
David Devroe entered and handed Fairweather some documents.
‘Forensic and medical reports,’ he said.
The superintendent glanced at them. ‘Hmm. What are the
highlights, Devroe?’
‘Well, sir, the only fingerprints were those of mining staff,’ he
replied. ‘The handles of the door and safe were wiped clean. The only
blood belonged to the victims. They were both hit with a rounded
club and stabbed with a narrow blade. No murder weapons have been
found.’
‘So, what’s the good news, Devroe?’
‘Um, er, there isn’t any yet, sir.’
‘All right, Devroe. Get all our men on the job looking for tall,
limping Dutchmen. I’ll go into KL tomorrow morning and talk to
Inspector Douglas. His people might know something.’

****

Colonel John Cook lay asleep on the floor of his hut and was briefly
woken when the inevitable chorus of cicadas and crickets broke out.
He scratched the matted stubble on his chin, burped and then fell back
to sleep. He had become accustomed to the noises of the jungle and
they no longer disturbed his rest.
He started to dream that he was being smothered and awoke again
suddenly to find a hand clamped over his mouth and a sound like
‘Shhh,’ in his ear. Opening his eyes, he couldn’t see anything in the
dark, but was relieved when he heard his assailant whisper, ‘Shhh.
Quiet, Johnny. It’s me, Jacko.’
He nodded, and the hand was removed from his mouth. Jacko
helped him to his feet and Johnny shook his head to wake up fully.
They both crept to the door at the back of the hut. Jacko went first and
guided Johnny’s feet down the bamboo rungs of the small ladder to
the ground. Jacko took his hand and led him along a path between the

45
encampment and the stream until he became aware of being joined by
others.
Johnny was then guided along a path which he recognised as the
track to the Temiar village. The jungle was not thick overhead along
this track and in the starlight, he could see a short young man and a
small dark girl leading the way. When he tried to turn his head to see
who was behind, Jacko whispered to him that it was Jamie bringing
up the rear. Johnny was amazed as well as filled with joy at his
rescue. What were his Australian friends doing here, and how had
they found him?
Johnny felt he was walking in a dream, and the next half-hour
before they reached the Temiar village seemed to pass quickly. On
their arrival, they found the old man sitting on the ground in front of a
small fire in the centre of the village. He rose to his feet as they
approached and placed his hand on Johnny’s shoulder.
Johnny said to the others, ‘He is Penghulu. The headman.’
The old man beamed, nodded to the others and spoke in a low
voice to Gabu, the athletic young Temiar who had accompanied them
to the bandits’ camp.
He then turned to Sarah and spoke to her. Although she had no
knowledge of the Temiar language, she nodded as though she did and
the old man smiled and touched her on the shoulder.
The old man pointed to the start of the sakai trail. ‘Gabu, Gabu.’
As Gabu headed towards the trail, Johnny turned to the old man
and said, ‘Terima kasih, Penghulu.’
The old man laughed. ‘Sama, sama.’
‘We’ll have to get some distance down the track before we can
rest,’ said Jamie. ‘Johnny, do you know the Malay for goodbye?’
Johnny nodded. ‘I know that. Selamat tinggal.’
Jamie waved to the old man as they set off. ‘Selamat tinggal.’
In a low voice, the old man repeated, ‘Selamat tinggal.’
With Gabu in the lead, followed by Sarah, the group set off down
the sakai trail in almost total darkness, accompanied by the strident
shrieks of the cicadas. Even Jacko was in awe of the ability of the
young Gabu to follow the trail in the dark. Although the going was
necessarily slow, they all knew they must cover a few miles at least

46
before the bandits discovered in the morning that Johnny was
missing.
As they walked, Jacko said to Sarah, ‘Did you understand what the
old man said to you, sis?’
She chuckled. ‘Him old pela like me plenty.’

47
 CHAPTER 6

At the central Kuala Lumpur police station, which occupied the same
building as the central railway station, Detective Inspector Robert
Douglas sat brooding, pouting like a petulant schoolboy. Why the hell
did Superintendent Major Fairweather want to see him? He was
distrustful of these military types who currently filled most of the
police positions in Malaya. As one of the few policemen in Malaya
not associated with the military, he was often looked down upon by
most of his colleagues.
Douglas was fairly short, five foot seven, with a chubby face and
prominent ears. He had been a detective sergeant with Scotland Yard
in London and after a less than distinguished career, had been
informed that his only way to promotion was to transfer to the
colonies. His subordinates were mainly Malays of Indian origin, with
a lesser number of Malay Chinese and English of varying army ranks.
He had difficulty imposing his influence on any of them. Bloody
military! Always so superior! He sighed.
There was a knock on the door and before he could say anything,
Sergeant Balveer Singh popped his head around the door and said,
‘Sir, the superintendent is here. Shall I show him in?’
Douglas glanced at him. ‘Please ask the superintendent to wait for
five minutes. I just have to make an important telephone call. I’ll buzz
when I’m finished.’
‘Very good, sir.’ The sergeant left and closed the door.
The inspector didn’t quite know why he had done that, but he felt
he should show them that he had important things to do. They would
know at the desk if he didn’t make a call, so he picked up the phone.
Who should he call? Not his wife. She was still upset with him for
having been uprooted from London to live in this hot place. He called
an English friend of his and arranged to meet at the Majestic Hotel for
a drink in the late afternoon. He then pressed his buzzer, and

48
Superintendent Fairweather was shown into his office by his Malay
secretary.
Fairweather showed no irritation at having been kept waiting, and
quickly sat down in front of Douglas’s desk. ‘Ah, Robert, I have a
serious matter which I need to discuss with you. I need your help.’
‘Yes, Superintendent, how can I help?’
‘I would like your people to start interviewing all European
foreigners in KL, particularly Dutchmen, in relation to the murders at
the tin mine near Ipoh.’
Douglas smiled and nodded. ‘Ah, yes. The murders. They’ve been
on the front pages of all the newspapers this morning.’
‘Yes, well, the chief suspect is a tall fair-haired Dutchman who has
a limp. He left a telephone number of the East Indies Import-Export
Company, a Dutch trading company based here in KL. He identified
himself as Pieter de Groote. The general manager of the trading
company, a Mr Janssen, claims he has never heard of him. We need
your people to make enquiries about that and any other Dutch trading
company in KL. They should also investigate all the hotels, clubs and
bars in and around KL to find out if anyone has seen a man of that
description or name. The limp may have been faked, of course.’
‘Of course, Superintendent,’ said Douglas. ‘I’ll get my men onto it
right away.’
‘Jolly good, Robert. Let me know if you find anything. My own
fellows are working around Ipoh and the Kinta Valley region, and
I’ve got others making enquiries in Singapore.’
‘Anything else, sir?’
‘No, Robert. I’ll leave you to it. Keep in touch.’
Inspector Douglas, alone again in his office, felt a sense of
satisfaction. When the superintendent had made the appointment to
see him this morning, he’d thought it was probably to admonish him
for bungling one or other of the petty crime investigations he had
been conducting recently. But instead, Fairweather had requested his
help on a high-profile murder case. How hard could this be? There
were a few tall, fair-haired men in KL. It shouldn’t be too hard to run
this de Groote fellow, a Dutchman, to ground. He would start with the
East Indies Import-Export Company and go on from there. If it all
turned out successfully, he could imagine experiencing the sights and

49
sounds of London again one day with an enhanced reputation. Ah,
London! He missed the log fires and the cosy pubs. He even missed
the cold, drizzling rain.
He buzzed his secretary. ‘Tell Sergeant Balveer Singh and
Corporals Angus Murray and Amal Singh that I want to see them
immediately.’

****

The smiling young Temiar guide, Gabu, had stayed with them until
mid-morning. Then he had waved, said, ‘Selamat tinggal,’ and set off
back to the village.
Johnny remembered to say, ‘Terima kasih.’ Gabu laughed as the
jungle swallowed him up.
It began raining as the four of them worked their way along the
sakai trail in the afternoon. With Sarah in the lead, they were moving
a little faster than they had on their way into the jungle. It had been
only days since Jacko had cut through the worst barriers of thick
growth with his parang on their trek to the Temiar village, and the
trail was more visible.
Johnny was still feeling sheepish at his reaction to Jacko
introducing him to Sarah early that morning. He had looked at the
small black girl whom he’d hardly noticed in the dark and then said to
Jacko, ‘Is she really your sister?’
Jacko had chuckled. ‘Yeah, mate. She’s the real thing. I’m only
half Aborigine.’
‘I didn’t mean ... er ... sorry ... just surprised,’ he had muttered.
Jacko laughed. ‘Don’t worry, Johnny. Sarah’s not worried. We’re
all good.’
Johnny tried to work out how he could make up for what he
thought was his moment of impoliteness. He had meant no disrespect,
but he had never met anyone quite like Sarah before. Since Gabu had
left them in the morning, he had come to realise what a valuable asset
she was to them. She confidently followed the jungle trail, which he
found almost impossible to detect.
At the same time, his sense of relief was immense. He couldn’t
believe that Jamie and Jacko had appeared out of nowhere to rescue

50
him. He felt a great affinity for these two Australian men with whom
he had spent years, months and days in company in all sorts of
conditions during the war in the Middle East. Here they were again as
his rescuers. Someone in MI6 in London must have had the good
sense to contact them directly, he surmised.
The insects, leeches and barbed foliage were just as bad as before
and the rain added to the misery of the airless jungle, but the fact that
they were heading towards civilisation buoyed their spirits and put a
spring in their steps. Again, the silence of the jungle was only broken
occasionally by the swift movement and chatter of monkeys
overhead, or the sudden insane screeches of birds. At one stage they
disturbed a wild boar, which raced off squealing into the thick jungle.
By late afternoon, Sarah pointed ahead and yelled, ‘Clear place.
Clear place!’
Jacko nodded. ‘Nearly there.’
Ten minutes later, they were standing in the middle of the gravel
road near the spot where Johnny had originally been kidnapped.
Johnny threw his arms in the air and let out a whoop of joy. The
others watched him with amusement.
‘I couldn’t believe it when you marvellous Australians showed
up,’ he said. ‘Just couldn’t believe it. I thought I would spend the rest
of my life in that damned jungle.’
‘You can tell us all about it later, Johnny,’ said Jamie. ‘Right now,
we should walk up the hill to that Moonlight Bungalow. I’m sure
those MSS agents should be able to give us some beds for the night.
What was the name of the MSS chief there?’
‘Landers, I think, Cap,’ said Jacko. ‘Yeah, Geoffrey Landers.’
‘That’s him,’ said Jamie. ‘Heavy drinker, that fellow.’
‘Hope he hasn’t drunk it all, Cap. I could do with a drink myself.’
‘Not only you, my fine friend,’ said Johnny.

****

Tan Boon Cheng was furious. Travelling fast, they had already
covered over ten miles along the beaten track west from their
campsite with no sign of the Englishman. His guards who lived
further back along the track insisted that no one had passed, but he

51
was sure they must have been asleep or playing mahjong away from
the track. He looked at his second-in-command, Koh Wong Peng,
whose pocked moonface was sweating profusely. Boon then turned
towards the others who had sat down on the ground, exhausted by the
steep undulations in the track made slippery by squalls of rain. He
shouldn’t get angry with them. He was sure that the guilao, the
Westerner, couldn’t have got this far, and it was impossible that he
had used the sakai trail to the east. Perhaps he had hidden in the
jungle beside the track between here and their campsite.
Chaos had reigned earlier in the day when one of the men had
gone to fetch the guilao for breakfast and discovered him gone. They
had searched the campsite, and then the nearby Temiar village, where
the local people had denied seeing him. Boon and some of his men
had searched the first one or two miles of the sakai trail leading to the
Cameron Highlands with the help of a Temiar guide, but concluded
that he would never have been able to find his way along such an
obscure trail. The only way he could have gone was down the western
track, which was much easier to follow. There were guards along that
track, so Boon thought he had probably already been captured. Boon,
Koh and six other men set off at a trot down the western track. Five
miles on, they found their guards who maintained they had been alert
and that no one had passed.
A further five miles down the track, Boon decided there was little
chance that the Englishman could have got so far, even if he had been
able to travel through the night. The track was relatively distinct and
there was little overhead jungle cover here; however, a guilao would
still have found it difficult on his own. The whole thing was a
mystery.
With the sun sinking slowly in the west, Boon instructed his men
to find a suitable place to spend the night. In the morning, Koh would
have to take three of the men back along the track and search
carefully for any sign of a hiding place to the side of the track. If the
guilao was hiding along the track somewhere, it was most likely
between the guards’ position and the campsite. It was unlikely the
foreigner would have been able to follow the track for too long in the
dark. He told Koh that when they found him, to give him a good
beating but not enough to prevent him from walking.

52
 Speaking in Cantonese, Boon said, ‘I’ll continue west to Simpang
Pulai in the morning to talk the situation over with our contacts in
Ipoh. Sheng Min and two of the others can come with me. We have to
pick up some supplies in Simpang Pulai. In the unlikely event I catch
up with the Englishman before I get there, I’ll give him a good
thrashing myself, or I might just kill him. Damned foreigner. I should
have put him in a cage.’
The other bandits mumbled their agreement and started gathering
relatively dry wood for a fire to prepare their evening meal.

****

‘I was quite dumbfounded to see you again this afternoon, Colonel

Cook,’ said Geoffrey Landers as they all sat on the verandah of the
Moonlight Bungalow sipping after-dinner drinks. ‘I couldn’t imagine
how anyone could possibly find you in all that dense jungle.’
‘Well, you can’t underestimate the tracking skills of my Australian
friends. In particular, that young girl there,’ said Johnny, nodding
towards Sarah who shyly smiled back at him. In the late evening
darkness, her teeth were shining white like a beacon.
‘Yes, yes. Remarkable!’ said Geoffrey, pouring himself another
Scotch. ‘Any of you chaps want another beer?’
Jamie shook his head. ‘Not for me, thanks Geoffrey. Still got half
a tankard.’
Jacko and Johnny both gestured that they had had enough.
‘So, what were those bandits up to, Colonel?’ asked Geoffrey.
‘Did you find out what their plans are?’
‘No, nothing like that, Geoffrey,’ said Johnny. ‘They mainly spoke
Cantonese, although they could understand Malay and some English.’
Geoffrey shook his head. ‘Damned perplexing, what!’
‘I did manage to learn a bit of Malay while I was there,’ said
Johnny, chuckling. ‘The bandits lent me a Malay phrase book. So my
time was not entirely wasted.’
Jacko laughed. ‘You can be our interpreter from now on, Johnny.’
‘I’m not that fluent, Jacko. Anyway, we’ll all be leaving in the
next day or so.’

53
 ‘Yes. I’ve left my wife in the Philippines, and Jacko’s fiancée is
there as well,’ said Jamie. ‘We’re anxious to get back there as soon as
possible.’
‘So, you won’t stay for the celebrations next week?’ asked
Geoffrey.
Johnny looked up. ‘Celebrations?’
‘Yes. On the 1st of April, the Malayan Union will be officially
proclaimed and it’ll take over from the BMA in Malaya,’ explained
Geoffrey. ‘Sir Edward Gent will be the new governor-general. There
will be a number of formal celebrations and what-not. Worth waiting
around for.’
Jacko chuckled. ‘Auspicious date. April Fools’ Day!’
Geoffrey looked serious. ‘Yes. I hope it’s not a bad omen.’
‘Anyway, I won’t wait around,’ said Johnny, ‘and I know my
Australian colleagues are keen to get away too. We’ll go into Kuala
Lumpur tomorrow and see Algie Browning. Perhaps we can work
something out so that the MSS can track the bandits down. The trail
heading west from their camp must end somewhere. Maybe Ipoh.’
‘You could leave your report with me and I’ll take it up with
Major Browning if you like, Colonel,’ Geoffrey suggested.
‘No, that’s all right, Geoffrey. I’d like to see Algie before I go
back to London anyway. You could phone him and ask him to book
some rooms for us all at the Majestic for tomorrow night, if you
wouldn’t mind.’
‘Yes certainly. I’ll do that in the morning, Colonel.’
‘We’ll also need to borrow a car and driver to get us to KL,
please.’
Geoffrey nodded. ‘Of course. Of course.’
Jamie yawned. ‘That’s great. Thanks, Geoffrey. I’m going to hit
the sack. You’ll have to wake me in the morning or I might sleep for
twenty-four hours.’
‘Yeah, I could sleep on gravel tonight,’ said Jacko. ‘Goodnight,
Geoffrey.’
‘Oh! Yes, yes. Goodnight everyone,’ said Geoffrey. ‘You’ve had a
long day. See you at breakfast. Eight o’clock all right?’
As they all stood, Johnny said, ‘Perfect, Geoffrey. Thanks for your
hospitality. Goodnight.’

54
 After the others had left him, Geoffrey Landers poured himself
another whisky.

****

Inspector Robert Douglas was in a pensive mood when he arrived

home that evening. His wife, Jean, a small Scottish woman with
untidy greying hair and a highland brogue, greeted him, but he didn’t
notice as he walked into his small home office.
He had spent most of the day interviewing Dutchmen, and
foreigners who might know or look like Dutchmen, but nobody
professed to know Pieter de Groote. He had first paid a visit to the
East Indies Import-Export Company where he met Hendrik Janssen
and Frans van Houten. Both men insisted they had never heard of
Pieter de Groote, and that he definitely was not attached to their
trading company. Douglas had spent an hour with them asking if they
knew where he would most likely find such a Dutchman as de
Groote, while they ate spicy biscuits which Janssen called speculaas,
and drank tea. They told him they were as mystified as he was and
didn’t know many of their countrymen in KL, as they had only been
there a few months.
There had been some excitement when Sergeant Balveer Singh
was told about a de Groote working as a chef in one of the local
restaurants. However, after descending in force on the place, they had
found a short, plump, dark-haired man named Hein de Groote.
It seemed the whole afternoon had been spent rushing from place
to place every time a new possibility had arisen, but the tall fair-
haired de Groote could not be found. It was like searching for a ghost.
Just my luck, Douglas thought. He’ll probably turn up in Ipoh or
Penang or somewhere, and the superintendent will get all the glory.
Perhaps Major Browning and his damned MSS had already captured
the beggar, and they were keeping it a secret from the police.
His thoughts were interrupted by his wife calling him for dinner.
He stood up and reluctantly headed to the dining room. His wife had
taken enthusiastically to cooking Malay rice dishes. Nasi lemak and
endless curry and satay dishes with too many spices. Douglas was not
at all enthusiastic about Malay cuisine, but had given up arguing with

55
Jean about it. Yet another thing to hate about this hot, tropical hell-
hole, he thought. Probably spend the night with heartburn.
He had decided that he would extend his search down to Johore
the following day. That de Groote must be somewhere, or someone
must know about him or have seen him. The fellow would stand out
like a sore thumb.
As it turned out, Douglas didn’t suffer from heartburn that night,
but he found it hard to sleep thinking about the possibilities if he just
managed to run the de Groote fellow to ground. He would be
something of a hero, particularly if it could be proved that the
Dutchman was indeed the murderer. That seemed cut and dried.
Scotland Yard might want him back in London. In the evenings, he
could eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding in front of a roaring fire,
with the cold drizzling rain beating against the windowpanes. Ah, real
paradise! He would have to put all his officers on the job tomorrow.
Douglas fell asleep with a hint of a smile on his lips.

56
 CHAPTER 7

As they slowly wound down the rough, narrow, gravel road from the
Cameron Highlands to Tapah, Johnny briefed the others on his
experiences as a prisoner of the bandits. They were being driven in an
ex-RAF Austin 16, which handled the road moderately better than the
smaller Wolseley 10.
‘It’s good you warned me not to say too much to our friend
Geoffrey Landers,’ said Johnny.
‘Yes. He seemed too willing to talk about everything to a couple
of Dutch strangers who were with him when we first arrived,’ said
Jamie. ‘I’m afraid that Landers doesn’t know the meaning of
discretion. Besides, he always seems to be half stung on whisky.
What did you learn about the bandits?’
‘The first thing I learnt was that my kidnapping was a mistake.’
‘A mistake?’
‘Yes. The kidnappers intended to capture a Colonel Samuel
Martin, the aide-de-camp of General Ralph Hone who is the present
chief of the BMA in Malaya and Singapore. Apparently, the physical
description they had of Colonel Martin was similar to mine. They
intended to use him as some sort of bargaining chip for money and/or
dissolution of penalty for any crimes they committed before the 1st of
April. Something like that. They were a bit upset when they found
they had the wrong man.’
‘I’ll bet they were,’ said Jamie. ‘Why didn’t they let you go?’
‘They didn’t want anyone to know of their existence or where they
were,’ said Johnny. ‘I was just happy they didn’t execute me. Their
leader, Tan Boon Cheng, probably thought I might prove useful to
them at some stage. They didn’t bother to chain me up or cage me,
because they knew I didn’t have a clue where I was.’
Jacko chuckled. ‘Yeah. Thick jungle – pretty effective that!’

57
 ‘They obviously didn’t know I had some very resourceful
Australian friends,’ Johnny laughed.
‘They also wouldn’t have expected the Temiar people to help us,’
said Jamie. ‘I think the Temiars thought Sarah was a goddess.’
Sarah laughed and shook her head while Jacko playfully mussed
her hair.
‘I think that’s true,’ said Johnny. ‘I know there’s another way into
the bandits’ encampment from the west. It’s a trail they seem to use
often. It’s much easier to follow than the sakai trails of the Temiar. I
set off down there one day but after a couple of miles, they caught me
up and told me there were guards further along the route who would
shoot me on sight if they saw me there. They were a bit angry with
me. I didn’t try it again.’
‘Where do you think that trail leads?’ asked Jamie.
‘If it continued west, it would eventually end up in the town of
Ipoh or somewhere nearby, I’d guess,’ said Johnny. ‘That must be
where they get their supplies.’
‘That’ll be valuable information to give to Algie Browning when
we see him this evening,’ said Jamie.
‘There’s more,’ said Johnny. ‘One day, they had a meeting in one
of the huts with some people who came up the trail to the campsite. I
got as close to the meeting hut as I could, and was in time to see them
depart. One of them was a white man about five foot ten tall, with a
broad-brimmed hat. When he said goodbye in Malay, it sounded to
me like a German accent.’
‘Well, well. We heard a few of those during the war,’ said Jamie.
‘So, the bandits have outside help from foreigners. Maybe Germans.
Very interesting! Your story should be valuable to Algie and the
MSS.’
‘No wonder Mr Tan Boon Cheng didn’t want to set you free,’ said
Jacko.
‘You’re right. I haven’t yet told you of my most breathtaking
experience,’ said Johnny, smiling. ‘You may not even believe it.’
‘Well, you’ve got to tell us now,’ said Jacko, ‘we’re all ears.’
‘I came face to face with a tiger.’
‘A tiger?’

58
 ‘Yes, a tiger. A great big cat with fierce yellow eyes,’ said Johnny.
‘I swear it was about eight feet long. Probably weighed a quarter of a
ton or more.’
Jamie looked astonished. ‘My God! What did you do?’
‘I was on my way back to the encampment from the Temiar
village where the old chief gave me some treatment for a rash,’ said
Johnny. ‘I wasn’t concentrating much as I walked along and suddenly
there he was, ten feet away right in the middle of the track, staring at
me. I’ve read that if you run, you’re dead. So, I just stared back at
him for a few minutes and then waved my arms and said “shoo” or
“scat” or something like that. Much to my surprise, he shooed.
Trotted off into the jungle.’
‘Wow, you must have been relieved about that,’ said Jacko,
chuckling.
‘The whole incident was observed, and it raised my status
somewhat amongst the bandits. I think they really respected me after
that. The bandit chief called me Tuan, which is a Malay expression of
respect. He told me to call him Boon. He was the one who lent me the
Malay phrase book.’
‘We should take you back there,’ said Jacko. ‘Maybe they’ll make
you chief.’
‘Not on your life!’
After a few hours of rough, slow driving, the heavy Austin car
sometimes sliding perilously close to the cliff edge on the loose
gravel, they finally reached the village of Tapah on the main road and
turned south to Kuala Lumpur.
‘You wouldn’t want to be in a hurry on that road,’ exclaimed
Jacko.
‘Yes, pretty rough! We should be in KL in less than three hours
now,’ said Jamie. ‘I suggest we go straight to the Majestic Hotel and
have a late lunch there. We can call Algie from there.’
‘Good plan, Cap,’ said Jacko, settling back in his seat with his hat
over his face. ‘I’ll be ready for a cold beer by then.’
Sarah giggled.

****

59
By the middle of the day, Tan Boon Cheng and his companions had
arrived at the village of Simpang Pulai just east of Ipoh. Boon made a
telephone call and then sat down with the others in a small restoran-
café where they were ordered nasi lemak and tea. There had been no
sign of the Englishman over the last ten miles along the trail, and
Boon was puzzled. If he had attempted to escape along the sakai trail,
he would have needed help from one of the Temiar guides. Boon
knew all the guides capable of traversing that trail and after he had
conducted a careful search, he had been satisfied that none of them
were missing from the village. The old Temiar tribal chief, Anjang,
had denied seeing the guilao. Mystifying! Boon mused that perhaps
the tall fair-haired German would know what to do.
They were seated outside the café when the tall man, known to
them as Dirk, arrived in an olive-green Willys jeep. He waved to
them as he descended.
‘Guten tag!’ he greeted them. ‘I have some important things for
you, Boon.’
‘Selamat petang, Tuan Dirk,’ said Boon. ‘What have you got for
us?’
‘I have two Mosin-Nagant 7.62 sniper rifles which you should take
back to your village,’ said Dirk. ‘You must get your best marksmen
to practise with them and decide who are the two most accurate
shooters. We have plans for them next week.’
‘Next week?’
‘Ya, during the ceremonies for the Malayan Union,’ said Dirk.
‘We are going to cause a major disruption to the British Imperialist
authority, and the Communist Party of Malaya at the same time. Your
group will play a vital role in this.’
‘You want to shoot a lot of people, Tuan?’
‘Ya, Boon. We’ll go over the plan carefully at the weekend,’ said
Dirk. ‘You and your best marksmen must be in KL by Friday
evening, along with the best fighters in your group. We have a large
number of ethnic Malays who will start a riot on Monday when the
ceremonies start. Most of the Malay and Indian population have little
respect for the British, and still talk of the 1942 Japanese victory as
“the time when white man run”. During the ceremonies, we’ll
assassinate the ruling heads of the British administration. At the same

60
time, we’ll shoot the main Communist leaders there to be honoured
for their contribution to the defeat of the Japanese. We also have a
surprise for the British troops who’ll be taking part in the ceremonies.
If we cause maximum disruption, I expect the people will demand the
end of British rule and we can take over control.’
‘You are aiming very high, Tuan Dirk.’
Dirk nodded. ‘Ya, we must go all out. We have done a lot of
preparation and now we must push for higher ground, nein? How is
your Englander?’
Boon looked down with embarrassment. ‘He escaped, Tuan.’
‘Escaped? How? How could he escape in the jungle?’
‘We don’t know. He just disappeared. He could not have followed
the sakai trail. He could not have got past our guards on the trail
which leads here. My men are looking for him now. Maybe he hides
in the jungle, Tuan.’
‘Maybe, Boon. However, it would be a disaster for us if he is free
to talk to the MSS. This is serious. He could tell them where your
camp is.’
‘I’m sure he couldn’t have found his way out of the jungle, Tuan.
Of that I’m certain. He had no idea where he was.’
The tall German laughed. ‘Ya, I think you are right, Boon. He is
lost deep in the jungle. Someone will find his bones one day, nein?’
‘Yes, Tuan. That is what will happen.’
‘I also have all your supplies, but there are only four of you. I
don’t think you can carry them all with you, Boon.’
‘No, Tuan. We’ll hide most of the equipment a few hundred yards
up the track. I’ll send a team of my men back to pick up those
supplies we cannot carry this time.’
Dirk started unloading bags out of the back of his jeep. ‘Ya! The
top priority is to take the sniper rifles and ammunition with you this
time so your marksmen can start practising. Today is Monday. So,
there are two or three full days for the men you select to get used to
the rifles before you all arrive on Friday evening. Recht?’
‘Okay, Tuan. We’ll hide most of the supplies up the track now,’
said Boon. ‘Then we’ll set off back to the camp.’
‘Ya, I’ll help you hide the stuff. Maybe you find your Englander
on the way back to your campsite, Boon.’

61
 ‘Maybe, Tuan.’

****

‘The whole business is astounding!’ exclaimed Algie, where he sat at

his desk. ‘They kidnapped you because they thought you were
Colonel Martin. They held onto you so that you couldn’t report the
kidnapping. Then Jamie, Jacko and Sarah find their way through the
jungle and spirit you away. Incredible!’
Johnny chuckled. ‘That’s it in a nutshell.’
Algie shook his head. ‘Astounding!’ he repeated.
‘The bandits obviously have help from outside the jungle,’ said
Johnny. ‘While I was in their campsite, they were visited by a
foreigner. A man with a large hat and a German accent. Could have
been German or Dutch. He was obviously part of the bandits’
organisation.’
Algie looked startled. ‘German or Dutch you say? Hmm.’
‘Does that mean something to you?’ asked Johnny.
‘Well, we had two murders at one of the tin mines near Ipoh,’ said
Algie. ‘A large sum of money was stolen. The main suspect is a tall,
fair-haired Dutchman named Pieter de Groote. However, we can’t
locate him. He doesn’t seem to exist.’
Johnny thoughtfully scratched his chin. ‘The fellow with the
bandits had light-brown hair, but he wasn’t markedly tall. I only
caught a glimpse of his hair under his hat. It’s possible he could be
your man.’
‘Yes, yes. Hmm. Sounds like it’s a possibility,’ agreed Algie.
‘Superintendent Russell Fairweather has been trying to locate the
man. He has all his men on it, along with the police here in KL
working on it too. No sign of the blessed Dutchman named de
Groote.’
‘You’d think a tall Dutchman would find it hard to hide in
Malaya,’ said Jamie.
‘Yes, you’d think so, Mr Munro,’ agreed Algie. ‘But there are a
number of Dutchmen in KL and Ipoh, some of them tall. The known
ones have been interviewed, but they all seem to be here on legitimate
business. It’s a puzzle.’

62
 ‘Well, it’s a puzzle we might have to leave you with, Algie,’ said
Johnny. ‘I want to get back to London as soon as possible, and my
Australian friends are keen to go to Manila immediately. They have
colleagues and loved ones there at the moment.’
‘I was hoping you could lead one of our commando units to the
bandits’ camp,’ said Algie. ‘It is possible that the foreigner you saw
when you were captive could be our missing Pieter de Groote.’
Johnny looked thoughtfully at Algie. ‘Yes, I can see your
dilemma. But it’s more of a job for the MSS and the police. As I
pointed out, the bandits’ campsite has to be about twenty miles east of
Ipoh. There’s a trail which even I could follow. I don’t think you need
us. You must have some people used to navigating that type of trail.
Perhaps one of the Gurkha units in the army has good trackers?’
Algie gestured to Jamie, Jacko and Sarah. ‘I don’t think they’ve
got the same skills as you Australians.’
‘It wouldn’t be hard to find the well-beaten track described by
Johnny,’ said Jacko. ‘My girlfriend and her father, as well as Jamie’s
wife, will be finished what they were doing in the Philippines this
week, and we want to get to Manila so that we can travel back to
Darwin with them.’
‘You may have some trouble getting to Manila for a week or so,’
said Algie. ‘We’ve had a report there’s a typhoon developing east of
the Philippines, and it’ll probably hit Manila by the weekend. Most of
the flights to Manila have been cancelled.’
Jamie stood up with a startled look on his face. ‘A typhoon? Are
you sure it’s headed for Manila?’
‘That’s what I’ve been told,’ said Algie. ‘It could be a big one. Are
your people in Manila now?’
Jamie shook his head. ‘Don’t know. They’ve spent most of their
time in the Visayan Islands south of Manila. Whether they are back in
Manila already, I don’t know.’
‘Where would they be if they were in Manila?’ asked Algie.
‘At the Manila Hotel on Dewey Boulevarde,’ replied Jamie.
‘I’ll get my secretary to telephone the Manila Hotel right away,’
said Algie. ‘What are their names?’
‘Henri and Monique Rousseau, and my wife Carna Hidalgo
Munro.’

63
 Algie lifted his telephone receiver, buzzed his secretary and gave
her the details. Replacing the receiver, he sat back in his chair. ‘As
long as the lines are not down, we should know shortly. If they’re still
in the south, they might also find it difficult to travel to Manila. At
least they would be safe from the typhoon in the Visayan Islands. If
you are going to be stranded here for a while, perhaps I could still
persuade you to help us track down this missing Dutchman?’
‘Why is this man so important to you?’ asked Johnny. ‘Can’t the
police handle it?’
‘We’ve had some intelligence that a criminal organisation is
plotting to create a major disruption to next Monday’s ceremonies.
Government control of Malaya will be officially handed over to the
Malayan Union by the BMA. The new administration will be headed
by Sir Edward Gent as governor-general. Colonel Samuel Martin,
whom you were mistaken for, Johnny, will be very much involved.
There will be many dignitaries, including Lord Louis Mountbatten.
We believe the criminal group includes bandits, some of whom
supported the Japanese during the war. We believe that some
Germans, who have been in hiding, could be providing the planning
and resources. There may be a few Kempeitai, Japanese war
criminals, still left in the jungle who are perhaps involved as well.’
‘I presume there’ll be plenty of army units available to provide
security,’ said Johnny.
‘Absolutely! But we’d like to be sure to nip it in the bud well
before it causes any major difficulty,’ said Algie. ‘We think that the
recent spate of robberies in various parts of Malaya could be the
source of financing whatever the bandits are cooking up.’
‘You don’t suppose there could be Germans left over from the war
posturing as legitimate Dutchmen?’ said Jamie slowly.
‘It’s possible,’ agreed Algie. ‘Do you have any thoughts on that,
Mr Munro?’
‘Well, when we first arrived in the Cameron Highlands, your
fellow Geoffrey Landers was entertaining two Dutchmen at the
Moonlight Bungalow,’ said Jamie. ‘Their names were Henk Janssen
and Frans van Houten.’

64
 ‘Ah, yes! I know about them. I believe they are with a major
trading company from Batavia,’ said Algie. ‘The East Indies Import-
Export Company.’
‘When we met them at the bungalow, they were very matey with
Geoffrey and seemed to know all about the kidnapping of Johnny,’
Jamie explained. ‘I don’t know what else Geoffrey had told them. If
they are, in fact, German agents it could be very dangerous.’
‘Yes. Damned indiscreet of Landers,’ said Algie. ‘We’ve done a
check on the East Indies Import-Export Company, and such a firm
does exist in Batavia. I guess we should have conducted a more
thorough check. No time left now.’
‘You can’t afford to have a loose cannon like Landers during these
unsettled times,’ said Johnny.
‘No. We’ve already decided that he’ll have to be replaced,’ said
Algie, looking embarrassed. ‘Geoffrey Landers is a bit of a hail-
fellow-well-met sort of chap. I’ve noticed he’s fond of Scotch and
will be best friends with anyone who wants to drink with him. Used
to be a good agent with MI6, but lately he’s been going downhill.
Totally unsuitable now. Unfortunately, the MSS was set up very
quickly at the end of the war and I regret to say, we still have a lot of
teething problems.’
There was the sound of a buzzer from Algie’s telephone. After
talking to his secretary, he hung up and said, ‘Your people in the
Philippines have not yet checked into the Manila Hotel, so I suspect
they are still in the Visayas. They would certainly be safe from the
typhoon there.’
‘So, when would we be able to fly to Manila?’ asked Jacko.
‘Probably not for a week. Maybe longer,’ said Algie, who then
smiled. ‘Perhaps you can spend some time helping us with our efforts
to track down these bandits and Germans and what-have-you.’
Johnny slowly shook his head. ‘Well, if the Australians are stuck
here for a few more days, I might as well hang around as well. I’ll
have to clear it with London.’
Algie beamed. ‘Jolly good! I was hoping you’d say that, Colonel
Cook. What about you Australians?’

65
 ‘We’ll have to discuss it,’ said Jamie. ‘If there’s no way to fly to
Manila now, it’s possible we might be able to assist you for a short
while. We’ll let you know, Algie.’
Algie gave the left side of his moustache a twist. ‘Oh, jolly good!’

66
 CHAPTER 8

In the Cameron Highlands, Jeremy Hastings looked out from the

verandah of his bungalow towards the rows of tea bushes, thousands
of them, covering the hills and dales with varying shades of green as
far as the eye could see. Distant figures moved amongst the bushes
picking the best green leaves of the Camellia sinensis plants, the
essential ingredient for the high-quality tea for which his plantation
was renowned.
Jeremy often stood there gazing out over the estate, which had
taken years of development, and he always felt a deep sense of
satisfaction. His overseer, Arjun, joined him on the verandah to
remind him they had arranged to interview ten locals looking for a
job. The tea-growing business was labour-intensive and they often
needed new staff to train as pickers, particularly as more and more
land was developed.
Jeremy sighed, nodded at Arjun and then followed him down to a
shed behind the bungalow where the prospective workers were
waiting. Jeremy had been born in Malaya, spending much of his
childhood with his nanny, so Malay was his first language. After
interviewing the first six candidates, he and Arjun chose three, which
was all they needed, and sent them up to the bungalow, dismissing
the other three. The last four, who had been hanging back, looked a
fairly surly lot. He had just decided to tell them to leave, when one of
them, a thin-faced Chinese-Malay, pulled a gun and ordered him and
Arjun to stand still and put up their hands. One of the others then
removed the revolver from the holster that Jeremy always wore, and
forced him to precede them up to the bungalow.
The three prospective workers standing near the bungalow were
startled when they saw the orang putih and his overseer appear
around the corner of the house with their hands in the air, followed by

67
four armed men. After a sharp shout from one of the armed men, they
took to their heels and fled.
The thin-faced Chinese-Malay, who appeared to be the leader of
the gang, ordered the white man and his offsider into the bungalow.
They followed them closely and told Jeremy to go to his office and
open his safe. Jeremy hesitated, wondering how these criminals even
knew he had an office with a safe in the house. With a sharp push in
his back, the thin-faced man propelled him towards the office and
they all entered the small room.
A heavy iron-grey William Walton safe sat on the floor next to a
desk with papers scattered all over it. The thin-faced bandit motioned
towards the safe. Jeremy shook his head and said, ‘Tiada!’
This resulted in the gunman firing his pistol close to Jeremy’s
head. It was so close he could feel the heat of it as it missed his head
by a fraction of an inch, the bullet burying itself in the ceiling. He
knelt down in front of the safe and taking a key from his pocket,
turned it in the lock and opened the door. The safe was mainly filled
with documents. The gang leader pushed Jeremy aside and pulled all
the documents from the safe. After flicking through them, he
scattered them on the floor. Pointing to a steel drawer at the bottom of
the safe, he told Jeremy to open it. When he hesitated, the gunman
pushed his pistol up against Jeremy’s ear and slowly asked him if he
would like to lose an ear. Jeremy produced another key hidden under
the drawer of his desk and gave it to the gang leader, who handed his
pistol to one of the others, knelt down and opened the steel drawer.
The gang members let out a collective sigh of satisfied surprise
when they saw the bundles of cash in the drawer.
All their eyes were riveted on the contents of the drawer when
Jeremy made his move. He kneed the man next to him in the groin
and at the same time, took the pistol from his hand. Getting down on
one knee, he fired a shot over their heads and said, ‘Freeze, you
bastards!’
Two things happened at once. As several hands went into the air,
Arjun hit one of the robbers in the face with his fist and a shot rang
out from the other side of the room. Jeremy felt as if the side of his
head had caught fire as he fell to the ground and blacked out.

68
 Some of the plantation tea pickers who were working on a slope
up from the bungalow heard the shots and then saw three men run out
the front door of the house and down the road to a truck parked on the
side. A fourth man appearing to be in pain and holding his crotch
staggered out after them and was picked up by the truck before it sped
down the road.
The workers ran as fast as they could through the rows of tea
bushes down to the bungalow. Entering the residence, they found
their boss, Jeremy Hastings, lying on the floor of his office with
blood pouring out of a wound in his head. Beside him was the
overseer, Arjun, unconscious but not bleeding. One of the workers
wound the handle on the side of the phone to contact the telephonist
and explained what had happened. ‘Quick missie! Quick! Mr Jeremy
shot at tea plantation. That Hastings tea plantation. Maybe him dying.
Mr Jeremy! Also Arjun. Help!’

****

When Superintendent Russell Fairweather’s car arrived outside the

central Kuala Lumpur railway station building housing the MSS
offices and the central police station, the late afternoon sky was a
forbidding dark grey and the rising gusts of wind were lashing the
leaves on the trees. A light rain had just started to fall. The weather
reflected Fairweather’s mood.
Climbing two sets of stairs, he found the offices of the MSS and
asked to see Major Algie Browning. Algie settled into a leather chair
in front of the large desk and offered him a cup of tea.
‘Tea? Yes, tea. Hmm. Yes, I’ll have a cup,’ said Fairweather. ‘Tea
is on my mind right now. As I told you on the phone, after the
reported shooting in the Cameron Highlands, I drove up to the
Hastings tea plantation earlier and found Jeremy Hastings shot in the
head, and his offsider, Arjun, unconscious from a blow to the head.
I’ve just come from the Ipoh General Hospital where Hastings is in a
critical condition. Arjun will recover, but he’ll have a hell of a
headache.’
‘We must hope that Jeremy will make a quick recovery,’ said
Algie. ‘Was there much money stolen?’

69
 Fairweather sighed and nodded. ‘Yes. I believe there was quite a
large amount of cash taken.’
Algie fiddled with his bushy ginger moustache and leant forward,
his hazel eyes fixed on the superintendent. ‘I don’t mind telling you,
Russell, the recent incidents of robberies and murders have got me
concerned. I think they could be a forerunner of things to come.’
‘Things to come?’
‘Yes. There’s been a great deal of money stolen over the past few
weeks in all parts of Malaya. I suspect it is being used to purchase
weapons and equipment to create a major disruption during the
celebrations next week.’
‘Disruption? Who by?’
‘The whispers from some of my informers suggest that the group
involved includes local bandits, many hidden in the jungle, Germans
and perhaps remnants of the Japanese Kempeitai units.’
Fairweather’s eyes widened as he tweaked his moustache and
rubbed his beaky nose. ‘My God! Kempeitai, Germans, bandits! Are
you sure?’
Algie shook his head. ‘Not a hundred percent, no. But I can tell
you, the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to come together, Russell.
That Dutchman you’ve been looking for, de Groote, could well be a
German.’
‘A German? Could be. But what would these people hope to
achieve?’
With his elbows on the desk, Algie rested his chin on his hands as
he spoke. ‘I suspect that this motley gang believes if they can cause
major damage to the British hierarchy, the local population might rise
up and support them as an alternative to British or Communist
government. Part of the strategy would be to assassinate Sir Edward
Gent, Major General Hone and other government leaders as well as
Lai Tek and Chin Peng, the Communist leaders who will be honoured
during the festivities.’
Fairweather nodded thoughtfully. ‘Yes, yes. I can see that as a
possibility. Hmm. Quite likely, in fact. It could explain a number of
the recent events.’

70
 ‘Listen, Russell, I want you to have dinner with me tonight at the
Majestic, and meet Colonel John Cook, a senior member of MI6 in
London.’
‘I’d be delighted, Major Browning.’
‘For goodness sake, call me Algie. Colonel Cook will be with
three Australian friends of his. They recently extracted him from the
jungle where he was held captive by a group of bandits, who are
probably part of the conspiracy we’ve been talking about. The bandits
mistook Cook for Colonel Martin.’
‘Three Australians? How the devil did they manage to get him
out?’
‘Apparently, they tracked their way in and out along a sakai trail
without the bandits knowing,’ said Algie.
‘Crumbs! Have they spent much time in the Malayan jungle?’
Algie twisted his moustache and shook his head. ‘No. The
remarkable thing is, they arrived in Malaya for the first time only a
few days ago.’
‘Remarkable!’
‘Yes, amazing, what? I must warn you not to be surprised when
you meet them,’ said Algie. ‘One of them is a black Aboriginal girl.’
‘An Australian Aboriginal girl?’
‘Yes. One of the others, Jack O’Brien, is her half-brother. He and
Sarah have extraordinary tracking skills.’
‘A bit like our Temiar people,’ said Fairweather.
‘Yes, Russell, I’d guess so,’ said Algie. ‘They were going to leave,
but I’ve asked them to stay on for a while to assist us in working out
what might happen next Monday. They’ve all agreed to stay, at least
for a while.’
‘Well, I’ll be interested to meet your MI6 man and his Australian
friends, Algie.’
‘Do you think we should bring Inspector Douglas along?’
Fairweather shook his head. ‘No, we don’t need to involve him at
this stage.’
‘Jolly good. Let’s wander across the road to the Majestic now.’
Algie looked out the window. ‘It’s cats and dogs out there. We’ll
need a couple of umbrellas.’

71
 ****

Corporal Amal Singh was a tall, dark, athletic man who had been
born in Malaya. Unlike some of the Sikhs he was related to, he did
not wear a turban. He had close-cropped hair and was clean-shaven.
He had spent the afternoon poring over the reports of the Ipoh
constabulary based on their efforts to locate the suspected murderer,
Pieter de Groote. In the late afternoon, as a light drizzle began falling,
Amal had just opened the door of his car outside the Ipoh District
Police Headquarters when he noticed a tall fair-haired foreigner
walking along the pavement on the other side of the road. The white
man strode up to an ex-army jeep parked on the side of the road,
jumped in and drove away. Amal Singh quickly started his car, a
Morris 8, and followed the jeep, staying about 150 yards behind to
remain undetected as they headed southeast of the city towards the
Rapat mountains. After three miles, the jeep stopped outside the Sam
Poh Tong limestone caves, which had been developed since the late
1800s as a Buddhist shrine and housed statues of Buddha and
imposing works of art. Monks who had inhabited the caves had begun
building a spectacular façade, but the work had been interrupted by
the Japanese invasion.
Amal observed the tall man from a distance as he left the jeep and
disappeared into the caves. The rain was heavier now and Amal was
unsure what to do, but eventually, curiosity compelled him to leave
his car and walk the short distance to the opening of the caves. He
realised that there could be some danger if the man turned out to be
de Groote, the murderer they were hunting. On the other hand, it
might simply be one of the Dutch traders from KL on a sightseeing
tour of one of Ipoh’s colourful attractions.
Hesitating for some minutes, Amal finally decided to investigate
cautiously. He patted the revolver on his hip, turned on his torch and
crept into the entrance. Passing a number of statues and artefacts
interspersed amongst stalactites and stalagmites, he realised that it
could prove difficult to work out where the fair-haired man had gone
in the labyrinth of caves leading in all directions. Shining his torch on
the ground, he established that there were recent footprints in the fine

72
limestone dust. Keeping his torch shining on the ground, he silently
followed them, leading him deeper into the network of caves.
Suddenly, Amal was alerted by the murmur of voices ahead in the
caves, the sounds echoing softly around the chambers. He stopped
and switched off his torch. His forehead was creased in concentration
as tried to discern what was being said. The voices were too low and
far off for him to catch any words, so he crept further forward in the
dark. As he approached the voices, he collided with a stalactite,
almost crushing his nose, and grunted in pain. The voices stopped.
Fearing that they had heard him, Amal stood still for a few minutes,
scarcely breathing. The distant voices resumed and Amal gently
rubbed his nose to ease the pain.
He switched his torch on again but shaded it with his hand. He
then continued through the maze of caves towards the voices. After
another fifty yards, he saw the glow of a light ahead. The voices were
much louder now and he was able to pick up some words. They were
speaking in accented English. The discussion seemed to be about
rifles, ammunition and supplies. These people were certainly not
Buddhist monks, Amal thought. He decided it was time to leave. He
would report his findings to Superintendent Fairweather the next day.
He was working his way back along the footprints when he heard
someone coming the other way into the caves. He could see the
glimmer of a torch coming towards him and quickly moved to the
side of the path, where he hid behind some stalagmites next to a large
brass statue of Buddha. He waited in the dark and after a few minutes,
discerned four people walking past him, heading deeper into the
caves, led by a man with a bright torch. Amal held his breath. After
they had passed him, he waited for about ten minutes, listening
carefully to make sure there were no further arrivals. Moving silently
and quickly, he worked his way towards the entrance, his hand
shielding the torch to provide just enough light to see the footprints.
Outside the caves, he breathed a sigh of relief and hurried down
the road through the rain to his car.

****

73
‘So you three chaps worked together in Cairo from 1941?’ said
Fairweather, where they were all sitting around a table in the Majestic
Hotel’s first-floor dining room. The table was laid with a white
tablecloth, cutglass tumblers, wineglasses, and shiny silverware,
which made Sarah feel nervously out of her depth.
‘Yes, we met at the end of the Syrian campaign in mid-1941, just
after Jamie was wounded,’ said Johnny. ‘We ran an intelligence
operation in Cairo throughout the desert war. Quite successfully, I
might add.’
‘Jolly good! Jolly good!’ said Fairweather. ‘I suspect we’ll need
all your expertise to help us suss out what is happening here in
Malaya. Apart from the kidnapping of your good self, Colonel Cook,
there’s been a spate of murders and assaults in recent weeks, during
which a great deal of money has been stolen. I don’t think it’s just
banditry. Algie and I think it may have a financial purpose, possibly
to provide resources in support of change in control of the Malayan
peninsula.’
Johnny expressed surprise, ‘A change in control of the Malayan
peninsula? How could that possibly be?’
Fairweather took a sip of red wine and said seriously, ‘Well you
see, our grip on the peninsula is tenuous right now. Yes, tenuous, at
best. I’m sure that Major Browning could explain this better.’
‘Yes, yes. Tenuous is a good description, Russell,’ said Algie.
‘Our intelligence tells us that a percentage of the local people,
whether of Malayan, Ceylonese, Indian, or Chinese origin, see the
British authorities as having been too easily defeated by the Japanese
in 1942. At this stage, the Communists have a long-term plan to take
control. In the initial stages, they’re wooing the hearts and minds of
the populace. There are other anti-British groups, however, who
believe that force will achieve independence quicker. I think the
people behind the violence and robberies are probably the latter. If
they can create a major disturbance, they believe the bulk of
Malayans will rise up and support them.’
‘Hmm. You think targeting the celebrations for the establishment
of the Malayan Union might be their objective?’ asked Johnny.
‘Yes, I believe so,’ said Algie. ‘The superintendent is of the same
opinion.’

74
 ‘So what role do you want us to play?’ asked Jamie. ‘It’s only
three days away.’
Algie twitched his moustache and nodded with a grim smile.
‘That’s right, only three days to go. If we can’t nip this in the bud, it
could prove to be a catastrophe. I’d like you to go to Ipoh tomorrow,
if you would, and work with Superintendent Fairweather on this. Ipoh
and the Cameron Highlands are where much of the Malayan wealth
is, and the recent crime wave has been concentrated in those areas.
It’s most likely the gang is working out of Ipoh somewhere.’
‘We’d be happy to work with Superintendent Fairweather,’ said
Johnny. ‘I hope we can be of some use.’
‘I would be grateful for all the help I can get,’ said Fairweather.
‘From now on, please call me Russell.’
‘I’ll have a car and driver pick you up from the hotel at 8.30
tomorrow morning,’ said Algie. ‘The driver will know where
Russell’s headquarters are.’
‘Will you want us to lead you to the campsite where Johnny was
held captive?’ asked Jacko.
‘No. I don’t think that’ll be necessary,’ said Russell. ‘I suspect
those bandits will probably appear in Ipoh, or nearby at Simpang
Pulai, during the weekend.’
‘I know what they all look like,’ said Johnny, ‘but they know me
too.’
Algie’s face creased in a smile. ‘We might have to give you a false
nose and a beard.’
‘That might be an improvement,’ said Jacko, chuckling.
‘They’ve already seen me with a beard,’ said Johnny, laughing.
‘No razors.’
Russell put up his hand, gesturing towards Johnny. ‘Wait! It’s not
such a bad idea though. I’ve got a fellow at headquarters who’s a
whiz at disguises. It might become too dangerous for Colonel Cook to
be recognised. We can do something for Sarah, too.’
‘For goodness sake, don’t give my sister a beard,’ said Jacko,
causing Sarah to burst into laughter.
Russell laughed too. ‘Of course not! We can dress her up as a
worker from the tin mines, with a large round coolie hat almost
covering her face. No one will pay her any attention then.’

75
 ‘Yes, well, now that’s settled,’ said Algie, ‘I suggest we have
dessert. They have the best crêpes here. I recommend them. After
that, we’ll let Russell get back to Ipoh, and the rest of you can catch
up with him tomorrow.’
Johnny nodded. ‘Sounds good to me.’

76
 CHAPTER 9

Night had already fallen by the time the bandits were walking along
the beaten path towards the entrance to the caves, although daylight
or night-time made no difference inside. The thin-faced Chinese-
Malay, Lui, led the way with a bright torch. Suddenly he stopped, and
some of the others collided with his back.
He rushed forward, studying the path, and then called out, ‘Hey
boss, boss. Lookee here. Someone been here.’
As soon as the tall German known as Dirk caught up, he looked at
where Lui was shining the torch on the ground. ‘What’s the trouble,
Lui?’
‘Lookee boss, footsteps. Wearing boots. Him go out.’
Studying the path intently, Dirk could see definite footprints in the
limestone path heading towards the cave entrance. They were on top
of the many footprints made earlier in the day. Dirk grunted.
‘Scheisse! You’re right, Lui. Somebody was here while we’ve been
here. Where did the footprints start?’
While all the others stood completely still, Lui shone his torch
around until he found where some footprints joined the path.
‘Him come from behind that big brass Buddha, boss,’ said Lui.
‘Maybe monk.’
‘No, monks don’t wear boots like that,’ said Dirk. ‘Scheisse! This
could be serious. He might have been spying on us.’
When they reached the entrance to the caves, it was still raining.
They noticed that there were only their own three vehicles outside.
Dirk looked around, squinting through the downpour, and asked,
‘Did anyone see any other cars around?’
Lui shook his head. ‘None when we arrived, boss.’
Another Chinese-Malay with spiky black hair spat and said,
‘There was another car when we arrive after you.’
Dirk said, ‘Another car? Where? Here?’

77
 The spiky-haired Chinese-Malay shook his head. ‘Not here.
Maybe hundred yards away down road, boss.’
‘Did you see what sort of car it was, Ting?’ Dirk persisted.
‘No, boss. Dark colour but not pay attention.’
‘Verdammt!’ Dirk swore loudly. ‘Ya. Vell. Our secret hiding place
is not so secret any more, I think. We have to set a trap for other
intruders, ya?’
Lui nodded, ‘Yes, boss. How we do that?’
‘We’ll need a couple of men to guard the caves until Sunday
afternoon,’ said Dirk. ‘We’ll get some cots and other equipment in
the morning. Then we’ll set up a tripwire alarm. Nice surprise for
intruders, ya?’
‘Shoot ’em dead, eh, boss?’
‘Ya! If any of our men set off alarm, must yell out password,’ said
Dirk. ‘If no password, shoot to kill.’
‘What password, boss?’
‘How about rakan – friend,’ said Dirk.
‘Rakan good, boss,’ said Lui. ‘Maybe better to move everything to
new caves.’
‘Nein! We’ve too many things in this place,’ said Dirk. ‘You can
come with me in the morning, Lui. We’ll get everything we need.
Select two of your men as guards for tonight and we’ll set up the
alarm in the morning.’ Raising his voice, he added, ‘We’ll all meet
back here again tomorrow at six in the afternoon. You know what you
have to do before then, ya?’
There was a general murmur of assent.
‘Ya. Okay. Ciao!’

****

It was nearly 11 o’clock by the time Johnny, Jamie and Sarah arrived
at the Ipoh police headquarters. The overnight rain had stopped but
the sky was still covered by leaden-grey clouds. As they descended
from the car, Russell Fairweather rushed out to greet them, followed
by a tall dark-skinned Indian Malay.

78
 ‘Ah! I’m glad you’ve arrived at last,’ said Russell excitedly.
‘There have been some developments. I’d like to introduce you to
Corporal Amal Singh, who has a very interesting story to tell you.’
After handshakes all round, Russell said, ‘Come inside and have a
cup of tea and we’ll get down to business.’
The superintendent showed them into a meeting room with a large
central table surrounded by high-backed chairs. When they entered, a
tall, handsome, white man with dark hair and a thin moustache stood
up from one of the chairs. He was introduced as Detective Sergeant
David Devroe, Russell’s second-in-command in Ipoh. When they
were all seated, Russell suggested they address one another by their
first names.
Two Malay constables brought in six cups and a large teapot, after
which Russell explained that Amal had acted with admirable
initiative the previous late afternoon. He then asked him to brief the
newcomers about his adventure.
Amal cleared his throat self-consciously. ‘It wasn’t such a big
thing on my part, sir.’
Russell smiled. ‘I don’t really agree with you on that, Amal, but
please go on.’
Amal nervously shifted in his seat. ‘I was just leaving to go home
in the late afternoon. As I was getting into my car, I noticed a tall,
fair-haired white man getting into a jeep on the other side of the road.
I thought that it was most likely one of the Dutchmen who had been
interviewed earlier, or it was possible that he was the alleged
murderer, de Groote, whom we were looking for. When he drove off,
I followed him. He headed southeast for about three miles, stopped
outside the Sam Poh Tong caves where all the Buddha statues are,
and then went inside. I parked my car about a hundred yards downhill
from the cave entrance and walked up there. It was raining. There was
one other car besides the jeep.’
‘Did you note the numberplates?’ asked Jamie.
‘Yes, sir. I wrote them down.’ Amal continued, ‘The Sam Poh
Tong caves are like a maze, so I didn’t know where the man had
gone. When I shone my torch on the ground, I could see recent
footprints in the limestone dust on the floor of the caves, and I
followed them. Eventually, I saw a glow of light and was able to get

79
close enough to hear a conversation. They were talking about rifles,
ammunition and such, but I couldn’t see who it was. I decided to
leave so that I could report this. On my way back, I heard some
people coming into the caves, so I hid behind one of the statues.
There were four of them, also following the footprints with a torch. I
was scared they might see the tracks to my hiding place. Luckily, they
didn’t and after they were gone, I left the caves as quickly and quietly
as I could. I was very scared they might hear me. Near the entrance
there was another car. I took down the number of that also. I ran to
my car in the rain and drove home. That’s it!’
His report was greeted with silence for a moment, then Johnny
said, ‘I agree with Russell. You used a lot of initiative and you’ve
given us a real lead on this business. Well done.’
‘Recognising that it could be our murderous gang, you were pretty
brave,’ said Jacko.
‘I was scared, sir.’
‘I would have been scared too, and for goodness sake, call me
Jacko. We’re on first names here.’
Amal smiled. ‘Yes, okay, Jacko.’
‘Have you been able to trace the numberplates?’ asked Jamie.
Russell nodded. ‘All the vehicles belong to a local company,
Syurga Sdn. Bhd., which has an address that doesn’t exist and
directors who are hard to locate.’
‘That means these chaps are most probably the ones we’re after,’
said Johnny. ‘Wouldn’t you agree?’
‘It certainly seems that way,’ said Jamie. ‘What does Syurga
mean, if anything.’
‘Heaven, sir,’ said Amal, ‘I mean Tuan Jamie.’
Jamie laughed. ‘Heaven! I don’t think these criminals will make it
to heaven.’
‘Well, what are we waiting for?’ said Johnny. ‘Let’s go and have a
look at these Sam Poh Tong caves.’
‘Not right away, Johnny, if I might call you that,’ said Russell.
‘My make-up artist is waiting for you close by. We’re going to make
you look much older. We’ll add an extra thirty years to your real age.
You don’t want any of your bandit friends recognising you.’
‘No, I guess you’re right,’ said Johnny. ‘What about the caves?’

80
 ‘After you’ve become an old man, we can discuss our strategy
over lunch,’ said Russell. ‘We can go to the caves in the early
afternoon, but we’ll have to exercise extreme caution. If there’s
anything important in there, they will have armed men guarding the
place.’
‘Sarah and I can go into the caves first,’ said Jacko. ‘We can move
in silently so any guards would never hear us. When we’ve found out
how many there are and where they are, we can decide what to do.’
‘I don’t think we should put your sister in danger,’ Russell
protested. ‘No, that wouldn’t be right.’
Jacko looked at Sarah. ‘What do you think of that, Sar?’
Sarah giggled. ‘No problem, bikpela brother.’
‘If anyone can creep through those caves without being detected,
Sarah can,’ said Jacko. ‘I’ll be there to protect her.’
‘I’d agree with all that, Russell,’ said Jamie. ‘I’ve seen these two
in action on a few occasions. They followed that obscure trail in the
jungle to get Johnny out. This will be easier. They can move like
ghosts. No one will see them. I don’t think the darkness of the caves
will be a problem.’
Jacko shook his head. ‘Naw! Shouldn’t be, Cap.’
‘I’ll follow along a short distance behind you two to provide any
needed backup,’ said Jamie.
‘I’d like to come along too,’ said Amal.
Russell stood up and patted the side of his moustache. ‘Well, that
seems settled,’ he said. ‘I’ll take Johnny to the next room where our
make-up artist will weave his magic. I’ve also got a dressmaker next
door who can fit Sarah out with true Malay clothes. It’ll only take a
jiffy. After that, we’ll have a bite of lunch over the road.’

****

Just over six foot, and with a mop of red hair, Corporal Angus
Murray was often described as a large strapping fellow. Having been
assigned from one of the British Army’s commando units to the
Kuala Lumpur police department at the end of the war, he knew he
was everything that his chief, Inspector Douglas, resented.

81
 He stood nervously in front of the large desk as Robert Douglas
silently glared at him, his cold grey eyes devoid of expression.
Douglas broke the silence with a grunt. ‘It’s hard to believe that
with so many foreigners living in KL, you haven’t been able to find
even a trace of a tall, fair-haired Dutchman with a limp.’
‘Yes, sir. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true,’ said Angus Murray.
‘Balveer and I have asked questions all over KL, and we’ve checked
with contacts in Johore and Singapore. Nobody’s heard of Pieter de
Groote, and all the known Dutchmen appear to be in legitimate
businesses.’
‘“Appear to be”, for Christ’s sake.’ Douglas’s voice rose as he
tried to contain his frustration. ‘There has to be some trace. I suggest
that you and Balveer look a bit harder.’
Douglas knew that Sergeant Balveer Singh was a good officer, but
he resented the fact that Balveer was another former commando
assigned to the central KL police station. What we need are some real
policemen, he thought angrily.
‘Shall I go now?’ asked Angus.
Douglas replied testily, ‘Yes, get going.’
He looked out the window at the forbidding clouds and felt like
screaming. He was feeling the strain of this empty monotony. The
heat, the constant cloying humidity, the strange languages, his wife’s
complaints, and worst of all, the solution to these recent crimes
continued to elude him. Would it always be like this? He just needed
a newsworthy arrest and his star would rise. This now seemed further
away than ever. With his luck, all the action would be at Ipoh in the
north and Fairweather would reap the accolades. Bloody
Superintendent Major Russell Fairweather and all his military
cohorts, he thought bitterly.
No sense ruminating about it! With an effort, he stood up and put
on his raincoat, picked up his umbrella and headed out to a nearby
restaurant for lunch, washed down with a stiff gin and tonic.
He sat at a table and ordered his drink and a plate of fish and
chips, deliberately avoiding anything that remotely resembled local
Malayan cuisine. Dreaming of cold winter days in London as he
waited for his order to arrive, he was startled out of his reverie by
someone calling his name.

82
 Looking quickly around, he recognised the man of medium height
with light-brown hair as one of the Dutchmen he had interviewed
previously. Van-something or other, he thought.
Standing up, he extended his right hand. ‘Good afternoon, Mr van
... er ...’
‘Frans van Houten,’ said the Dutchman, smiling and shaking
Douglas by the hand. ‘Please call me Frans. Have you caught up with
this other gentleman, de Groote, yet?’
‘No, no. It’s still a devilish mystery.’
‘Ah! Well! You have a tough job. Do you mind if I join you,
Inspector?’
‘No, take a seat, Frans,’ said Douglas, gesturing to a chair. ‘I’m
just about to eat. Have you already had lunch?’
‘No, not yet, Inspector. What are you having?’
The waiter arrived with a large gin and a bottle of tonic, and
looked expectantly at the new arrival.
‘First of all, I’m having a gin and tonic,’ said Douglas. ‘I’ve
ordered fish and chips for lunch. You might prefer the local fare.’
‘No no. I’ll have the same,’ said Frans, smiling at the waiter who
wrote in his notebook and left. ‘I think your choice is good,
Inspector.’
‘If I’m going to call you Frans, you should call me Robert,’ said
Douglas, taking a large sip of his drink. ‘Ah, that’s good.’
‘Ya. I think even a hardworking inspector has to relax sometimes,
nee, Robert?’
‘Yes, you are right. The job is made much harder here by having
all these military types around me. I think I must be the only true
policeman in the entire country of Malaya.’
‘Ya. It must be very difficult for you.’
‘Difficult! Bloody impossible. If I only had a few real policemen
around me, I’m sure I would have caught up with this de Groote
fellow by now.’
‘Ya. I can see your problem, Robert.’
When the waiter returned with Van Houten’s drink, Douglas
ordered another one. ‘Yes. It’s even worse than that. My
superintendent is a military type, and all the intelligence people are
military too. They don’t understand police work, Frans.’

83
 ‘Ya. I feel sorry for you, Robert. Tell me all about it.’

****

Earlier on the same day in Penang, the sea was calm as the ferry from
Georgetown skimmed smoothly over the water to the port of
Butterworth on the Malayan mainland. On arrival, the disembarking
vehicles included a large beige Bedford truck filled with both small
and large white boxes marked as new kitchen appliances, consigned
to a warehouse in Kuala Lumpur. Customs inspection of the goods
was cursory and after money had changed hands, they were released
and loaded for the long journey south.
The contents of the large boxes were ostensibly stoves and
kerosene refrigerators, while the small boxes included toasters,
electric kettles and small appliances. The stove box containing the
Type 4 70mm AT rocket launchers, the Japanese version of an
American anti-tank bazooka, was identified by a large red ‘A’ on top
of the box. The refrigerator box containing the six 70mm rockets was
marked with a large red ‘B’. Both boxes had been carefully packed
into the centre of the truck load.
The main highway between Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur still
exhibited war damage, including potholes and sections of rough
gravel, so the going was slow for the truck. However, it reached its
destination in five hours, just after midday.
The double doors of the shed were open, and the truck disappeared
inside. The Malayan driver sat calmly in his cabin while the back of
the truck was opened. Several men, whom he only saw as shapes in
the semidarkness of the shed, unloaded the boxes. After a while, he
heard them reloading, and a sharp slam confirmed they had closed the
back of the truck.
A tall, fair-haired foreigner appeared at the driver’s side of the
cabin and quietly handed him a thick envelope. Quickly checking the
contents of the envelope, the driver then reversed the truck out of the
shed and headed towards the wholesale warehouse across the other
side of town, with two boxes less than he had started with.

84
 After the double doors of the shed had closed, the tall, fair-haired
foreigner, Dirk, turned on the lights and walked over to Ting, who
was standing next to the two boxes.
‘All right, Ting! Let’s get this “A” box unpacked, and the rocket
launcher assembled. Be careful with the parts.’
‘Okay, Tuan Dirk. I think there should be some instructions.’
‘They’ll be in Japanese, Ting. But they usually have pictures. If
not, we’ll have to take the equipment to Fukuda, so he can read the
instructions for us.’
‘Where Fukuda, Tuan Dirk?’
‘He and the rest of his Kempeitai unit are hiding out in Hulu
Langat, staying out of sight until tomorrow. We’ll be seeing them
there today. They’ll come here tomorrow evening.’
‘Why not take boxes to the caves at Ipoh and unpack there, Tuan?’
Dirk looked at him through narrowed eyes, trying to contain his
impatience, ‘Nein, no! We’re not taking any of this to Ipoh. We’re
stashing it all here, so unpack the boxes now. Box A first. Even if we
can’t assemble the rocket launchers now, they’ll be easier to carry and
fit into the cars if we need Fukuda to help us. After we’ve had a good
look at the launchers, we’ll unpack the rockets from the other box.
We’ll do some tests this afternoon.’
‘Okay, Tuan Dirk,’ said Ting, who then yelled to the other men
who had been standing around watching.
They all regarded the Type 4 70mm rocket launchers as they were
unpacked from the box. They mainly comprised long metal tubes
about five feet long, weighing about seventeen pounds. There were a
number of smaller parts including pistol grips with trigger systems,
cables, parts for firing pins, and tripods. As it turned out, the
illustrations in the manual were relatively easy to follow and after
about half an hour, the rocket launchers were assembled to Dirk’s
satisfaction.
‘Ah, fantastisch!’ he said. ‘Let’s get that other box unpacked. Be
careful with those rockets. We don’t want any accidents.’
Ting and his men unpacked the box and then lay the rockets on the
floor of the shed side by side. Dirk walked around them, grunting
with satisfaction.

85
 ‘Sehr gut! Excellent!’ he said. ‘Hide four of those rockets under
the floorboards in the corner of the shed. Then load two of them in
the jeep, and one of the launchers into one of the larger cars. Boon
and his men will be waiting for us in a cleared area of Hulu Langat
where we can test out the launcher. Fukuda and his men should be
there too. It’s far enough east of here so that the blast from the rockets
won’t be heard in KL. Pack them up, and let’s go!’

86
 CHAPTER 10

In the early afternoon, the group standing outside the Sam Poh Tong
caves could only be described as a mixed bunch. Johnny, who had
been practising walking with a slight stoop, now looked at least sixty
years old. He had a straggly grey beard, grey hair and bushy grey
eyebrows. Next to him, Sarah looked like a typical worker from the
tin mines with a knee-length blouse, called a baju kurung, over a
sleeved shirt and tight pants. She had left her coolie hat in one of the
cars.
It had been decided that only Sarah, Jacko, Amal and Jamie would
follow the tracks into the caves, while Russell and Johnny would
watch the entrance from their cars at a distance of at least a 100 yards.
They would be ready in case backup was needed. The drizzling rain
had finally stopped; however, the low gloomy clouds meant that it
was dark inside the caves, even close to the entrance.
Sarah led the way, carrying a small torch. Jacko was immediately
behind her, then Amal, with Jamie bringing up the rear. It was
noticeably cooler and less humid in the caves. Jacko observed that it
would be easy to become lost in the complexity of the cave network;
however, the footprints in the limestone dust were easy to follow in
the dull light shed by the small torch. He noted that most of the
topmost footprints were leading out of the caves, although the most
recent showed that two people had walked the other way. Every now
and then, a brass, bronze or silver statue of Buddha to the sides of the
track reflected light from the beam, creating the eerie feeling they
were being watched. At a certain point, Sarah pointed to some
footprints leaving the main track, and Amal pointed out to them
where he had hidden.
Moving more slowly now, Sarah shielded the torch so that it
would not shine too brightly ahead. At one stage, she turned it off and
stood still, listening. She turned it on again and whispered something

87
to Jacko, who then turned to the other two and signalled them to be
very quiet. By this stage they had walked about 250 yards into the
caves, but it seemed much further in the darkness.
They continued cautiously along the track as silently as they could,
when Sarah suddenly stopped. Jacko almost bumped into her back.
She pointed at something on the ground and Jacko, getting down on
his haunches, saw a thin line across the track and six inches above it.
He guessed it was probably fishing line.
After conferring with his sister in low whispers, he turned back to
tell the others about the trip-wire across the track and suggested they
wait there while he and Sarah went ahead. He also told them there
was a dull light ahead and he and Sarah no longer needed the torch,
which he gave to Amal.
Jamie was about to tell Jacko to be careful when he realised they
had already disappeared into the darkness ahead. He and Amal sat
down on the side of the track with their backs against some smooth
stalagmites and settled down to wait. He had learnt from experience
that once Sarah and Jacko had made up their minds to do something,
there was no way he could stop them or keep up. He let out a low sigh
of resignation and tried to relax.
Sarah and Jacko moved like silent shadows, creeping towards the
distant glow in the darkness. Rounding a corner, they could see two
men lying on folding deckchairs, both armed with STEN guns. One
was asleep, the other reading a book in the soft light of a kerosene
hurricane lamp. In the centre of their chamber was a large pile of
firearms of various types.
Jacko signalled to Sarah to stay where she was and then he
disappeared to the left of the track, circling around behind some
stalagmites, which pointed upwards from the floor of the cave like
gigantic dunces’ caps. A moment later, he reappeared next to her and
handed her a tapered piece of rock from the top of a stalagmite about
a foot long. Gesturing with his hands, he signified that she should
circle to the right towards the sleeping man, while he circled to the
other guard on the left. He showed her his knife and with a nod, she
smiled and disappeared into the shadows.
The sleeping man started snoring, and the other guard swore in
Malay and threw a pebble at him, waking him. Muttering something

88
under his breath, he glared at his companion, closed his eyes and went
back to sleep. A short while later, he was woken again by a gurgling
sound. Opening his eyes, he saw a dark figure standing over the other
guard whose neck was gushing blood. He reached for his machine
gun but before he was able to grab the weapon, he was hit over the
head with a long piece of rock and slipped into unconsciousness.
Sarah’s high-pitched giggle echoed around the chamber. ‘Gottim
bikpela brother. Him dream now. You killem other pela?’
‘Good work, Sar. Yes, I didn’t want him making too much noise
before you walloped the other fella. Anyway, we only need one of
them to tell us what this is all about. I’ll just have a look around
before we call Jamie.’
‘Okay, Jacko bikpela brother.’
Searching carefully around the area, Jacko found some small bells
attached to the other end of a long fishing line. He cut the line with
his knife.
‘The trip-wire wasn’t designed to bring the cave crashing down,’
he said. ‘It was set up to alert the guards, who could then shoot any
trespassers.’
‘We tell others, bikpela brother?’
‘Yes, we’ll call them up, Sar.’
Jamie was moving around slightly, trying to get comfortable on
the hard ground, when he heard the echo of two voices calling his
name, one deep, the other high-pitched. Jumping to his feet, he patted
Amal, who had been drowsing, on the shoulder and switched on his
torch. He found that the footprints in the dry limestone dust were
surprisingly easy to follow, and it wasn’t long before he saw a light
ahead. Rounding a corner, he took in the scene of Sarah and Jacko
standing next to a pile of firearms and boxes of ammunition. A Malay
lay unconscious on a deckchair beside the weapons. Jacko was in the
act of folding up another deckchair, which was bloodstained.
‘G’day, Cap and Amal,’ he greeted them. ‘I’m just cleaning up
here. I killed one of the guards. He’s now a few caves further on and
I’m going to let him have his deckchair.’
‘What about the trip-wire, Jacko?’ asked Jamie. ‘What was that
about.’

89
 ‘It was set up to ring bells to alert the guards when someone was
coming,’ replied Jacko. ‘I cut the line so you wouldn’t trip over it,
Cap.’
‘So, this is some sort of arsenal, eh?’ said Jamie. ‘Is the other
guard still alive?’
‘Yeah. Sarah gave him a good clout over the noggin with a long
lump of rock. Those stalagmite tips make good nulla nullas, Cap.’
‘Yes, looks like your sister did a good job,’ said Jamie, looking at
Sarah who gave him a wide smile. ‘There’s a heap of guns here. I
suggest we take out all their firing pins and leave the guns where they
are. We’ll bring that fellow with us. When he wakes up, he can tell us
what’s happening here, hopefully.’
Amal kicked one of the ammunition boxes. ‘These are heavy, sir
... er ... Jamie,’ he said. ‘We won’t be able to carry all of them.’
‘No. There’s no point in removing the ammo boxes,’ said Jamie.
‘If we leave them where they are, the bandits will probably not
suspect that we’ve removed the firing pins from all the guns. They’ll
be confused enough when they can’t find the men they left here to
look after the weapons. Hopefully, they’ll decide the guards have
deserted. Whatever they planned to do with all these firearms, they
won’t get much use out of them now, no matter how much ammo
they have.’
They removed the firing pins from all the weapons, and Jacko
hoisted the unconscious bandit over his shoulder. Then they walked
single file towards the entrance, with Sarah showing the way.
By the time they reached the entrance, the clouds had parted
slightly to allow the sun to shine through. The heat and humidity after
the coolness of the caves almost took Jamie’s breath away, and he
noticed that Jacko was panting from the effort of carrying the
unconscious guard. Glancing at his watch, he was surprised that the
whole exercise had only taken just over an hour. He waved to the cars
parked down the road, and the watchful Johnny and Russell promptly
drove up the hill to join the group in front of the caves.
Jamie helped Jacko put the unconscious guard into the back of one
of the cars and said, ‘We’d better get out of here before more bandits
arrive.’
‘What did you find in there?’ asked Russell.

90
 ‘It looks like they’ve been setting up an arsenal,’ said Jamie.
‘When they do show up, they’ll be puzzled. No guards, and when
they try to use their guns, they’re in for a surprise.’
‘Too bloody right!’ said Jacko.
‘Okay, chaps. Tell all later. Hop aboard and we’ll be off,’ said
Russell.

****

An ear-splitting explosion followed a loud whoosh behind the target.

Hundreds of colourful birds flew screeching into the sky. A tall
rainforest tree wobbled and then crashed to the ground, taking a large
amount of jungle growth with it. Flames leapt into the air, but several
Malays quickly doused them by beating the wet timber with damp
sacks.
A small contingent of Japanese Kempeitai soldiers was
impassively watching the proceedings from behind the firing position.
Their leader walked up to Dirk and said, ‘No good. Didn’t hit the
target.’
‘Ya, you are right, General Fukuda,’ said Dirk, glaring at the two
Chinese-Malays standing self-consciously next to him. ‘Not bad,
Wang, but you missed the target,’ he said derisively. ‘I thought you
said this fellow could shoot straight, Boon.’
‘Yes, Tuan. Usually very straight shot.’
Boon and Wang followed Dirk up to the target, a large red circle
painted on a tree, and studied the devastation behind it.
Dirk glared at them with hard blue eyes devoid of expression.
‘Missed it by a yard. We’ve only got one more rocket to practise
with. The launcher is different from a rifle, but the method’s the
same. You have to squeeze the trigger, not pull it. If Wang doesn’t
understand what I’m saying, explain it to him, Boon.’
‘Yes, Tuan,’ said Boon, who then spoke in Malay to Wang who
nodded vigorously.
‘He understand, Tuan Dirk,’ said Boon.
‘Sehr gut! The range is only a hundred yards,’ said Dirk, putting
his finger on the centre of the red circle. ‘He should be able to hit that
target easily from such a short distance.’

91
 Both Wang and Boon were nodding as the latter said, ‘We
understand, Tuan. Wang will shoot very straight second time.’
‘We’ll go back and try again,’ said Dirk. ‘This is our last practice
rocket. If he misses again, maybe I’ll shoot you both.’
Boon winked at Wang and said, ‘Don’t worry, Tuan Dirk.’
Walking back to the firing site, Wang settled down in a prone
position with the launcher tube over his shoulder, steadied by the
tripod on the front part of the tube. One of the others loaded a rocket
into the tube. Wang carefully lined up the sights on the target, took a
deep breath and slowly squeezed the trigger. Again, there was a loud
whoosh when the rocket took off, followed by an ear-splitting
explosion as the lower part of the tree with the red target disintegrated
and flames leapt into the air. The tree crashed to the ground.
Dirk nodded to Fukuda and clapped his hands. ‘Sehr gut! Sehr gut!
Fantastisch! Wang is definitely our rocket man. Have you also
selected four marksmen for the Mosin-Nagant sniper rifles, Boon?’
‘Yes, they’ve been practising, Tuan,’ said Boon. ‘Very accurate.
Good men. The sniper rifles are here.’
‘So! We’ll take the launcher and the sniper rifles back to Kuala
Lumpur and hide them in our Jalan Ampang warehouse,’ said Dirk.
‘We’ll shift them to the shed in Jalan Imbi early tomorrow morning,
where we’ll all meet, nein? In the meantime, you and your men can
lie low, Boon.’
‘Yes, Tuan. No problem.’
Dirk then told Fukuda to be at the shed with his men in Jalan Imbi
first thing in the morning.
He turned to Lui, who had been silently watching the proceedings,
and said, ‘You and your men can go back to Ipoh now and get all the
other guns from the caves. Bring them to the warehouse in Jalan
Ampang and we’ll distribute them tomorrow to the mob we’re paying
to riot. We’ll see you at the shed on Jalan Imbi later in the morning.’
Lui nodded and waved to his men. ‘Yes, Tuan Dirk. No problem.’

****

MSS chief, Major Algernon Browning, repeated steadily, ‘You’ve got

to take this seriously, Sam.’

92
 Colonel Samuel Martin, aide-de-camp to the Secretary-General of
Malaya, Major General Ralph Hone, was becoming angry. ‘For hell’s
sake, Algie, we can’t change tomorrow’s programme for you or
anyone. Not by one skerrick. The new Governor-General, Sir Edward
Gent, as well as General Hone would be appalled at the suggestion
and would never agree. Apart from you and your spooks, we’ve got
Gurkha units, Indian units, commandos, and any number of British
regiments taking part in the celebrations. There should be ample
security against any rag-tag mob who want to riot. Eh? Eh?’
‘Our intelligence indicates that the attempt at disruption may come
from a well-armed group which is not so rag-tag,’ said Algie. ‘They
may well be supported by former Nazis and possibly fanatical Japs. I
suspect their aim is to try to trigger a general uprising to take over
control of the Malayan peninsula.’
‘That’s a bit far-fetched, Algie,’ said Martin, his blue eyes angry
and his face becoming redder by the minute.
‘Hopefully, but I wouldn’t be too sure,’ said Algie. ‘There are two
likely targets for attack. The first would be the convoy of cars from
the governor’s residence. The second possibility is the troops’ parade
on the sportsground between the Government Offices building and
the Royal Selangor Club, where Sir Edward Gent and the other
dignitaries will be taking the salute before ratifying the Malayan
Union.’
Martin’s right hand came down on his desk with a loud smack
which echoed around the large room. ‘Well, make sure it doesn’t
happen, Algie. I’ll let you have one of the Gurkha units and a platoon
of commandos. Together with your own men and the police, that
should be enough for you to defuse any ugly situation. Eh? Eh?’
‘I’ll do my best, Sam,’ said Algie. ‘I’d be grateful if the officers of
those units could report to me in my office this afternoon.’
‘I can arrange that,’ said Martin. He looked fiercely at Algie with
unblinking eyes and said menacingly, ‘Your best had better be bloody
good, Algie. The world will be watching us tomorrow. Apart from the
brass bands, there’ll be 4,000 troops marching, viewed by
international guests. The British Empire will be on full display, Algie.
Your best had better be bloody good, what?’

93
 On leaving the room, Algie nodded at a nervous sergeant standing
outside the door, who must have heard the angry shouting. As he
strode towards his car, he tried to work out how he should best
position the men at his disposal to protect the motorcade leaving from
here early the next afternoon. Securing the parade would be an
entirely different matter.

****

Lui Guo Dong led the way through the caves, holding a bright torch
trained at the footprints in front of him. The ten men following him
also held torches. They had arrived in two trucks to transport the arms
and ammunition to the depot near Kuala Lumpur. As they walked,
they placed various lighted kerosene lamps at intervals along the way
to make it easier for carrying the guns and boxes out of the caves. Lui
had calculated it would take each man three or four trips over the next
two hours or so.
About 50 yards from their destination, he shouted, ‘We come!’ No
answer. Arriving at the chamber where the armaments were stored,
Lui surveyed the scene apprehensively with screwed-up eyes. No sign
of the two guards, and only one deckchair.
‘Wha…!’ he cried. ‘Apa yang berlaku? What happened here?
Where Huang and Anirban? No one here!’
The others all crowded around him and stared at the equipment,
which appeared to be untouched. There was a general discussion.
Some suggested they must have seen a ghost and run away. Others
suggested they had deserted, or gone to investigate some unexpected
event.
Lui prised open one of the ammunition boxes and was relieved to
find it was full of cartridges. He picked up one of the rifles and
worked the bolt. Everything seemed to be in order, but where had his
men gone? He coughed loudly and spat. He yelled their names at the
top of his voice, but the only answering calls were echoes resounding
from around the cave network.
‘Neraka berdarah!’ he swore with frustration. ‘No good you all
standing around gawking. We better carry these guns out of here.’

94
 There was a general murmur of agreement and the men began
carrying the ammunition out first, two to each box. Lui followed them
with a number of Japanese and British rifles under each arm. As they
loaded the first lot of boxes and arms into the trucks, Lui walked
some distance down the road shouting out the names of the guards.
The rain clouds had begun to disperse, and the rays of the sun were
filtering through. Visibility was good, but there was no sign of Huang
or Anirban Patel. He returned, shaking his head, and testily told his
men watching him to hurry and get the rest of the gear.
By the time they had loaded the last of the firearms and
ammunition boxes aboard the trucks, the sun was setting and the low
scudding clouds continued to thin out. The beauty of the spectacular
tropical sunset held no interest for Lui, who was frustrated and angry
at the unexplained disappearance of his men. Before climbing up into
the cabin of one of the trucks, he looked around nervously but
couldn’t detect anyone watching him or anything unusual. He shook
his head again, climbed into the vehicle and drove away.

95
 CHAPTER 11

The spectacular tropical sunset also held no interest for Anirban Patel.
The Indian Malay looked around groggily as the rays of the setting
sun beamed through a small window in an interrogation room of the
Ipoh police headquarters. He was seated behind a metal table with a
water jug and some cheap glasses. There was a dressing on the top of
his forehead.
As his eyes focused, he realised he was being watched from the
other side of the table by five people. Three white men, one old, a
brown-skinned man, possibly Malay, and a small black girl. Was this
real, or was he dreaming? His attention was momentarily attracted to
the eyes of the girl. They seemed to bore into him. He shook his head,
trying to remember where he had last been and wondering where he
was now. He lifted his hand to scratch his nose and realised his wrists
were handcuffed together. He vaguely remembered being in the Sam
Poh Tong caves chatting to his friend, Huang, but he couldn’t
remember anything else beyond that. How had he got here, and who
were these strange people? He tried to clear his throat, but his mouth
was dry. In a hoarse voice, he managed to croak, ‘Air!’
Jamie looked at Fairweather and said, ‘He needs air?’
Fairweather shook his head and said, ‘No, no. Air is the Malay
word for water. I’ll give him some.’
Fairweather poured water from a jug into one of the glasses and
held it out to Anirban, who gulped it down.
Taking the empty glass back, Fairweather stared with unblinking
eyes at the sad-looking prisoner. ‘Well, my good fellow,’ he said, ‘do
you speak English?’
‘A little,’ the Indian Malay replied sulkily, avoiding looking at the
others.
Fairweather smiled at him. ‘Good. What is your name, young
fellow?’

96
 ‘My name?’
‘Yes, your name. Nama awak.’
‘My name is Patel. Anirban Patel, Tuan.’
‘Ah! Anirban Patel,’ said Fairweather. ‘Yes. That’s a nice name.
Well, Anirban, we would like you to help us and then we can help
you.’
‘Help me?’
‘Yes, Anirban. Help you.’
‘I don’t know. I don’t know.’
‘What don’t you know, Anirban?’ asked Fairweather.
‘Who are you? Where I am?’
‘Where you are, is here, Anirban. Talking to me. To us. I think
you might have been a naughty boy, Anirban. But perhaps if you tell
us all about yourself we might be able to forgive you.’
Anirban shook his head again. ‘Forgive me? Wha...’
‘Yes, forgive you. What were you doing in the Buddhist shrine,
Anirban?’
‘Buddhist shrine?’
‘Yes. The Sam Poh Tong caves are a shrine to Buddha. Did you
know that?’
‘Ah, yes. Some statues there?’
‘Yes. What were you doing there in the Sam Poh Tong caves,
Anirban?’
Anirban shifted uneasily on his chair. ‘I don’t know, Tuan.’
Fairweather leant over the table towards him with a hardened look
in his eyes. ‘I don’t believe you, Anirban. If you don’t tell me the
truth, I can’t help you. You will probably hang.’
Anirban’s head started to ache. He croaked, ‘Hang?’
‘Yes, hang, young fellow. Hang.’
‘I only there because I am told to be guard, Tuan,’ Anirban
protested.
‘Who told you to be guard?’
‘Him Lui Guo Dong. Him leader of us,’ said Anirban, as a tear ran
down his left cheek.
‘Lui Guo Dong. Only him?’
‘Yes. White man also leader with him, Tuan,’ said Anirban. ‘Can I
go to toilet?’

97
 ‘We’ll take you to the toilet, but only after you tell us who this
white man is,’ said Fairweather, smiling again.
‘Only know his name is Dirk, Tuan. That’s all I know.’
‘Very good, Anirban. What were you and Lui and Dirk going to
do with all those guns?’
‘Maybe they know. I don’t know, Tuan.’
‘If I let you go to the toilet right now, will you tell me everything
you do know, Anirban?’ said Fairweather, again with a hardened
expression.
‘Yes, yes, Tuan. I’ll try.’
Fairweather had a sudden thought. ‘Before you go, Anirban, I have
a question. Would you describe Dirk as being tall with light-coloured
hair?’
‘Yes, Tuan. Very tall. Light hair.’
‘Very good, Anirban. If you try very, very hard, I’ll try to help
you. I’ll get someone to escort you to the toilet now.’
‘Terima kasih! Thank you, Tuan.’
After the prisoner had been escorted out of the room, there was a
brief silence as they looked at one another. Fairweather started pacing
up and down despite the sullen heat.
Jamie cleared his throat. ‘It seems to me that the group this fellow
is a part of may only be a cog in the works of a larger operation,’ he
said.
Johnny nodded. ‘Yes. I think you’re right. I suspect this white man
he spoke of, Dirk, is one and the same with the mysterious Pieter de
Groote.’
‘I believe that’s the case, for certain,’ said Fairweather, pausing in
his pacing. ‘But where is the blighter? He’s good at hiding his tracks.’
‘We know where he’ll be tomorrow,’ said Jamie. ‘If the major aim
is to disrupt the Malay Union ceremonies and start an uprising, he’ll
be somewhere in Kuala Lumpur directing operations, I imagine.’
Fairweather scratched one side of his prominent nose, rubbed his
eyes and patted his moustache. ‘Yes, yes. That’s true. We know he’s
tall with fair hair, but we have no way of identifying any of his local
men. There may be many.’
‘We’ll have to have our wits about us,’ said Johnny. ‘What are the
MSS doing?’

98
 ‘As far as I know, Algie Browning was meeting Colonel Martin
with a view to getting some of the army units out of the parades and
onto his security team. For your information, Johnny, Samuel Martin
was the dignitary you were mistaken for when you were kidnapped.’
‘We do have someone who knows what a few of this Dirk’s local
men look like,’ said Jacko, pointing at Johnny. ‘That decrepit old man
over there.’
‘Now see here!’ protested Johnny. ‘Decrepit indeed! I must admit
though, it’s a good disguise. I’ll need to be in a position where I can
recognise Boon, or at least some of his merry men. There’s little
doubt they must be part of this.’
Fairweather nodded. ‘Yes, yes. That’s one element in our favour.
It might be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Ah, here’s our
fellow back from performing his toiletries.’
Still handcuffed, Anirban Patel resumed his seat and nervously
faced the men opposite. Fairweather smiled at him and said, ‘I hope
you feel refreshed now, my friend. I still need you to continue to be
truthful so that we can protect you from the gallows. What is the
nationality of the white man, Dirk?’
‘Not sure, Tuan. I think German.’
‘Ah, German. That makes sense,’ said Fairweather. ‘Were you and
your men collaborators with the Japanese during the recent
occupation?’
‘Tuan, I have no choice. Believe me. Communists want to shoot
me. Lui and his men protect me. I didn’t want to fight with Jepun
soldiers, Tuan. No choice.’ Anirban was close to tears.
Fairweather fixed his eyes on him. ‘You only have us to protect
you now. What are Dirk’s plans for tomorrow?’
‘Don’t know, Tuan,’ he pleaded. ‘I only know we meet in Kuala
Lumpur tomorrow morning. Otherwise I know nothing. Believe me,
Tuan.’
‘I believe you, Anirban,’ said Fairweather. ‘I believe you. You
must tell me where you were to meet with your other bandits
tomorrow.’
‘Kuala Lumpur, Tuan.’
‘Address, Anirban.’
‘It big shed, Tuan. The street is Jalan Imbi.’

99
 ‘What number on Jalan Imbi?’
‘Don’t know number, Tuan. Just know we go to big shed on Jalan
Imbi.’
‘Have you been there before, yourself?’
‘No, Tuan.’
Fairweather walked to the door and called one of his constables in.
‘Take this prisoner to Detective Sergeant Devroe, and you and he can
prepare a written statement from him.’ Turning to Anirban Patel he
said, ‘You are to go with this policeman and they’ll prepare a written
statement with your help. I’ll read it later and if it’s the same as
you’ve told me, you will avoid a meeting with the hangman. Yes?’
‘Yes, Tuan,’ said Anirban, standing slowly and accompanying the
constable out of the room.
Fairweather turned to the others and said, ‘We’ll go to my office
and talk. I’ve got fans in there. This place is like a sauna bath.’
As soon as they were settled in Fairweather’s office, Jamie said,
‘That was very instructive. You’re an accomplished negotiator,
Russell. We now know all the initial action tomorrow morning will
be in a shed in Jalan Imbi.’
Russell Fairweather shook his head. ‘It’s not going to be that
simple, Jamie. If I remember correctly, there are quite a few sheds on
that street.’
‘I have an idea,’ said Jacko. ‘Show us where that street is this
evening and first thing in the morning, Sarah and I can check out the
sheds in the street. If we don’t find anything, we’ll wait to see where
a large group of people start to gather.’
‘That’s a jolly good idea, Jacko,’ said Johnny. ‘We should be there
to back you up.’
‘Better just Sarah and me,’ said Jacko. ‘They’d never notice the
two of us. Not in a thousand years.’
‘I believe you, Jacko,’ said Jamie. Then looking at Russell he said,
‘You don’t happen to have any portable two-way radios, do you?’
‘Yes. We certainly do,’ said Russell. ‘How many do you need?’
‘Just one for me,’ said Jacko. He looked at Sarah and smiled.
‘We’ll be up at piccaninny light tomorrow, sis.’
‘No worries, bikpela brother.’

100
 ‘That should work,’ said Jamie. ‘If Jacko can keep us informed,
we’ll be able to act accordingly. What about the local Kuala Lumpur
police, Russell?’
‘I’ve spoken to Inspector Douglas,’ said Russell. ‘His troops
haven’t been able to find hide nor hair of this de Groote character. He
strongly believes that the Dutch traders in KL are not involved. I’m
not so sure. In any case, we’ll be able to deploy his police officers
anywhere we want them tomorrow.’
‘Yes, we may well need them all when things start to heat up,’ said
Johnny. ‘I think we’re in agreement as far as we can be for now.’
‘Well, that’s settled then,’ said Russell, standing and rubbing his
hands. ‘I’ll drive you chaps back to KL now and join you for dinner
at the Majestic tonight. There’s a couple of local gentlemen I would
like you to meet.’
‘Sounds good to me,’ said Johnny.

****

On his arrival in Kuala Lumpur, Lui Guo Dong found the small
warehouse beside the Klang River on Jalan Ampang in the eastern
fringe of the city. He knocked on the outside door, which was opened
to him. They drove the trucks in, and his men unloaded them and
stacked the firearms and ammunition inside the warehouse. They then
left the trucks inside, farewelled one another and dispersed to various
parts of the city.
Lui climbed into a jeep that was parked in the street and headed
off to the centre of the city in search of Boon or Dirk. He stopped at
the shed on Jalan Imbi but was told that Boon and Dirk had been
there mid-afternoon but had long since gone. Lui swore under his
breath and drove slowly around the streets. The early evening
afterglow was fast disappearing and stars were shining through the
thinning clouds. He remembered an open-air Chinese restaurant
which was one of Boon’s favourite places in the northern part of
Kuala Lumpur and headed off there.
As he stepped from the jeep, he sighted Boon sitting at one of the
tables by himself, tucking into a noodle dish.

101
 Speaking a mixture of Chinese and Malay, he greeted Boon who
beckoned to him to sit down and have something to eat.
‘I haven’t had much to eat all day,’ said Boon. ‘The noodles here
are tasty with meat and distinctive spices. You’ll like them.’
Lui waved to a waiter and ordered some food before turning to
Boon and saying, ‘My ears are still ringing from that damned rocket
launcher.’
‘Yeah, mine too.’
‘I think we have a problem, Boon.’
‘A problem? You think there is a problem?’
‘When we arrived at the Sam Poh Tong caves, we walked through
to the chamber where we had stacked the firearms and the two guards
we left there were gone.’
Boon glanced up and raised his eyebrows. ‘Gone? Where gone?’
‘Don’t know, Boon. There were eleven of us. We searched all the
caves around the chamber but no guards.’
‘Who were the guards, Lui?’
‘Huang and the Indian fellow, Patel. Mystery!’
‘Hmm. What you think happened to them, Lui?’
‘Maybe deserted or perhaps they were called away by one of our
leaders to do something else.’
‘Did you ask Tuan Dirk?’
‘Couldn’t find him, Boon. I was thinking that there’s also a
possibility someone captured them and took them away. If that, then
we have big, big problem.’
‘Ayah! That would be a catastrophe. Hope not, Lui. You sure they
were nowhere around? Another part of the caves?’
‘We all looked carefully. I am also sure we weren’t being watched
by anyone else. It’s big mystery. What you think we should do,
Boon?’
‘First of all, we finish eating. Then we see if we can find Tuan
Dirk. Maybe he knows where Huang and Patel are. If not, he’ll know
what to do.’
‘Yeah, Boon. Tuan Dirk will know. I can’t help feeling
something’s wrong.’
‘Shut up and eat, Lui,’ said Boon, waving a chopstick at him.
‘We’ll look for Tuan Dirk after.’

102
 ****

Inspector Robert Douglas could feel the sweat running down his back
inside his shirt as he blinked at Superintendent Fairweather and
protested, ‘I thought I was responsible for policing in Kuala Lumpur
city, Superintendent. I need all my men for normal duty.’
‘I’m afraid that the situation regarding tomorrow’s festivities is far
from normal, Robert my good chap,’ said Fairweather. ‘We have
reason to believe that there could be a major disruption planned for
the Malayan Union celebrations. I’ll be staying in KL overnight and
would like Angus Murray, Belveer Singh and the others to come with
me first thing in the morning.’
Douglas felt the blood rushing up his neck as he tried to control his
anger. ‘For what? Just tell me what you plan and I’ll work out who I
can place at your disposal, sir.’
‘I’ll be needing them all, Robert. We’re coordinating with Major
Browning of the MSS who will have several army units at his
command,’ said Fairweather patiently. ‘It’s essential that we work
together with a well-coordinated plan to provide the best possible
security for the dignitaries and those on parade.’
Bloody military pretending to be police, Douglas thought angrily
to himself. He found himself stammering, ‘But ... but ... I ... I ...
should be informed of these plans.’
‘Don’t worry, Robert old chap, you will be,’ said Fairweather,
with a calm which infuriated Douglas more. ‘What is the result so far
of your investigations into the mysterious Pieter de Groote?’
‘Nobody has seen or heard of him,’ said Douglas tersely. ‘Perhaps
he is still in Ipoh where the murder was committed.’
‘Don’t think so, Robert. Do you think any of those Dutchmen from
the Dutch East Indies Import-Export Company could be involved?’
‘No. No. I’m sure that’s not the case. We have interviewed them
and they’re in the clear. In fact, I spoke at length to Frans van Houten
earlier today. I can tell you he’s a really nice chap. His partner, Henk
Janssen, is tall and fair-haired but I’m certain he is what he says he is.
He’s a Dutch businessman with a trading company from Java. I can’t
see how any of them could be involved.’

103
 ‘Okay, Robert. If you hear anything at all about any other tall
blond men, let me know immediately.’
‘Yes, of course, sir.’
‘I’ll be here at nine o’clock in the morning, Robert,’ said
Fairweather. ‘Please have your men ready to accompany me.’
‘What part in the operation do you want me to play?’ asked
Douglas petulantly.
‘It’s best if you remain in the office. At some stage I’ll need you as
backup, so I’ll call you then,’ said Fairweather as he turned to leave.
‘Have a good sleep tonight, Robert. I suspect we’ll all have to be
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow. See you then.’
‘Good evening, Superintendent.’
Damned military, thought Douglas as the door closed. Bright-eyed
and bloody bushy-tailed! What sort of comment is that? Damned
military think they know all about policing. Enthusiasm for his
position in the Malayan police force now defied him. Douglas stared
out the window at the darkening sky and sighed.

****

When Jamie and Jacko walked into the Chinese restaurant on the first
floor of the Majestic Hotel, a beautiful copper sunset was filtering
brightly through the windows. They sighted Johnny, dressed in his
old-man disguise, with Russell Fairweather and two other men seated
at a large round table. They all stood as Russell made the
introductions.
‘Here are my two colleagues, Major James Munro and Mr Jack
O’Brien,’ said Russell, gesturing with his hand. ‘Please meet my
close friends, Tunku Shahabing and Duminda Herath.’
‘Please call me Bing,’ said Tunku Shahabing with a chuckle.
‘Everyone else does. Just like Bing Crosby.’
‘Do you sing?’ asked Jacko.
‘No no. If I sing, everyone runs away,’ said Bing, laughing. ‘I
answer to Bing anyway, although I’ve had trouble getting Russell
here to stop calling me “sir”.’
‘Well, I’ll call you Bing as long as you call me Jamie and my
friend here, Jacko,’ said Jamie.

104
 Jacko observed the two Malays with interest. Tunku Shahabing
was a Malay of middle height with a crewcut, a ready open smile and
a twinkle in his eyes. Duminda Herath was obviously of Sinhalese
heritage, tall with dark skin and slicked-back black hair. His smile
showed pristine white teeth, but his shrewd dark eyes carried a fixed
expression of melancholy disdain. Both men were wearing suits and
ties, in contrast to Jacko and Jamie who were casually dressed in
open-necked shirts.
As they all sat down, Bing said, ‘Australians, eh? I should say
“g’day mate, howya goin’ then?” Is that right?’
‘Your Australian accent is excellent,’ said Jamie. ‘Where did you
learn to speak like that?’
‘I did an economics course at Sydney University before the war,’
said Bing. ‘My fellow students required me to get the accent right.’
‘If your studies were as successful as your command of accents,
you must have passed with high distinctions.’
Bing laughed. ‘Passed, but not that high.’
‘Will your sister be joining us, Jacko?’ asked Russell.
‘No. She wanted to get an early night, so she’s ordered room
service.’
‘What about you, Duminda?’ asked Johnny. ‘Did you study in
Australia?’
Duminda spoke in smooth, refined English. ‘I went to school there
for two years, then I graduated with a business course in America,
also before the war.’
Russell said, ‘I think you should know that both Bing and
Duminda remained here throughout the Japanese occupation. It was
an uncomfortable time for them. Their extensive contacts in the
provinces since the end of the war have often provided us with
valuable intelligence regarding the activities of collaborator groups
and overstaying Kempeitai units. They believe the two groups have
joined forces with plans to overthrow the authorities and take control
of the Malay peninsula.’
‘What do you think their chances are of doing that?’ asked Johnny.
‘I’m not sure I can answer that,’ replied Russell. ‘Algie Downing
from the MSS will be joining us shortly and he should know a lot
more about that than I.’

105
 ‘Would you mind if I order the dinner?’ said Duminda. ‘They have
great Chinese food here. I can order several Chinese and local dishes,
if you like, and we can help ourselves.’
‘Capital idea, Duminda,’ said Russell. ‘You go ahead. Ah! Here’s
Algie now.’
Algie Downing confirmed that he knew everyone at the table, and
sat down. He suggested that they all go up to the Rooftop Club after
dinner to chat about the situation and see who was there. He
mentioned that the planters, miners and local gentry frequented the
Rooftop Club and there was a possibility that some of the dignitaries
involved in the Malayan Union handover might be there. Jacko
begged off from that, saying he would leave them after dinner as he
would be getting an early start in the morning. The dishes ordered by
Duminda, accompanied by beer and hot tea, arrived promptly and for
the next hour, Bing entertained his dinner companions by recounting
anecdotes of his pre-war experiences in Sydney.

106
 CHAPTER 12

Two thousand miles to the northeast on the other side of the South
China Sea, the typhoon hit the city of Manila like an irresistible force.
Winds gusting up to 160 miles per hour swept down from the north.
Many of the flimsy makeshift dwellings constructed since the end of
the war were demolished, and sheets of corrugated iron flew through
the air, killing a few people in their path. The onset of the typhoon
was in the early evening, but the dark, scudding clouds blotted out the
light and gave the impression that it was closer to midnight.
Along Dewey Boulevard, cars, vans and trucks were overturned.
An ambulance was lifted over a hedgerow on the east side of the
boulevard, landing upside down in a pool of water. Kalesas were
upended in the winds, dragging their attached kicking horses along
the boulevard. Three light aircraft anchored to the ground at the
Nielson Airfield at Makati to the east of Manila were ripped apart.
Large trees were uprooted and flung into nearby houses. Poles
carrying electricity lines were brought down and left scattered across
the roads.
The typhoon sounded like an out-of-control steam train roaring
through the city. Out in Manila Bay, large freighter ships, all pointing
north on their anchor chains, were tossed around as though in heavy
seas, while several small fishing boats disappeared out of sight below
the large waves whipped up by the fury of the storm. Many local
people died that day, the typhoon adding painfully to the destruction
already spawned by the wartime Battle of Manila the year before.
As quickly as the winds had started, they suddenly died as the eye
of the typhoon passed overhead in the central part of the city. Some
people nervously left their shelters to inspect the damage, assuming
the storm had gone. Then, a short time later as the typhoon moved
west, the wind, swirling in a giant anti-clockwise circle, resumed with
all its intensity, this time from the south.

107
 The large anchored ocean-going ships, still pointing north, were
blown off their anchors as the wind pushed them at speed from the
stern. One large freighter was blown ashore and listed over Dewey
Boulevard just south of the American High Commission building.
Others were blown ashore in the port area to the north.
A number of the cars, vans and kalesas which had been righted
during the calm of the typhoon’s eye were again upended and blown
northwards along the boulevard.
Even some of the more substantial buildings suffered, with large
roofs lifted and blown miles from their houses. Many of the more
modern and substantial buildings withstood the blast, but all sustained
some damage.
Most of the population of Manila cowered under tables, behind
brick walls and even behind tombstones as the roaring wind swirled
around them. When the wind began losing its intensity, the city was
then drenched by heavy rain, adding to the misery of the inhabitants.
Even after the wind had died, the rain continued to fall heavily and
most people stayed where they were, too scared to move. The
following day they would wake up to devastation almost beyond
belief.

****

Meanwhile, far away to the southwest in Kuala Lumpur, the weather

was considerably milder. The clouds had almost dispersed and a
starry night was accompanied by a light breeze. On the top floor of
the Majestic Hotel, Johnny Cook and the others were seated at a table
in a far corner of the Rooftop Club, away from the band playing
swing music for the dancers circling around the central dance floor.
Tunku Shahabing waved to a pretty girl at a nearby table. As he leapt
up and approached her, she nodded and the two of them quickly
joined the dancers.
‘Who’s that pretty girl?’ asked Jamie.
Duminda chuckled. ‘One of Bing’s many admirers. It’s hard to
take him anywhere that he doesn’t know some girl or other.’
‘Yes, well, I’ll sketch out the lay of the land for the celebrations
tomorrow,’ said Algie, spreading a paper on the table amongst the

108
drinks and sketching the area around the Government Offices
building. ‘The main building extends in a northerly direction. Along
the western side of it runs the north-south Broadrick Road, where the
marchers will enter the area from the south. West of the road is a
large padang, or playing field, where the marchers will assemble after
taking the salute. West of and overlooking the padang is the Royal
Selangor Club, an impressive Tudor-style building which stretches
northerly over the entire length of the padang. Many members and
guests will be watching the proceedings from the club.’
‘That seems straightforward,’ said Johnny. ‘The main areas to
secure will be the road and the area around the playing field. What do
they play there, Algie?’
‘Mainly rugby and cricket. Some football matches as well.’
‘So it’s quite a large field?’ said Johnny.
‘Oh yes! About 130 yards long and 90 yards wide,’ said Algie.
‘Plenty of room for all the brigades on display.’
‘Plenty of room for mischief, too, if we’re not alert,’ said Russell.
‘Yes, yes. I can see that,’ said Johnny.
‘I assume the most likely initial attack would come from snipers
aiming at the new governor and his group when they take the salute,’
said Jamie. ‘Apart from us, what resources do we have to combat
that?’
‘The governor’s aide-de-camp has given me a Gurkha unit and a
commando platoon,’ said Algie. ‘I’ll be meeting their officers in the
morning.’
‘That should be effective for general security,’ said Johnny,
‘though it may not be good enough unless we gain intelligence about
the enemy’s plans.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Russell. ‘It would be far more effective to nip it in
the bud.’
‘If Jacko and Sarah can pin down the shed in Imbi Road tomorrow
morning, we might be a long way into bud-nipping,’ said Jamie.
Duminda held up his hand. ‘Jalan Imbi? I have a warehouse in
Jalan Imbi. I supply mining equipment for the tin operations out of
there.’

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 ‘Perhaps we can station some of our people in your warehouse
tomorrow, to provide backup for Jacko and his sister if they need it?’
said Algie.
Duminda nodded. ‘I have no problem with that. I’ll let my
foreman know first thing.’
‘That’s great. Thanks, Duminda,’ said Russell.
‘One thing we do know,’ offered Jamie. ‘Several bandits will be
carrying rifles that won’t fire. We removed all the firing pins when
we found their arsenal in the caves. There were no real sniper rifles
there though.’
‘Yes, well, we have to assume they have some,’ said Algie.
‘Possibly in that shed in Imbi Road. They might also have mortars or
other such weapons. We don’t know at this stage.’ He looked at
Johnny. ‘One thing I’m sure of, Johnny. Those bandits who
kidnapped you will undoubtedly be part of the gang we have to
contend with.’
‘My contacts in Johor tell me there’s a report of a Japanese
Kempeitai unit hiding in the jungle somewhere north of the Johor
border,’ said Duminda. ‘I’m sure they’ll be joining this gang’s
operation if they plan to create a major disruption tomorrow.’
‘Yes, you’re right, Duminda,’ said Algie. ‘On top of that, lurking
somewhere in the background is a foreigner, a leader of the gang. The
shadowy phantom who calls himself Pieter de Groote. German,
would you think?’
‘Almost certainly,’ said Russell. ‘The bandits know him as Dirk.’
Tunku Shahabing arrived back at the table and flopped down in his
chair with a laugh. ‘Quite a girl, that. What’s almost certain and
who’s Dirk?’
‘We’ve just been discussing the potential attack during the parade
tomorrow, Bing,’ said Russell.
‘I met Sir Edward Gent this morning and he didn’t seem the least
bit worried,’ said Bing. ‘Do you think there’s a threat?’
‘We are pretty certain that there’s a threat, Bing,’ said Russell.
‘Where will you be tomorrow?’
‘I’ll be in the raised stand right next to Sir Edward,’ said Bing.
‘Will I be in some sort of firing line?’

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 ‘It’s a possibility, Bing,’ said Russell. ‘We hope to nip it in the
bud.’
‘I have two good armed security guards from Negeri Sembilan
with me,’ said Bing. ‘You can use them in your team if you like.’
‘Thank you, Bing,’ said Algie. ‘We’ll do that.’
With a wide smile, Bing stood up. ‘If I’m going to die tomorrow,
I’d better not waste time now. If you’ll excuse me, there’s another
really pretty young girl over there who needs me to dance with her.’
After Bing left them, they all silently studied Algie’s sketch but
were interrupted by the arrival of the tall Dutchman, whom Jamie
recognised as Hendrick Janssen. As he approached the table, his
blonde hair reflecting the coloured lights of the dance hall, Algie
quickly folded the sketch and slipped it under the table.
Janssen looked at Jamie and said, ‘Mr James Munro, ya? I’m Henk
Janssen. I met you a few days ago at the Moonlight Bungalow in the
Cameron Highlands, you’ll remember.’
Jamie stood and shook the new arrival’s extended hand. ‘Yes. I
remember.’
He introduced the others to the Dutchman and Johnny, in his
disguise as an older man, as Mr Winston Spencer.
Janssen nodded at them as they were introduced and then brought
his attention back to Jamie. ‘Were you ever able to find your
colleague who disappeared or was kidnapped? Colonel Cook, I think
his name, ya?’
‘No. We were never able to find out what happened to him,’ Jamie
said, striving to keep a straight face. ‘It’s a mystery. That jungle is
impenetrable.’
‘Ya, that’s right,’ said Janssen. ‘May I sit down for a moment?’
‘Yes, certainly,’ said Russell. ‘The free chair belongs to one of our
friends who is currently occupied on the dance floor.’
Janssen sat down and said to Russell, ‘I hope your police have
been able to track down that murderer, de Groote. Your Inspector
Douglas questioned us about him. De Groote gives us Dutchmen a
bad name.’
Russell fixed the Dutchman with an unblinking expression and
shook his head slowly. ‘No. We haven’t been able to find him. So, we
have a serious mystery there, I’m afraid.’

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 ‘Too many mysteries, ya?’ said Janssen, who then looked back at
Jamie. ‘You were with your two Australian friends last time we met.
One was a small girl with pitch-black skin, ya? Are they still in
Malaya?’
At the rather disdainful mention of the black girl, Jamie noticed an
angry look cross the face of the dark-skinned Duminda. He suspected
the Dutchman was fishing for information. He replied, ‘Yes, they are
still here. Can we offer you a drink, Mr Janssen?’
Janssen shook his head. ‘Please to call me Henk. No, I won’t have
a drink, thank you. I’m with another party. We are enjoying this
Rooftop Club very much. I’ll bid you good evening now.’
‘Yes, nice to see you again. Good evening,’ Jamie said, as the
Dutchman left them. They watched as he joined another foreigner at a
table on the other side of the dance floor.
‘So! I assume he was one of the Dutchmen you met with Geoffrey
Landers when you first arrived at the Cameron Highlands,’ said
Algie.
Jamie nodded. ‘Yeah. That’s the other one, Frans van Houten,
whom he is sitting with now.’
Johnny chuckled, ‘So I haven’t been found yet, eh?’
‘That’s right. You haven’t been found yet. You’re still a mystery,’
said Jamie. ‘I’m not too sure about that Dutchman.’
‘Neither am I,’ said Algie. ‘Geoffrey Landers thinks the sun shines
out of his whatsis. We are keeping Geoffrey out of our plans at this
time.’
‘My inspector in KL, Robert Douglas, also thinks both Dutchmen
are great fellows,’ said Russell. ‘I’m leaving Robert on the sideline,
too, until we’re sure.’
‘That’s a jolly good idea,’ said Johnny, as Algie laid his sketch on
the table again. ‘Obviously, your army units should be deployed to
protect the road and the parade area, Algie.’
‘Yes. I’ll also have some men on the roof of the club and in the
towers of the Government Offices building to watch for any snipers
or such,’ said Algie. ‘What do you plan for your police, Russell?’
Russell rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, ‘Most of them will
be in plain clothes, mingling with the crowds and keeping their eyes

112
open. The rest could be in reserve as backup in case Jacko and Sarah
turn up anything tomorrow morning.’
‘Yes. I think anything Jacko and Sarah might find will be vital,’
said Johnny. ‘They’re capable, and if a shed in Imbi Road is an
important part of the puzzle, I’m confident they’ll find it.’
‘If you like, I’ll ask Bing to send his two security guards to my
Jalan Imbi warehouse as backup,’ said Duminda.
‘That’s a good idea,’ said Algie, who was then diverted by the
sight of one of his MSS staff, a youthful Englishman with a worried
expression, who was waving to him from a short distance away.
‘Excuse me,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘One of my chaps wants to
tell me something.’
On his return to the table, he eyed Jamie with concern. ‘That was
one of my MSS assistants. I have to tell you, Jamie, he heard on the
radio that a massive destructive typhoon has just passed over Manila
and there have already been a number of deaths reported amongst the
population. You told me your wife is in the Philippines. Do you know
where she is?’
Jamie’s face paled and he had a sudden feeling that his world was
crumbling. ‘No, I ... I don’t ... er. My Carna. She was in Cebu and I
think she’s still there. I don’t know. I hope so. She’s with Jacko’s
fiancée, Monique, and Monique’s father. What can I do?’
‘Nothing much you can do,’ said Algie. ‘If they’re in Cebu or a
long way from Manila, they won’t be affected.’
‘I can ask the Americans for help in the morning,’ said Johnny.
‘Should you tell Jacko?’
‘Not much he can do either,’ Jamie said dully. ‘Better for him to
get a good night’s sleep. He’ll be up before dawn.’
The table fell into silence. Jamie felt a mounting fear. My God!
My beautiful Carna. He tried to steady himself, but his imagination
ran away with him. His Carna struck by falling trees or buried under
rubble and unable to free herself. He shuddered. Why was he here
when he should be with her? He tried desperately to hold the thought
that she might still be in Cebu.
‘We’ve only recently been married,’ he said to nobody in
particular. The others exchanged glances, not knowing what to say or
do.

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 ‘I ... I think I’ll go to bed,’ said Jamie, rising wearily, feeling
nauseated and desperately tired. ‘Goodnight.’
Leaving the Rooftop Club and descending the stairs to his floor, he
found he had bitten his bottom lip until it bled. The pain steadied his
racing thoughts and by the time he reached his room, he had almost
convinced himself that he should be more optimistic. There was a
good chance that Carna, Monique and her father were still in Cebu. If
they were in Manila, they were most likely at the Manila Hotel, which
was a strong structure and unlikely to be demolished in the high
winds of a typhoon. He decided that he wasn’t going to get anywhere
if he imagined such extreme dangers when there were probably none.
In the mirror in his room, he considered his image with its deep
frown and red-rimmed blue eyes staring back at him. Take hold of
yourself, he thought. He washed his face and looked at his watch. It
was 11 o’clock already, the same time as in the Philippines. Probably
not too late to make a telephone call. He resolved to go downstairs to
the hotel lobby and call Cebu. He would call Manny Alvarez, who
had accompanied Carna and the others around the Visayan Islands for
Monique’s father to inspect timbers for a furniture factory. He had no
idea what Manny’s telephone number was, but Cebu was not a big
town and Manny should be well known. The switch girl in Cebu
would almost certainly know him or of him.
Downstairs in the hotel, the receptionist connected Jamie to the
overseas switch who informed him there was a typhoon over the
Philippines and it was likely all the lines were down.
Hiding his irritation, he patiently enunciated what he wanted. ‘I
am aware of the typhoon in Manila, but I would like you to connect
me to Cebu City, which is hundreds of miles south of Manila,
nowhere near the typhoon.’
‘I understand, Tuan,’ said the switch girl. ‘How do you spell
Cebu?’
‘C E B U, Miss,’ replied Jamie.
‘Please wait,’ came back her bland voice.
After about ten minutes, while Jamie, on tenterhooks, tapped his
fingers on the reception desk, the girl came back on the telephone. ‘I
can get through to Cebu City. Please give me the phone number you
require, Tuan.’

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 ‘I just want to talk to the switch girl in Cebu,’ said Jamie. ‘She’ll
know the party I want to contact.’
‘Please hold on, Tuan,’ said the switch girl. After a short while she
was back and said, ‘The switch in Cebu will take your call now. It is a
man, Tuan.’
‘Thanks,’ said Jamie, but realised he was talking to no one.
A few minutes later, a man’s voice said, ‘Hello? Hello?’
Relieved, Jamie replied, ‘This is James Munro calling from Kuala
Lumpur. I would like to speak to Emmanuel Alvarez. I hope you can
find him and connect him for me.’
‘Emmanuel Alvarez! Please hold the line, sir.’
Jamie felt like jumping up and down while he waited, but he
managed to overcome his impatience. Eventually, the man on the
switch came back on the line.
‘Is that Emmanuel Alvarez, usually known as Manny, sir?’
‘Yes, yes. That’s him.’
‘Please hold the line, sir.’
A few minutes later, the switch man came back on the line and
said, ‘I rang his home, sir. I spoke to his maid, who said he is not at
home, sir. She said he might be at the Sambag Night Club. Would
you like me to call him there?’
‘Yes please. Yes please,’ Jamie implored. ‘I really need to talk to
him.’
‘I try to contact him, sir. Please hold on.’
After another frustrating period, Jamie heard the familiar voice of
Manny Alvarez, with music in the background. ‘Hi! Is that my good
friend Jamie, from Australia?’
‘Yes, yes,’ said Jamie, hardly able to contain his excitement.
‘Manny, it’s me, but I’m calling from Kuala Lumpur. I was
wondering whether Carna, Monique and Henri are still in Cebu?’
‘Don’t know, mi amigo. They went to Mactan this morning.
Maybe looking for flight to Australia. Don’t know.’
‘They wouldn’t have flown to Manila, would they, Manny?’
‘No way! Manila has big, big typhoon. Muy grande. I heard that
Mactan Air Base is full of aeroplanes seeking refuge from Manila.’
‘That’s a relief, Manny. So, there’s no way they could have flown
to Manila?’

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 ‘No, no way, Jamie. No planes or boats go to Manila today.
Typhoon very bad. Fine, clear weather here. How is my good friend,
Jacko?’
‘Jacko’s fine. I’m so glad I was able to talk to you. How are you?’
‘I’m in perfect shape, Jamie. I’m at Sambag Night Club. I’ll bring
you here next time you’re in Cebu. Most beautiful girls here.’
Jamie found himself laughing. ‘Manny! You’ve taken a massive
load off my mind. I hope you’re having a good time.’
‘I always have a good time, mi amigo. Always!’
‘Thanks. Thanks a lot, Manny. I’ll let you get back to all those
beautiful girls. Adios.’
‘Adios, mi buen amigo.’
Jamie couldn’t believe how much his mood had lightened. No
chance for Carna and the others to be in Manila. Surely they wouldn’t
have even tried to get there. He thanked the receptionist and went
upstairs to his room. In spite of the thoughts roiling around inside his
head, he finally fell into a deep sleep.

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 CHAPTER 13

The stars were fading and the sky lightening to a pre-dawn purple
when Jacko and Sarah were driven to a large shed on the north side of
Imbi Road. The shed belonged to Duminda Herath, who had arranged
for Tunku Shahabing’s two armed guards to meet them there.
When Jacko had woken earlier in the morning, he’d noticed a key
and a note slipped under his door giving him the address of
Duminda’s shed in Imbi Road and informing him that Tunku
Shahabing’s car and driver, Abdul, would be waiting for him at the
front door of the hotel from four o’clock. The note also told him
about the guards, Adib and Nasriq.
As they pulled up at the shed, they found the two uniformed
guards waiting for them, rubbing their hands together in the morning
cool.
Jacko waved and greeted them. ‘Hi, I’m Jacko and this is my
sister, Sarah. I assume that you must be Adib and Nasriq?’
One of the guards stepped forward and replied in excellent
English, ‘Good morning, Tuan. Good morning, Miss. I’m Adib and
this is my rakan kongsi, colleague, Nasriq.’
‘Good to meet you,’ said Jacko.
Adib smiled at him. ‘You can call us Dib and Rick, Tuan.’
‘Okay, that’s settled,’ said Jacko, chuckling. ‘I’ve got a key here,
so we’ll go inside and decide what to do.’
Jacko was dressed in typical Malay peasant’s clothes, while Sarah
was wearing the swathes of clothes and a coolie hat favoured by
Malay women when working in the sun.
The two guards were carrying soft bags containing clothes. They
stripped off their uniforms and exchanged them for garments that
would allow them to blend in easily as peasants or street sweepers. In
the shed, they found two straw brooms. Smiling to herself, Sarah

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stepped forward and took one of the brooms. After looking at Dib,
Rick took the other one.
Dib said to Sarah, ‘If you want to look like a typical Malay street
sweeper, you sweep using one hand and put your other hand behind
your back.’
With a squeal of delight, Sarah followed his instructions with
enthusiasm, sweeping dust on the floor of the shed.
‘That’s perfect, Sarah,’ said Dib, ‘you look the part exactly.’
Sarah laughed. ‘No problem. I Malay gal now. You gootpela
prend, Dib.’
‘Okay! When you two have finished admiring each other, we’ll get
underway,’ said Jacko. ‘It’ll be sun-up soon. We’re near the centre of
Imbi Road where the sheds are. I suggest that Rick and I walk slowly
up and down the east end of Imbi Road, while Sarah and Dib go west.
We’ll have to cover about 600 yards each. Let’s walk on opposite
sides of the road. As soon as something suspicious happens, like
vehicles turning up outside any of the sheds, or people arriving,
especially foreigners, the one not carrying the broom can rush back
and get the other two. Clear?’
They all nodded and went to the front door. The sky was lighter
now and with a wave to each other, they started walking slowly east
and west. Sarah and Rick pretended to sweep as they progressed in
opposite directions along the pavement.

****

When the light shone through the window of his room, Jamie awoke
blinking. He stared at the ceiling and wondered where he was, then he
slowly became aware of the intrusion of sounds. Footsteps up and
down the corridor outside the door of his room. Traffic noise and car
horns tooting outside. He sat up and shook his head.
He realised he had better get dressed and underway. Jacko and
Sarah would have left the hotel some time ago. He wondered whether
Johnny was already up. Maybe waiting for him somewhere. Were
they supposed to meet Russell and Algie at a specific time this
morning? Because of his anxiety about Carna last night, he had

118
missed or forgotten whatever had been decided concerning his
participation in today’s activities.
He jumped under the shower, dried himself and quickly dressed,
hoping that he hadn’t missed everyone. Perhaps they’d left without
him. Hurrying down the stairs to the ground floor dining room, he
was relieved to find Johnny, in his old-man disguise, tucking into a
plate of eggs and bacon for breakfast.
Johnny waved at him as he approached. ‘Good morning, Jamie,’
he said, ‘sit down and have some breakfast. The coffee’s terrible, but
I recommend the tea. You can order from the menu.’
‘Good morning, Johnny. Where are the others?’
‘Jacko and Sarah would have left long before dawn. Algie and
Russell will be here by eight o’clock.’
‘Eight o’clock?’ Jamie looked puzzled. ‘What’s the time now?’
‘Just on seven. Did you find out whether your wife is in Manila or
not?’
‘Yes, yes. As far as I know, she’s a long way south of Manila,
thank God! I couldn’t contact her, but I managed to speak to a friend
of ours.’
‘I’m greatly relieved to hear it. Here’s the waiter now. Have a
good breakfast; it’s going to be a long day.’
Jamie ordered breakfast, then looked around the dining room.
Only three other tables were occupied. ‘We’ve almost got the place to
ourselves,’ he said.
Johnny laughed. ‘I don’t think the other hotel guests are early
risers. I mustn’t laugh. It’s hard to move my mouth too much with all
this old-man make-up.’
Jamie studied him. ‘Well, I don’t think any of the baddies have
recognised you yet, you crusty old man.’
‘When we mingle with the crowds today, that’ll be the big test,’
said Johnny.
‘Perhaps you’ll see some of your jungle friends in the crowds,’
said Jamie.
‘Yes, I think that’s likely. Russell’s assigned me a few of his men
dressed in ordinary street clothes. Their job will be to quietly arrest
and spirit away any of my bandits at a signal from me.’

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 ‘I’m afraid I lost my focus last night,’ said Jamie as his breakfast
arrived. ‘Did you fellas decide what I’ll be doing during the
festivities?’
Johnny looked intently at Jamie as though summing him up. His
eyes seemed to sparkle in the bright morning light as he nodded. ‘Ah!
You have one of the most vital jobs of all. By noontime, well ahead
of the march up Broadrick Road, you and a couple of commando
sharpshooters will be ensconced in the tower at the south-west corner
of the Government Offices building. If they’ve returned from their
operation in Jalan Imbi, Jacko and Sarah will join you. With your
eagle eyes peeled, you’ll have a good view over the roofs of the
Royal Selangor Club and several large buildings to the south of the
padang, where the troops will assemble after the march.’
‘Good! How many buildings are there?’
‘Apart from the Royal Selangor Club, which will be heavily
guarded by Algie’s army units, there are three prominent buildings.
The Government Printing Office building, about 100 yards south of
the club. The Straits Trading building, immediately south of your
tower. And south of that is the Selangor Public Works building. The
latter both front on to Broadrick Road. Other than that, there are only
small huts and sheds.’
‘What about buildings north of the padang?’
Johnny shook his head. ‘Hardly any buildings to the north within
half a mile. Just a few small huts here and there. You’ll be able to see
them from the tower.’
‘So, if we see any snipers we just shoot them?’
‘You’ve got it, Jamie. Just don’t shoot any of Algie’s men on the
club roof. They’ll all be wearing red berets.’
‘I’ll be careful, don’t worry,’ said Jamie. ‘What’s the schedule?’
‘At noontime, a convoy of cars with Sir Edward Gent and the
other dignitaries, including our friend Tunku Shahabing, will be
driving north towards the Government Offices building. That convoy
could be a target for the bandits; however, I believe those cars are
armour plated. So not much of a target for a sniper. The troops will
start marching up Broadrick Road, starting at 12.30 and arriving at
the padang before one o’clock. If the bandits are going to start

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something big, that will probably be the time. But you’ll have to be
vigilant all the time.’
‘I understand that,’ said Jamie. ‘I guess it’ll be either a real
outburst of activity, or a fizzer.’
‘Yes, Jamie old chap. Let’s hope it’s the latter.’
A short time later, they were joined by Algie and Russell who
were both wearing khaki shirts and shorts with long socks.
‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ said Algie, sitting next to Jamie. With
an expression of concern, he asked him whether he had heard from
his wife.
‘I haven’t been able to speak to her, but as far as I know, she’s a
long way from Manila in a place unaffected by the typhoon,’ replied
Jamie.
‘Jolly good. That’s a relief for you,’ said Algie. ‘Has Johnny filled
you in on your role for the day?’
‘Yes. I’ll be in one of the towers of the Government Offices with a
couple of sharp-shooting commandos,’ said Jamie. ‘I’d like to have
an accurate rifle for myself as well, if possible.’
‘Everything’s possible, old chap,’ said Algie with a jovial chuckle.
‘I’ll ask the Green Berets to bring one or two along for you, and for
Jacko if he’s there with you.’
Johnny tapped Russell on the arm. ‘Are the police all set, Russell?’
‘Yes. They’ll all be out of uniform to mingle with the crowds,’
said Russell. ‘I’ll have my number two, David Devroe, pick you up at
ten this morning, Johnny. He and a couple of others will stay with
you during the day in case you see any of your jungle friends.’
‘That’s good,’ said Johnny. ‘I’ll wait for him here. How many
police will you have on duty, Russell?’
Russell laughed loudly and replied, ‘I hope nobody’s planning to
rob any banks today. I’ll have just about all the police forces of Ipoh
and KL concentrated around the parade ground. Two constables left
behind in Ipoh, and Inspector Douglas will have to handle anything
here by himself.’
‘I wonder how Jacko and Sarah are getting on,’ said Algie.
‘If anything unusual is happening around a shed in Imbi Road, I’m
sure they won’t miss it,’ said Johnny.

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 ‘If we haven’t heard from Jacko before then, we’ll go to
Duminda’s warehouse at nine o’clock and find out if there’s any news
from your colleagues,’ said Russell.
‘That’ll be good,’ said Jamie. ‘If there’s been any activity around
that area, they’ll know.’

****

As Dirk drove up to the shed in Jalan Imbi, a gusty north-westerly

was rustling the trees, and leaves swirled impatiently above the road.
He looked around to see if anyone was watching. The only person in
sight, about 100 yards away, was a Malay street sweeper with a straw
broom wearing a large coolie hat shading her face from the sun. She
was intent on sweeping the leaves from the pavement on the other
side of the road. Satisfied that he was unobserved, he tooted the horn
twice, whereupon the doors of the shed opened and he drove in.
Inside the shed there were already two cars and a truck as well as
about twenty people. They all looked at Dirk in anticipation as he
stepped out of the vehicle. Tan Boon Cheng approached him and said,
‘The van is not here yet, Tuan Dirk.’
‘It should be here soon,’ said Dirk. ‘They’ve been painting it in
our Jalan Ampang warehouse. It’ll be dressed up as a rubber goods
company vehicle. The sniper rifles, the rocket launchers and the rest
of our weapons will be inside it.’
Boon looked at Dirk with dark, unblinking eyes and an
expressionless face. ‘I think we have a problem, Tuan.’
‘A problem? What problem?’
‘When Lui Guo Dong picked up the guns and ammunition from
the Sam Poh Tong caves, the guards he had left there, Huang and
Patel, had gone,’ said Boon. ‘Nowhere to be found, Tuan.’
‘Did Lui try to find them, Boon?’
‘All over the caves and outside, Tuan. All gone.’
Dirk asked angrily, ‘What about the weapons?’
‘All still there, Tuan. Lui says all guns and all boxes of ammo
okay. I arranged for them to be distributed to the local KL rebel group
from our other shed.’

122
 Dirk shook his head and swore, ‘Verdammt! What happened to the
guards? Do you think they deserted?’
‘Most likely, Tuan. If they were attacked, they had enough guns to
resist an army.’
‘Ya. So! It makes me feel uneasy, Boon,’ said Dirk. ‘Do you think
it’s possible they decided to go to the police or something?’
‘Not likely, Tuan,’ said Boon. ‘The weapons were all still there.
Maybe they decide not to be involved any more. They could be
hiding somewhere.’
‘Ya, that’s possible. You could be right,’ said Dirk. ‘If I find the
little bastards, I’ll wring their necks myself.’
At that moment, a car horn tooted twice outside the shed. Two of
the men opened the doors to admit a light-blue van. In large letters on
its sides was painted ‘Dunlop Rubber Goods’ above depictions of
tyres and footballs.
‘Excellent. Sehr gut!’ said Dirk, as he walked around the van.
‘Fantastisch!’
‘You like it?’ said a brown-haired foreigner who had just stepped
out of the driver’s side.
‘Ya, ya, Hans. Sehr gut!’
Opening the door on the left side of the van, Dirk peered inside,
counted the contents and muttered to himself, ‘Sehr gut, sehr gut.’ He
closed the door and looked around at the waiting men, who were all
staring at him.
‘Ya! So! We have work to do,’ he said, clearing his throat. ‘The
most important position is the Government Printing Office building
south of the padang. We have to set up a rocket launcher on the roof,
even if we have to kill everyone in the building.’
‘How many in the building, Dirk?’ asked Hans.
‘I don’t think many. It’s a public holiday, so the building should
be locked up and empty except for security guards,’ replied Dirk. ‘No
one should pay attention to our little van parked at the back of the
building.’
‘The British Army might have some extra guards protecting that
building,’ said Hans. ‘It could be a big problem, ya?’
Dirk’s blue eyes seemed to flash in the rays of sunlight filtering
into the shed. He scowled at Hans. ‘No problem. We’ll be using our

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Japanese Kempeitai assassins to secure the building, and they’ll know
just how to eliminate any guards, won’t they, ya? We’ll also have to
put some of Boon’s snipers on top of the Straits Trading and the
Selangor Public Works buildings east of the road and south of the
Government Offices. Our Japanese friends will have to cut a few
throats in those buildings too. You have any objection, Hans?’
‘Nein, nein. Das ist gut, Dirk,’ said Hans, nodding his head
vigorously.
Just then, they heard two toots of a horn outside the front doors of
the shed.
Dirk’s expression changed to one of anticipation as he glanced
towards the doors. ‘So! This might be the Japanese gestapo now,’ he
said, ‘my favourite assassins.’
The doors opened, admitting a large Isuzu Type 94 army truck
with a canvas-covered back.
A slightly built Japanese man stepped out of the passenger side of
the truck. With a thin, humourless smile, he strode up to Dirk and
bowed his head. ‘Hiroaki Fukuda at your service, Dirk-sama,’ he said
in perfect English. ‘I have fourteen Kempeitai soldiers here at your
disposal.’
‘You are most welcome, General Hiroaki-san,’ said Dirk, bowing
and shaking the man’s hand. ‘I hope nobody noticed your arrival.’
‘No. There are hundreds of these Japanese trucks around Malaya
now,’ said Fukuda. ‘No one paid us any attention.’
‘Do all your men speak Malay, Hiroaki-san?’
‘Hai! With different degrees of competence, but not bad. They are
all dressed like Malays.’
‘Well, get them out of the truck and let’s see them,’ said Dirk. ‘We
have some important jobs for them.’
Fukuda banged his hand on the side of the truck, shouting
something in Japanese. The canvas on the back was rolled up and
fourteen men jumped down and lined up in front of the truck.
‘Sehr gut!’ said Dirk, as he studied the line of Japanese. ‘Which of
your men are skilled with the knife, Hiroaki-san?’
‘All skilled, Dirk. All trained assassins.’
‘We’ll need at least four men in each of three buildings to be able
to silently enter and neutralise all the army and security guards in

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them. Your men, as well as some local men, will be involved,’ said
Dirk. ‘Just use knives. They must not fire their guns. Very silent.’
‘Understood, Dirk,’ said Fukuda. ‘My men can do that. They have
good fighting knives.’
‘What sort of knives?’
Fukuda pulled a knife from a sheath attached to his belt behind his
back. It was about eight inches long and had a sharp, pointed blade.
‘Type 30 fighting knife,’ he said fiercely, waving the knife around.
‘Good Japanese steel. Blade good. Very sharp.’
‘Do all your men have them, Hiroaki-san?’
‘Yes, Dirk-sama. All.’
‘My snipers will follow your men inside after they have secured
the buildings, ya?’
‘Understood, Dirk. Just take us to the buildings.’
‘We’ll do just that a little later this morning,’ said Dirk. ‘We’ll
supply the transport. You make sure they are ready with their knives,
ya?’
‘How many guards in the buildings, Dirk?’ asked Fukuda.
‘I don’t know, Hiroaki-san. They’ll have to find that out when they
get there,’ said Dirk. ‘Can they do that?’
‘They can do that, Dirk. Nothing to worry about. Simple job. What
we do when we finish job?’
‘Change clothes with the dead guards and take their places and
their guns. The main task will be to prevent anyone from entering the
buildings.’
‘So, you drive us right to the buildings, Dirk-sama?’ asked
Fukuda.
‘Only the ones who’ll be in the van. We’ll drop your other men off
nearby in the gathering crowds in Broadrick Street, and they can
make their way to the back of their respective buildings. The snipers
will be dropped behind the buildings later.’
The other men watching this exchange were standing close to the
sides of the shed, whispering amongst themselves. They became alert
as Dirk suddenly strode over to them and spoke to Boon and Lui.
‘So! We get ready now,’ he said. ‘Your men can transfer the
sniper rifles from the van and load them into two of the other
vehicles, ya? Some of your men will go in the van with four of the

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Japanese to the Printing Office. The rest will form two groups to
follow the Japanese into the Straits Trading and Public Works
Buildings and set up the sniper rifles, ya? Sharpshooters in each
group. You already know what you’ll be firing at and when, ya? Wait
for the fireworks. You’ll need two vehicles each. We’ll leave the
Isuzu truck here.’
‘Yes, Tuan Dirk,’ said Boon, turning to the others and shouting
orders in Malay. There was immediate activity as weapons were
transferred between vehicles, while Boon and Lui selected their men
for the different tasks. General Hiroaki Fukuda waved his arms
around indicating to his men who should go with which group.
He then approached Dirk and asked, ‘Where you be, Dirk-sama?’
‘Hans and I will be going to the Royal Selangor Club. We’ll be
able to create a bit of havoc there when the time comes. When the
rocket launcher and the snipers hit their targets, the local armed
group, over a hundred, will attack from the north. I expect other
locals will join in when they see which way the wind is blowing. The
British soldiers on parade will not be able to fight back because most
of their rifles will probably not be loaded. It should be quite a party,
ya?’
Fukuda stared at him inscrutably. He then shrugged his shoulders
and jumped into the front passenger seat of the van as the doors of the
shed opened.

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 CHAPTER 14

Jacko felt the increasing heat of the morning sun on his shoulders as
he spoke to Jamie on the hand radio. ‘I’m hidden behind some bushes
about fifty yards west of the shed. Sarah’s about 100 yards east, still
vigorously sweeping the pavement opposite the shed. Adib and
Nasriq are watching each end of the road some distance from here.
Since I last spoke to you, more vehicles have arrived. Over.’
Jamie’s voice crackled over the radio. ‘If Sarah keeps it up, the
pavements in Imbi Road will be the cleanest in the nation. What were
the latest vehicles? Over.’
‘One was a light-blue van supposedly belonging to Dunlop Rubber
Goods,’ said Jacko. ‘The last was one of those large Japanese Isuzu
trucks. The back was covered in canvas, so I couldn’t see what it
contained. They’re all still inside there. Over.’
‘We should have our own vehicles in place at all exits to Imbi
Road in the next ten minutes or so,’ said Jamie. ‘They’ll all be
equipped with radios. Once the bandits leave the area, we should be
able to follow them wherever they go. Buzz me again if there are any
new arrivals, or if any of them leave the shed. Over and out.’
‘No worries, Cap. Out.’
Jacko looked up the road and watched his young sister
enthusiastically in action as a Malay street sweeper. She was
obviously enjoying it. He knew she was excited at the prospect of
working on an important operation with him, and hoped she’d be
careful. He smiled, figuring his little sister had proved more than
capable of looking after herself. He certainly knew he wasn’t going to
ask her to do anything which was too risky or which she couldn’t
handle. He only just stopped himself from laughing out loud. He’d
never found anything she couldn’t handle yet!
She had been the first to spot the early vehicles arriving at the
shed, and had sent Dib back to inform her brother and Rick that she

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had found the likely shed where the bandits were gathering. Jacko had
assigned Rick and Dib to watch the ends of the road for vehicles
leaving the road and had then joined Sarah on the opposite side of the
road from the shed. He was hidden and she was still sweeping when a
foreigner arrived in a jeep. The driver was wearing a broad-brimmed
hat and in the early morning light, he couldn’t tell whether he had fair
hair or not.
He was half asleep with his back up against the tree when he heard
a creaking sound. Peering around the tree, he saw the shed doors
opening, followed soon after by the emergence of the blue van and a
few cars. Holding his radio to his ear, he pressed the transmit button.
‘Jacko to Jamie. The bandits are on the move, Cap. Over.’
‘Roger that. How many vehicles? Over.’
‘One blue van and four cars. All heading west along Imbi,’ said
Jacko. ‘No sign of the jeep or the truck yet. Over.’
Jamie’s voice crackled back. ‘Roger. Thanks. I’ll contact the
others. Over and out.’
Jacko watched the shed and noted the doors had not yet closed.
After ten minutes, his patience was rewarded when the jeep emerged
and headed east. The doors closed behind it.
Jacko put the radio to his ear again. ‘Jacko to Jamie. The jeep has
driven out of the shed and headed east. Two foreigners in the front.
Over.’
‘Roger that. Over and out.’
That’s probably the end of the action around here, he said to
himself. He decided he would wait for another quarter of an hour and
then walk back with Sarah to Duminda’s warehouse, where Tunku
Shahabing’s car and driver awaited them.

****

The convoy of four cars and one van turned right out of Jalan Imbi,
heading northwest along Jalang Pudu. They maintained a steady
speed, not wishing to attract attention. They didn’t notice a small car,
an Austin 10, following at a distance behind them. After reaching the
city centre, the convoy crossed a bridge over the Klang River and
turned into a narrow lane, heading north towards the Government

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Offices building. Dirk had briefed them that the main Broadrick Road
would be sealed off in the morning before the parade, and the only
way to reach the buildings south of Government Offices was to
navigate side lanes east of the main road. They could see the south
end of the Public Works Building ahead of them. There was also a
roadblock 100 yards ahead, so they stopped well before that and all
the Japanese Kempeitai passengers left the vehicles and proceeded on
foot towards the Public Works, Straits Trading and Government
Printing buildings. The vehicles turned around and returned the way
they had come. After half a mile, they stopped and conferred. The
four cars then drove into a small paddock where they would wait until
midday. The van continued driving south. It would have to drive
miles in that direction before it could work its way back northerly
with its cargo of launchers and rockets to its objective behind the
Government Printing Building.
When the van passed the Austin 10 parked on the side of the road,
Johnny Cook was in two minds. Should he remain where he was and
keep an eye on the four cars, or should he follow the van? Deciding
that the four cars were not likely to move for a while, he tapped his
driver on the shoulder and told him to turn and follow the van.
As they drove off, he picked up his hand-held radio and pressed
the transmit button. ‘Johnny to Jamie. Over.’
Jamie’s voice was clear through the background static. ‘Jamie
here. Over.’
‘Followed four cars and a van to within 300 yards south of the
Government Offices building. A dozen men left the vehicles, walking
north. The four cars are parked in a field next to a narrow lane. It’s
called Jalan Benteng, I think, and it’s east of Broadrick Road. They’re
waiting for something. The van headed south along the lane, and I’m
following it. The four cars shouldn’t be hard to find. I suggest you
send someone to watch them. Over.’
‘Roger. Got all that. I’ll send some of our men to find the cars 300
yards south of the Government Offices building. Take care, Johnny.
Over and out.’
‘Wilco. Out.’
Johnny watched the back of the blue van as his car trailed it from
200 yards. It continued for a mile or so along the west bank of the

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Klang River, passing the ornate Kuala Lumpur Railway Station then
turning right onto a bridge over the railway lines. After the bridge, the
van turned right again and headed north. Two hundred yards further
on, it veered left and followed a narrow street, which Johnny could
see ran parallel with and to the west of the sealed-off Broadrick Road.
Johnny assumed the van must be headed to the Royal Selangor
Club, which he could see in the distance, but 200 yards before the
club, it pulled off the street into a side lane heading east towards the
back of the impressive old Government Printing Office building on
the south side of the padang. Johnny told his driver to stop after
turning into the side street. He could see the van pull up near the back
of that building, but no one emerged from the vehicle.
Curious, thought Johnny. The bandits must have something
planned for that building. Perhaps snipers on the roof. Algie had told
him the building was well guarded by elite Gurkha troops as well as
security guards. So, what were the people in the van hoping to
achieve? With his car stationary in the sun, Johnny could feel the
sweat running down his back inside his shirt. God! It must be like an
oven in that van. If the occupants were going to do something, why
had they dropped four of their men on the other side of Broadrick
Road? Perhaps at this time of day, pedestrians could still cross over
the main road. Johnny didn’t know.
He picked up his radio to transmit. ‘Johnny to Jamie. Over.’
‘Jamie here. Go ahead. Over.’
‘I’m parked about 80 yards west of the Government Printing
Office building,’ said Johnny. ‘That’s the large ornate building
immediately south of the padang. The van I’ve been following has
parked just behind the building. No one got out and it’s just sitting
there. Over.’
‘Roger. Got that. The whole thing is curious,’ replied Jamie. ‘Your
original four cars are still in that field east of Broadrick Road and are
now being watched by some of Algie’s men. Even more curious, the
jeep with the two foreigners was tailed from the eastern end of Imbi
Road. After heading a long way north, it circled back and is now
parked outside the front door of the Royal Selangor Club. Our
spotters didn’t see the occupants leave the jeep, but assume they
entered the club. Over.’

130
 ‘It might be a good idea if I went to the club and had a look
around,’ said Johnny. ‘One of them may be the mysterious Mr de
Groote. What do you think? Over.’
‘Good idea,’ replied Jamie. ‘I’ll get Algie to send someone to
where you are now to watch the van. I suggest you go straight to the
club. Russell will meet you there. Jacko and Sarah will be here
shortly, and they’ll be joining me in my tower on the Government
Offices building. Over.’
‘Roger that, Jamie. Good luck. Over and out.’
‘Roger. Out.’

****

Inspector Robert Douglas had been shuffling papers around in his

office during the morning, becoming increasingly frustrated. The
police station was eerily quiet, with almost all of his subordinates
sequestered by Superintendent Fairweather for security duty during
the day’s Malayan Union festivities. The only sounds apart from his
own snorting and occasional breaking of wind were the tap-tap-tap of
typewriter keys outside his office door. At this rate, he thought, even
she’ll soon run out of things to type.
Fairweather had told him it was vital he stay in his office as back-
up. What back-up? He didn’t even know what everyone was doing.
How could he back them up? He sighed and looked wistfully out the
window onto the panorama of Kuala Lumpur city bathed in sunshine.
Bloody tropics! He looked back at his neat desk with a furious glint in
his eyes.
‘Damned military!’ he muttered to himself. ‘They strut around like
a mob of bloody rajahs! I’ve got every right to know what the hell is
going on, if anything’s going on at all. I’ll go to the club for a
morning noggin. Yes, yes, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll probably be able to
detect something that Fairweather and his useless military friends
have missed. Yes, yes, that’s the ticket.’
With a new feeling of purpose, Douglas strode to the door and
opened it noisily, startling his secretary who stopped typing and
looked up at him with her large dark eyes.

131
 ‘Call my driver to get the car ready, Rania,’ he said gruffly. ‘I’m
going to the Royal Selangor Club.’
‘Yes, Tuan,’ she said. ‘I’ll ask him to wait for you out the front of
the building.’
Douglas patted his pocket to make sure he had his cigarettes, and
headed towards the stairs. ‘I’ll be back this afternoon after lunch,’ he
said.
By the time he reached the street level of the building, his car was
pulling up at the front door. Feeling the heat of the sun on his head
and shoulders, he didn’t wait for his driver to get out and open his
door. He scurried into the back seat of the car and leant back into the
soft leather with a sigh. Bloody tropics!
The driver navigated a circuitous route west of the closed
Broadrick Road, and finally drew the car up opposite the front door of
the club. Douglas waited for the driver to open the door and then said
to him, ‘It’s not quite ten o’clock now. If I’m still in the club by
eleven, go home and come back here to pick me up at two o’clock
this afternoon.’
‘Yes, Tuan.’
Douglas entered the club as the car headed towards the parking
area. The club was generally known by the local populace as the
‘Spotted Dog’, but Douglas had no idea why. The coolness inside was
a welcome relief, and he mopped his brow with a handkerchief. There
was a hum of voices from various parts of the club,; however, few
people were in the bar room at this time of day. Six people sitting at
tables and no one at the bar.
He sat up at the bar and was staring blankly out the windows at the
empty padang, drumming his fingers on the long shiny bar top, when
his reverie was interrupted by a low cough. He realised the barman
was watching him expectantly and nodded.
‘A shot of whisky water please, barman,’ he said. A good heart-
starter, he thought. Very peaceful here. Fairweather and his troops are
probably panicking over nothing. He sipped his whisky and decided
that after this drink, he would have one more. Then he would have a
look in the other rooms to see if there was anyone he knew.
He wanted to avoid Superintendent Fairweather if he could. What
would Fairweather say if he found him in the club? Douglas decided

132
the best way to handle it was to attack. He’d tell him that he had
heard there was a plot and had come to investigate. Yes, that was it.
‘Ah! Inspector Douglas,’ he heard a familiar voice behind him. He
turned to see his new friend, Frans van Houten, walking towards him,
followed by the tall figure of the other Dutchman whose name
temporarily escaped him. ‘I think you must remember my colleague,
Henk Janssen.’
‘Yes, yes. Good morning, gentlemen,’ said Douglas, standing up
to shake their hands. ‘Can I buy you a drink?’
‘Ya. I think we join you,’ agreed Van Houten. ‘They tell me the
Singapore sling is superior at this club compared to Raffles.’
‘I’ll also have a Singapore sling,’ said Janssen. ‘So! I expect that
you are in charge of all the security arrangements for today’s events,
Inspector.’
‘Er ... yes, of course,’ said Douglas, waving his arm towards the
padang. ‘All my men are out there keeping order. Please call me
Robert.’
‘I am honoured to call you Robert,’ said Janssen. ‘You have the
most important job for the celebrations today. You must also call me
Henk, Robert. You already know Frans well, ya?’
Douglas felt happier than he had for days. These people admired
him. ‘Yes, Frans and I are good friends. Will you be watching the
parade from here?’
‘Ya. We should get a good view from the club’s balconies,’ said
Van Houten. ‘I expect the club is a vantage point for you to supervise
your policemen, ya?’
‘That’s right,’ said Douglas. ‘I can watch everything from here.’
‘You have nearly finished your drink, Robert,’ said Janssen. ‘Let
me get you another one. What are you having?’
‘A Scotch and water,’ said Douglas.
Janssen spoke to the barman and then chuckled. ‘The favourite
drink of the British, I think, ya?’
As they toasted each other, Douglas decided he had his excuse if
Fairweather found him there. He would tell the superintendent that
his Dutch friends had many contacts around Malaya, and he’d
thought it wise to ask them if they had heard anything on the
grapevine.

133
 ‘So! Do you think there might be a security breach today?’ asked
Janssen.
‘I’m not permitted to answer that,’ said Douglas. ‘I would be
interested, though, to hear if you have heard anything about any
planned disruption through your many contacts.’
‘No. I’ve heard nothing like that,’ said Janssen, shaking his head
and looking at Van Houten. ‘What about you, Frans?’
‘No, no. I haven’t heard any news about any disruption,’ said Van
Houten. ‘You think there is danger, Robert?’
Douglas sipped his drink and nodded. ‘I think it’s possible. That’s
why we have to be alert. My men will be checking the crowds.’
‘Ah. I see. Your job is very important,’ said Janssen. ‘You have to
be alert to prevent any danger to today’s celebrations, Robert. I see. I
will order us some more drinks.’
‘Well, maybe just one more,’ said Douglas.
‘Ya. We can drink to the success of your security operation,’ said
Frans. ‘I’m sure with you in charge, nothing bad will happen today,
ya?’
After they toasted each other, Douglas noted an old man walking
up to the bar about ten feet away. The man spoke to the barman, and
Douglas became alert when he heard him ask in a low voice whether
he had seen Superintendent Fairweather. Douglas couldn’t recall ever
having seen the old man before; however, he realised with trepidation
that the superintendent was likely to be in the club somewhere if the
old chap was looking for him here.
Douglas rapidly drained his Scotch and said to his two Dutch
friends, ‘I’m sorry, I have to leave. Thanks for the drinks. We’ll catch
up later.’
He walked quickly out of the bar and the two Dutchmen looked at
each other. Janssen chuckled. ‘I think our friend Robert may not be so
important. He must have been spooked by something and rushed out
like a scared rabbit, ya?’
‘Ya. I think you’re right,’ said Van Houten. ‘I wonder what it was
that frightened him away? That old man who just left here didn’t look
very scary.’
‘I didn’t notice anything else,’ said Janssen. ‘Maybe I ask the
barman.’

134
 He waved to the barman, who approached him on the other side of
the bar. ‘I think I know that old man who just spoke to you, but I
can’t remember his name. Do you know him?’
‘No, Tuan,’ replied the barman, ‘I haven’t seen him before.’
‘Ah. Can you tell me what he wanted?’
‘He was looking for Superintendent Fairweather, Tuan,’ said the
barman. ‘I think the superintendent is out on the balcony.’
‘Thank you, my good man,’ said Janssen. Then to Van Houten he
whispered, ‘Very interesting. Sehr interessant! Ya!’

135
 CHAPTER 15

The security guard at the ornate south door of the Government

Printing Office building watched the Gurkha soldier in the dark-green
dress uniform of the Gurkha Rifles Regiment walking towards him
from the main road. The distinctive silver-crowned star on the left
side of his green beret shone brightly in the sunlight. The security
guard began to feel uneasy as the Gurkha approached with one arm
behind his back, a fixed expression on his face and unfriendly eyes.
‘Where are you going?’ the security guard asked in English.
‘There are already three of your men in this building. Are you joining
them?’
The Gurkha continued to march towards him as though he was
deaf, and came to a stop just two feet in front of him.
Before the security guard could say anything further, the Gurkha
withdrew his right arm from behind his back. The security guard’s
eyes widened when he saw the soldier was holding a curved Gurkha’s
knife, a khukuri, which flashed as it swung with lightning speed
towards the side of his head. The guard dropped without a sound. The
soldier then pulled a rag from his pocket, wiped the khukuri and was
dragging the security guard towards the door when three other Asian
men ran out from behind some bushes and helped him pull the dead
guard out of sight.
They quickly stripped the dead man of his grey uniform and
pushed the body into a cupboard underneath a nearby staircase. The
man dressed as a Gurkha, whose real name was Morio Mikami, a
former Kempeitai officer, then spoke to the others in Japanese. ‘As
we have discussed before, you Kawabata, put on the guard’s uniform
and secure the outside door. Before I killed him, he said that there
were three more Gurkhas in the building. We have to take care of
them. Try to strike at the head so there’s not too much blood on the

136
uniforms. Since I am already in uniform, I shall kill the first one.
When we get the three, we’ll all be Gurkhas or guards, hai?’
He smiled humourlessly at the others, who all nodded. ‘I don’t
know if there are any more Malay security guards,’ he said. ‘We’ll
have to be careful.’
Kawabata finished dressing in the security guard’s grey uniform,
picked up the rifle which had been thrown aside and stood at attention
outside the south door of the building, while the other three crept up
the stairs. He saw the blue van arrive and park about 40 yards south
of the door. He signalled to it by raising his thumb, and then resumed
his stance, staring straight ahead.
On the first floor of the building, the three Kempeitai Japanese
crept through the dark corridors. Mikami held up a hand and they all
froze, hardly breathing. They had heard a soft cough in one of the
rooms ahead of them. Then they heard someone moving around.
With a signal from Mikami, they crept up to the open door of the
room. Carefully looking around the side of the door, Mikami saw a
Gurkha soldier with his back to the door looking out the window onto
the padang north of the building. With his khukuri raised above his
head, Mikami slowly and noiselessly tiptoed across the room towards
the dark figure outlined by the glare of the sunlight through the
window. He was within three feet of his target when the Gurkha
suddenly whirled around, drawing his own khukuri, and parried the
attempted strike aimed at his head.
With the two curved knives locked together, the Gurkha pushed
strongly into the Japanese, who tripped and fell with the Gurkha on
top of him. Mikami had all the breath knocked out of him and found
himself looking into the fierce eyes of his combatant. His strength
started to ebb as the Gurkha’s thumb was pushed into his neck. He
had decided he was going to die until he saw the eyes above him
suddenly roll back into their sockets. The pressure on his neck
subsided and the body of the Gurkha rolled off him. Mikami lay back
on the floor breathing heavily. Through tear-filled eyes, he saw one
his men, Sasaki, holding a bloody dagger and smiling down at him.
‘Good work,’ he croaked. It was painful to speak. If his other men
had not been there, that soldier would have killed him for sure. He
was not so certain that he was happy to survive. He had lost much

137
face in front of the others. No matter, he thought. We have a job to
do. If we fail, Fukuda will want to kill us anyway or ask us to commit
seppuku. Same thing. Feeling some strength returning, he put up his
hand and the other two helped him to his feet. He staggered and
propped himself up against the window. He squinted his eyes to the
glare as he looked out to the padang. So, this is where all the action
will be, he assumed.
Turning to look at the others, he said hoarsely, ‘You must get into
the uniform of the man you killed, Sasaki. Not too much blood except
where your knife went in. It will have to do. After that, we have to
find the other two Gurkhas and anyone else, hai?’
They stripped the clothes from the dead Gurkha and Sasaki put
them on. Mikami told him, ‘Put your knife away and carry his
khukuri. It is a good thing no one seems to have heard us so far. We
go very quietly from here. The other two Gurkhas are likely to be at
the other end of the building. You and Yanagi follow behind me.
Let’s go.’
The corridor was dark, as the doors leading off it were mostly
closed. Mikami put up his hand to stop when the corridor turned to
the right. Hearing muted voices ahead, they all remained quiet.
Mikami peered around the corner and saw a light from a small room
about 30 feet from where they were standing. Waving to the others,
he crept towards the voices. He determined that the room must be
some sort of kitchenette and the occupants were probably having tea
or other refreshment.
Mikami decided that the only way to surprise the occupants was
for the three of them to rush through the door and attack. He
whispered instructions to the others, crept up to the side of the door
and held up his left fist.
Then he dropped his fist and the three Japanese, two armed with
khukuris and one with a dagger, rushed into the room screaming and
wielding their weapons. Two Gurkhas seated at a small table jumped
up and produced their weapons, slashing back at the crazed men
attacking them. In the confined space, all the combatants were having
difficulty wielding their weapons accurately. Taking advantage of the
chaos, Yanagi was able to thrust his knife under the upraised armpit
of one of the Gurkhas. At the same time, he himself was felled by an

138
accurate blow from the blade of the other Gurkha who fought on
furiously against the remaining two Japanese. Sasaki was slashed
across one shoulder and screamed, but as the Gurkha raised his
khukuri for the final blow, Mikami managed to slash him across the
neck, almost decapitating him.
In the ensuing silence, Mikami looked around him, breathing
heavily and noisily from exhaustion. His right arm felt like lead and
he let his khukuri drop from his lifeless fingers to the floor. Blood
was everywhere, spattered on the walls, spread over the table and
chairs and spurting from the wounds of dead and alive alike. Yanagi
lay mortally wounded, groaning on the floor alongside the dead
Gurkhas, while Sasaki was holding a hand over a large gash in his left
shoulder, staring at Mikami.
Mikami stared back at Sasaki and swore, ‘Kuso! Just you and me
now, Sasaki. We look like workers in an abattoir.’
Yanagi’s moans became louder and Sasaki said, ‘What we do
about Yanagi?’
Mikami picked up his khukuri and chopped down on Yanagi’s
neck. ‘Yanagi dead now. We’ll make a bandage for your shoulder
from some of the clothes here.’
Sasaki removed his uniform coat and Mikami applied a tight
bandage under his armpit and over the wound. Mikami then threw the
coat back to Sasaki and told him to put it on.
‘Too much blood on the coat,’ Sasaki protested.
‘These uniforms are dark green,’ said Mikami. ‘Hard to see the
blood from a distance. Put it on. We still have to check the roof.’
Straightening up their uniforms and closing the door on the grisly
scene in the tea room, the two Japanese crept up a narrow stairway
leading to the roof of the building. They sighted a grey-uniformed
Malay security guard on the roof gazing out at the padang to the
north. He was about 25 feet from the stairway door. Quietly walking
towards him, they were close to him before he noticed their presence.
The security guard turned and said in English, ‘Hello! Is all quiet
downstairs?’ Something about Sasaki’s stained Gurkha uniform
attracted his eye. He shouted, ‘Hey, what’s wrong with your uniform.
Wha…?’

139
 He fell to the concrete on the rooftop as Mikami slashed him
across the head with his curved blade. They dragged the dead man to
the stairwell, threw him down the steps and then hid the body in one
of the nearby rooms.
Mikami then said to Sasaki, ‘I’ll have another look around up here.
You go down to the ground floor and tell Kawabata it’s time to bring
the launchers and rockets into the building.’
Kawabata was standing at the south door of the building staring at
the blue van when he heard footsteps behind him. He looked at Sasaki
and noticed the stained uniform. ‘Something wrong with your
shoulder?’ he asked in Japanese.
‘Don’t worry about that,’ said Sasaki. ‘Safe now to bring weapons
inside from the van.’
Kawabata walked across to the front seat passenger of the van and
said in Malay, ‘Bring arms inside now. All clear.’
The Chinese-Malay chuckled. ‘Good timing. The car that followed
us here has just gone.’ He leapt out of the van and opened the side
door. ‘Hurry! Hurry! Take all inside now.’
Four men from the van made two trips each carrying long
packages up the stairs to the first floor. One of them came back,
closed the side door and instructed the driver to stay where he was
until further orders.

****

‘G’day, Cap,’ said Jacko breezily as he and Sarah caught up with

Jamie on the front steps of the Government Offices building. ‘Nice
day for it.’
Jamie looked up at the sky, bright blue with sparse clouds, and
replied, ‘Lovely day, yes. Some of those marching men in full
uniform are going to feel the heat a bit, though. You two did a great
job.’
‘How did they go trailing the van and the cars?’ asked Jacko.
‘Not sure what those vehicles are doing,’ replied Jamie. ‘Last
report, the cars are still parked south of here after a dozen Malays or
other Asians left them and headed north. No one’s sure where they
went. Algie’s men are looking for them in the crowds gathering

140
around Broadrick Road. The blue van drove to the back of the
Printing Office building, and I believe it’s still there doing nothing.’
‘Weird, eh?’ said Jacko looking puzzled. ‘Where’s Johnny?’
‘He followed the blue van and watched it for a while after it
parked,’ said Jamie. ‘He’s now at the Royal Selangor Club, but
Russell Fairweather is going to bring him over this side of the padang
soon to mingle with the sightseers. He might recognise some of his
former captives in the crowd. You fellas are going to join me on the
southern tower of this building. We’ll go up there now.’
‘Always wanted to go up in the world, Cap.’
‘The commandos have organised a couple of rifles for us. We’ll
get a good view of the rooftops of all the nearby buildings from
there,’ said Jamie. ‘We’ll need Sarah’s eagle eyes.’
Sarah chuckled happily as they headed inside and ascended the
stairs to the first floor. They had just found the door to the tower
stairs when they heard someone running behind them. In a loud voice,
a young red-faced Englishman told them, ‘Oi! Oi! We don’t allow
local peasants in here.’
Jamie stared at him with amusement, showed him his CIS
identification and said, ‘No peasants here, young fellow. We are all
part of the security for the parade. This woman whom you’ve just
insulted is not a local and is a vital part of that security. I suggest you
go back to whatever you were doing.’
The red-faced young man looked at Sarah, Jacko and then back to
Jamie. ‘Er ... I’m sorry Colonel ... er ... Madam ... um ...’
He stood there speechless, as the door to the circular tower stairs
closed in his face to Sarah’s and Jacko’s laughter.
The tower was a round structure with tall windows giving 360-
degree views from the top chamber. The imposing tower was topped
by a large, red, onion-shaped roof providing a commanding presence,
although it was overshadowed by the magnificent clock tower in the
centre of the building.
On entering the tower chamber, they could hear the chimes of the
clock in the tower as they were greeted by three British commandos.
One of them stepped forward. He was a sergeant, tall and slim
with an air of self-assurance. In a broad Cornish accent he said, ‘Aha,
the Australian contingent, I believe! Those chimes mean it’s a quarter

141
past ten. Hello, I’m Billy Moore and my men here are Mervyn Cox
and Cliff Johnson. Just call us Billy, Merv and Cliffy.’
Mervyn Cox was solid but athletic with a mop of greasy black
hair, while Cliff Johnson was slim and tanned with features so narrow
his prominent eyes and ears seemed to dominate his whole
appearance.
‘Good to meet you. I’m Jamie and my colleagues are Jacko and his
sister, Sarah. That clock sounded like Big Ben.’
‘Yes. Deliberately. When they built the clock tower in the 1890s,
they decided in their wisdom to recreate the chimes of Big Ben,’ said
Billy. ‘We won’t have to look at our watches while we’re here. I’d
better show you the sights.’
They had already opened five of the tall glass windows and from
those, Jamie noted with satisfaction, there were uninterrupted views
of the rooftops of the Straits Trading, Public Works and Printing
Office buildings as well as the Royal Selangor Club. As far as he
could see, there was no activity of interest on or around any of those
buildings. It will probably be different in a few hours, he thought.
Billy pointed to some rifles stacked against the wall of the tower.
‘There are four sniper rifles there. Lee Enfield No. 4Ts. Very accurate
jobs with scopes. Two of them are for you chaps. I was told you
asked for them. We’ve also got an ice chest here with sandwiches and
cold water.’
‘They’ll be just the ticket. Even though the march doesn’t start for
another hour and a half, I think we’d better keep a continuous watch
on those buildings,’ Jamie said to the others. ‘If the bandits are going
to set up their own snipers, it’ll most likely be on one or more of
those rooftops.’
‘I agree,’ said Billy. ‘Cliffy and I’ll take the first shift. We can
change every half hour if you like.’
‘Yeah. Good one. By midday, we’d better all be watching,’ said
Jamie.

****

Remembering to shuffle like an old man to fit his disguise, Johnny

stepped out onto the balcony of the Royal Selangor Club. He saw

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Russell Fairweather and Algie Browning leaning on the balustrade,
their backs to the padang. Russell had been speaking into a radio, and
he put it down as Johnny approached.
‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ said Johnny.
With his face crinkled in a smile, Russell said, ‘Greetings, old boy.
Your disguise is still excellent. How are you?’
‘Fine, thank you,’ Johnny replied. ‘I was in the members bar just
now enquiring as to your whereabouts, and I noticed three foreigners
drinking at the bar. One of them was tall with blonde hair.’
‘Ah, yes. That would probably be that Dutch chap, Hendrik
Janssen,’ said Russell. ‘He claims to be a trader in rubber, tin and tea.
I’m a little suspicious about him, however. We’d better go and see
what he’s doing, eh?’
‘Jolly good,’ said Algie, ‘I’ll come with you.’
‘Perhaps you should stay here, Johnny,’ suggested Russell.
‘Janssen knows us, but it’s better if he doesn’t associate us with you.
I’ll be back shortly to accompany you to the other side of the padang
where the crowd will gather during the morning.’
‘Yes, good idea. Go ahead. I’ll wait for you here.’
Entering the members bar, Russell Fairweather and Algie
Browning sighted Hendrik Janssen and Frans van Houten by
themselves up one end of the bar, chatting and laughing at something
one of them had said.
Janssen noticed them and called them over. ‘Superintendent
Fairweather and Colonel Browning! Come and join us for a drink,’ he
said.
‘No, thank you, Mr Janssen,’ said Fairweather. ‘Colonel Browning
and I were just looking for someone, but we might catch up later.’
‘If you were looking for Inspector Douglas, he just left,’ said
Janssen.
‘Inspector Douglas? He was here? No, we were looking for
someone else,’ said Fairweather quickly. ‘You’ll have a good view of
the parade from here.’
‘Yes, the British Empire in all its glory,’ said Janssen. ‘We’ll
enjoy that.’
Back outside on the balcony, they joined Johnny by the balustrade.

143
 ‘I thought your Inspector Douglas was supposed to be stationed in
the KL central police station this morning,’ said Algie.
‘Yes. I don’t know what he was doing here,’ said Russell, shaking
his head slowly. ‘He’s been as thick as thieves with those Dutchmen.’
‘Didn’t you want him to stay away from them?’ asked Algie.
‘Yes, I’d have preferred that. I don’t really trust them, Algie.’ He
shrugged his shoulders. ‘Well, never mind. We’ve no time to worry
about Douglas.’
‘Did you get all the army units you wanted, Algie?’ asked Johnny.
‘Yes. I had to twist that damn Colonel Martin’s arm, but I got
them all,’ replied Algie. ‘Most of the Gurkhas are deployed to secure
the buildings around here and cover the crowds along the road. Some
of the commandos are with your Australians in that tower over there
on the right of the Government Offices building. The others will be
controlling the crowds around the padang.’
‘Most of my police will be mingling with those crowds too,’ said
Russell. ‘You can hold the fort here, Algie, and I’ll take this old man
over to the other side of the padang where the crowds are gathering.’
‘Good-oh!’ said Algie. ‘I’ll also be over the east side of the padang
later in the morning. I want to see how my Gurkhas are doing in the
buildings on that side.’
‘I might catch up with you over there later then, Algie,’ said
Russell. ‘We’ll see if you can pick out any familiar faces of your
kidnappers in the crowds, Johnny.’
‘Yes, jolly good,’ said Johnny, who was gazing out towards the
northern end of the padang. ‘What are those people setting up over
there on the edge of the padang, Russell?’
‘Ah. That would be the fireworks.’
‘Fireworks?’
‘Yes. Once all the regiments are in place in the padang, they’ve
planned a major fireworks display,’ said Russell. ‘I’ve been told it
will be spectacular.’
Johnny stared at the distant figures, picturing the display and
contemplating the noise it would make, possibly masking other
sounds. ‘Hmm. That’ll be interesting. We might as well get going,
Russell. I’ll do my old-man act on the other side of the field and see
what we shall see. Let’s go.’

144
 CHAPTER 16

After speaking to Russell Fairweather on the radio Jamie then

informed the others in the tower that the superintendent and their MI6
colleague, Johnny Cook, were in front of the Government Offices
building just below their position, mingling with the growing crowds.
It was nearly eleven o’clock, and Jacko and Sarah had taken over the
duty of watching the surrounding buildings.
Suddenly, Sarah pointed out of the window to attract Jacko’s
attention. She whispered in his ear and then he told the others, ‘There
are two men on the roof of the Printing Office building. Give me the
binoculars.’
Cliff Johnson handed him a set of binoculars and enquired,
‘Bandits?’
Jacko focused the binoculars and said, ‘No. They’re Gurkhas.
Looks like they’re just checking the roof. No problem.’
‘Sumting wrong klos!’ said Sarah. ‘Him dirty.’
‘Let me see.’ Jacko peered through the binoculars again. ‘Sarah
thinks there’s something wrong with the Gurkhas’ uniforms. They do
look dirty from here. Some of it might just be heat haze caused by the
sun over that distance, though.’
‘Yeah, there’s often a fair bit of heat haze about at this time of
day,’ said Billy Moore. ‘Sarah must have very keen eyesight!’
‘I might radio Russell to get one of his men to go check the
building anyway,’ said Jamie, ‘just to make sure everything’s okay
over there.’
‘Yeah, good idea, Cap,’ said Jacko.
‘Jamie to Russell. Jamie to Russell. Over.’
‘Russell here. You people getting bored up there? Over.’
‘No, we’re having a real party up here,’ said Jamie. ‘Sarah and
Jacko have been observing a couple of Gurkhas on the roof of the
Printing Office building. They think there’s something wrong with
their uniforms. Do you think it’s worth checking? Over.’

145
 ‘Could be. I’ll pass it on to Algie. He could organise someone on
that side of the padang to go and have a look,’ said Russell, his voice
crackling but clear through the radio. ‘Is there anything happening on
the two buildings to the south of you? Over.’
‘No, nothing at this time. Over.’
‘While Algie’s people check on the Printing building, I’ll get one
of my police to do a check on the two other buildings anyway. Just in
case. You can’t be too careful. Over.’
‘Roger that. Over and out.’
Down at street level, Superintendent Fairweather spoke to Johnny.
‘You probably heard that. The Australians have a slight concern that
things might not be quite right at the Printing Office building. I’ll ask
Algie to get his people to check it out. Have you sighted any of your
kidnappers yet?’
‘Not yet. Go ahead with what you’re doing and I’ll have a further
look around,’ said Johnny, ascending the steps to the Government
Offices building and scanning the crowd.
Fairweather sighted Sergeant Balveer Singh close by, supervising
the erection of barricades along the side of the road. He managed to
wend his way through the crowd to reach the tall military policeman.
‘Ah, Balveer. How is everything here?’
‘We’re nearly finished here, Tuan,’ he replied. ‘The crowd is
quiet. No sign of trouble yet.’
‘Good, good. I’d like you to do a quick check on the Straits
Trading and Public Works buildings down the road,’ said the
superintendent. ‘Just ask the security guards at the doors whether
things are all right.’
‘Yes, Tuan. Right away.’
Fairweather watched the Indian Malay striding down the footpath
through the milling crowds and thought, fine fellow that. He then
turned around to find out how Johnny was getting on.
Balveer Singh strode up to the east entrance of the Straits Trading
building and spoke in English to the guard at the door. ‘Everything in
order here, pengawal?’
The guard nodded, grunted and then curtly replied, ‘Yes, Tuan.’
Balveer was taken aback by the guard’s brusqueness, but
remembered that he himself was not dressed as a policeman for the

146
day’s operation so the guard had no reason to show respect. Nodding
at the guard, he proceeded to the eastern side of the Selangor Public
Works building. Nearing the entrance, he studied the guard standing
stiffly outside the door. There was something about him that Balveer
couldn’t quite put his finger on.
The guard had a flat face with high cheekbones and a wooden
expression. He looked as though his eyes were almost closed, and it
was hard to see what he was staring at. Balveer tried to work out
whether he was Malay, Chinese or a mixture of both. He looked more
like a Japanese. Japanese? No, couldn’t be!
Making up his mind, Balveer stepped up to the guard and said,
‘Everything in order here, pengawal?’
The guard looked at him through his slitted eyes, grunted and
nodded. Balveer persisted. ‘Are the Gurkhas already in the building?’
‘Gurkha!’ the guard mumbled in a croaky voice and opening the
door, gestured for Balveer to enter. Balveer was about to step
forward, but something stopped him. He sensed that something was
very wrong. He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise as he looked
at the expressionless face of the guard again.
‘Never mind,’ he said, and strode off back towards the
Government Offices building. I’d better report to the superintendent
before I do anything more, he thought. He might laugh at me, but I
have a strong feeling that something’s amiss.
As he passed the other guard outside the Straits Trading building,
he looked at him more intently and decided that he too had an unusual
appearance. More like a Japanese than a Malay. Perhaps the
superintendent would have some explanation.
Balveer had been in civilian and military police forces for over ten
years before the war, and had learnt to take notice of and trust his
instincts, often extricating himself from dangerous or embarrassing
situations. During the Japanese occupation, he had kept a low profile
but had observed enough to distinguish Japanese features from Malay
or Chinese. He whistled softly to himself as he marched along
towards the beautiful red-roofed stone building ahead of him with its
imposing clock tower. The sun was now high and beating down on
his head and shoulders. He felt a trickle of sweat working its way
down his spine, but he was oblivious to the heat. Near the front of the

147
clock tower he sighted Superintendent Fairweather’s distinctive
greying hair and moustache above the crowd and wended his way to
his side.
‘I suspect something’s wrong, Tuan Fairweather,’ he said. ‘The
security men at the doors of the two buildings south of here don’t
look like locals. Don’t think they speak much English or Malay.’
‘Are they Gurkhas, Balveer?’
‘No, Tuan. Not Gurkha. Different uniform. Could be Japanese.’
Fairweather was startled. ‘Japanese? Impossible, surely.’
‘Look like Japanese, Tuan.’
Fairweather studied him with his grey eyes steady below bushy
eyebrows. ‘You may be right, Corporal. I think we’d better see if we
can find a Gurkha officer. Lieutenant Colonel Henson should be
around here somewhere. Ah! That’s him in the archway under the
clock.’
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Henson was a slim handsome man in his
forties with a narrow moustache on his upper lip. He was wearing a
peaked khaki hat and battledress. As the two policemen approached
him, they saw he was in animated conversation with a Gurkha
sergeant. He broke off when he sighted the superintendent.
‘Ah! Russell. How is everything, old chap? No trouble yet?’ he
asked.
‘No trouble here, Peter,’ Fairweather replied. ‘However, my
colleague here, Sergeant Balveer Singh, has just checked on the two
buildings south of here and believes there is something wrong.’
Henson looked surprised. ‘Wrong? I’ve got some of my troops in
those buildings.’
‘Precisely,’ said Fairweather. ‘Sergeant Singh has had a close look
at the security guards on the doors and thinks they look like
Japanese.’
Henson raised his eyebrows. ‘Japanese? Are you sure?’
‘Yes, Tuan Colonel,’ replied Balveer Singh. ‘Not locals. Look like
Japanese.’
‘Hmm. I have heard there are a few Kempeitai units still lurking
around in the jungle,’ said Henson. ‘Perhaps ... perhaps we’d better
look into this, eh?’

148
 ‘Kempeitai! Even the ordinary Japanese soldiers were scared of
those bastards,’ said Fairweather. ‘I hope nothing’s happened to your
men.’
Henson turned to the Gurkha standing beside him. ‘Sergeant
Gurung, go and get ten of your best men and meet me back here in
ten minutes.’
The sergeant saluted. ‘Right away, Sehab Colonel.’ He hurried off
into the crowd.
‘That’s my right-hand man, Sergeant Ganju Gurung,’ said Henson.
‘Good man. If there’s any problem, we’ll sort it out chop-chop!
Thanks for the tip.’
‘It may be nothing, but you never know,’ said Fairweather, as the
clock in the tower above them chimed the half hour.
‘Better sure than sorry,’ said Henson, looking at his watch.
‘Eleven-thirty in the forenoon. The dignitaries will already be on their
way and the parade up the road starts soon.’

****

More than a mile south of the Government Offices building, with an

army Daimler Consort in the lead, the convoy was driving slowly
north along the Broadrick Road. The Daimler was followed by a
gleaming black Rolls Royce containing the British Supreme
Commander for South-east Asia, Lord Louis Mountbatten, and his
staff members. This in turn was followed by a second Rolls Royce
with Sir Edward Gent, his new aide-de-camp, Colonel Samuel
Martin, and a staff sergeant major, all in dazzling white uniforms,
their helmets topped with elaborate white feathers. A third dark
maroon Rolls Royce followed, carrying Major General Ralph Hone
MC, Secretary-General to the Governor-General of Malaya. Tunku
Shahabing and some of his colleagues rode in a Bentley Mark V
immediately following the third Rolls Royce. Other cars included
more dignitaries of the BMA as well as the sultans of Negeri
Sembilan, Selangor, Malacca, and Johor. As soon as the convoy of
cars had all left the assembly area, shrill whistles and loud shouts
from sergeant majors marked the commencement of the parade.

149
 The leading unit was a military band of the Coldstream Guards,
the musicians wearing khaki battledress. They set off with much
twirling of silver maces and drumsticks, marching six abreast with
drums in the lead just behind two drum majors, a bass drum in the
centre and brass instruments in the rear. To the tune of ‘Land of hope
and glory’, they made a fine sight and a cheer rose from the crowd,
many of whom had been waiting for hours on both sides of the road.
The band was followed by a contingent of Coldstream Guards,
also in battledress with the distinctive red flashes on the tops of their
arms, rifles shouldered and white bands around their caps. A captain
of guards led the unit, holding a sword upright in his right hand.
The Coldstream Guards were followed by smart contingents of the
Devonshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, and Royal Berkshire regiments in
battledress and shouldering rifles ahead of a unit of the royal
engineers.
Applause broke out as a Scottish Highland band, its members
wearing kilts of red and green blowing in the breeze, made an
impressive appearance, their bagpipes leading the drums. The
Scottish pipe band was followed by kilted contingents of the
Cameron Highlanders, Cameronian Scots Rifles, Seaforth
Highlanders, and Black Watch.
These were followed by Gurkha, Indian Army and Malay units, as
well as a company of soldiers from the MPC who had fought against
the Japanese. They were led by their Secretary General, Lai Teck, and
a young leader, Chin Peng. Then came a large brass band of the
Royal Navy followed by marching sailors and British marines.
Bringing up the rear was a contingent of marchers from the Royal
Airforce.
As the parade progressed northwards, the crowds on the sides of
the road began following the airmen and dancing to the strains of
‘Rule Britannia’ filtering down from the naval band ahead of them.
When the convoy of cars arrived at the padang, the dignitaries
emerged and took their places on a large dais in front of the
Government Offices building from where they would take the salute.
The noise from the crowd increased as the music from the leading
band swelled, and people strained their necks over the barricades to
try to catch an early glimpse of the marchers.

150
 ****

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Henson, Sergeant Ganju Gurung and the ten
Gurkhas with them heard the band leading the parade as they walked
towards the Straits Trading building. Stopping some distance from
the entrance, they carefully studied the guard who was standing at
attention, staring straight ahead holding his grounded rifle by the
wood around the barrel.
‘What do you think, Ganju?’ Henson asked his sergeant.
‘Think maybe Japanese, Sehab Henson,’ replied Gurung.
‘I think so too. We’ll go and ask him, shall we?’
With the sounds of the parade growing louder in the background,
the Gurkha group approached the guard, who watched them anxiously
out of the corner of his eyes. When they were standing next to him,
the guard lifted his rifle into a ready position.
‘What is your name, pengawal?’ Henson’s question was greeted
with a grunt from the guard, who looked behind him nervously at the
door.
Henson turned to his men and said, ‘Disarm this fellow and
restrain him.’
Two of the Gurkhas stepped forward and before the guard could
react, he was disarmed and his hands secured behind his back.
With his face close to the guard’s, Henson again asked, ‘What is
your name, young fellow? Apa nama awak, pengawal?’
The guard looked back at him and remained silent.
‘He doesn’t speak a word of English or Malay,’ he said. ‘You two
hold him here, and the rest of you follow me.’
Inside, the building seemed to reverberate with the drums as the
Coldstream Guards band passed on the other side. Henson walked
along a corridor with his pistol drawn, signalling to his men to search
each room as they passed. The noise of the parade masked their
movements, so they did not need to try to keep quiet. Near the end of
the corridor, a man dressed as a Gurkha soldier walked out of one of
the rooms. Startled, he drew a pistol from a holster hanging from his
belt. As he tried to aim his gun at the group, Henson shot him down.
After checking the rest of the rooms on the ground floor, the
Gurkha unit started up the stairway to the first floor. When they were

151
halfway up, two men appeared at the top and started shooting down at
them with their rifles. The sound of the shooting was deafening inside
the building and in the limited space, the Gurkhas had difficulty firing
their guns accurately up the stairway without endangering those
ahead of them. Notwithstanding the bullets raining down on them and
with his blood up, Henson urged his men to charge as he led them up
the stairs, loosing off shots from his own pistol. Near the top of the
stairway, he heard a gurgle from one of the men beside him who had
been hit by a bullet, and then realised that he too had been hit. He felt
excruciating pain in both his left arm and in the flesh on the left side
of his torso just below the ribs. He reached the top of the stairs and
his Gurkhas rushed forward around him and made short work of the
enemy, hacking them with their khukuris.
Gasping for breath and bleeding badly, Henson leant up against a
wall and asked Sergeant Gurung, ‘What’s the bill, Ganju?’
‘Two of our men dead, Sehab. Three wounded, including
yourself.’
Henson shook his head, holding his arm which was aching badly.
‘Bloody hell!’
The sergeant quickly ripped some material from the shirt of one of
the dead men and tied it tightly around Henson’s left arm to stem the
bleeding. He then noticed more blood seeping from a wound in the
officer’s side. ‘We must get you out of here to a doctor, Sehab
Colonel,’ he said.
‘Bloody hell! It hurts, but I’m all right,’ said Henson. ‘Be careful,
there may be more of them.’
They were all gathered at the top of the stairway near the end of a
long corridor on the first floor. Suddenly, from the other end of the
corridor, shots from a semi-automatic rifle hit two of the Gurkhas and
the rest all dived to the floor. An exchange of fire from some of the
prone soldiers hit the attacker, and the rest charged towards him and
finished him off with their flashing knives.
Henson staggered up to the body, which was wearing a grey
security guard uniform. He held up a finger to his lips. In spite of the
loud sounds of the parade outside the building, he could hear raised
voices behind a nearby closed door. He nodded at his men, turned the
door handle and gave the door a push. Three of his men rushed in,

152
firearms at the ready, and were confronted by four men with their
hands in the air screaming out in Malay, ‘Don’t shoot!’
Henson studied the four prisoners who were similarly dressed in
nondescript khaki uniforms. Definitely not Japanese. Probably local
Malays and Chinese. He asked his men to take them out of the room,
tie them up and watch them carefully.
Inspecting the room, he and Sergeant Gurung found several
firearms, two of which were sniper rifles with telescopic sights.
Cyrillic figures on the wooden butt of the rifles indicated they were
probably Russian. Possibly Mosin-Nagant sniper rifles. On further
inspection, Sergeant Gurung found an ammunition box full of
7.62mm bullets. Cyrillic characters were also imprinted on the box.
Henson started to feel very wobbly. Sergeant Gurung grasped him
by his right arm and helped him sit down on a chair. As he sat, he was
still aware of the loud noises of the military bands and the crowds
cheering as the marchers passed the building. Smiling wryly to
himself, he realised that in spite of the deafening noise of the recent
battle inside the building, nobody outside would have noticed
anything. The gunshots echoing inside would have been muffled by
all the other sounds of the parade.
He felt himself being lifted to his feet and was soon being half-
carried along the corridor and down the stairs. He heard his sergeant
tell him, ‘We take you to hospital now, Sehab. Two others now
wounded. Three dead.’
Henson tried to protest but couldn’t articulate what he wanted to
say. He wanted to check the Selangor Public Works building, but he
knew that he wouldn’t have the strength to lead or direct his men
there. He allowed himself to be taken out of the building, where he
waited in the sun supported by two of his men. He was sweating all
over and his shirt was sticking to him from both the perspiration and
the blood. He vaguely noted that the sounds from the passing parade
on the other side of the building were much louder outside the
building. Through a haze of dizziness, he saw a car arrive and his
sergeant open the back door. He was bundled in with the other two
wounded men and driven off towards the centre of the city.
‘Bloody hell!’ he whispered to himself.

153
 CHAPTER 17

As requested by Colonel Algie Browning, Captain Angus Morrow

and Corporal Fred Parker of the 3rd Commando Battalion strode
down the path leading from the Royal Selangor Club to check on the
Government Printing Office building south of the padang. They both
unconsciously kept in step to the beat of the drums from the military
band marching up the road 100 yards away to their left. They had
been told that a van belonging to suspected subversive elements had
been parked outside the southern entrance to the building for a few
hours and was under surveillance by a member of the local military
police. There was a possibility, however, that the conspirators might
have already overcome the security guards and taken over the
building without being spotted.
Captain Morrow thought to himself, we’ll soon know. He had a
slim but wiry figure and a decisive outlook on life. His tanned face
sported bushy eyebrows and a straight moustache, which tended to
bristle if he didn’t trim it. Corporal Parker was a shorter, muscular
man who had gained some fame in the brigade as a boxer. The two
commandos were confident that if they encountered any trouble, they
would be able to deal with it.
‘Is your persuader loaded and ready, Fred?’ asked Morrow,
referring to Corporal Parker’s Browning FN-Inglis semi-automatic
pistol which he wore in a holster hanging from his belt.
‘Yes, all set, Captain,’ Parker replied, patting the holster. ‘You’ve
still got that American revolver?’
‘Yes. My favourite Smith & Wesson,’ said Morrow with a thin
smile. ‘I can blow a man’s head off with this baby.’
‘I hope you don’t have to, sir.’
Arriving at the south side of the building, they saw a black Austin
car on the side of the path and noted a blue van about fifteen yards
further away, ten or so yards south of the entrance. Morrow walked
up to the Austin and spoke to the driver who was sitting quietly in the
154
front seat. ‘I’m Captain Morrow. Are you one of Superintendent
Fairweather’s lads?’ he asked.
The occupant looked at him and nodded. ‘Yes, Captain. I was told
to keep an eye on that van over there, but there’s been no movement
since I’ve been here.’
‘What about security guards in the building?’
‘There’s one guard standing at the entrance,’ said the policeman.
‘If you go a bit closer, you’ll be able to see him. Fellow in a grey
uniform.’
‘Anyone in the van?’
‘There’s one man in the front seat. It’s impossible to tell whether
there are any more people in the back of the van. Could be.’
The two commandos strode towards the blue van, noting the
illustrations and the words painted on its side, Dunlop Rubber Goods.
As they walked, they noticed the security guard at the entrance to the
building watching them intently.
Morrow bent his head through the van’s front window and said to
the driver, ‘What’s your name?’
The driver looked apprehensive and gave a brief shake of his head.
Morrow persisted. ‘Apa nama awak?’
The driver nodded and said, ‘I am Umar, Tuan.’
‘What are you doing sitting here in this van?’ asked Morrow,
while Corporal Parker kept an eye on the security guard who
remained standing at attention beside the door to the building.
‘I’m just resting, Tuan,’ replied the driver.
‘Just resting, eh? I would like to have a look in the back of your
van, Umar,’ said Morrow.
Umar nodded vigorously and opened his car door. ‘Yes, yes, Tuan.
I’ll show you.’ He scurried to the sliding door at the back of the van
and opened it for Parker to jump inside.
‘Nothing here,’ said Parker.
‘Where are all your tyres and footballs, Umar?’ said Morrow
sharply.
‘Not here, Tuan. Have to pick them up later,’ said Umar, who was
starting to sweat.

155
 Morrow pointed towards the building. ‘That building is the
Government Printing Office. I don’t think they supply rubber goods,
Umar.’
‘Er ... no, Tuan. Pick up from somewhere else.’
‘Where, Umar?’
‘Er ... somewhere else, Tuan.’
Morrow glared at him and said, ‘Go and sit down in the driver’s
seat and stay there.’ He turned to Parker, who was leaving the back of
the van. ‘Take his keys, Corporal, and leave that back door open.
‘Don’t move, Umar.’
Morrow and Parker strode purposefully towards the guard at the
entrance. Parker thought he saw some movement from inside one of
the windows on the floor above, but couldn’t be certain.
‘What’s your name, guard?’ asked Morrow in a steely voice.
The guard stared back at him and grunted.
Morrow glared at him and asked, ‘Apa nama awak, pengawal?’
The guard stepped aside and opened the door, gesturing for the
commandos to go inside.
Morrow didn’t move, still glaring at the guard. ‘You didn’t
understand a bloody word I said, did you?’
The guard grunted, nodded and gestured again for the men to enter
the building.
Morrow quickly pulled his revolver out of its holster and held it
hard up under the guard’s chin. In a low voice, he said to Parker,
‘Close that door, Fred. Have you got handcuffs?’
‘No, but I’ve got tape, sir.’
‘I certainly don’t want to walk into an ambush. Tape this chap’s
hands behind his back. We’ll take him with us and see if we can find
anyone who speaks Japanese. I think he’s one of those Kempeitai
bastards. We’ll come back with a few more men after interrogating
these fellows.’
As Parker taped the guard’s wrists, Morrow saw the driver of the
van jumping out of his vehicle. Pointing the gun at him, Morrow
yelled, ‘Don’t move! Tinggal diam!’
The driver looked around, focused on the large firearm pointed at
him and put his hands up.

156
 Parker finished taping the guard’s wrists, and Morrow told him to
do the same with the van driver. ‘Then we’ll take them back with us
to the club and find Colonel Browning,’ Morrow said.
Morrow then went over to the van and stabbed both front wheels
with a knife.
‘That’s not going anywhere, he said. He looked up at the first floor
windows but couldn’t see anything. ‘Okay, let’s go.’
Striding up the path back to the club and pushing their captives
ahead of them, they heard off to their right the Scottish pipe band
marching along the road in the same direction playing ‘Lochanside’.
Angus Morrow hummed along to the tune as he and Parker
marched in step.

****

Jacko watched the advancing parade through a window of the tower,

his eyes slitted against the midday glare. Some of the dignitaries who
had arrived by car had already sorted themselves out on the dais in
front of the building. Sir Edward Gent stood ramrod-straight in the
centre of the dais in his vivid white uniform and military hat with
plumes of white feathers. He stiffly saluted as the companies of
soldiers marched past him along Broadrick Road, before turning left
into the padang. Also saluting beside Sir Edward stood his aide-de-
camp, Colonel Samuel Martin, whose immaculate white uniform
seemed to fit so tightly that Jacko imagined he would find it difficult
to stoop. Next to him stood the amiable Tunku Shahabing in a neat
grey suit and blue silk tie. On the other side of Sir Edward was Major
General Hone, also splendid in white. Another five military and six
local civilian dignitaries shared the dais. Lord Louis Mountbatten and
his staff members had been driven to the Royal Selangor Club to
watch the ceremonies from there. The first companies of marchers
were already forming up in the padang and after ordering arms, stood
in neat rows facing the dais.
Sergeant Billy Moore appeared beside Jacko and said, ‘Thank God
something’s happening at last. Cor, I was going stir-crazy up here. If I
had to listen to one more of Cliffy’s weak jokes I mighta cut me
throat. Or his!’

157
 ‘I couldn’t hear the punchlines for the military bands,’ said Jacko.
‘Well you were bloody lucky then, cobber,’ laughed Billy. ‘Who’s
that on the roof of the Straits Trading building?’
‘It’s one of the Gurkhas,’ said Jacko. ‘Looks like he’s just walking
around and checking the roof.’
‘Let me have a look,’ said Jamie, coming to the same window as
the other two.
At that moment, Jamie’s radio started crackling and Russell
Fairweather’s voice came through clearly. ‘Russell to Jamie. Over.’
‘Jamie here. How is everything? Over.’
‘I want to inform you that there was a battle in the Straits Trading
building just south of you. A dozen Gurkhas entered the building a
while ago and came under heavy fire from what appeared to be
Japanese bandits. Half the Gurkhas were killed or wounded, but the
building is now secured. Over.’
‘We can see from here that there’s a Gurkha checking the roof,’
said Jamie. ‘What about the other buildings? Over.’
‘That’s the problem,’ replied Russell. ‘We suspect they might have
taken control of the Public Works and Printing Office buildings. They
could include Kempeitai Japanese. If anything bad is going to happen,
it’ll be from those two buildings. Over.’
‘Roger that. We’ll keep a close eye on them. Over.’
‘That’s the ticket. Over and out.’
‘You all heard that?’ said Jamie to the others in the tower.
‘Who are Kempeitai Japanese?’ asked Billy.
‘The Kempeitai were the Japanese equivalent of the German
Gestapo,’ replied Jamie. ‘Pretty unsavoury characters, I believe.’
‘Hmm. I thought the Japanese had all surrendered,’ said Billy.
‘Where have those birds been hiding?’
‘There’s a lot of jungle out there, mate,’ said Jacko. ‘That
Kempeitai mob probably didn’t believe in surrender.’
‘Maybe they were scared of being branded as war criminals,’
suggested Jamie.
‘Yeah, that makes sense,’ Billy agreed. ‘I wonder what they plan
to do?’
‘That’s the $64,000 question,’ said Jamie.

158
 Sarah, looking out the next window and pointing to the Printing
Office building, cried, ‘Lok! Lok! Longa over there! Him carrim
longpela pipe.’
Merv and Cliffy quickly joined the others at the windows facing
that direction. They could see two men in Gurkha uniforms carrying
to the northern edge of the roof what looked like a long, thin pipe
about five feet long, its centre part wrapped in cloth or paper. They
laid the pipe down and then disappeared into a doorway, probably
leading to a stairway off the roof.
Fifteen minutes later, the roof door opened again and four men
appeared, each carrying a long, thin, wooden box. The carriers
included the two uniformed men who had carried the pipe onto the
roof earlier. They were accompanied by two men dressed in khaki
shorts and shirt. It was hard to distinguish the features of the men on
the roof; however, it was certain they were all Asians. After laying
down their boxes beside the long pipe, the four men all left the roof
through the same door.
‘Curiouser and curiouser,’ muttered Jamie. ‘So said Alice in
Wonderland.’
‘Yeah, the Mad Hatter might appear next, Cap,’ quipped Jacko.
‘We’d better keep an eagle-eye on that lot.’
‘Looks like some sort of anti-tank thingy,’ Billy said seriously,
scrutinising the roof.
‘You think it might be a bazooka?’ exclaimed Jacko.
‘Yeah, cobber. Could be something like that,’ said Billy in a low
voice, his eyes still fixed on the pipe.
Tearing his eyes away from the roof, Jamie looked over at the
Royal Selangor Club on the other side of the padang. Already a large
crowd of onlookers had gathered on the wide balcony, watching the
military units forming up in front of them on the padang. The ladies
in the crowd created splashes of colour with their smart bright dresses
and assortment of stylish hats. They looked more like spectators at
the Melbourne Cup races rather than observers at a military parade,
Jamie thought. He also noted that the crowds below him lining the
Broadrick Road were cheering and carrying on in a festive mood. The
display of a military parade must provide a welcome distraction after
the deprivations of war, he thought.

159
 Then Sarah again cried, ‘Lok! Lok!’ and pointed at the roof of the
Public Works building to the south of them.
Two men, possibly Chinese-Malays, in khaki shorts and shirt,
were watching the parade from the roof and pointing to different parts
of the area as they talked. Jacko picked up his sniper’s rifle and
studied them through the telescopic sight of the weapon. He could
clearly see the two men, hands on hips, inscrutably watching the
Scottish Highland band as it marched past them. They then walked
quickly to a rooftop door and disappeared from sight.
‘Hmm. If that’s the enemy, it looks like they’re planning
something,’ said Jacko. ‘We’ll have to keep our eyes skinned.’
‘What do you reckon they’re going to do?’ asked Merv.
‘Don’t know, mate,’ replied Jacko, ‘but whatever it is, it can’t be
good. They’ll have us to contend with, but!’
Just then, the chime from the clock tower indicated the three-
quarter hour.
‘Fifteen minutes to midday,’ mused Jamie. ‘I don’t think all the
units will be in their positions on the padang by noon, but it won’t be
long after.’
‘As soon as they are, the fireworks display will start to the north of
the padang,’ said Billy.
‘That’ll be noisy,’ said Jamie. ‘Probably a good time to start an
attack.’
‘Yeah, I’m with you on that, Cap,’ agreed Jacko.
Sarah had moved to the other side of the tower, studying the area
to the north. She cried out, ‘Lok! More soldiers longa there!’
Jamie, Jacko and the three British commandos joined her at the
windows facing north-westerly, looking where she was pointing.
‘I can see about a dozen people walking just north of the padang,’
said Jamie. ‘I presume they’re getting the fireworks ready.’
‘No! Lok! More longway,’ insisted Sarah.
‘Yeah, look, Cap,’ said Jacko. ‘About 200 yards further north.
There’s a few hundred people gathering up there. They’ve all got
guns.’
‘Yes, yes. I see them,’ said Billy. ‘You think a couple of hundred
armed irregulars plan to overrun the might of the British Army in the
padang?’

160
 ‘I don’t know what their plan is,’ said Jamie. ‘But it could be a
small part of an overall plan of attack.’
He had to raise his voice to be heard over the loud music from the
naval brass band as it passed below their tower.
‘It won’t be long now before the march ends and the fireworks
begin,’ said Billy.
‘Those crackers might not be the only fireworks,’ said Jamie.
‘Billy, I suggest you and Merv keep an eye on those fellas north of
the padang. Cliffy can keep a weather eye on the club across the way.
Jacko and Sarah will watch those buildings to the south. I’ll call
Russell to get Algie to send some of his men to watch those armed
men up there.’
Billy picked up one of the rifles and said, ‘Good-oh! Let’s get to
it.’
‘Jamie to Russell. Over.’
Russell’s voice came back over the radio with crowd noise in the
background. ‘Russell to Jamie. Receiving you loud and clear. What’s
up? Over.’
‘There are a couple of hundred armed men 200 yards or so north
of the padang, said Jamie into his radio. ‘Suggest you ask Algie to
send some of his men to keep an eye on them. Over.’
‘Got that, Jamie. He should have a few to spare. His men on guard
duty south of here have followed the parade up the road and should
be close. Anything else? Over.’
‘That’s all for now. Over.’
‘Roger. Over and out.’
Five minutes later, Jacko said, ‘Get your sniper rifle, Cap. Things
are happening here.’
With his rifle under his arm, Jamie looked out one of the south-
facing windows and saw activity on both the Public Works and the
Printing Office buildings. Jacko was already looking through the
telescopic sight of his rifle, switching his attention between the two
roofs.
Jamie could see three men on the roof of the Public Works
building, two with scoped rifles and one studying the padang area
with a pair of binoculars. On the roof of the Printing Office building,
one man was unwrapping the long pipe while two others were

161
unpacking items which looked like small rockets out of the nearby
boxes.
‘You were right, Billy,’ said Jacko over his shoulder to the
commando sergeant. ‘I think it’s what you called an anti-tank thingy!’
Billy laughed and shouted back, ‘Told you, Jacko me boy.’
There was no reason to keep their voices down, as the cheering
crowds below prevented any sounds from carrying.
‘What ya reckon, Cap?’ asked Jacko.
‘I’ll watch the men on the roof of the Public Works building, and
you concentrate on the men on the farther building, Jacko. If they
look like they’re ready to fire that rocket launcher or whatever it is,
shoot them.’
Jacko gave a brief smile, which failed to reach his eyes. ‘No
worries, Cap.’
Through his telescopic sight, Jacko watched one of the men, a
Chinese he thought, setting up the pipelike weapon with a small
tripod on the front end, a scope and some sort of trigger mechanism.
He heard the last of the military bands finish, after which the only
loud noise was the crowd cheering.
‘The fireworks are about to start,’ said Cliffy, craning his head out
of the window. With a cacophonous mixture of crackles followed by
sharp explosions, the fireworks display was underway. Jacko kept the
crosshairs of his telescopic sight on the man on the roof, who had lain
down on his stomach and was aiming the rocket launcher at the
middle of the padang. Jacko squeezed the trigger of his sniper rifle as
another man pushed one of the rockets into the back of the pipe. A
few things happened at once.
When Jacko’s bullet hit the shooter, he slumped, causing the back
end of the long pipe to drop. The rocket took off at a high angle and
landed with a thunderous explosion in a paddock 400 yards north of
the padang. This was greeted with enthusiastic applause by the
crowds, who thought it was all part of the show.
At the same time, Jacko heard Jamie fire his rifle twice and out of
the corner of his eye, saw a body on the roof of the Public Works
building prone beside his rifle. ‘Good shooting, Cap,’ he muttered
under his breath. ‘Pretty slack old sniper that one.’

162
 ‘There’s still one more,’ said Jamie. ‘Can’t see him. His rifle
barrel is poking out from behind that parapet on the roof.’
‘Let me have a go, Cap,’ said Jacko. Carefully sighting the barrel
through his scope, Jacko slowly squeezed off a shot. The barrel
vanished, a man stood up from behind his cover and Jamie shot him
down.
‘Teamwork, eh, Cap?’ said Jacko with a grin.
As the smoke from the rocket explosion thinned out, Billy
shouted, ‘Those armed men north of the fireworks are charging down
on the padang firing their rifles at the troops.’
A moment later, he added, ‘That’s strange! They’re running like a
mob of headless chickens towards the padang and firing all the time,
but not hitting anything. I don’t think their guns are loaded.’
Jacko was still concentrating on the roof of the Printing Office
building. Another man lay down to aim the rocket launcher and Jacko
shot him through the head. The man behind him, holding a rocket,
froze, and then a bullet hit his rocket and blew him apart in an ear-
splitting explosion accompanied by a blaze of flame and smoke on
the roof.
Billy looked over at Jacko and said, ‘What the hell was that?’
‘One rocket launcher being de-launched,’ said Jacko with a grim
smile.
‘Well, the charge of the stupid brigade has ended,’ said Billy,
watching though his telescopic sight. ‘Most of them have thrown
down their rifles and some of our men are rounding them up. Some of
them have fled. The crowd still thinks it’s another part of the show
and they’re cheering like crazy.’
‘I can’t believe they didn’t shoot anyone,’ said Merv.
‘Hey, Cap,’ said Jacko, ‘what’s the betting they were the rifles we
found in the Sam Poh Tong caves?’
‘Yeah, I reckon, Jacko.’
Jacko walked over to Billy and patted him on the shoulder. ‘It’s a
long story, Billy, but we found a stockpile of their rifles and took all
the firing pins out of them.’
‘Bloody hell!’ said Billy, shaking his head. ‘Anyway, the crowds
had no idea there was any danger. They’re still cheering. You chaps
are something else! You’ve certainly done your share.’

163
 Jamie smiled. ‘There are no shares, mate.’ He picked up his radio
and said, ‘I’d better let Russell know what we’ve done.’

164
 CHAPTER 18

When Johnny heard the second thunderous explosion, this time on the
roof of the ornate Government Printing Office building, he found it
hard to believe what was happening. The crowd around him was
cheering enthusiastically, obviously thinking the events were all part
of the fireworks display which was continuing at the north end of the
padang. In that area, he noticed commandos and Gurkhas running
towards a group of armed men who had been running south but were
now surrendering. The crowd obviously believed this to be an
exhibition of army manoeuvres put on for their benefit.
Johnny shaded his eyes and glanced up at the tower, noting the
rifle barrels protruding from the windows. Obviously, his Australian
colleagues had been responsible for some of the mayhem, he thought
with satisfaction. He then looked around to see if he could find
Russell Fairweather. He spotted him about ten yards away, talking on
his radio, and began pushing his way through the packed crowd
towards him. Within a few yards of the superintendent, he came face
to face with Tan Boon Cheng, his former captor.
‘Hello, Boon,’ he said to the bandit, who looked startled.
Boon’s eyebrows shot up and he asked, ‘Who are you, old man?’
Johnny moved closer and pushed the muzzle of his pistol into
Boon’s side. ‘Don’t say anything. We’ll walk over to that big man
with the moustache and the radio. Easy does it!’
Russell was just saying, ‘Over and out,’ into his radio when he
looked around and saw Johnny and a Chinese standing beside him.
‘Wha...!’
‘Have you got some handcuffs, Russell?’ Johnny asked.
‘Certainly have, Johnny old boy. Who’s this gentleman?’ he
asked, securing Boon’s wrists behind his back.
‘I would like to introduce you to Boon, Russell,’ replied Johnny.
‘He’s the chief of the bandit gang which kidnapped me.’

165
 Boon peered closer at Johnny’s face, shook his head and grunted.
‘Well, well, well. I don’t think he even recognises you,’ said
Russell. ‘I’ll get a couple of our constables to take care of him. They
can put him in the lock-up at the KL police station and we’ll
interrogate him later.’
Boon eyed the two men with a look of pure hatred, while Russell
waved his arms at two policemen in the crowd. He issued them
instructions and handed Boon over to their care.
Watching Boon being led away, Johnny asked, ‘Do you know
what caused those explosions, Russell?’
Russell looked at him, chuckled and said, ‘Your Australians
caused those explosions. They saved a lot of innocent lives. It could
have been a debacle. I’ve just been talking to Jamie. He and Jacko
have left a few bodies on the roofs of two of the buildings. I’ll ask
Algie to organise some of his men to clean up. Before I do, I just have
to tell you something funny. Those men who tried to storm the
padang from the north were armed with the rifles they’d hidden in the
caves. Jamie and Jacko removed all the firing pins. Good stuff, eh?’
Johnny laughed loudly. ‘Unbelievable!’
Still chuckling to himself as he mingled with the crowd, Johnny
left Russell talking into his radio. He looked around to see if he
recognised any of his other kidnappers. He didn’t notice a Chinese-
Malay with a moonface watching him intently from a short distance.
The man hid his face with his hand and slipped away into the crowd.
With a final burst of bangs and colour, the fireworks display
finished and the crowds showed their appreciation by more cheering
and clapping.
Their applause finally subsided and Sir Edward Gent stepped
forward on the dais to declare the establishment and inauguration of
the Malayan Union, which provoked further festive applause from the
spectators. With that, Sir Edward and the other dignitaries stepped off
the dais and strode across the padang past the military formations to
the club on the other side. Soon after, the three military bands in the
centre of the padang played ‘God Save the King’. This was followed
by loud shouts from sergeant majors to slope arms, after which the
British units gave an exhibition of synchronised marches, much to the
further approval of the spectators.

166
 Upon completion of the marching exhibition, the units reformed,
grounded their rifles and stood at ease. They were then dismissed and
were soon mingling with the crowds, who rushed onto the padang to
congratulate and chat with them. The three bands, the Coldstream
Guards, the Scottish and the naval bands remained in position and
took it in turns to play marching and patriotic tunes for the
entertainment of the crowds dancing around them. A fine mist of
smoke from the embers of the fireworks display drifted over the
padang from the north, providing a magical setting to the scene.
From the elevated south tower of the Government Offices
building, the scene was riveting. Wide-eyed and jumping up and
down on her toes, Sarah looked down on it from one of the western
windows. ‘Bee-yu-ti-pull!’ she said slowly, looking at Jacko with a
smile.
‘Yeah, beautiful, Sar,’ he replied.
‘Ingliss good, eh?’ she said, winking at him.
‘Yeah, your English is getting really good, sis.’
She turned her eyes back to the scene on the padang below. ‘Yeah!
You ay! Bee-yu-ti-pull!’
Jamie was studying the buildings to the south of the padang. ‘I see
that Algie has deployed some of his troops outside the Public Works
and Printing Office buildings. Both Gurkhas and commandos.
Probably a few more baddies inside those buildings.’
‘That’s for sure, Cap,’ said Jacko.
Jamie turned to face the others. ‘I don’t think we can achieve
anything more up here. We might as well go down and join the fun in
the padang. Billy, I suggest you leave one of your men here for a
while longer to keep an eye on those roofs. Just in case. The rest of us
can vamoose!’
‘No problem, Jamie,’ replied Sergeant Moore. ‘Cliffy, you’re the
best shot. Stay here for the next hour or so, okay?’
‘Yes, Sergeant,’ said Cliffy, selecting the sniper rifle Jacko had
used.
‘Cliffy can tell horrible jokes to himself if he gets bored,’ said
Merv, smirking.
‘Get stuffed, Merv.’

167
 ****

‘As far as we know from interrogation of the prisoners, there are a

maximum of four armed men inside the building,’ said Captain
Angus Morrow, who was briefing his men assembled just north of the
Printing Office building. ‘Up to three Kempeitai Japanese and one
more of the local bandits. Three locals were killed on the roof. We’ll
enter from the top. We’ll try to do this quietly. Only shoot if you have
to, but I must stress, the Kempeitai will not surrender, so no prisoners
this time.’
His eight men were all from his own unit of the British 3rd
Commando Brigade, and they were equipped with grappling gear,
ropes, knives, and semi-automatic pistols. They looked at him
expectantly.
‘We’re all set, Captain,’ said Corporal Fred Parker.
‘Okay chaps. Let’s get going,’ said Morrow, leading them to the
north-west corner of the building. Two of the commandos swung
heavy grappling hooks around and heaved them up to the roof
parapets above them. Both hooks lodged solidly and all the men,
including the captain, swarmed up the ropes onto the roof.
As they looked around, they saw strong evidence of the earlier
explosion. Much of the ornate stonework near the explosion was
chipped and broken. Piles of broken rock partially covered bodies.
Captain Morrow glanced over towards the roof of the Public Works
building to the east and saw a number of Gurkhas already climbing
onto that roof at the same time. Seeing the doorway at the end of the
roof leading down into the floors below, he signalled his men to
follow him.
On the floor below them, Morio Mikami was looking out one of
the southern windows. He then walked over to the northern side
where Sasaki was gazing out the window towards the padang.
‘Any sign of attackers yet?’ asked Mikami.
‘Nothing, Mikami-san,’ replied Sasaki.
‘They will come, Sasaki. They will come. You must help me with
my seppuku, Sasaki-san.’

168
 He looked disdainfully at the Chinese bandit who was noisily
pacing up and down the corridor holding a rifle. ‘Useless
Chugokujin!’ he said, spitting.
‘You think the white men come soon?’ asked Sasaki.
‘Don’t know when but soon.’
‘We can go to one of these rooms and shut the door, Mikami-san,’
said Sasaki.
‘Good. Good. Let’s do it now, Sasaki-san.’
Entering one of the office rooms on the southern side of the
building, Mikami knelt on the floor and handed Sasaki one of the
Gurkha khukuris. He started to prepare himself for the ancient
samurai ritual of seppuku. Opening his shirt to expose his stomach, he
held out his hand for one of the khukuris.
‘Wrong type of knife, Sa!’ said Sasaki.
‘It will do, Sasaki-san. Give it to me,’ said Mikami brusquely.
Outside in the corridor, the Chinese bandit stared at the door,
wondering what the two Japanese were doing in there. He heard a
loud grunt from the other side, but failed to hear a low noise behind
him. A hand was clamped over his mouth and a knife stabbed him in
the heart from behind. The commandos heard a whimpering sound
emanating from the closed room. Six of them spread out, searching
the other rooms, while two of them stormed into the room.
They were greeted by the sight of a headless man kneeling, bent
over with blood spilling out over the floor. Another man near him
looked up, startled. Waving a bloody knife and yelling, ‘Kogeki!’ he
charged straight at the commandos, only to be felled by an accurately
thrown knife which penetrated his throat.
‘Bloody hell!’ said Corporal Parker. ‘Good throw, Simpson!’
‘Yeah, it’s bloody, all right,’ replied Private Simpson.
Captain Morrow arrived in the doorway, taking in the scene. ‘I
think we’ve got them all,’ he said.
‘There are three bodies in a room at the end of the corridor,’ said
one of the other commandos. ‘One Japanese and three Gurkhas.
There’s also a body in a cupboard under the stairs below. Malay.
Probably the original security guard.’

169
 ‘Damn! Well, we’re done here,’ said Captain Morrow. ‘Good job,
lads. We’ll ask Colonel Browning to get someone else to clean up this
mess. Let’s get out of this slaughterhouse.’

****

As Jamie, Jacko and Sarah walked across the padang, they were
surrounded by frolicking crowds. Smiling faces, laughing faces,
curious faces everywhere. They were stopped by a loud shout to their
left calling Jamie’s name. With a wide smile on his brown face,
Tunku Shahabing approached them, looking fresh with his suit coat
over his arm and his tie loosened around his white collar.
‘Hello, hello,’ he said in his husky voice, ‘that went well, without
incident, eh?’
‘Yeah, Bing. Without incident,’ said Jacko with a wry smile.
‘There were a few incidents, Bing,’ said Jamie. ‘But we were able
to take care of them. Where’s your friend, Duminda Herath?’
‘Duminda’s in the clubhouse trying to chat up Lord Mountbatten
and the top brass. He likes to meet anyone important. That’s his
favourite sport,’ said Bing with a grin. ‘I just saw an exhibition of
commandos climbing up ropes onto a roof over there. Was that part
of the show, or an incident?’
‘Both, Bing,’ said Jamie. ‘For your ears only, there have been
attempts to disrupt today’s proceedings, but I think we’ve managed to
contain them.’
‘Really? I didn’t realise anything was going on,’ said Bing. ‘I’m
going to stay with you chaps in case anything else exciting happens.’
‘You’re most welcome, Bing,’ said Jamie. ‘What did you think of
the ceremony?’
‘Impressive! Very British Empire. I like the military bands,’ said
Bing. ‘Where will we go now?’
‘We were planning to walk over to the club and see if we can find
our MI6 man, Johnny Cook,’ said Jamie.
‘I just saw him,’ said Bing. ‘He’s in the padang dressed up like an
old man. He’s with Russell Fairweather. They said they want to talk
to you. We should bump into them when we get closer to the club.’
‘Okay! We’ll push on to the club then,’ said Jamie.

170
 Much to the delight of the crowd in the padang, the three military
bands coordinated in rendering a few Gershwin swing dance
melodies, so the group had to take care as they worked their way
through the mass of enthusiastic dancers. They finally sighted Johnny
and Russell through the crowds just in front of the clubhouse. They
were chatting to an Indian Sikh policeman, who then led a handcuffed
man away.
‘Greetings, you fellows,’ said Jamie. ‘Have you just captured a
baddie?’
‘Yes, one of the kidnappers. A lesser light,’ said Johnny. ‘We did
manage to arrest the boss of the gang who kidnapped me earlier. He’s
in the KL lock-up. I hear you chaps had a successful operation from
your tower?’
‘Yeah, we did,’ said Jamie. ‘Jacko made more noise than anyone
else. He was responsible for those explosions.’
‘We certainly couldn’t escape the noise,’ said Johnny. ‘I have
something to tell you which might be music to your ears. Do you
know someone from US intelligence by the name of Harry Williams
Jr?’
‘Harry! Harry Williams! Yes, we know him well,’ said Jamie,
puzzled. ‘From the Philippines. What’s happened to Harry?’
‘Algie just informed us that he arrived in a US Airforce plane in
Singapore late this morning,’ said Johnny. ‘He got in touch with
Algie’s MSS fellow there, who’s taken him to lunch at the Cricket
Club. He arrived with a few friends of yours.’
Jamie stared at him. ‘My wife Carna, and the Rousseaus?’
‘Monique! Monique!’ said Jacko, beaming. ‘They must have
flown directly from Mactan. How can they get here?’
‘I’ll send my driver, Abdul, to pick them up,’ said Tunku
Shahabing. ‘My car should get there by four o’clock. Then it’ll take
them six or seven hours to reach KL.’
‘Are you sure, Bing?’ asked Jamie. ‘That’s too kind of you.’
‘No problem, Jamie,’ said Bing. Then he asked Johnny, ‘Where
should my driver pick them up from?’
‘I’ll organise with Algie for them to be at the Raffles Hotel for
high tea by then,’ said Johnny. ‘He can bring them back here to the
Majestic Hotel.’

171
 ‘It might be a tight fit in your car, Bing,’ said Jacko. ‘There’s four
of them.’
‘I’ve got a very large Rolls Royce,’ said Bing, laughing. He then
hurried into the club to find his driver.
As Jamie watched him go, he sighed. ‘Carna. I thought I’d lost you
at one time.’
‘Perfect end to a perfect day, eh, Cap?’ said Jacko, chuckling.
‘Goot friend Carna come,’ said Sarah, smiling happily.
‘Good ol’ Harry,’ said Jamie.
‘Who’s Harry?’ asked Russell.
‘It’s a long story, Russell,’ said Jacko. ‘He’s the chief of the OSS
in Southeast Asia. OSS is a bit like an American MI6. We worked
closely with him on a case involving child kidnappers in the
Philippines earlier this year. Very good man, Harry.’
‘I see,’ said Russell. ‘I look forward to meeting him and your
friends. And your wife, of course, Jamie.’
‘Thanks, Russell,’ said Jamie. ‘I’m looking forward to that myself,
I can tell you.’
‘Well, we may as well go and see what’s doing in the clubhouse,
what?’ said Johnny.
‘Good plan, Johnny,’ said Jacko. ‘I can’t wait to see Monique, but
I’d kill for a cold beer right now.’

****

Inspector Robert Douglas contemplated Sergeant Balveer Singh and

his new captive, a surly oval-faced Chinese-Malay who glared at him
from the other side of the desk, his wrists handcuffed behind his back.
‘Where can we put him, Tuan?’ asked Balveer Singh.
Douglas wiped his face with his handkerchief and stood up. ‘We’ll
put him in the cell next to the other fellow. Follow me.’
In the lock-up, Douglas opened a cell door and stood aside as
Balveer uncuffed the prisoner and pushed him into the cell.
‘What’s his name, Corporal?’ asked Douglas abruptly.
‘He says his name is Wei, Tuan. I couldn’t get anything out of him
other than that. Superintendent Fairweather will be interrogating them
both later.’

172
 ‘Ah, yes. The superintendent,’ said Douglas with a sigh. ‘Well,
you can leave these chaps in my care, Corporal. I’ll wait here for the
good superintendent.’
After locking the cell door, Douglas went to the door of the next
cell and opened the small eye-level slot. He studied the other Chinese
prisoner known as Tan Boon Cheng, who was sitting on the wooden
bed unmoving, eyes half-closed, with a straight back and
expressionless face.
‘Cool bastard,’ Douglas mumbled to himself as he closed the slot
and returned to his office. He damned the heat, wiped his brow and
sat down. Bloody tropics! Opening his right-hand desk drawer, he
pulled out a bottle of Scotch and a glass but with a disgruntled groan,
saw the bottle was almost empty. He drained the last drops directly
from the bottle and dropped it into his wastepaper basket.
Just reduced to a jailer, he thought. Bloody military!
He stood up and looked out the window, his eyes squinting in the
glare, his mind blank. He turned when he heard a soft knock on his
office door.
‘Yes!’ he shouted sharply.
One of the station’s secretaries opened the door and nervously told
him, ‘There are two men to see you, Tuan.’
‘Who are they, Rania?’ he demanded.
‘They say they are Dutchmen from the East Indies Import-Export
Company,’ she said. ‘They would like to talk to you, Tuan.’
‘Ah, yes, yes!’ said Douglas, his tone softening. ‘Thank you.
Please show them in.’
The secretary left and then returned, ushering Hendrick Janssen
and Frans van Houten into the office. Douglas beamed with delight at
the sight of his friends.
‘Gentlemen! Welcome. What can I do for you?’ he gushed. ‘Did
you watch the ceremonies?’
‘We certainly did, Robert my friend,’ said Janssen. ‘Very
impressive. The British military know how to put on a good show.’
‘Good, good,’ said Douglas, still smiling. ‘I’d offer you a drink but
I’ve run out of whisky, I’m afraid.’

173
 Producing a bottle of Glenfiddich single malt Scotch from behind
his back, Janssen said, ‘We thought of you stuck in your office and
brought this along to share with you.’
‘I don’t know what to say,’ said Douglas, producing three glasses
from a nearby cabinet. ‘I’m extremely grateful to you.’
They all stood in silence as Janssen half-filled each glass. He then
raised his and said, ‘To your King George and the British Empire!’
Douglas was quite overcome and asked them to be seated. ‘Is there
anything I can do for you gentlemen?’
‘You might be able to help us here,’ said Janssen, unblinking as he
fixed his bright blue eyes on Douglas. ‘We seem to have a missing
person. One of the key employees of our trading company. Your
people might have heard something.’
‘I’m afraid all my police staff have been involved in the Malayan
Union parade, so I don’t have any information about your missing
employee,’ said Douglas. ‘What’s his name?’
‘Tan. Tan Boong Cheng,’ said Janssen. ‘He’s a Chinese-Malay.
Good man.’
‘Tan? I’ve got a Tan Boon something locked in one of our cells,’
said Douglas, raising his eyebrows. ‘Superintendent Fairweather
arrested him and asked me to lock him up until he could interrogate
him.’
‘Boon is here?’ asked Janssen, looking at Douglas with his eyes
narrowed. ‘What’s he charged with, Robert?’
‘I don’t know, Henk,’ said Douglas, starting to feel nervous. He
coughed. ‘The superintendent didn’t tell me anything about him.’
‘Would you mind if I had a look at him?’ asked Janssen. ‘It might
be a different Tan Boon. I’m sure our man wouldn’t do anything
criminal.’
Douglas rose from his chair uncertainly and then beckoned to the
two Dutchmen as he walked to the door. ‘I suppose it can’t do any
harm. Follow me.’
One floor down, Douglas walked up to one of the cell doors and
opened the small slot in the door. ‘You’ll be able to see him through
here. Is that your man?’
Janssen looked through the slot hole and sighed. Douglas saw
Janssen turn to him with a broad smile and with a start, felt the barrel

174
of a pistol pressed into his soft stomach. The tall blond-haired man
chuckled and said to Van Houten, ‘Fritzi! Take those keys from my
good friend Robert’s belt and see which one opens this door.’
‘Ya, Dirk!’
Douglas’s watery eyes were swimming. ‘Fritzi? Dirk?’ he
mumbled in despair.

175
 CHAPTER 19

Jacko felt unusually relaxed as he gazed out of the bar window of the
Royal Selangor Club onto the padang which was almost empty of
people. It was mid-afternoon, and the three military bands had
departed an hour previously, marching south down Broadrick Road
and taking many of the joyous, cavorting crowd in their wake. Over a
luncheon sandwich, Russell Fairweather had gone over the events of
the day but Jacko had hardly concentrated on what he had said.
Monique filled his thoughts. Ah, Monique! He would be seeing
her again in five or six hours and he could hardly wait. He had feared
that she might have been caught up in the fearsome typhoon in
Manila, but was overjoyed to learn that she had been safely in Cebu
well away from the danger. Now she was in Singapore and would
soon be on her way to Kuala Lumpur.
He looked across the room, where Russell was still talking
earnestly to Jamie and Johnny at a corner table. Johnny had discarded
most of his disguise and looked forty years younger. He knew Jamie
was also probably not concentrating on the discussion. Jamie had
been just as distressed as Jacko when he had heard about the Manila
typhoon. As Jacko watched him, he could tell that Jamie was having
trouble staying still and probably wanted to beg off from the others
and pace around. He was besotted with his wife, Carna, the beautiful
Spanish Filipina with the mysterious flashing dark eyes.
Very poetic, he thought. I’m just as much besotted with those
flashing green eyes of my Monique. Does she love me as much as I
love her? She says she does. How could she? There was always a
doubt in his mind about whether he was good enough for her. He
couldn’t help it. He shrugged his shoulders, sighed and took a sip
from his beer.
When he heard a familiar voice beside him, he pulled himself back
from his thoughts with a physical effort.

176
 ‘Greetings, Jacko old man,’ said Algie Browning, settling himself
down beside him at the bar. ‘You Australians played a vital part in
preventing a catastrophe during today’s proceedings, what? The
spectators didn’t suspect a thing.’
‘A lot of it was just dumb luck, sir,’ said Jacko.
‘Sir? Sir? Call me Algie, for goodness sake, man,’ said Algie.
‘Luck might have played some part, but I would suggest your skills
were the larger part,’ said Algie. ‘Let me buy you another beer.’
‘No thanks, Algie. I’m still only halfway through this one.’
‘Well, I’ll have one and join you, if I may. Russell and I shall be
going to the KL police station in half an hour to interrogate that
bandit Johnny recognised as the leader of his kidnappers.’
‘Ah, yes. The chief bandit,’ said Jacko. ‘I’d be interested to know
what he has to say. Where did you take all those other bandits you
rounded up north of the padang?’
‘Ah yes. The bandits with no bullets,’ said Algie, laughing and
signalling the bartender. ‘All the ones we caught are safely behind
bars in Pudu Prison. That’s not far from Jalan Imbi where you started
your day, Jacko. I guess you’ll be happy to see your fiancée again this
evening. Monique, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, Monique. Thanks, Algie. I can’t wait to see her. It’s true.’
‘Bing’s driver, Abdul, is very good at the wheel, so your friends
should arrive quite safely,’ said Algie.
‘Where’s Bing?’ asked Jacko.
‘He’s gone off with Duminda somewhere,’ said Algie, twisting his
ginger moustache. ‘I’m sure they’ll catch up with you this evening.
Ah! I think Russell is ready to go to the police station, so I’ll leave
you to it and see you later.’
‘Yeah. See you later on,’ said Jacko. ‘Let us know what that
bandit, Tan Boon, has to say for himself.’
‘Of course,’ Algie said, waving as he walked over to the others in
the corner of the room. At the same time, Jamie left them and joined
Jacko at the bar.
‘G’day, Cap,’ Jacko greeted him. ‘Like a beer?’
‘Yeah, I could do a cold one,’ said Jamie, waving at the bartender.
‘They wanted me to go with them to help interrogate that bandit they

177
caught today. I told them I wouldn’t be much use. Can’t concentrate
on anything right now.’
‘Me too, Cap,’ said Jacko. ‘Keep thinking of the girls. Should be
on their way soon.’
Jamie sighed and took a swallow of the beer he had just been
handed. ‘Yeah! Where’s Sarah?’
‘She’s outside on the balcony nursing an orange juice,’ said Jacko.
‘We might as well take our beers out there and join her, Cap.’
‘Good idea, Jacko.’
In the far corner of the bar, Johnny looked over towards the two
Australians and said to Algie and Russell, ‘I think you chaps would
agree, those fellows have done enough for today.’
‘And done it damned well,’ said Algie. ‘Their methods are a bit
unorthodox but they’ve achieved what we wanted and more, in spite
of that.’
‘Or perhaps because of that,’ said Johnny.
‘Yes, yes! I think you’re right. Because of that. We’ll leave them
here and go and have a chat with Mr Tan Boon Cheng, eh?’ said
Russell.
‘Yes, yes. Good plan,’ said Algie. ‘My car’s outside.’
On the way down to the police station, Algie asked Russell, ‘How
do you want to play this?’
‘I’ll start the questioning as the friendly chap,’ said Russell. ‘You
can interrupt once in a while in a hostile manner to keep him off
balance.’
‘What about me?’ asked Johnny.
‘Tan will get a big surprise when he sees you without your
disguise,’ said Russell. ‘It will unnerve him a bit if you don’t say
anything but glare at him.’
‘Okay, you’re the boss,’ said Johnny. ‘I’ve got the easy job.’
‘We’ll play it by ear as we progress,’ said Russell. The other two
nodded.
Arriving at the police station, they climbed the stairs to Inspector
Douglas’s office, where they met his agitated secretary. She told them
that the inspector had gone out without telling anyone. She had no
idea where he might be.

178
 ‘Knowing Robert, he’s probably out having a long, late, boozy
lunch,’ said Russell. ‘I don’t know where he goes.’
‘I suppose we’ll just have to wait for him,’ said Algie.
‘Perhaps we can go and see the prisoner before he returns,’
suggested Johnny.
‘Good idea!’ said Russell, who then asked the secretary her name.
‘My name is Rania, Tuan.’
‘Well, Rania, we would like to go and look at the prisoners in this
police station’s lock-up,’ said Russell.
‘I can’t do that, Tuan,’ she said. ‘I have no instructions from
Inspector Douglas.’
Russell showed her his police badge and said, ‘I understand your
reluctance, Rania, but as you can see I am the police superintendent.
The inspector reports to me.’
‘Oh dear! Oh dear!’ she cried, peering at the badge. ‘I can show
you there, Tuan, but I don’t have any keys to the cells. Please, please
follow me.’
On the same floor, they found there were six cells. She didn’t
know which ones were occupied, but showed them the small eye-
level slots for viewing the prisoners.
Algie looked through three of the slots and said, ‘These are
empty.’
‘There’s a prisoner in this one,’ said Johnny. ‘He’s a brawny ugly
looking fellow. I remember him from the bandits’ camp in the
jungle.’
‘The others are all empty,’ said Russell. ‘Are there any other cells,
Rania?’
‘I don’t know of any, Tuan,’ she replied. ‘As far as I know, these
are the only ones.’
‘Well, what’s happened to Tan Boon Cheng?’ said Johnny.
‘And Inspector Douglas! Where’s he?’ asked Russell to no one in
particular.
‘I ... I don’t know where he went, Tuan,’ said Rania, blushing. ‘I
was in the tandas, the ladies, when he disappeared. When I came out
he was gone. So were his friends.’
‘His friends?’

179
 ‘Yes. He had visitors. Two Dutchmen from the East Indies Import-
Export Company,’ she said, distressed. ‘I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know
where they are.’
‘Hmmm ... yes. Don’t worry, Rania. It’s not your job to monitor
the movements of the inspector,’ said Russell, patting her on the arm.
‘Where the deuce could Douglas have gone with that bandit?’
‘Maybe he took him to Pudu Prison, Russell,’ said Algie.
‘No reason to. No reason at all,’ said Russell, shaking his head
with frustration. ‘I have a sinking feeling about those Dutchmen.’
‘What do you suggest, Russell?’ asked Algie.
‘We’ll go back to the padang and find Angus Murray and Balveer
Singh,’ said Russell. ‘They’re Douglas’s chief offsiders. I’ll get them
to organise a major police search for Douglas. All the lunch spots, his
favourite haunts, question everyone who knows him. Let’s get back
to the padang.’
‘Righto!’ said Algie. ‘Damned mystery, what?’
‘Yes. Damned mystery!’ agreed Russell. ‘Hold the fort, Rania. If
the inspector returns, tell him to come and find me at the club.’
‘Yes, Tuan.’

****

Inspector Douglas couldn’t believe what was happening to him. His

mouth and throat were raw and tasted of stale whisky. Every time the
hot sun shone on him through a hole in the jungle canopy, his head
throbbed mercilessly.
His captors, whom he now knew as Dirk and Fritzi instead of
Hendrick and Frans, were merciless also. Earlier, after releasing the
prisoner Tan Boon Cheng, they had forced Douglas into the back of a
large van and driven 40 miles south of Kuala Lumpur through a small
village named Senawang, and then headed east on a rough and rutted
track for another 25 miles. There, they had met up with a group of
about 25 men, who had regarded Douglas with overt hostility.
After hiding the vehicle under thick leafy branches, they had set
out on foot along a narrow but discernible trail through the jungle.
Douglas sweated profusely, his humiliation intensified by the tall
blonde man whom he had previously regarded as his friend. Dirk kept

180
prodding him in the back with a STEN gun, urging him to walk
faster. He was even more mortified to realise that even his sweat
smelt of stale whisky. He could feel the heat in the damp air rising
from the jungle to match the raw thirst in his mouth.
After a while, which seemed like hours, Dirk said to him, ‘Would
you like to rest awhile, Robert?’
He nodded and winced as the pain jabbed though his skull while
he staggered over to a fallen tree to sit down. His face slumped into
his hands and he wondered if he were going to die. He slowly raised
his head, screwing up his eyes to relieve his aching brain, and saw
Dirk studying him.
‘Water?’ he croaked.
‘Water? Much better for you, Robert. Perhaps you shouldn’t drink
so much whisky so early in the day,’ said Dirk with a smile that did
not reach his eyes. He handed Douglas a water canteen and walked
away to talk to some of the other men.
The only sounds in the jungle were some of the men conversing in
low tones, the buzzing of insects and the occasional screech of a bird
or a passing monkey. Douglas swallowed some water but it didn’t
help the taste in his mouth. He looked down at his sodden police
shoes but did not recognise them. They looked like large balls of
mud. Dear God, what’s happening, he asked himself. These
Dutchmen who had pretended to be his best friends had suddenly
become monsters. It made no sense. He didn’t think he could walk
another step. They might as well kill him and leave him here.
He heard Dirk address one of the men as Fukuda-san. So,
Japanese! What is this and where are they taking me? He continued to
sweat and felt like crying.
After another ten minutes, he noticed Dirk standing over him.
‘Come on, Robert my friend. We have to get going.’
My friend? Good grief! Robert stayed where he was and managed
to blurt, ‘I can’t go any further.’
Dirk quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. ‘You can
rest again in another two hours. We’ve got a way to go. I’ll be right
behind you.’
The nightmare continued without end with Douglas stumbling
along, muscles straining, and the tall Dutchman prodding him in the

181
back. The sharp barbed fronds and saw-toothed leaves along the trail
drew blood from his skin and ripped holes in his clothes. This is what
hell must be like, he thought, groaning each time the man behind
prodded him mercilessly in the back. As the rays of the sun filtered
through the jungle canopy behind him, he realised they were still
headed east but decided he didn’t care. He was too busy trying to
avoid the barbs and keep his footing. Every time he gasped for breath,
he swallowed a few insects. At one stage, he retched and vomited to
the side of the trail. This was accompanied by a particularly heavy
prod in the back which almost caused him to fall over. Bastard!
Staggering and stumbling, he found the footslogging arduous and
seemingly without end. Through watery eyes, Douglas could hardly
see the men in front of him. All his muscles ached, and his sweaty
back was bruised and sore from the constant prodding.
Eventually, he blurted to Dirk, ‘I can’t go another step. I can’t.’
‘Just another mile, Robert my friend. Twenty minutes,’ said Dirk.
‘There’s a nice stream. We’ll stop there for the night. Twenty minutes
and you can rest.’
On and on and on. The next twenty minutes seemed like hours
until finally, the tall man told him, ‘Here you are, Robert. We’ll set
up a basha for you and you can lie down for a while before dinner.
Goot, ya?’
Douglas stood in a small clearing off the trail and looked around,
wiping his eyes. Jungle! Just more jungle. He thought if he sat down
on the ground he would never get up. The others seemed unaffected
by the march through the jungle and were busy setting up the little
bashas all around him.
After a while, one of the Malays came over to him and smiling
shyly, took him by the hand and led him to one of the bashas. ‘You
lie down in there, Tuan,’ he said. ‘I call you for dinner in two hours.
Rice and meat. Very good.’
With what he felt was a major physical effort, Douglas sank to his
knees and crawled into the shelter, finally lying on his back with a
loud sigh. He didn’t know which ached the most. His back, his
muscles, his feet, or the deep scratches on his skin. All his clothing
was torn and damp from his own sweat and the sullen humidity of the
jungle. He tried to think, but gave up the attempt. What had happened

182
to him was beyond thinking. Maybe he would wake up from this
nightmare and find himself back in KL.
The next thing he knew, someone was shaking his arm. When he
half-opened his eyes, they handed him a tin plate and said, ‘Dinner,
Tuan.’
Dinner? It was still not night, but he felt hungry. He had no idea of
time. The nightmare was continuing. He looked at the food, which
comprised rice and corned beef and smelt awful. He retched but had
nothing left to vomit. Carefully picking up a piece of meat in his
fingers, he nibbled at it. Not bad! Tasted better than it smelt. He could
hear some of the other men talking and laughing, and decided he
would prefer to remain in his basha while he ate the rest of his meal
lying down. He was sure the others would only poke fun at him if he
emerged.
As the light began to fade, the same Malay returned to take his tin
plate, handing him a bottle of water.
He lay back and closed his eyes. His limbs were stiff from the
unaccustomed exercise he had suffered and he felt a cramp develop in
his right leg. Was there any chance of rescue? Superintendent
Fairweather and his military policemen would probably not give him
a thought. They would never find him in this accursed jungle,
anyway. Good grief! Despite his aches and pains, he fell into a deep
sleep, snoring so loudly he didn’t hear the chorus of cicadas start up.

****

‘Nothing! Nothing at all,’ said Russell Fairweather with frustration.

‘Not one sighting. I’ve had everyone out searching and asking
questions. No one has seen Inspector Douglas since his secretary left
him with those two Dutchmen at around one o’clock. His jacket and
briefcase are still here in his office, and his car is in the parking area.
He is not at home, and his wife is having hysterics. He’s been
kidnapped for certain.’
‘We can conclude with surety that those Dutchmen from the East
Indies trading company are not what they seemed,’ said Algie.
‘They’ve vanished along with Douglas and that bandit chief.’

183
 ‘Pity! I was looking forward to having a chat with my friend
Boon,’ said Johnny grimly.
They were sitting around the desk in Inspector Douglas’s office
comparing notes after a frustrating afternoon organising police
searches throughout Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding areas. Their
interrogation of the bandit left behind in the other cell hadn’t
produced any new information. He hadn’t been aware that Boon had
been freed. It was probable that Boon hadn’t known he was there.
‘If I was a betting man, I’d say it’s odds on that Hendrik Janssen is
our mysterious Pieter de Groote,’ said Russell.
‘Yes, I’d reckon his name is neither de Groote nor Janssen,’ said
Johnny. ‘I doubt he’s even Dutch. That goes for Van Houten, too.’
‘Well, what can we do from here?’ asked Algie, his puzzlement
showing in his eyes.
‘I don’t know where to start,’ said Russell. ‘It’s obvious we’ll have
to widen our search. Somebody must have seen something.’
‘No point in hanging around here,’ said Algie. ‘I’ll go back to my
office and see if any of my fellows have unearthed anything.’
As they rose to leave, there was a knock on the door and Sergeant
Balveer Singh burst into the room, panting. Looking at Russell, he
said, ‘There’s been another suspected kidnapping, Tuan.’
‘What? Who?’
‘The governor’s aide, Tuan. Colonel Martin,’ said Balveer
breathlessly. ‘He had been celebrating with the dignitaries at the
Royal Selangor Club, Tuan. He was seen getting into his car outside
the club when some Chinese-Malays came out of nowhere and
jumped into the car with him. He hasn’t been seen since. He’s not at
his home or his office. He’s vanished, Tuan.’
‘My God! Sam Martin,’ said Russell.
‘It seems to be a day for vanishing,’ said Johnny.
‘It’s ironic that he was the man you were mistaken for when you
were kidnapped in the Cameron Highlands, Johnny,’ said Russell.
‘Yes, I’ve been told that. I don’t think I look much like him.
Maybe the Malays think I do.’
‘Absolutely!’ agreed Russell. ‘Not as handsome, of course.’

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 ‘Well, this latest kidnapping should give us a vital clue,’ said
Johnny. ‘Surely someone must have noticed his car somewhere. Did
he have a flag on the front?’
‘Two flags, actually,’ said Algie. ‘He took one of the Rolls
Royces, so you’re right. It’s the sort of car that catches everyone’s
eye.’
Russell turned to Balveer Singh and said, ‘Sergeant, get all your
men onto it right away. I know it’s only about an hour until sundown,
but time is of the essence. Starting at the club and working away from
it, ask everyone you can find if they’ve seen the Rolls Royce. That
way, I’m sure we’ll be able to get a handle on where the car was
headed. That car would never go unnoticed.’
Balveer saluted the superintendent. ‘Yes, Tuan. Right away.
After he left, Algie looked at the other two, shaking his head.
‘Why would they want to kidnap Samuel Martin now? It doesn’t
make sense.’
‘No, but it might be the break we need,’ said Russell. ‘If they’re
taking him to the same place where they’re holding Robert Douglas,
it will assist us a lot if we can trace the Rolls.’
‘They may leave the car and take Martin and possibly Douglas
into the jungle,’ said Johnny. ‘They’ll be hard to find there.’
‘We might need your Australians again, old boy,’ said Algie.
‘I have a feeling the kidnappers will contact us at some stage.
They’ll have some sort of demands, I’m sure,’ said Russell. ‘It would,
however, be better to find them before that happens.’
Johnny nodded. He was thinking about Jamie and Jacko. He
decided he wouldn’t mention anything to them this evening. They’d
be too busy getting re-acquainted with their loved ones. They’d also
be wanting to return to Australia. However, if the police could work
out where the kidnappers had gone, then ...

185
 CHAPTER 20

Recently washed and showered, Jamie and Jacko had both been
pacing the foyer of the Majestic Hotel when the reception desk clock
chimed ten o’clock. Sarah sat in a chair silently watching them.
Typical of the tropical environment, night had fallen like a curtain.
Two figures entered the hotel and stopped to watch the Australians in
their pacing.
Jacko stopped in his tracks as he recognised Bing and Duminda
regarding him with some amusement. ‘G’day,’ he said. ‘We’re just
waiting for the others to arrive in your car, Bing.’
‘I don’t know how to thank you, Bing, for lending us your car,’
added Jamie.
Bing smiled and stepped forward to shake their hands, saying,
‘Happy to do it. I think you’ll be happy to see your ladies, no?’
‘Yes, that’s for sure,’ said Jacko. ‘We’ve been pacing around
aimlessly before you arrived.’
‘I noticed. Like cats on hot coals, no?’ said Bing, laughing.
Duminda also shook their hands and informed them he had
reserved a table in the Chinese restaurant on the second floor of the
hotel for 10.30, or later if the guests had not arrived before then.
‘It’s very good food. Cantonese,’ he said. ‘I’m sure your friends
will be hungry after their long day.’
‘That sounds really good,’ said Jacko. ‘I’m a bit hopeless with
chopsticks, though.’
‘Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll be able to find a knife and fork for
you,’ said Bing.
‘I think I heard a car draw up outside. That might be them now.’
They all stood silently watching the front door of the hotel. Bing
chuckled when he saw a beautiful young girl suddenly appear and run
up the hotel steps, a wild look in her eyes. In a snow-white dress, she
ran across the room towards them, her long black hair billowing out

186
behind her. Before she reached them, she lost a shoe, kicked off the
other one, and hurtled into Jamie’s arms, nearly knocking him off
balance.
‘Carna, I presume,’ mumbled Bing to himself.
There was a tinkle of laughter from the front door and framed in
the entrance, wearing a dark-green dress to match her twinkling eyes,
was one of the most beautiful women that Bing had ever seen. She
looked at them, then at Jacko, and walked slowly towards him,
holding out her arms wide. Jacko responded by rushing over to her
and putting his arms around her, lifting her off her feet and swinging
her around.
Sarah smiled and watched the whole performance with deep
satisfaction. Bing and Duminda stood apart from the two hugging
couples, feeling superfluous, when they noticed two men entering the
hotel together, both tall, and one wearing a large ten-gallon hat. One
of them glanced at the two couples and picked up the discarded shoes.
Both men then approached the two Malays who had been watching
them.
The hatless man addressed them in a strong French accent,
‘Bonjour. Good evening. My name is Henri Rousseau. Do you know
these people?’ He gestured towards the couples who were still
hugging each other.
‘Yes. Yes. We are friends of Jamie and Jacko,’ said Bing,
chuckling. ‘I am Tunku Shahabing and this is my friend, Duminda
Herath. That is my car which brought you here. I hope you had a
comfortable ride from Singapore?’
‘Ah, yes. Very comfortable,’ Henri said, beaming. ‘It is you I have
to thank for bringing us here. I appreciate your kindness very much. I
would like to introduce you to Mr Harry Williams, an official from
the United States of America.’
‘I’m surely pleased to meet you, sir,’ said Harry, his Texan accent
contrasting with Rousseau’s French. ‘I am also mighty grateful for
the use of your car.’
‘It was my pleasure, sir,’ said Bing.
‘Please call me Harry. Everyone else does.’
‘Okay, Harry. Please call me Bing. Everyone else does.’
‘You must also call me Henri. Shall we check in?’ asked Henri.

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 They were interrupted by Jamie, who rushed over and said,
‘Harry! Harry! I’d know that Texan accent anywhere. We have you to
thank for flying our friends over from the Philippines.’
‘Yeah, glad to do it, Jamie,’ Harry said, laughing. ‘I don’t think
Jacko has been distracted by my accent yet.’
Carna, watching this, felt a tug on her sleeve and found herself
looking into two large, dark eyes. ‘Oh Sarah, my dear friend, how are
you?’
‘Hello, Ka Na, I am happy to see you,’ replied Sarah carefully as
Carna gave her a hug.
‘Always happy to see you, Sarah. Your diction is so fantastic.’
‘Thank you, Ka Na.’
Bing saw his driver, Abdul, enter the hotel carrying suitcases, and
said to Henri and Harry, ‘Henri, you and your daughter are booked in
a suite with two bedrooms. Harry has a single room.’ Bing grinned as
he added, ‘Jamie, you and your wife can stay in your current room.
It’s got a big bed, I think.’
‘Wonderful! Wonderful!’ said Henri, as they escorted them to the
reception desk.
‘You must be hungry,’ said Bing. ‘We have a table booked in the
Chinese restaurant on the second floor whenever you’re ready.’
‘I must repeat myself. Wonderful!’ said Henri.
‘It’s what we need. I could eat a horse and chase the rider,’ said
Harry.
‘Horse is not on the menu,’ said Duminda with his lop-sided smile.
‘Plenty of other animals though.’
Jacko, holding Monique by the hand, suddenly appeared next to
him. ‘Harry, you old villain. So, you’re the white knight who saved
our ladies in distress. How did you meet them?’
‘I’ll explain it all over dinner, Jacko me lad,’ said Harry. ‘Right
now, I’m itching for a bath.’
‘I think we could all do with a bath,’ said Monique with her
tinkling laugh.
‘Yes. I’ll show Carna to our room. I know she would like to
freshen up too,’ said Jamie to Bing. ‘Come with us, Sarah. When
Carna’s ready we’ll meet the others in the restaurant on the second
floor.’

188
 ‘Russell Fairweather and Johnny Cook will be joining us,’ said
Duminda.
‘Perfect,’ said Bing, who then bustled around instructing hotel
porters to deliver suitcases to the correct rooms.
Forty-five minutes later, they were well into selecting various
dishes from the lazy Susan in the centre of their large round table.
Harry was relating how he had flown out of Manila for Cebu when all
the US military aircraft had been sent south as the destructive
typhoon headed for the capital city. After calling all the large hotels
in the city, he had been fairly sure that the Rousseaus and Carna had
not returned to Manila and had remained in Cebu. It had taken him
about 24 hours to finally locate them in a small hotel in the central
part of Cebu city, the Rajah.
Clearing it with the US High Commissioner, who was also in
Cebu, and his own boss of the OSS, he had flown one of the USAF
aircraft to Singapore and brought the Rousseaus and Carna along with
him.
‘The dear man could see how desperate I was to find my brand-
new husband,’ said Carna, smiling and fluttering her eyelids at Jamie
to general applause around the table.
‘No! No! I was the desperate one,’ Monique protested. ‘Just look
at mon beau amour! You can imagine my desperation!’ She laughed
in her tinkling way as Jacko blushed and looked to the ceiling.
‘And all the time we were imagining you blown away by the
typhoon,’ said Jamie. ‘I don’t mind telling you how relieved we were
when the local MSS chief told us you were in Singapore.’
‘Well, all you sweethearts are together again now,’ said Bing. ‘I
suggest after dinner we go to the Rooftop Club in this hotel for a
nightcap. It will give me a chance to dance with both you beautiful
ladies and you can tell me what you really think of your men.’
‘Si! Yes! That sounds like a very good idea,’ said Carna, clapping
her hands and grinning at Jamie.
‘If you don’t mind, I’ll let you young things go ahead without me
after dinner,’ said Russell. ‘It’s been a long day for an old chap like
me. What about you, Johnny? Are you up to dancing tonight?’

189
 ‘I think I might try to stay the course with these young things,’
said Johnny. ‘For a while anyway. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow
morning, Russell.’
‘Jolly good. We should have lots to talk about. My word, the food
here is delicious.’
As the conversation went on around him, Jacko sighed with
contentment. It was hard to take his eyes off Monique, sitting on his
left. She glanced at him every now and again with a wink and a smile,
which he thought lit up the room. Bing and Harry were at the other
end of the table entertaining everyone by exchanging amusing
anecdotes, and occasionally bringing Sarah to giggles amongst the
general laughter. Sarah was wearing an attractive blue dress which
Monique had found for her in the hotel store.
To his right, sitting on the other side of Carna, Jacko noted that
Jamie was also oblivious to the conversation and had a perpetual
smile on his face. Jamie was only using a fork in his right hand so
that he could hold onto Carna’s hand, as though she might get away.
For her part, she seemed to have no problem using chopsticks in her
left hand. The advantage of a Chinese meal. I’m not sure I ever want
Monique out of my sight again, thought Jacko.
‘You’re not eating anything,’ said Monique, fixing him with her
green eyes. ‘I don’t want mon amour fading to a shadow. I might not
be able to find you.’
‘Yeah, I’m sorry. I was just thinking how beautiful you are.’
‘Oh, tush! Stop that and eat up,’ said Monique. ‘As the
superintendent said, the food is delicious. If I stay here too long, I’ll
get very fat.’
‘That would definitely be hard to imagine,’ said Jacko, picking up
his chopsticks and attempting to follow Carna’s example.
There was a burst of laughter from the other side of the table and
Jacko noted that Henri Rousseau was telling a funny story.
Everyone’s happy, he thought. Me especially!
Later, in the Rooftop Club, they were entertained by the large band
and couples danced around the floor. Bing insisted on dancing with
Carna, leaving Jamie looking forlorn. He then danced with Monique,
followed by Sarah, who came back to the table beaming. Then he

190
excused himself, saying there was a girl across the room he knew, and
soon had her swinging on the dance floor.
‘Does he like to dance so much?’ Johnny asked Duminda.
‘Yes, but it’s not so much the dancing. He knows so many girls
and he doesn’t like to disappoint any of them,’ replied Duminda with
a grin.
‘Have you known him long?’
‘Since we were kids.’
‘He’s one of the most generous and energetic chaps I’ve ever met,’
said Johnny. ‘Does he ever run out of steam?’
‘Not when there are pretty girls around,’ said Duminda. ‘He’s
always been generous and energetic. Can’t help himself. Has to
participate in everything.’
After two more rounds of drinks and a few more rounds of
dancing, they all decided to leave. Jamie and Carna went down to the
ground floor and wished Bing and Duminda goodnight, then went for
a walk before bed.
‘I was really worried for you when I heard about the typhoon,’
said Jamie, as they strolled beside a row of palm trees.
‘I know you were. I’m sorry to cause you so much anguish, mi
corazón,’ she said, looking at him with a cheeky smile.
‘No. No. I didn’t mean it like that,’ he protested. ‘I mean I ...’
I know what you mean, mi amor. I’m teasing you,’ she said,
caressing his cheek. ‘You thought I might be killed by the storm, no?’
‘Yes. I was desolate not knowing what was happening or where
you were.’
‘I know. You are so sweet. I adore you, my dearest of men. Well,
here I am now, all yours in the flesh. Still alive, no?’
‘I love you so much, Carna.’
‘I know, mi amor. Let’s go back to the hotel now and you can
show me how much. Am I a bit wicked? Anyway, it’s starting to
rain.’

****

It was also starting to rain in the jungle. Although largely protected

by the big fronds on the top of his basha, Douglas awoke as several

191
drips fell on his cheek. The nightmare is still with me, he thought
dismally. Pulling the collar of his torn shirt over his face, he fell back
into an exhausted sleep, snoring.
Dirk, who had also woken, mumbled to himself, ‘Listen to that
Englander. He sounds like a damned timber mill.’
With the daylight, his snoring had reduced to a shallow snorting.
Douglas woke slowly, with a dry mouth and a raging thirst. His body
was stiff and sore all over, and his painful joints protested as he tried
to move. My God, I could do with a stiff drink! he thought. I think I’d
rather die than move.
He could hear the bubbling of a stream in the distance. He decided
that his thirst should take priority over his aches and pains. Squirming
backwards with agonising difficulty out of his low shelter, he sat up.
The rain had stopped but the jungle continued to drip. He was wet all
over anyway. Shaking his head and ignoring the pain in his limbs, he
got to his feet after three attempts, bringing smirks to the faces of
several men watching him. He stumbled towards the sound of the
stream, trying desperately to keep his balance. No one tried to restrain
him. Why would they, he thought? There was nowhere to run, even
he could.
On the bank of the stream, he fell to his knees with a grunt and
dipped his hands into the cool water. Greedily cupping water into his
mouth, he hardly noticed the insects which were showing close
interest in the many scratches and bites on his arms and neck. The
water tasted better than he could believe. After drinking his fill and
splashing his face, he felt considerably better, but with his stiff limbs,
he found it hard to stand up again. He despaired that he would
probably be forced to tramp through the jungle like the day before. At
least he wouldn’t start today with a bellyful of whisky.
Staggering back to the camp in the clearing, he saw the others
were eating. A short Malay wordlessly handed him a tin plate with a
hot dish of rice and what looked like tinned meat, which he ate with
his fingers. He was hungry, and beyond caring about the quality of
the cuisine.
He finished his food and was licking his fingers when he saw the
two Dutchmen walk into the clearing. The tall one, Dirk, said to him,
‘Good to see you have recovered from your long walk yesterday,

192
Douglas. We have about another four hours’ walk this morning. Then
we can rest. I’m expecting some more friends who will catch up with
us by this afternoon, ya?’
Douglas looked at him malevolently, unwilling to respond. He was
stiff and sore, his ankles had swelled and he could feel blisters on his
feet, but the news that today’s trek would be over in four hours cut
through his despair. At least there was some limit to the day’s torture.
Finally, he blurted, ‘I’ll walk for four hours if you don’t keep
banging me in the back.’
‘Ya! Ya! Goot. Goot. We leave in a few minutes.’

****

‘You all looked very refreshed this morning,’ said Johnny at the
breakfast table in the hotel dining room. ‘What are your plans today?’
‘I’m going to see if we can book us on a flight from Singapore to
Darwin as soon as possible,’ replied Jamie. ‘I think Harry is keen to
get back to Manila too.’
‘Yeah, that’s true,’ said Harry. ‘I have to find out whether they’ve
been able to open the airport there yet.’
‘What will you be doing today, Johnny?’ asked Jamie.
‘I’ll be meeting with Russell, Algie and others at the Kuala
Lumpur police station at nine o’clock to see if they’ve learnt any
more about the kidnappings, and to discuss strategy,’ said Johnny.
‘No rest for the wicked!’
‘Good luck with that,’ said Jacko. ‘Why do you think they
kidnapped Inspector Douglas and that aide-de-camp fellow?’
‘I’ve been thinking about that half the night,’ said Johnny. ‘Thanks
to you chaps, an attempt at major sabotage was neutralised. The latest
events could be a last desperate reaction to that.’
‘Was that aide-de-camp really the one they meant to kidnap when
they captured you?’ asked Jacko.
‘I believe so,’ agreed Johnny. ‘Must be a handsome chap.’ He
grinned. ‘Now they’ve got him, heaven knows what they’re going to
do with him. Anyway, I’ll leave you kind folks now and find my way
to the police station. They might have more news.’

193
 ‘Yes, good luck, Johnny,’ said Jamie. ‘We’ll see you before we
take off.’
Russell and Algie were already in the inspector’s office at the
Kuala Lumpur police station when Johnny arrived, along with
Detective Sergeant David Devroe, Corporal Amal Singh, Sergeant
Balveer Singh, and two other policemen.
They were all studying a map of KL, with Devroe showing several
points of interest. They looked up when Johnny walked in.
‘You’ll be pleased to know, Johnny, that we’ve traced the Rolls
Royce to somewhere east of a small village, Senawang,’ said Russell.
‘Such a distinctive car was noticed by many people.’
‘Too distinctive to go unnoticed,’ said Johnny. ‘Where is this
small village?’
‘It’s about 40 miles south of here, near the road to Singapore,’ said
Russell. ‘As far as we know, the car proceeded along a rough track
west from there, so a Rolls is unlikely to go too far along that.’
‘I see! So, it looks as though they could be headed into the jungle,’
said Johnny, studying the map. ‘Where would they head for?’
‘There was a lot of Japanese activity in the area near the borders of
Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Johor during the war, and Japanese
encampments remain,’ said Algie. ‘Maybe that’s where they’re
headed.’
‘As our senior member of MI6, Johnny, have you got any thoughts
about why all this is happening?’ asked Russell.
‘Yes. I’ve had some thoughts as to the original motive of these
bandits,’ said Johnny, looking around at the others. ‘I believe the hoo-
ha during the ceremonies in the padang was an attempt to inflict
maximum damage on the troops, in the hopes of triggering a popular
uprising against British rule. I also believe that the leaders in this are
German Nazis, not Dutchmen, and Japanese Kempeitai. They planned
to take over control of Malaya in the ensuing pandemonium.’
‘I agree with you there,’ said Algie.
‘The whole attack collapsed because the bandits who charged from
the north of the padang had had their firing pins thoughtfully removed
by Jacko and Jamie in the caves,’ continued Johnny. ‘The rocket
launchers and snipers, which were meant to inflict maximum damage

194
on the troops lined up in the padang, were neutralised by some
remarkable shooting from our Australian friends.’
‘Yes. It was quite amazing,’ said Russell. ‘The crowds didn’t even
realise that anything like that was happening. They thought it was all
part of the show.’
‘Yes, amazing,’ agreed Johnny.
‘What are your thoughts on the kidnapping of Inspector Douglas
and Colonel Martin?’ asked Algie.
‘Pawns in the game,’ said Johnny. ‘Having shown their hand and
totally failed, they probably think their only chance now is to come to
some settlement with the British governor in return for the release of
the hostages.’
‘But why Colonel Martin?’ asked Algie. ‘Why not someone more
important like the governor or one of the generals?’
‘I think that Martin was the only one leaving the club alone,’
surmised Johnny. ‘Everyone else was accompanied. Martin was the
easiest to kidnap.’
‘So, are you suggesting we wait for them to contact us?’ asked
Russell.
‘Definitely not! I think we’ll have to go into the jungle and get
Douglas and Martin out,’ said Johnny. ‘We’ll need to impose on our
Australian friends again for their tracking skills.’
‘Aren’t they planning to go back to Australia?’ asked Russell.
‘Yes, they are. I’ll have to engage in a little arm-twisting,’ said
Johnny with a tight smile.

195
 CHAPTER 21

Over morning tea at the Majestic Hotel, served from ornate silver
teapots, Henri Rousseau was talking about a church service he and the
girls had recently attended in Cebu. ‘We went to the Metropolitan
Cathedral last Sunday. We expected it would be a normal mass, but
when a large chorus of girls and boys sang the hymn “Amazing
Grace” so beautifully, I was quite overcome. The most incredible
voices!’
‘Yeah. I can believe that,’ said Jacko. ‘When we there before,
someone told us it’s hard to find a Filipino who sings out of tune.’
Harry chuckled and said, ‘What he says is true.’
Henri laughed. ‘You might be right there. Ah! Here comes Jamie
now.’
Jamie sat down and said, ‘I’ve booked us on a Qantas flight from
Singapore to Darwin. Leaves at midday tomorrow.’
‘I think we’ll all be glad to get home,’ said Carna, winking at
Jamie.
‘Me too, Ka Na,’ said Sarah, beaming.
‘I’m sure Algie will be able to organise a car for us this afternoon
or early in the morning,’ said Jamie. ‘I imagine Harry will want to get
back to the Philippines as soon as possible.’
‘Yeah. If they’ve finally cleared the runway in Manila,’ said
Harry.
They heard a voice greeting them from across the room. Tunku
Shahabing strolled towards them with his usual broad smile. ‘Do you
mind if I join you?’
‘Not at all, Bing,’ said Jamie. ‘Good to see you. Let me get you a
cup of tea.’
‘Did I hear you need a car?’ Bing asked.
‘We don’t want to take any more advantage of your generosity,
Bing,’ said Jamie, ‘Algie can organise one for us.’

196
 ‘Are you leaving?’ enquired Bing, looking puzzled.
‘Yes. We’re flying out of Singapore to Darwin tomorrow,’ said
Jacko.
‘Ah, tomorrow,’ said Bing. ‘Then we still have another night here
for eating, drinking and dancing. That’s good! My car will be ready
early in the morning.’
‘You are too kind,’ said Jamie. ‘Ah! Johnny is back from his
strategy meeting.’
They all looked up to see Johnny striding towards them, a serious
expression on his face.
Jamie stood up. ‘Hi, Johnny. Join us for tea. We’ll get another
pot.’
‘Yes, thanks. A cup of tea would go down well. Hello all,’ Johnny
said, bringing over a chair from another table.
‘How did your meeting go?’ asked Jamie. ‘Were you able to find
out any more about the kidnappings?’
‘Yes, quite a bit. The route taken by the Rolls Royce was
relatively easy to trace,’ said Johnny. ‘It seems the inspector and
Colonel Martin have been taken into the jungle south of here.’
‘Will you be able to find them?’ asked Jamie.
‘I expect so, eventually,’ said Johnny, fixing his gaze on Jacko.
‘But we’ll need some really good trackers over the next week or so.’
‘Ha, ha! Don’t tell me you need us to stay to help you, Johnny,’
said Jacko. ‘We’re booked to fly back to Darwin tomorrow.’
‘Yes. I’m sorry, old man, but we definitely need your skills. Your
sister’s too, if that’s possible,’ said Johnny.
‘What do you think, Cap?’ Jacko said, looking at Jamie.
‘I think we might have to stay and help,’ said Jamie.
‘I think so too,’ said Jacko. ‘Where in the jungle do you think
they’ve gone?’
‘We think they’re headed towards an area just north of the Johor
border,’ Johnny explained. ‘There’s a small village south of KL,
Senawang, along the road to Singapore. About sixty or seventy miles
east of the village were a number of Japanese encampments during
the war. We think that’s where they’re going.’
‘Sixty or seventy miles is a long way to walk in that jungle,’ said
Jamie.

197
 ‘We may be able to drive part of that distance,’ said Johnny. ‘The
police have reported there are some tyre tracks heading east from
Senawang. I’m not sure how far.’
‘How many bandits do you estimate are involved?’ asked Jamie.
‘We’re not sure. Could be quite a few,’ Johnny said thoughtfully.
‘Up to fifty or so.’
‘Won’t be a problem following their tracks then,’ said Jacko.
‘No, it shouldn’t, but I suspect they’ll set up ambushes along the
way,’ said Johnny. ‘We need the skill to be able to detect or predict
where they might be.’
‘That shouldn’t be too hard, eh Sar?’ said Jacko, winking at Sarah
who nodded and giggled.
‘So, are you planning to stay in Malaya now for a while?’ asked
Carna, disappointed.
‘Yes. Sorry, Carna, it looks like we should,’ said Jamie. ‘They
need us here for a little bit longer, it seems.’
‘So, it will only be Carna, Monique and myself who will be on that
aeroplane tomorrow,’ said Henri with an exaggerated shrug of his
shoulders and his arms widespread.
‘I’m not leaving!’ said Carna, her dark eyes flashing with
determination. ‘I shall not leave here without Jamie.’
‘I ... er ... the jungle is ...’ Jamie struggled to find the words.
‘I know I would be a burden in the jungle,’ said Carna. ‘I’ll stay
here in Kuala Lumpur. I shall not leave without you.’
‘Well, just me and Monique,’ said Henri with resignation.
‘Sorry, Father. I’m staying here too,’ said Monique, fixing her
eyes on her father. ‘I don’t want to go back to Australia without
Jacko. I’ll stay with Carna.’
Henri shook his head slowly and turning to Harry said, ‘I never
win an argument with her mother, and I’m not going to argue with
my daughter either. It looks like you and I will be the only ones
needing a car tomorrow morning to Singapore.’
‘Yeah! We’ll leave all the action to these young folk,’ agreed
Harry.
‘You understand, Father?’ said Monique.

198
 ‘Oui. Je comprends, ma chérie,’ he replied, smiling at her. ‘Jeune
amour!’ he sighed, raising his eyes to the ceiling and shrugging his
shoulders.
Bing, who had watched the discussion with an amused grin, said,
‘My car will be ready for you early tomorrow morning, Monsieur
Rousseau.’ Then turning to Jamie he said, ‘I am coming with you into
the jungle.’
‘It’s pretty rough going in that jungle,’ said Jacko.
‘That’s fine with me,’ said Bing. ‘I want to come along. It will be
an adventure!’
‘Glad to have you along, Bing,’ said Jamie. ‘You’ll probably
outlast us all.’
‘What should I wear?’ asked Bing.
‘If you’ve got denim shirts and trousers, that’s the best,’ said
Jacko. ‘The barbed and saw-toothed foliage just rips ordinary cotton
to rags. Good boots too.’
‘Thanks. It looks like I’ve got some shopping to do,’ said Bing.
‘We’ll each need knapsacks as well to carry food, water, torches,
and other items,’ said Jamie. ‘Some of us will also carry firearms.’
‘I’ve got a very good rifle,’ said Bing. ‘I sometimes go wild boar
hunting.’
‘There’ll be a few wild boars amongst those bandits, I reckon,’
Jacko chuckled. ‘I think you’ll be just the ticket, Bing.’
Bing laughed and repeated, ‘Just the ticket! That’s me. Just the
ticket.’
‘We all have things to do to get ready today,’ said Johnny. ‘I’m
glad you chaps are going to help us again. We’ll start out early
tomorrow morning. I’ll go and see Lieutenant Colonel Peter Henson
of the Gurkha battalion this morning. He’s recovering well from his
wounds after the battle in the Straits Trading building. I’m going to
ask him to lend us up to ten of his best men to go with us into the
jungle.’
‘They’d be good,’ said Jacko.
‘Just the ticket,’ said Bing.
‘Once we get as far up the trail by car as we can, you and Sarah
will be the ones in the lead to guide us, Jacko,’ said Johnny.
‘Yeah, no problems there,’ agreed Jacko.

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 Bing laughed, ‘Just the ticket!’
Sarah added her higher-pitched laugh. ‘Aye yu! Just the ticket!’

****

‘Oh God. Oh God. Oh God,’ Douglas mumbled to himself as he

staggered along the trail, always aware of the tall blond man behind
him. Douglas’s shirt was reduced to tatters, sweat was running down
his back and into his eyes, his muscles were shrieking for him to stop,
and after wading through a number of swamps, he could feel leeches
moving around his blistered feet and ankles in his boots.
He thought of his wife back in Kuala Lumpur. If he lived through
this ordeal, he would never complain about her cooking and her
nagging again. But no one had a clue where he was. Maybe, he
wondered, they had taken him for ransom. How much would they ask
for his release? Anyway, this march through the jungle would
probably kill him long before any ransom was paid.
In the cloying heat, he had lost all track of time. Dirk had told him
they would walk for four hours, but it felt as if they had already gone
three times further than that. Perhaps it would never end. They could
be staggering along this trail forever and ever. ‘Oh God. Oh God. Oh
God.’
After what seemed to him like a few more hours, they walked out
of a swamp up a low rise to a dry area in the jungle. He could see a
small spring flowing into the swamp they had just left. Dirk patted
him on the shoulder and said, ‘Here we are, Robert. We can rest here.
I told you it would only take four hours.’
Douglas nearly lost his balance as he made his way to a fallen log
and gingerly sat down. Good grief, everything ached. Four hours!
Couldn’t be.
Dirk stood in front of him and held out a lit cigarette. ‘Take off
your boots, Robert. You can use this to burn off any leeches. Then
you feel better, ya?’
I’ll never feel bloody better, thought Robert, taking the cigarette
and putting it in his mouth. He inhaled smoke into his lungs, then
slowly removed his sodden, mud-caked boots and started coughing.

200
He heard Dirk and the others sniggering at him, but he no longer
cared.
He peeled off his socks, which were crawling with leeches, and
found several of the wriggling worm-like creatures attached to the
skin under the socks. Ignoring the other men, he became fascinated at
how easily he could remove the leeches by touching them with the
lighted end of the cigarette. I’m going balmy, he thought. Shaking out
his wet socks, he put them back on. Ugh! The smell! Unbelievable!
His boots were more difficult to put back on, even after scraping
some of the mud off with a stick. They were wet through and
seemingly out of shape. After some struggle, he managed to get them
back on his feet and then looked around at the others who had all
been observing him with mild amusement. Damn them all!
One of the Malays approached him with a cup and said, ‘Water,
Tuan?’
‘Thank you. Terima kasih,’ he said, drawing on his few words of
Malay. The water helped quench his thirst, but he was still extremely
uncomfortable. Dirk appeared from behind some trees and told him
they would be camping here for the night, so there would be no more
walking that day. ‘You can have a long rest, Robert my friend. We
are waiting for some people to catch up with us.’
‘What’s the time?’ Douglas asked, his voice croaky.
‘It will soon be midday, Robert. After that we have lunch. Goot,
ya?’
‘Good? No! No!’ He saw Dirk smirking at him as he walked away.
He decided to stay as still as possible. Sharp pains went through him
every time he moved. He could hear the high-pitched screeches of
birds or monkeys swooping and flitting around in the jungle cover
overhead. A variety of insects explored his exposed skin. I’m going to
die, I know it.
After eating yet another lunch of rice and meat with his fingers,
Douglas went in search of a soft place to lie down. One of the Malays
led him to a small glade where a thick mantle of leaves covered the
ground. He gratefully and slowly sank to his knees, lay down at full
stretch and dropped off to sleep.
He awoke in the late afternoon to a distant bellow. There was a lot
of movement around him. Unwilling to move his stiff neck, out of the

201
corner of his eye he saw a few men running past him. What could it
mean? Rescue? He hardly dared to hope. All his limbs were stiff, he
was still covered in sweat and he badly wanted to urinate. Heavens! If
I excrete any more liquid, I won’t have anything left, he thought.
With a sizable physical effort, spurred on by the need to piddle, he
stirred himself, ignoring the pains throughout his body. Regaining his
feet with the help of a nearby tree, he looked around. There were still
sounds of shouting, but they had receded down the trail to the west.
After relieving himself behind some bushes, he peered around
furtively. What should he do if there were rescuers down the trail?
Should he hide until all the shooting was over? His body told him to
lie down again, but he decided to lean up against the tree next to his
bed of leaves and observe whatever was about to happen.
The sounds of voices drew ever closer. Puzzled, he realised they
were not the sounds of conflict but rather light-hearted discussion and
some laughter. Hopes of rescue quickly faded back to despair. As the
men came into his view, he saw amongst them a figure dressed in a
filthy white uniform unbuttoned at the front, with a black and gold
collar and medals hanging in disarray on the left side of his chest. He
couldn’t believe his eyes. Who was this? More a scarecrow than a
representative of British authority, for that is what Douglas assumed
him to be. Dirk walked behind the bedraggled figure and when he
looked up and saw Douglas forlornly leaning against the tree, he
strode over to him.
‘We have a friend for you, Robert,’ he said with a contemptuous
smirk. ‘Do you know the Right Honourable Colonel Samuel Martin?’
Douglas shook his head, staring at the uniformed man who was
now standing still on the trail opposite him, gazing back at him
without expression.
‘I thought you might know him,’ said Dirk, chuckling without
humour. ‘He is the aide-de-camp to the new governor-general of the
Malayan Union. You can become good friends over the next few
weeks, ya?’
Douglas did not reply, but he could not take his eyes off the man
in the soiled uniform whose eyes blazed hatred and bitterness. He
looked more of a caricature than a real person. One of the men
offered him a cup of water, which he threw to the ground.

202
 ‘You’ll all be shot for this,’ croaked Martin. ‘Every one of you.
Shot!’
‘Ya, ya. You have told us this before,’ said Dirk, looking at Boon
who was standing nearby. ‘Take him over to the stream and let him
get his own drink of water. It might wash some of the bile out of him,
ya?’

****

‘I must say that the cuisine in this Chinese restaurant is délectable,

délicieux. That means a lot coming from a Frenchman,’ said Henri
Rousseau, raising his glass of wine. ‘I would like to propose a toast to
wish you success for your mission tomorrow. Bonne chance!’
‘These people make their own luck, Henri,’ said Harry. ‘I’ve seen
them in action. But here’s to you guys, anyway. Squash those
bandits!’
They were all seated at the large round table on the second floor of
the Majestic Hotel as before. Henri, Harry, Johnny, Algie, Russell,
Bing, Duminda, Jamie, Carna, Jacko, and Monique, all with glasses
of wine in their hands, and Sarah who was drinking her orange juice
from a wine glass.
‘I’ve managed to buy all the right clothes and stuff today, so I’ll be
able to see these fellows in action, as you say, Harry,’ said Bing. He
then asked Duminda, ‘Are you sure you don’t want to come along?’
‘No, no! I’ll leave all that gung-ho stuff to you,’ said Duminda.
‘I’ll help hold the fort back here with Algie and Russell.’
‘We’ve had some good news,’ said Johnny, catching everyone’s
attention. ‘Some of Russell’s police explored the track from
Senawang this afternoon. They found that it’s possible to drive about
twenty-five miles before taking to foot.’
‘That’ll save a bit of boot leather,’ Jacko chuckled.
‘Not only that. They found the Rolls Royce,’ said Johnny.
‘The Rolls Royce? Where?’ asked Jamie.
‘Hidden in the jungle near the start of the foot trail,’ Johnny
replied. ‘They found a van and two other vehicles as well. All
covered up in jungle fronds and leaves. No keys, but Russell’s men
can hot-wire them and have them back in KL tonight.’

203
 ‘How many of us will be going?’ asked Jamie. ‘Did you talk to
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Henson about borrowing some of his
Gurkhas?’
‘Yes. I saw Peter this afternoon,’ replied Johnny. ‘He’s sending his
own staff sergeant, Ganju Gurung, with another seven hand-picked
men from the Gurkha Regiment. He said that Sergeant Gurung is his
best fighter.’
‘Ah! That’s what we need for sure,’ said Jamie.
‘Yes. So, there’ll be thirteen of us: me, Jamie, Jacko, Sarah, Bing,
and eight Gurkhas,’ said Johnny.
‘My lucky number,’ said Bing.
‘Unlucky number for the bandits,’ said Jacko.
‘The Gurkhas will meet us at Senawang village first thing in the
morning,’ said Russell. ‘My chaps will drive you all as far as possible
up the trail and leave you there. After that, you’re on your own.
Johnny has a radio, but I don’t know what reception he’ll get in the
jungle.’
‘Buckley’s and none, probably,’ said Jacko.
‘Yes, quite,’ said Russell. ‘There’ll be plenty of firearms to choose
from if you don’t have any of your own.’
‘Any questions?’ asked Johnny.
‘Si! Yes! I have a question,’ replied Carna, her dark eyes flashing
dangerously. ‘With thirteen men, you will be taking on more than
fifty armed bandits. I can’t believe it! How can you talk about such a
thing so casually?’
‘Don’t worry, Carna,’ said Jacko, grinning. ‘We’re not going to
fight them. If we work it properly, they won’t even know we’re there.
Or if they do, they won’t see us.’
‘Bueno,’ she muttered. ‘I am relying on you, Jacko. Bring him
back to me.’
‘Don’t worry about a thing, Princess. I will,’ said Jacko.
‘You better bring yourself back, Jacko, or I’ll ... I’ll ... I don’t
know what I’ll do,’ said Monique tearfully, shaking her head.
‘You won’t get rid of me so easily, Monique. I’ll be back before
you know it,’ said Jacko, laughing to lighten the mood.
‘And little Sarah, your sister? You are taking her with you, n’est-
ce pas?’ inquired Monique.

204
 ‘Yeah. When Sarah hits the bush, she’s the best hand we’ve got.’
‘Aye, yu! Bikpela brother. You full of it,’ said Sarah.
‘Your English is perfect now, sis,’ said Jacko, as everyone
laughed.
‘What about me? Is anyone worried about me?’ asked Bing.
‘We are all worried about you, Bing,’ said Carna. ‘We can’t afford
to lose such a good dancer of the tango.’
‘Well, just in case, after dinner we can all go to the Rooftop Club
to have my last dances,’ he said, beaming.
‘I think we should all get an early night tonight, Bing,’ said Jamie.
‘It’s a long hard slog through that jungle. We’ll need all our strength.’
‘Okay. But I shall claim dances with these beautiful ladies when
we return,’ said Bing with mock solemnity.
‘We won’t disappoint you, as long as you bring Jamie and Jacko
back with you,’ said Carna.
‘I promise,’ said Bing.
‘Well, that’s all settled,’ said Jacko. ‘Tuck into the rest of this
cuisine and then off to bed.’
‘Oo, là! Cuisine? Your French is perfect now, Jacko,’ Monique
laughed.
‘Cuisine!’ said Bing. ‘Just the ticket!’
Sarah giggled. ‘Aye yu! Just the ticket.’

205
 CHAPTER 22

The inhabitants of the small village of Senawang had never

experienced so much activity as had occurred over the past few days.
Not even during the war. In the early morning light, the curious locals
peered out of the windows and doors of their huts and dwellings at
this new group of strangers. These ones included some white men, a
small black girl and several soldiers wearing black berets with
insignias showing crossed knives under a crown. Quite different from
the motley groups of the previous days. Would they also head up the
track towards the jungle? Ramai lelaki, many men, in the jungle!
The group had arrived in jeeps and police cars and were now
gathered just to the east of the village, talking amongst themselves.
The villagers had never seen so many cars. They would have a lot to
tell their friends in other villages.
Sergeant Ganju Gurung introduced his men, all looking neat and
confident, to Johnny and the others who would accompany them.
‘We’ll be driving you all as far as we can go on this track and drop
you off there,’ Superintendent Fairweather was saying. ‘If Colonel
Cook can’t contact us by radio, after five days we’ll have at least one
police car waiting here all the time until you reappear, hopefully with
Martin and Douglas.’
‘Thanks, Russell,’ said Johnny. ‘We’ve got a long walk ahead. I
can’t see us getting back here before five days.’
‘Quite!’ agreed Russell.
Speaking directly to Sergeant Gurung, Johnny said, ‘When we
take off on foot, Sergeant, Jacko and his sister Sarah will take the
lead. They are experienced trackers. The rest of us will follow them
as support. We’ll only use our firearms if attacked. I would like us to
be on a first names basis during this operation. What shall I call you?’
‘Ganju, Colonel.’

206
 ‘From now on you can call me Johnny. You have a fine group of
men, Ganju.’
‘Thank you, sir ... er ... Johnny.’
‘Okay. Let’s be about it then. Mount up and we’ll get this show on
the road,’ Johnny said loudly, heading towards one of the police cars.
The convoy drove slowly along the tyre tracks, which were wet in
parts and generally rough, but there was no difficulty negotiating the
flat terrain. It took nearly an hour to cover the distance to the location
where the Rolls Royce and the other vehicles had been found. It was
obvious that the jungle thickened there and the cars could not proceed
beyond that point.
As everyone alighted from the cars, Bing could be heard laughing
and joking with some of the Gurkhas. At the same time, there were
distinct clicks as rifles were checked and many eyes studied the
narrow path into the jungle.
‘This will be very easy to follow, Cap,’ said Jacko to Jamie.
‘Looks like many, many men have been on this track recently.’
‘How many d’you reckon, Jacko?’ asked Jamie.
‘I reckon fifty or so wouldn’t be far off the mark, Cap.’
Bing walked up to Jamie and said, ‘Well, we’ve got fifteen men
now. That is nobody’s unlucky number. I’ve brought along two of my
servants to carry extra food and do the cooking.’
‘That’s fine, Bing,’ said Jamie. ‘If there’s any trouble, tell them to
stay back.’
‘They will. No worry,’ agreed Bing. Then he asked, ‘What is
Sarah doing?’
Sarah was searching carefully through the jungle growth with an
intent look on her face. Like the others, she was dressed in denim
shirt, trousers and boots and with her hair stuffed into a cap, she
looked like a small boy. After a short while, she called triumphantly,
‘Aye yu! Leech stuff. Leech stuff.’
Jacko went over to her and she explained that she had found a
plant which was effective for discouraging leeches in the jungle.
‘How do you know this, Sar?’ asked Jacko.
‘Him Temiar chief. Him show me plant. Works good,’ she said,
taking off her boots and rubbing her feet and ankles with the oily
leaves of the plant.

207
 Jacko pulled more leaves from the bush and showed it to the
others. ‘Sarah made good friends with the Temiar, the local
aborigines, near where Johnny was kidnapped. They reckon this plant
will keep the leeches off. I believe it. Plenty of leaves on that bush. I
suggest you all do what Sarah is doing. There are lots of leeches in
that jungle.’
Soon there were men everywhere sitting on the ground rubbing
their feet and ankles with the leaves, much to the amusement of the
police drivers. After putting their boots back on, they hoisted their
backpacks and rifles and headed towards the start of the track where
Sarah and Jacko stood waiting for them. Within a few minutes, the
jungle swallowed them up. The sound of Bing’s infectious laughter
briefly echoed through the trees.
The darkness under the jungle canopy was in stark contrast to the
bright sunlight. It was also slightly cooler, but the humidity was
stifling. As Jamie’s eyes became accustomed to the dim light, he
could see the trail ahead with ease. The track had been recently
trampled by a multitude of boots, just as Jacko had pointed out.
Walking along behind Jacko, Sarah and some of the others, Jamie
thought of his farewell with Carna. She had reiterated her determined
statement from the evening before. ‘I shall not leave without you!’ As
he was about to leave, tears had sprung to her dark eyes and she had
rushed into his arms again as though never to let him go. When she
did release him, she told him that if he did not keep safe she would be
angry with him. ‘Come back to me,’ she’d said. What did I do to
deserve such a beautiful and wonderful wife, he mused. He thought
he could still hear her words in the rustling of jungle leaves. I shall
not leave without you! Come back to me!
At the same time, he had been aware of Jacko and Monique
bidding each other a teary farewell. As he looked ahead at Jacko’s
back, he wondered whether his mind was as consumed as his own. He
doubted it. Jacko was always totally focused in situations like this,
where a trail had to be followed, or an ambush was a distinct
possibility.
His thoughts were interrupted by Bing who was walking next to
him. ‘This is easy so far,’ he said. ‘I thought it would be a lot harder.’

208
 ‘There’s a long way to go yet, Bing,’ said Jamie. ‘We might have
to wade through a few swamps. Try to avoid those large fronds on the
side of the track. They’ve got some sharp hooks and barbs.’
‘Yes, I’ve already tangled with one of those,’ said Bing.
‘Otherwise I’m enjoying this. It’s quite an adventure.’
Jamie noticed Bing’s rifle, which had a long barrel and large
scope-sight.
‘That looks like a good bit of heavy artillery you’ve got there,
Bing,’ he said.
‘Yes. It’s American. A Springfield M1903A4. I’ve shot a few wild
boars with it. Someone else usually carries it when I go hunting.’
‘Well, we might run into the odd wild boar down the track,’ said
Jamie.
‘I’ve never shot any humans with it,’ said Bing, suddenly serious.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Jamie. ‘I’m sure you won’t have to.’
‘Good! That’s the ticket,’ said Bing, brightening up.
As the day progressed, the humidity became more oppressive and
the going got harder. They were often slowed by swampy areas and
difficult terrain. Muscles began to strain under the weight of packs,
and rifles with straps cut into the men’s sweaty shoulders. The saw-
toothed fronds and razor grass tore at their exposed skin. On the
positive side, no one complained of leeches working their way into
their boots. Sarah’s repellent, courtesy of the Temiar chief, seemed to
be working.
Because of the rough conditions, they stopped to rest every two
hours. By late afternoon, Jamie estimated they had covered about
twenty-five miles from the drop-off point and thought they should
look for some higher dry ground, preferably near a stream, to camp
for the night.
Jacko was now in the lead. He suddenly stopped and held up his
hand, walking back to the others with Sarah.
‘What’s up, Jacko?’ asked Jamie.
‘Dunno, Cap.’ Jacko looked puzzled. ‘I thought I saw something
way up in one of the trees ahead. Sarah reckons she saw it too. It was
just a slight metallic flash reflecting the western sun. Unless there’s a
bit of metal or glass growing up in that tree, there might be a sniper
waiting for us.’

209
 ‘How far up the tree, Jacko?’
‘Long way up,’ said Jacko. ‘I think I might have a shot at where I
saw the flash. However, if the bandits are nearby it might alert them.’
‘I think the bandits will be a long way ahead of us,’ said Johnny.
‘It’s probably another twenty-five miles before we get to the border
of Pahang.’
‘Okay, I’ll creep forward and have a shot at whatever it is,’ said
Jacko.
‘Why don’t you borrow Bing’s rifle?’ said Jamie. ‘He’s got a real
sniper’s rifle, scope and all.’
‘Yes! Yes, here! Borrow my rifle,’ said Bing. ‘Very accurate.’
‘Yeah, this looks like it might be just the ticket, Bing,’ said Jacko,
weighing the rifle in his hand and chuckling.
‘Yes, just the ticket,’ said Bing, beaming.
‘Just the ticket,’ repeated Sarah.
‘I’ll come with you, Jacko,’ said Jamie.
‘Okay, Cap. But we’ll have to do a bit of crawling with our heads
down.’
The two walked for a short distance up the trail and then wriggled
slowly and quietly on their stomachs until Jacko held up his hand. He
carefully lifted the Springfield sniper rifle and adjusted his eye to the
scope.
Studying the foliage for a few minutes, he then whispered to
Jamie, ‘I can’t see that metallic flash any more, but I can see the
leaves where it came from, Cap.’
‘Are you sure there was something there?’ asked Jamie.
‘Certain, Cap,’ said Jacko quietly. ‘I reckon someone’s up that tree
with a rifle. I’ll take a shot to see if I’m right.’
‘Okay. Go ahead. Couldn’t do any harm,’ whispered Jamie.
Jacko focused carefully on the upper part of the foliage where he
was sure the reflection had come from, and slowly squeezed the
trigger. The shot echoed around the jungle, which came alive with
loud angry screeches from birds and monkeys.
Jacko held his breath, but nothing happened up in the tree.
‘I might have been wrong, Cap. The bullet certainly hit something
solid but it might have been a tree trunk,’ said Jacko, rising to his
feet.

210
 ‘Yes. Well, we’ll go back to the others and give Bing his rifle
back,’ said Jamie.
They had just set off back down the track when they were stopped
by Sergeant Ganju Gurung, who had been watching them from close
by. With his eyes wide and a startled expression on his face, he
pointed past them towards the top of the large tree. They heard a
sound like ripping paper, and quickly turning around saw something
large drop out of the tree to the ground with a loud thud.
‘Good shooting,’ said Ganju.
‘I thought I’d hit something,’ said Jacko with a smile. ‘Musta been
someone.’
Jamie, Jacko and Ganju rushed over to the base of the tree and
inspected the body lying there. It was camouflaged with foliage tied
into its clothes and lay beside two rifles, both with scopes.
‘Arisaka rifles,’ said Ganju. ‘Japanese snipers often used them
from trees during the war. I didn’t see anything in that tree. How did
you know, Jacko.’
‘I just noticed a brief glint of metal or glass and thought it was
odd, Ganju.’ Jacko shrugged his shoulders. ‘I remembered where it
came from. Using Bing’s telescopic sight, it was easy to focus on.’
‘Glad you’ve got a good memory,’ said Jamie. ‘We’d better go
carefully from here on. There might be more surprises.’
‘No worries, Cap.’
Sarah passed them and after a brief glance at the corpse, continued
further along the trail with her hands held behind her ears. She turned
back to them, pointed up the trail and shouted, ‘Jacko! Jacko! Wara
noise.’
‘Water, sis. Water!’ Jacko shouted back.
Sarah laughed and said, ‘Water noise, bikpela brother.’
‘Sarah reckons there’s a spring up ahead,’ explained Jacko.
‘Great. We’ll drag this corpse off the trail and leave a couple of
men to bury it,’ said Johnny who had just joined them. ‘Then we’ll go
and have a look.’
Sure enough, 100 yards up the trail they found a small stream,
with evidence the area had recently been used as a camp site. A
number of small bashas comprising wide fronds and bamboo had

211
been constructed around a clearing, and ashes from a fire surrounded
by stones were evident.
‘It’ll be dusk in a short while,’ said Johnny. ‘This is an excellent
place to camp for the night. The bandits have even set up bashas for
us all.’
‘Just the ticket,’ said Bing. ‘I’ll get my cooks on the job.’
‘Perfect,’ said Jamie. ‘We’d better arrange some pickets to keep
watch, Johnny. We don’t need any ugly surprises.’
‘I’ll work that out with Ganju,’ said Johnny.

****

Again, they seemed to have been marching onwards, ever onwards,

for an eternity. Through sweat-filled eyes, Douglas watched the two
figures ahead of him, the staggering tall thin man in the filthy tattered
white uniform, and the blond Dutchman behind him who was
constantly prodding him in the back with a rifle butt. Rather him than
me, thought Douglas, surprised that he seemed to be faring much
better than Colonel Martin. He had already tightened his belt two
notches and was feeling fitter than he had a few days previously.
They were allowed to rest every few hours; however, it seemed no
sooner had they stopped than they were off again, straining muscles
and sweating in the airless humidity. Martin often cursed and swore
loudly, threatening his captors with all sorts of dire consequences, and
grunting whenever Dirk butted him with his rifle. As they tramped
on, despite their torturous trek, Douglas felt some small relief as they
seemed to be on higher ground now and there were fewer marshes to
wade through.
Late in the afternoon, the ordeal had affected everyone and
progress became painfully slow. Fritzi, who had been in the lead,
walked back to inform Dirk that there was a suitable place to make
camp ahead.
Dirk nodded and spoke to his prisoners. ‘No more walking today.
You can rest now. We stay here tonight, ya?’
Martin looked at him with an expression of pure hatred. ‘You will
all be shot for this. Every one of you.’

212
 Dirk smiled, but it was not reflected in his eyes. He said, ‘Ya, ya.
You already told us this thing.’
‘Even now, the army is probably well and truly on the trail,’
barked Martin, his face reddening.
‘Ya? Well, they might have a few nasty surprises in store for
them,’ said Dirk with a mirthless laugh as he turned and strode away.
Martin looked around himself and his eyes finally rested on
Douglas. ‘So, are you also a prisoner? Who the hell are you?’
‘I’m Inspector Douglas of the Kuala Lumpur police force,’ said
Douglas, taken aback by the hostility of the question.
‘So, what are the police going to do about this outrage?’ demanded
Martin.
‘I doubt that anyone even knows where we are,’ replied Douglas.
‘So, you’re not going to be much help, are you?’ returned Martin.
‘I don’t think swearing at our captors is going to help much
either,’ said Douglas.
‘Well! I think your opinion is worth even less,’ said Martin.
Nearly losing his balance on turning, he walked falteringly over to a
fallen log and sat down, staring up at the jungle canopy.
Douglas caught sight of Boon, who had been watching the
exchange between the two with amusement, and decided to avoid his
fellow prisoner as much as possible. Self-important snob!
He slowly walked further up the trail past several men who were
preparing individual bashas, and looked for a place to lie down. One
of the Malays smiled shyly at him and handed him a tin water bottle.
He pointed to a small bed of leaves close to the stream. ‘I make basha
for you, Tuan,’ he said.
He thanked the Malay using his limited vocabulary of local words
and lay on his back on the leaves, listening to the sounds of the jungle
which was never entirely silent. He was getting used to it now. The
background buzzing of insects, broken by the occasional loud
screeching of birds or monkeys and the distant snorting of wild
animals. He thought of Martin’s question. ‘What are the police going
to do?’
How would anyone even know where he was? His only hope was
to try to survive, even if it meant pretending to be chummy with the
evil Dirk and his sidekick, Fritzi.

213
 He drifted off to sleep but after what seemed only minutes, he was
awoken and told that dinner was ready. He got painfully to his feet
and went over to where the food was being served on the usual tin
plates. Same food. Tinned meat and rice.
As he ate with his fingers, he looked around and was relieved that
Colonel Martin was not present. He wondered how many of his
captors there were. Must be fifty or sixty or more. They were
everywhere, sitting, lying, standing, all concentrating on their food.
If the police or the army were really on their trail, what did Dirk
mean by nasty surprises? He doubted that anyone was on their trail.
Martin’s bluster was pure bravado without substance. No one knew
where they were. It would be a hell of a battle if any army units
actually did catch them up. The men around him, he could see, were
armed to the teeth.
His thoughts were interrupted by Dirk, who appeared beside him.
‘You are looking much fitter today, Robert,’ he said. ‘Good exercise,
no whisky. It agrees with you, ya? You like our food?’
‘I’ve tasted better,’ replied Douglas.
‘Tomorrow after another three hours we arrive at our main camp,’
said Dirk. ‘Better food there, but still no whisky.’ He chuckled.
‘Your main camp? Here in the jungle?’ said Douglas, raising his
eyebrows.
‘Ya. Here in the jungle. Hidden huts amongst the trees,’ said Dirk.
‘The Japanese used it as a major base camp during the war. No one
can find us there. We’ll arrive before lunch tomorrow.’
‘And then? What will you do with me?’ asked Douglas.
‘Do with you? I do nothing with you,’ said Dirk with a humourless
smirk. ‘You shall be my honoured guest for a few more days.’
‘Then?’
‘Then, we’ll see.’
‘What about Colonel Martin?’ asked Douglas.
‘Ah! Ya! A most objectionable man,’ Dirk chuckled. ‘I think the
British governor will be very eager for his return, ya?’
‘So, you will be holding him for ransom or something like that?’
asked Douglas.

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 ‘Ya, something like that,’ said Dirk, his thin smile humourless.
‘Maybe the Superintendent Fairweather is also eager for your return,
Robert.’
Dirk left him standing there trying to make sense of what he had
just heard. As far as he could tell, Martin and he were to be pawns in
some sort of bargaining game. He was not sure what had eventuated
during the recent Malayan Union celebrations, but reading between
the lines he surmised that some attempt by Dirk and his men at
sabotage had probably failed and his kidnapping was the result of
that. What they had tried to achieve in the first place was beyond him.
He was sure, however, that he was in a very dangerous situation and
had no way of extricating himself.
When he returned to his bed of leaves, he found that a low basha
of large fronds and bamboo had been erected for him. Crawling into
the basha, he lay down. Exhausted from the day’s long slog, although
all his muscles ached, he soon fell asleep. Not even the late-night
onset of the shrill chorus of crickets, cicadas and frogs disturbed his
snoring.

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 CHAPTER 23

Thirty miles to the west of the bandits’ temporary camp, the men in
pursuit of them were also undisturbed by the shrill stereophonic
chorus of crickets, cicadas and frogs. It was when the chorus
suddenly and inexplicably stopped before sunup that Jamie woke. He
realised he had been dreaming of Carna waiting for him in Kuala
Lumpur. I shall not leave without you. He smiled as he crawled out of
his basha.
Jacko was also instantly awake with the sudden cessation of the
night chorus. It was as though an orchestral conductor had waved a
baton for the end of a concerto. He rose from his bed of leaves and
saw in the dim pre-dawn light that Jamie and Sarah were also walking
around in the semi-darkness. Most of the others were still asleep,
although Jacko could hear one or two of them stirring.
‘I’ll light a fire and then get Bing’s cooks on the job for breakfast,
Cap,’ he whispered to Jamie. ‘We might as well get an early start.’
Sarah had already started collecting wood for the fire and was
soon joined by Jacko and Jamie. Within minutes, they had a roaring
fire which would burn down quickly to embers suitable for cooking.
After Jacko had roused the two Malay cooks and set them to work,
the rest of the group started to wake, enticed by the smell of open-fire
cooking. Jamie and Jacko were surprised to see the cooks produce
eggs and strips of beef, which they fried in two flat pans.
Bing walked up to the fire, wiping the sleep from his eyes. After
talking to his cooks, he turned to Jacko and said, ‘See how good my
boys are at cooking?’
‘Yeah, that’s great, Bing,’ said Jacko with appreciation. ‘I was
expecting tinned food. Your boys are very good cooks.’
Bing laughed and said, ‘Just the ticket, eh?’
‘Yeah, Bing. Just the ticket!’

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 It was already daylight by the time they had all eaten and the fire
was doused. Sarah disappeared for a while and returned with more of
the leaves which had proved effective in repelling leeches the day
before. After rubbing the oil from the leaves onto their ankles, they all
pulled on their boots, strapped on their backpacks and set off east
again along the well-trodden trail, Sarah and Jacko in the lead. The
straps of the backpacks now cut into strained muscles aching from the
exertions of the previous day, however their progress was brisk.
Jamie was walking alongside Bing when he noticed that the
latter’s rifle was missing. ‘Where’s your rifle?’ he asked.
‘One of the Gurkhas is carrying it for me,’ said Bing with a broad
smile. ‘He was so impressed with Jacko’s shooting of the sniper, he
asked to have a look at my rifle. I told him he could carry it if he liked
and he agreed.’
Jamie laughed and said, ‘You’re very smart, Bing.’
‘Ha, ha! I know that, Jamie.’
After two hours, their progress was slower and they stopped to rest
on a dry rise in the jungle. Resuming their expedition after a short
break, they had only travelled another twenty minutes when Sarah
stopped and waved an arm in the air. Jacko had a quick word with her
and then walked back to the others, indicating they be silent. On his
return, he found Sarah with her ear to the ground.
She stood up, pointed up the trail and whispered in his ear, ‘Men
wait for us, bikpela brother.’
‘I think you’re right, Sar. I felt it too,’ he whispered back. ‘How
many you reckon?’
She held up her hand with her fingers widespread and said,
‘Maybe hand full.’
‘At least five then,’ he said, holding up his hand. ‘Wait here, sis.’
Walking back to where Johnny and Jamie waited, Jacko told them
in a low voice, ‘We think there may be an ambush up ahead. It’s not
the main gang. There could be five or more of them. Cap, I think you,
Sarah and I can take care of them without too much fuss.’
‘What’s your plan, Jacko?’ asked Jamie.
‘Pretty simple, Cap. The Gurkhas carry some heavy-looking
truncheons with them. You and I will borrow one each from them.
You go with Sarah on the left side of the trail and she’ll point out

217
where they are so that you can knock them on the head one by one.
I’ll take the right-hand side of the trail.’
‘Knock them on the head?’ exclaimed Jamie.
‘Yeah, shouldn’t be a problem, Cap. Sarah will get you close to
each one. It’s a matter of moving very quietly. Then, thump!’
‘What if they hear me coming?’ asked Jamie nervously.
‘They won’t, Cap. They don’t know we’re here. They won’t be
alert at all. We’ll also each carry a pistol and a knife, in case.’
‘Okay, I’m game,’ said Jamie. ‘Let’s do it.’
Ganju, who had been listening, handed them two truncheons and
said, ‘I would like to join you.’
Jacko shook his head and touched Ganju on the arm. ‘Not this
time, Ganju. The fewer people the better. You can come with us next
time.’
Ganju, his face impassive, nodded as Jamie and Jacko left him and
walked back up the track to where Sarah waited for them.
Jacko looked back at the men down the trail watching them and
put his finger to his lips, signalling for them to stay silent. The three
of them then disappeared into the jungle growth.
As Jamie followed Sarah, he noted that she had taken off her boots
and was walking barefoot. She regularly looked back at him with her
shy smile to make sure he was not falling too far behind. He tried to
move as silently as possible and hoped any noise he made would be
masked by the sounds of the jungle.
The land here was quite rocky, with low granite outcrops and
boulders amongst the thick foliage. A perfect place for an ambush,
Jamie suspected. He followed the diminutive figure ahead of him for
some distance and then she stopped and put up her hand, pointing
sideways. Reaching her side and looking where she was pointing, he
saw a man leaning against a tree with his back to them. A rifle was
also leaning against the tree, and the man was smoking a cigarette.
Jamie nodded to Sarah and holding his truncheon in his right hand, he
slowly crept towards his quarry. Once he arrived next to the tree, he
brought the truncheon down to hit the man squarely on the side of the
head. His victim slumped to the ground with barely a grunt. Jamie
looked back at Sarah, who was smiling broadly and beckoning him to
join her again.

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 On the other side of the trail, Jacko had crept within a short
distance of another man who was standing and looking back towards
the trail. His back was to Jacko. His rifle was lying on top of a nearby
granite boulder, his backpack next to his feet. Jacko was about to
move towards him when he sensed that someone was watching him.
He turned around and saw a man not ten yards away standing
completely still and watching him. He was an old man, almost naked
except for a loincloth and a headdress made of woven straw. He held
a long blowpipe by his side and regarded Jacko with a fixed,
impassive expression. Jacko recognised him as a Temiar native and
held up his hand in silent greeting. There was no response from the
Temiar. Jacko looked at the bandit, who hadn’t moved, and then back
at the Temiar, who had vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Jacko
shook his head, wondering if he had imagined it. Taking a deep
breath, he crept forward and hit the bandit hard on the head with his
truncheon. He looked back at the spot where he had seen the Temiar.
Nothing! Leaving the unconscious man lying where he had fallen, he
continued to skirt the area to find any remaining bandits on his side of
the trail.
Back up the trail, Johnny sensed that the other twelve members of
the pursuing group, intently staring east up the trail and wondering
what was going on, were getting restless. The waiting was tense, and
the men were holding their rifles at the ready.
After a while, they heard the hoots of owls calling each other
followed by a melodic whistling. Seeing movement further up the
track, they all stood up to see Jamie, Jacko and Sarah soon coming
into view, chatting and laughing together.
Johnny rushed up to them and asked, ‘What’s happened? Were
there any bandits waiting to ambush us?’
‘Six of them, Johnny. They’re all sleeping soundly now,’ said
Jamie, slapping the palm of his left hand with his truncheon.
‘These clubs are bloody heavy,’ Jacko grinned. ‘I’m not even sure
if some of those fellows will wake up at all.’
‘We didn’t hear anything from here,’ said Johnny.
‘They were pretty easy to find,’ said Jacko. ‘Most of them were
smoking. We could smell them before we saw them, even through the
stink of the jungle. None of them was alert to us.’

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 Johnny shook his head and said, ‘I’m amazed! How did you know
they were there in the first place?’
‘These fellas have the ability to sense this type of thing,’ said
Jamie. ‘Sarah especially.’
‘Jacko not bad,’ said Sarah in a low voice.
‘Thanks, sis.’
‘Well, if it was left to me, I would have blundered into the ambush
for sure,’ said Johnny. ‘I’m happy you chaps are in the lead.’
Bing was gazing intently at Sarah and said to her, ‘You mean you
could just sense that those bandits were there?’
She smiled at him as Jacko answered, ‘Not just sense, Bing. There
were a number of signs and sounds indicating something was wrong.’
‘Amazing!’ said Bing. ‘You’ll have to come with me wild boar
hunting one day.’
‘Glad to. Sounds like fun,’ said Jacko.
‘Aye you. Yes, Yes. We glad to come,’ squealed Sarah.
Bing laughed. ‘Just the ticket.’
‘Yea! Just the ticket!’ she cried.
Sarah noticed that the Gurkha sergeant, Ganju, was standing
beside her. Gazing fixedly at her, he touched her upper arm with his
right hand and gave her a brief smile before turning away and joining
his men who were heading up the trail to collect the unconscious
bandits.
Johnny watched this exchange with interest and then addressed the
group. ‘Well, we’ll have to work out what to do with these sleeping
bandits, eh? Can’t leave them here to raise the alarm.’
‘They won’t be hard to find,’ said Jamie. ‘Can you get a radio
signal in this place? If so, maybe the police can send some people to
pick them up.’
‘Yes, I’ll certainly try,’ said Johnny. ‘I think the British 3rd
Commando Brigade might be a better option. Captain Morrow was a
bit put out that we didn’t choose his men instead of the Gurkhas.’
Johnny walked around trying out various positions and was finally
able to contact the superintendent by standing on one of the larger
granite outcrops. Returning to the group, he told them that some
commandos would be on their way the next day. So, they would leave

220
the prisoners handcuffed to one another and tied securely close to the
stream back at their previous night’s camp.
‘The prisoners have got enough food in their own packs to last for
a few days,’ said Johnny. ‘The commandos won’t have any trouble
finding them.’
‘When that’s been taken care of, we’ll get underway again,’ said
Jamie. ‘I’m sure there’ll be a few more traps waiting for us.’
‘No worries, Cap,’ said Jacko. ‘In all modesty, they’ll have to be
bloody good to fool us.’

****

Thirty miles ahead to the east of the failed ambush, as he shambled

along sweating profusely, Douglas studied the other captive ahead of
him. His white uniform even more soiled and tattered than the day
before, Martin staggered rather than walked, spurred on by Dirk
following him closely and prodding him occasionally with his rifle
butt. In spite of being out of breath, Martin shouted expletives every
once in a while, much to the amusement of his captors. Douglas
would almost have felt sorry for him if he hadn’t been so arrogant.
They seemed to have been tramping through the jungle for an
eternity. The smell of rotting leaves was almost overbearing in the
humid, still air, making it hard to breathe. Dirk had said it would only
be a three-hour walk to their main camp this morning, but it already
seemed they had walked much further. Douglas took some comfort
knowing that the figure ahead of him, looking like a tattered white
scarecrow, was having a harder time of it than he was.
After a while longer, the land rose slightly and all of a sudden,
they found themselves in a large clearing. Squinting in the bright
sunlight which contrasted markedly with the murk of the thick jungle,
Douglas noticed a number of huts on stilts spread out under the trees.
They were built from bamboo, nipa and long palm leaves. Their
appearance suggested they had been built years before.
Dirk turned to him and said, ‘Here we are, Robert. Your new
home. No more walking for a few days.’
Not answering, Douglas looked around and noted that several of
the men, particularly the Japanese officer, Fukuda, were familiar with

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the camp. The huts were well hidden by trees. The camp would be
difficult to detect from an aeroplane. He again felt a brief moment of
despair, but then noticed that Colonel Martin was standing in front of
him, not moving. Suddenly, Martin’s legs seemed to crumble under
him and he fell in a heap on the ground.
Dirk shouted to Boon, who gave orders to some of his men. Two
of them lifted Martin and with his armpits over their shoulders,
carried him towards a distant hut at the other end of the encampment,
his feet dragging on the ground.
Dirk watched them with a cynical expression and turning to
Douglas said, ‘The honourable colonel is not as fit as you, Robert.
Too much work behind a desk, ya?’
Douglas suspected Dirk was also referring to him. He asked, ‘Now
that we’re here, what are your plans for us?’
Dirk chuckled. ‘Ah Robert! You look like you could do with a cup
of coffee. We’ll go and get one and perhaps I’ll answer your
question.’
Some of the men had started a fire and were already boiling water
from a nearby spring. Dirk accepted two cups of coffee from one of
the men and indicated to Douglas to follow him as he headed towards
one of the nearby huts. They sat down on the steps of the hut and
Dirk handed him a cup.
‘So! You want to know why you’re here, Robert my friend,’ said
Dirk, grinning.
‘I’m not your friend,’ blurted Douglas belligerently, spilling some
of his coffee.
‘No? Okay,’ said Dirk, taking a sip from his cup. ‘Perhaps you are
not interested in what I was going to say.’
‘Wha...? Yes! No! I would like to know what you plan to do with
us,’ said Douglas, hating the almost pleading tone in his voice.
‘Well, I’ll tell you,’ said Dirk, taking another sip of his coffee,
sitting back and sighing with satisfaction. Before speaking again, he
was interrupted by Fritzi, who stopped next to where they were sitting
and said, ‘The other prisoner is sleeping. We think he’ll revive all
right after a rest.’
‘Goot, goot,’ said Dirk, nodding. ‘I was just about to tell our friend
Robert what is happening here.’

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 ‘So! Ausgezeichnet! Excellent!’ said Fritzi.
‘Robert, things have not gone so well for us,’ said Dirk. ‘Our
intention, as you’ve probably already grasped, was to create an
uprising and take over control of Malaya. The British will eventually
leave anyhow and it is likely that the Communists will take over then.
Little doubt about it.’
‘Create an uprising?’ repeated Douglas incredulously.
‘Ya! The best solution for Malaya and the Southeast Asian
countries would have been for us to have established a productive
government here rather than communist,’ said Dirk. ‘But everything
went wrong.’
‘Everything? Wrong? What do you mean?’ asked Douglas.
‘We had planned to cause major chaos during the Malaya Union
celebrations, to incite the local population to rise up against their
British oppressors, ya?’ Dirk continued. ‘We would have provided
productive leadership. Somehow, everything went wrong.
Everything! I don’t know how it happened but it all fizzled out, and
now the police and army are looking for us to accuse us of many
crimes, even murder.’
Douglas gaped at him, his lips quivering. ‘Murder?’ he cried.
‘Ya, murder,’ said Dirk. ‘You can’t be making an omelette without
breaking some eggs, ya?’
‘Murder,’ Douglas muttered to himself.
‘Ya! So, what to do?’ Dirk sighed. ‘What to do? We needed some
hostages to negotiate with, and you are one of those, Robert. You
see? Ya?’
‘Hostages?’ muttered Douglas, who still hadn’t fully grasped the
situation.
‘Hostages, ya,’ said Dirk. ‘I need safe passage for me and all my
men to some secure place, free from danger. Somewhere like
Argentina, where many of my former superiors are already residing.
If the British grant us this, their police inspector and their honourable
governor’s aide will be returned to them safe and sound, ya?’
‘Nazis and Japanese. Wartime enemies. Argentina!’ mumbled
Douglas, as it started to dawn on him what he was being told.

223
 ‘Ya, you see now. We don’t plan to harm you, Robert my good
friend,’ said Dirk, smiling at him. ‘Just a little inconvenience for you,
ya?’
‘Inconvenience!’ Douglas barked, seeing a number of men around
the camp now turning to stare at him.
‘Ya! Inconvenience. Look how fit you are now, Robert,’ said Dirk,
both he and Fritzi laughing. ‘I am sure you haven’t looked so fit in
years.’
‘Bloody hell! Inconvenience,’ said Douglas, despairing, shaking
his head.
Dirk stood up and pointed at the door to the hut where they were
seated. ‘Ya. So! This will be your house, Robert. You will be
comfortable here. Lunch will be ready in half an hour. Same place we
got the coffee, ya?’ he said, before striding off with Fritzi at his heels.
Lunch? Douglas thought it must be late afternoon. He had
forgotten to wind his watch days ago, and had no idea of time. A
hostage. Douglas decided that the British military governor of Malaya
would be hardly likely to let a whole gang of murderers go free to
save a lowly inspector of police. Particularly himself. Maybe, Colonel
Martin. They might be willing to do anything for the return of Martin
alive and safe. It was something to hope for, at least.
He sat in the same position on the steps of the hut for a while,
watching the hustle and bustle of men organising themselves in the
camp. He was not sure whether his strained muscles would support
him, but he finally regained his feet. He managed to climb up the few
steps and entered the hut. He saw there was a low bed with a thin
mattress and two old blankets. A towel had been placed on the end of
the bed. I’ll have a much needed wash in the spring after I’ve eaten
lunch, he considered. Ah, lunch!
He climbed down the steps of the hut with some difficulty as his
leg muscles complained, and set out shuffling towards the smell of
cooking. The mere mention of lunch had made him realise how
hungry he was. Was Martin also hungry? He was only mildly
surprised to realise he didn’t care.

224
 CHAPTER 24

Superintendent Russell Fairweather felt a certain amount of

excitement and was tapping his foot on the floor as he called the MSS
office by telephone. When he was transferred through to Major
Browning, he said, ‘Algie, I’ve received a radio message from Johnny
Cook. They are a long way up the trail but the reception wasn’t too
bad. They’ve requested commandos to pick up some prisoners and
provide backup if possible. Can you organise that?’
‘That is very possible indeed,’ replied Algie. ‘I’ll call Captain
Angus Morrow right away. I think he’s keen to be part of the action.
How many did Johnny request?’
‘Up to ten. He doesn’t want a whole regiment.’
‘You mentioned prisoners, Russell. Have they already clashed
with the bandits?’
‘No major confrontation yet. They captured five or six prisoners
who tried to ambush them. They’ve left them tied up about a day’s
walk from the start of the jungle trail. Johnny suggested that two
commandos could accompany the prisoners back to KL, while the
rest continue up the trail, which is easy to follow. They should bring a
radio and hand grenades.’
‘Jolly good. I’ll get on to Angus now and let you know the
outcome,’ said Algie.
Russell hung up the phone and sat back, wondering how they had
managed to avoid an ambush in the jungle. Good luck must have
played a part. Or was it luck? Were the reportedly excellent tracking
skills of Jacko and his half-sister solely responsible? Jamie had
explained to him the details of how they had spirited Johnny out of
the bandits’ camp after his kidnapping. He would be interested to find
out more about the ambush when they returned eventually.
Sitting in the padded chair behind the police inspector’s desk in
Kuala Lumpur, he also wondered, not for the first time, how Robert
Douglas was faring in the jungle. The poor fellow was certainly no

225
athlete. He carried a bit of weight and drank far too much. The
exercise would either do him good or kill him, he thought. Poor old
Robert! He’d always dreamt of being sent back to London, but
Scotland Yard was not eager to take him back.
His thoughts were interrupted by the telephone ringing.
‘Hello Russell, it’s me again,’ said Algie. ‘Captain Morrow is a
happy man and has asked Sergeant Billy Moore and Corporal Fred
Parker to round up their best men from the British 3rd Commando
Brigade and get them ready for an early start tomorrow. They will
rely on you to provide transport to the start of the trail.’
‘That’s excellent, Algie,’ said Russell. ‘If they can be at the KL
police station at 6.00 am, I’ll have plenty of vehicles ready for them.
I’m almost tempted to go myself, but I’d never keep up with them!
Age is catching up.’
‘Yes, you’re right,’ Algie laughed. ‘They’ll probably trot all the
way. They are very fit chaps. I’ll tell them to meet you at the station
by six. Cheerio.’
‘My drivers will be ready before six in case they want to leave
earlier. Thanks, Algie.’

****

As they followed the jungle trail with Sarah and Jacko in the lead,
Sergeant Ganju Gurung kept close behind them. He was intrigued by
the bushcraft of the two Australians and although an experienced
bushman himself, thought he might learn a thing or two if he watched
closely through the day. The heat and rotting smells of the jungle
were oppressive but the team progressed at a good pace, with a stop
mid-afternoon for a reviving cup of tea.
By late afternoon the topography, while still relatively flat, was
slowly rising. They continued to make good progress, as there were
now no more swampy areas to wade through. Most members of the
team were starting to look forward to another rest when Sarah,
slightly ahead of Jacko, suddenly stopped. She stood quite still,
studying the trail just in front of her. Crouching down on her
haunches, she looked at the ground more closely then pointed
something out to Jacko. Jacko also crouched down and saw a thin

226
transparent thread, like a fishing line, crossing the trail in front of
them about six inches above the ground. Ganju couldn’t see anything
until he too crouched closer to the ground and spotted what looked
like a tripwire.
Jacko walked back to where Johnny, Bing and the other Gurkhas
were waiting. In a low voice, he told them about the tripwire and
suggested they sit down and keep quiet while he and Sarah
investigated. He said it might take some time.
Back with Ganju, he whispered, ‘Please wait here, Ganju. Sarah
and I will track where this line goes and we’ll meet you back here.’
‘I want to be involved too,’ Ganju protested quietly. ‘I’m familiar
with the jungle and can move through it without noise. I think you
might need my help.’
Jacko studied him and then said, ‘Okay, mate. I think you might be
right. If you go with Sarah, she’ll be following the tripwire on the left
side of the trail and I’ll be going to the right. Once we’ve worked out
where it’s going and if anyone’s hiding nearby, we’ll meet back here
and decide what to do. Okay?’
‘You’re the boss,’ said Ganju. Sarah grinned at him and led him
into the jungle on the left of the trail. Jacko set off in the other
direction, carefully following the nylon fishing line tripwire. He had
only crept fifty yards when he heard the cry of a cockatoo behind
him. Silently chuckling to himself, he waited until Sarah and Ganju
caught him up.
Sarah whispered to him, ‘Him tied around tree alonga that way.’
Jacko nodded and whispered, ‘Okay, sis. We’ll all follow this end
of the line then. What’s a cockatoo doing in the Malay jungle?’
Sarah giggled, punched him lightly on the shoulder and whispered
for him to take the lead.
As they crept along, they noted that the nylon thread had been
carefully elevated and turned around smooth trunks of small trees
when it changed direction towards the west. Suddenly, Jacko held up
his hand and they all stopped. They could hear the soft murmur of
voices ahead and to their left. Creeping closer, they observed four
men, Chinese-Malays, sitting around to one side of the main trail,
smoking and chatting. Near the men, attached to a sapling, was a
small bell tied to the end of the nylon line. Apart from several rifles,

227
there was a long tube on the ground near the trail, which Jacko
recognised as an anti-tank rocket launcher similar to the one the
bandits had attempted to use from the roof of the Printing Office
building. Next to the launcher there were two rockets ready for use.
Jacko whispered to Sarah and Ganju to stay where they were. He
told them it would be difficult to surprise and capture them as they
were close together, and there might be others close by. He would go
back to the others to get a weapon, which should solve the problem.
They nodded and like a ghost, he was gone.
Back at the trail, Jamie heard the call of an owl and told the others
it was Jacko returning. Sure enough, Jacko materialised from the
jungle and said, ‘There are at least four of them with an evil-looking
rocket launcher. The tripwire was attached to a bell to warn them, so
they could blast anyone coming up the trail. I need to borrow your
rifle again, Bing.’
‘Yes. You are welcome to use it,’ said Bing, beckoning to the
Gurkha who had been carrying it. ‘Can I go with you?’
‘No. It’s better if you stay here. I’m going to try a long shot at one
of the rockets,’ said Jacko. ‘You should all be safe from any blast
back here.’
Taking Bing’s rifle, Jacko vanished into the jungle again. When he
arrived back where Sarah and Ganju were waiting, he whispered that
they should choose some stout trees to hide behind a further fifty
yards back to avoid any shrapnel from the warhead of one of the
rockets.
When they were all in position, Jacko carefully aimed the rifle
around the side of a large tree. He brought the microscopic sight to
his eye and focused on the warhead of the nearest rocket. Taking a
deep breath, he squeezed the trigger. The sound of the rifle shot was
minimised by the sudden roar of an explosion much louder than Jacko
had expected. Debris and bits of metal crashed into the tree he was
hiding behind and tore a long gash in his exposed right arm. The rifle
was ripped from his grasp and his ears rang painfully as he sank to the
ground.
Next moment, he became aware of Sarah’s face above him as she
gently shook him, saying something he couldn’t hear. I’ve gone deaf,
he thought. He looked at Sarah and tried to tell her not to worry. Her

228
mouth silently moved again and he saw the tears welling in the whites
of her large eyes. He had never seen her cry before. He tried to sit up
to comfort her but found it impossible and lay back, staring at the
jungle canopy above. The ringing in his ears lessened after a while
and his head began to clear. He noticed Sarah was still with him and
croaked in a voice which seemed to be someone else’s, ‘I’m all right,
Sar. Don’t worry, I’m all right.’
‘Ganju gone to get help, bikpela brother. Bloody hero try kill
yourself,’ he heard her say as though from a distance. She was
looking at him with intense concern although she managed a brief
smile.
‘What about bandits, sis?’ he managed to ask.
‘No worry bandits bikpela brother. Them bandits all little pieces.’
Jacko sighed and lay back, relaxing. Of course, no one could have
survived that. He hadn’t expected the explosion to be so huge. Both
rockets must have gone off together.
Bloody hell!
The next thing he knew, people seemed to be everywhere. Trying
to focus, he saw Jamie beside him and felt a sharp pain as something
was removed from his arm. He smelt disinfectant. At least I can
smell, he thought. Jamie had produced a bandage which he was
winding around his arm.
Jamie then told him, ‘These first aid kits are good. Some of the
Gurkhas are constructing a stretcher so we can carry you. Johnny
wants them to take you back to Kuala Lumpur.’
‘Hell, no!’ said Jacko, trying to sit up. ‘Just give me an hour or so
and I’ll be right, Cap.’
‘You’ve lost a lot of blood and you’ve probably got concussion,
Jacko.’
‘I’ll be right, Cap,’ Jacko insisted. ‘Just let me sleep for a while
and I’ll be as good as new.’
‘Okay, Jacko. No problem,’ said Jamie with deep concern in his
eyes. ‘We’ve decided to make an early camp for the night. One of
Ganju’s men has found a small stream about 100 yards further on
from here and we’ll set up camp there. We’ll carry you that far and
then see how you are in the morning. Might be good for you to eat
something when the cooks have got the dinner underway.’

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 ‘I’ll be right in the morning for sure, Cap. Is Bing around?’ asked
Jacko.
‘Hello Jacko, I’m here,’ said Bing, stepping into Jacko’s field of
vision with his usual beaming smile.
‘I might have buggered your rifle, Bing,’
‘Yes, it looks like it’s been hit with a sledgehammer,’ said Bing,
laughing.
‘I’m sorry, Bing,’ said Jacko weakly.
‘Please don’t worry yourself over that,’ said Bing. ‘I’ve got four
more just like it at home. I’m glad it was so useful.’
Jacko managed a rueful smile and said, ‘It was useful, all right!
Just the ticket.’
Two Gurkhas ran up to Jacko carrying a stretcher made from
bamboo and rattan. Before he could protest, they lifted him onto it
and carried him up the trail towards the new campsite. Sarah trotted
along beside him. On arrival, they gave him a drink of water and then
joined their colleagues who had set about constructing bashas and
helping Bing’s cooks set up a fire.
‘Lively young fellas, aren’t they?’ said Jacko to Sarah.
She giggled, wiping his brow with a damp cloth. ‘Shutup talktalk,
longlong stupid bikpela hero,’ she said.
Jacko smiled at her and said, ‘I loved your cockatoo call back
there. That would be a first for this jungle, Sar.’
‘Shut up! Sleep, bikpela brother.’
‘Okay. Thanks, sis,’ he said, closing his eyes.

****

In the late afternoon, Douglas was sitting drowsily on the steps of his
hut contemplating the men as they occasionally crossed the clearing,
seemingly busy doing he knew not what. The only sounds were the
buzz of insects, birds chirping and low voices conversing in different
parts of the campsite. He had slept for most of the afternoon despite
the heat and felt partly refreshed after the long hike up the trail.
He thought about the things Dirk had told him. Safe passage to
Argentina? It was unlikely the British hierarchy would agree to such a
thing, no matter how many hostages they had. He hadn’t seen Colonel

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Martin since they had arrived at the campsite, and wondered if he had
recovered. He mused that the governor would be more eager for the
return of his aide-de-camp than for any policeman, even an inspector
of police. Inspector of police? That’s a laugh, he thought. He knew
that Superintendent Fairweather and his military subordinates didn’t
trust him much, anyway. Would they care about his kidnapping?
What would Dirk do next?
Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder resounded from the west and
several men rushed into the clearing, pointing in that direction.
Countless birds filled the sky, screeching and squawking in protest.
As he stood up, Douglas saw Dirk also running from one of the huts.
He stood next to Fritzi and Boon in the centre of the clearing.
‘Fantastisch!’ said Fritzi, staring wide-eyed into the distance.
Puzzled, Douglas looked in the direction they were pointing and
saw a distant dark cloud rising above the jungle. He saw Dirk smile
grimly and heard him say to Boon, ‘It looks like the British must have
picked up our trail and some of them got past the ambush. Without
doubt, Lui and his lads have blasted them to hell now. A big surprise
for them, ya?’
‘That launcher makes much noise. Großer Lärm, ya?’ said Fritzi.
‘Ya, stimmt!’ said Dirk. ‘Boon, tomorrow morning, send one or
two of your men down to see Lui Guo Dong and find out the details,
ya?’
‘Yes, Tuan. I’ll get Ting to go,’ said Boon. ‘He can take Chan with
him.’
‘Okay, Boon,’ said Dirk. ‘You organise it. Tell them to ask Lui if
there’s anything he needs. He should still have one more rocket in
case any more are following.’
Dirk saw Douglas and walked over to him. ‘It looks like some
friends of yours came after you, Robert. To rescue you,’ he said.
‘They’ve just met with an unfortunate accident about ten miles west
from here. Blasted to bits with an anti-tank rocket.’
‘An anti-tank rocket?’ blurted Douglas incredulously.
‘Ya. Very effective against any number of men confined to a
narrow trail, ya?’ said Dirk, smiling humourlessly at him. ‘Big
surprise for them, ya?’

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 Dirk’s face was expressionless as Douglas stared at him, unable to
believe what he had heard. This tall fair-haired man with innocent-
looking but hard blue eyes could talk of murdering many men as
though it was just part of normal conversation. Dirk had pretended to
be Douglas’s friend, and he had been taken in hook, line and sinker.
Now he was the prisoner of a man who thought no more of murdering
other men than swatting a mosquito. Douglas felt like running away.
But where would he go? I must try to survive somehow, he thought.
He tried to show a resolve he did not feel.
‘So, what are your plans for me now?’ he asked Dirk.
‘All in good time, my friend,’ said Dirk with a smile that looked
almost like a grimace. ‘If all goes well you will be back in your
wife’s arms before long.’
My wife’s arms? My wife is not at all happy with me for dragging
her out to Malaya, he thought. I can’t imagine her welcoming me
back with open arms.
‘What of Colonel Martin?’ he asked.
‘So! The honourable Martin. Ya! He is recovering well from his
unaccustomed exercise,’ said Dirk with a short laugh. ‘However, I
think he will never recover from his shock at being captured by us.’
Douglas turned on his heel and headed back to his hut. He felt
bitter shock and anger at the callous murder of the men who had
followed them to try and save him and Martin. He decided to wash at
the nearby stream before dinner and then try to sleep early. He
doubted he would sleep. He would probably have nightmares about
all those men being blasted to pieces on the trail. He realised that,
somehow, he would have to appear non-threatening and even friendly
towards these ruthless evil men if he were to survive. He sighed and
set out for his wash in the stream, trying not to think any more.
Later as he lined up for his dinner, Douglas noticed Martin,
accompanied by Fritzi, emerging from one of the huts. He walked
unsteadily towards the dinner queue, looking vaguely around him
with glassy eyes. He was still dressed in his filthy white uniform, and
the dark stubble on his chin contrasted starkly with his pallid skin. It
seemed he had little idea where he was.

232
 Close to the queue, he fixed his eyes on Douglas and shuffled over
to ask him in a quavering voice, ‘You’re a prisoner too, eh? Where
are we?’
From Martin’s demeanour, Douglas assumed he had little memory
of the last part of their trek and had probably even forgotten who he
was. He replied, ‘As far as I know, we’re in an encampment deep in
the jungle. I believe it was used by Japanese soldiers during the war.’
Martin gave him a glazed look and nodded. ‘Hmm ... I’ve
forgotten who you are.’
‘Robert Douglas, Inspector of Police in Kuala Lumpur.’
‘Oooh!’ uttered Martin. It sounded like he’d just seen a lump of
old dung. ‘What am I doing here?’ he demanded, gazing around.
‘You’re a hostage,’ said Douglas. ‘So am I.’
‘A hostage?’ said Martin, raising his voice, ignoring the bandits
who were staring at him. ‘A hostage!’
‘Yes. A hostage,’ Douglas repeated.
Martin shook his head slowly. ‘I don’t understand.’
Douglas tried to explain. ‘They will free you if the government
gives them safe passage out of Malaya.’
‘Safe passage! Safe passage!’ yelled Martin, unaware of the men
around him, laughing at him. ‘The government will see them all shot.
Shot!’
Douglas sighed. It was hopeless talking to this man. He was totally
delusional and had no idea of the danger he was in. He decided to try
to ignore Martin and concentrate on moving with the dinner queue.
He shuffled forward towards the cooks who were doling out the food,
leaving Martin behind, standing in the same position muttering
angrily to himself.
My God, Douglas thought. His rescuers have been obliterated and
Martin is out of his mind. He knew that the government would not
look kindly on the cold-blooded murder of its troops. Even if the
government were willing, Martin would not be a cooperative hostage.
God only knows what the future has in store, Douglas thought. Looks
pretty bleak to me. Doomed to die in this hot, sweaty, filthy, bug-
infested jungle. He sighed again and tried not to think about it any
more.

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 CHAPTER 25

It was early morning when Jacko woke up. The sun had not yet risen
and it was still dark. He lay on his back wondering what had woken
him before he remembered that it was always the sudden cessation of
the nightlong cicada and cricket chorus. In its place, he heard the
occasional chirping and trilling of birds high up in the trees. In the
dim light of the predawn, he saw that his right arm was bandaged
from his bicep to his wrist, but it was now more itchy than painful.
Using his left arm, he managed to sit up. The dizziness he had
experienced the day before was almost gone, as was the ringing in his
ears.
That blast knocked the stuffing out of me, he thought, but it looks
as though I was more winded and concussed than injured. He decided
to get up and walk around to clear his head. He squirmed his way out
of the low basha and carefully stood up. For a moment he felt
unsteady, but his confidence returned and he took a few tentative
steps, noticing a small lump rolled up in a blanket lying on the ground
next to his basha. Then it dawned on him that it must be Sarah. He
realised that she had slept next to his basha in case he needed
something during the night. No one could have a better sister, he
thought. He would leave her sleeping while he went for a wander. She
had probably lain awake half the night worrying about him.
When he found the spring near the camp, it was getting lighter.
Using his left hand, he doused his face and hair with water and felt a
whole lot better. They can’t keep a good man down, he thought with a
wry smile. I wonder when Bing’s cooks will get up. I could do with a
cup of tea. He walked 100 yards down the trail to see for himself
what the scene of the blast looked like.
Most of the trees and shrubs were shredded, pock-marked and
blood-stained. Many trees had been uprooted, while others listed
precariously. In the centre of the blast area was a large hole about
fifteen feet in diameter and five feet deep, like a wartime foxhole. A

234
few ghosts flying around here, he thought. Luckily, I’m not one of
them. A near thing.
He stood on the side of the blast hole for a while, unable to tear his
eyes away from the scene of carnage. The jungle was unusually
silent, the air heavy and still. It was as though the blast had
obliterated all wildlife in the vicinity. About fifty yards away was the
tree from which he had fired the shot. Nothing was left standing in the
way. That tree, which had saved his life, was shredded of all bark and
branches. If he’d known how huge the explosion was going to be, he
would have chosen a bigger tree. And further back! He smiled
ruefully, thinking of Monique, her lovely green eyes looking up at
him before he had departed. ‘Prends soin de toi,’ she had said. ‘Keep
yourself safe and come back to me.’
‘I nearly copped it that time, Monique my love,’ he whispered to
the memory.
What would have happened if Sarah had not seen that nylon
tripwire? The curious chattering call of a distant lyrebird was his only
answer.
He smiled again when he heard the cry of a cockatoo behind him
and shortly, she was standing there beside him.
‘You bikpela boots easy track, Jacko,’ she said softly. ‘How you
now?’
‘I’m fine now, Sar. Thanks for your help.’
‘You good bikpela brother, Jacko. Not kill yourself, aye? What I
do, if you kill yourself?’
‘I’ll be more careful in future, sis. That was a big blast, eh?’
‘Aye you! Bikpela bang. I tinked you killed.’
‘Thought, sis. Not “tinked”.’
‘Th...ought,’ she said carefully.
He put his left arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him.
Then smiling broadly, he told her they had better return before the
others began wondering where they were. They walked back up the
trail in companionable silence.
Halfway back, Jacko murmured, ‘So many cockatoos in Malaya
now.’
Sarah giggled.

235
 At the camp, Jamie was waiting for them. ‘Thought we’d lost you
two,’ he said.
‘Just wanted to have a look at the scene of the big bang, Cap,’ said
Jacko.
‘Bit of a mess back there, isn’t it? You’re not looking too bad this
morning,’ said Jamie. ‘I’d like to see how the wounds on your arm
are coming along. I’ll put a new dressing on them.’
‘Okay! I’m feeling pretty good now. Lost a bit of skin. That’s all.’
‘How’s your head?’
‘I’m still a bit blurry in the right eye,’ admitted Jacko. ‘That
should come good, though.’
After removing the bandage from Jacko’s right arm, Jamie saw
that it was bruised and swollen but there was no more bleeding. Jacko
would have some large scabs for a while. Jamie liberally saturated his
wounds in disinfectant, bandaged the arm up again and told Jacko to
be careful with it.
‘Well, I’m not gonna pick a fight with anyone,’ said Jacko.
Johnny, who had been observing them with a concerned
expression, asked, ‘Will you be fit enough to continue this morning,
Jacko?’
‘Never better, Johnny,’ he replied. ‘Don’t worry about me.’
‘Breakfast will be up soon. Then we’ll take off,’ Johnny
continued. ‘We may be close to catching up with the bandits today if
they have a permanent campsite. Of course, we don’t know how far
ahead of us they are. We’ll be relying on you and, of course Sarah,
more than ever.’
‘Not to worry,’ said Jacko.
Jamie said, ‘The bandits are sure to have heard that explosion
yesterday. They’ll most likely think that their own men fired the
rocket and wiped us out.’
‘Yeah, that’s right, Cap,’ Jacko agreed. ‘Whatever they think,
they’ll probably send someone down the trail to investigate. So, Sarah
and I’ll have to be on our toes.’
‘Well, we certainly have no doubt about your ability,’ said Johnny,
smiling. ‘I can smell something cooking. Let’s eat.’

236
 They walked towards the cooking fire and Jacko whispered to
Sarah, ‘You’d better take the lead until my blurry right eye comes
good, Sar.’
‘No worries, bikpela brother.’
When they resumed their trek up the trail, Ganju followed closely
behind Jacko and Sarah carrying a rifle, in case they were surprised
by armed bandits. Jacko’s bandaged arm prevented him from firing a
rifle.
The topography of the land rose gradually, and the trail was
noticeably drier; however, the barbs and razor-sharp leaves and the
oppressive heat and humidity of the jungle still created difficulties for
the group. After two hours, they stopped for a cup of tea and
everyone was happy to relieve themselves of their packs and
weapons.
Relaxing under a tree, Jamie noticed Jacko and Sarah chatting
animatedly. Nodding to his sister, Jacko walked over to where Jamie
was sitting and said, ‘Listen, Cap. We think the bandits’ camp could
be quite close. It would be best if Sarah and I left our packs and gear
here and went on ahead to reconnoitre the situation.’
‘By yourselves?’ said Jamie.
‘Yeah, Cap. We’ll be quicker and quieter. We’ll find the bandits’
campsite and see if we can locate their prisoners. They’ll never know
we were there.’
Jamie stood up and studied his friend. ‘So you want us to wait
here?’
‘No. What I was thinking is this,’ said Jacko. ‘As I mentioned
before, they’ll most likely send one or two men down the trail to
investigate the explosion. If you and the rest of our men find a good
spot to set up an ambush a little way east of here, you can pick them
up as they come down the trail. We’ll let them pass. They won’t see
Sarah and me. No shooting if possible.’
‘Okay. I’ll go along with that, Jacko. Are you sure you’re all right?
With your arm and all?
‘Yeah, I’ll be right, Cap. No worries. You can give my rifle to
Bing.’
‘Okay. I’ll explain it to Johnny, Bing and Ganju and you go
ahead,’ said Jamie. ‘We’ll look after your gear for you.’

237
 ‘Thanks, Cap. See ya later.’
Sarah was already waiting for him a short distance up the trail.
When she saw him, she turned and set off at a good pace ahead of
him. He noticed that she had left her boots and long trousers behind,
her thin legs like sticks of black bamboo below her khaki shorts and
shirt. They had walked for nearly half an hour when Sarah stopped
and looked back at him. He could hear the distant sound of men’s
voices ahead and nodded to her. Silently, they both melted into the
jungle. After a short while, they observed two bandits, one tall and
thin, the other shorter and burly, walking past them down the trail
chatting to each other.
Once they were out of sight, Jacko and Sarah continued silently up
the trail, listening carefully for anything other than the usual sounds
of the jungle. After another half-hour, the jungle ahead lightened
significantly, suggesting a large clearing in front of them. They were
able to hear the murmur of disparate male voices. Leaving the trail to
the left, they carefully worked their way closer to one side of the
clearing, which was bathed in the glare of sunlight, in significant
contrast to the gloom of the jungle behind them.
As their eyes adjusted to the light, they noticed a large number of
huts built of bamboo, rattan and nipa under the trees surrounding the
clearing. Men were milling around the clearing and amongst the huts.
There were also two men with rifles guarding the entrance of the trail
into the clearing. They could see no sign of the inspector or of
Colonel Martin and they decided to creep further west alongside the
camp, which appeared to cover a larger area than at first sight.
After covering another 100 yards, the two of them froze when they
saw a tall, fair-haired man walking towards a hut, the back of which
was close to where they were watching. Jacko’s eyes slitted against
the glare and he saw the tall man stop by some steps at the other end
of the hut and speak to someone who was apparently seated on the
steps. They could hear little of the conversation; however, they
distinctly heard the tall man call the other man Robert. Robert? Could
that be Inspector Robert Douglas? The voice of the man named
Robert didn’t sound enthusiastic about the discussion.
Jacko whispered to Sarah that he would wait there to see if the
man named Robert would leave his present position and reveal

238
himself. He had been told what the inspector looked like, although he
had never met him. He asked Sarah to continue along the side of the
encampment another 100 yards or so to see if she could sight Colonel
Martin. He told her that he was tall and thin and had been wearing a
white uniform. He instructed her not to go beyond the western end of
the village and whether she saw him or not, to return to where they
were now. She nodded, smiled at him and moving like a ghost,
silently vanished into the foliage of the jungle.
Jacko sat down in a position where he was hidden from view but
could see the clearing past the western side of the hut. Under the hut,
the floor of which was raised a few feet off the ground on large
bamboo stilts, he could also see the boots of the sitting man named
Robert. The fair-haired man had departed to the western part of the
encampment, but Robert made no effort to move or stand up. A
number of men, all Asians, wandered around the clearing but none of
them approached the man on the steps. Jacko’s injured arm was no
longer too painful but had started to itch greatly. It was all he could
do to refrain from scratching.
Around noon, the fair-haired man reappeared on the other side of
the clearing and yelled, ‘Robert! Lunch time.’
The man at the hut didn’t answer but he stood up and started
walking westwards towards the tall man. As he crossed the clearing,
Jacko noted that he was short and plump. He was sweating heavily,
and looked sullen. Morose rather than sullen, Jacko thought. It
reminded him of an old saying he had learnt at school. Like a man
who found a penny but lost a pound. Studying the figure, Jacko
decided he must definitely be Robert Douglas.
At least we know he’s here, but how can he be contacted? Jacko
wondered. Then he settled down with his back up against a tree to
continue his vigil. When Douglas returned, he would try to work out
what to do. Did he have that hut all to himself? What of Colonel
Martin? Did he share the hut?
His musings were interrupted by Sarah, who materialised beside
him. She shook her head and told him that there was no sign of the
colonel. Jacko took some sandwiches out of a small packet attached
to his belt and gave some to his sister. He and Sarah then patiently

239
watched the comings and goings within the clearing, munching away
on their sandwiches and resigned to a long wait.
After less than an hour, Robert Douglas returned to his hut. He
stood in front of it for a while and then, making up his mind, walked
towards the jungle behind the hut, undoing the fly of his pants. After
urinating behind some bushes, he sighed and was in the act of doing
up his fly when a hand was held firmly over his mouth. Terrified but
unable to resist, he felt himself being dragged further into the foliage.
A soft voice whispered in his ear, ‘We’re friends, mate. We’ve
come to save you. Do you understand?’
He nodded, and the hand was slowly removed from his mouth.
Looking around, he saw an athletic-looking man with bronze skin and
a bandage covering one arm, and a small black girl. The man put his
finger to his lips and whispered to him to follow the girl and keep as
quiet as possible. Douglas felt a surge of hope as he followed the
small figure ahead of him, aware of the man behind him. After hiking
about 100 yards north away from the clearing, the girl stopped and he
saw her white teeth as she smiled at him in the gloom of the jungle.
In a low voice, the man said to him, ‘I’m Jacko, and this is Sarah.
We’re friends of Superintendent Fairweather. We’ve been sent to
rescue you.’
‘I’m Inspector Robert Douglas of the Kuala Lumpur police,’ said
Douglas, looking from one to the other. ‘Wow! I’m happy to see you.
Jacko and Sarah, eh?’
‘Yeah, that’s right,’ said Jacko.
‘Good. I don’t want to spend another minute in that bloody camp,’
said Douglas, smiling for the first time in days. ‘Let’s get out of
here.’
‘You’ll have to do something for us first,’ said Jacko. ‘We have to
try to get the governor’s aide-de-camp, Samuel Martin, out as well.’
‘Martin? He won’t be so easy,’ said Douglas. ‘He’s arrogant and
he swears all the time. He keeps telling his captors that he’s going to
have them all shot. I think he’s losing his mind, or he’s lost it
already.’
‘Oh! Hmm. Does he share the same hut with you?’ asked Jacko.

240
 ‘No, thank God,’ said Douglas. ‘I have no idea where they’ve put
him, but he shows up for meals. I think his hut must be up the far end
of the camp. They’ve kept us separated since we’ve been here.’
‘We’ll need you to go back as though nothing has happened and
find out where he sleeps,’ said Jacko. ‘Can you do that?’
‘No! No, I don’t think I can,’ said Douglas, in horror. ‘Can’t we
just leave here now?’
Jacko shook his head. ‘We can’t do that, sir. We can’t leave
without him, even if we have to carry him out. All we need you to do
is to find out where his hut is and we’ll do the rest.’
‘So I have to go back into the camp to find out where he is?’ said
Douglas.
Jacko nodded. ‘That’s it, sir.’
‘Well ... okay. If there’s no alternative, I’ll do it,’ said Douglas
reluctantly.
Jacko patted him on the shoulder. ‘Good man!’
‘Where are you from?’ asked Douglas. ‘You’re not English.’
‘We’re Australians.’ Jacko smiled. ‘We’d better get you back
before any of the bandits misses you. We’ll keep an eye on your hut.
Once you’ve worked out where Martin is, just do the same thing.
Take a walk into the jungle.’
‘It might take me some time,’ said Douglas.
‘No worries, mate.’
‘One thing I can tell you before I go back,’ said Douglas. ‘They
have a radio with a large aerial on one of the huts near the cooking
area. I’ve heard Dirk talking on it.’
‘Dirk?’
‘Yes. Dirk’s one of the Germans who posed as a Dutchman in
KL,’ said Douglas. ‘There’s another one, Fritzi. There’s also an
important Japanese officer.’
‘Germans and Japanese, eh? Thanks, Mr Douglas. We’ll get you
back now.’
With Sarah leading the way, they arrived back near the rear of the
hut. Douglas stepped out of the jungle, seemingly having trouble
doing up his fly. To his relief, none of the men in the clearing gave
him a second glance. He sat down on the steps of his hut and
pondered how to find out where Martin was billeted. He might have

241
to wait until dinnertime. If Martin showed up for dinner, perhaps he
could follow him or even ask him where his hut was. He knew he
must not tell Martin about Jacko and Sarah. The condition the aide-
de-camp was in, he was unlikely to be able to keep a secret. He’d give
the game away for sure. He hoped Jacko and Sarah would be able to
handle him. He wasn’t too sure of that.

****

The telephone rang at the reception desk, which was manned by a

constable. When he answered, a man asked to speak to
Superintendent Fairweather. The constable informed him that the
superintendent was out for lunch and didn’t know when he would
return. He asked if he could help him. The man said it was an
emergency, that it was vital he talk to the superintendent immediately.
Checking his notes, the constable suggested he try the Royal Selangor
Club.
The head waiter of the club dining room walked over to the table
where Russell Fairweather, Algie Browning and two others were just
finishing their after-lunch coffees. He coughed politely.
Fairweather looked up and said, ‘Yes, Arthur. Is there something
you want?’
‘Yes, sir. There’s a telephone call for you. You can take it on the
telephone at my desk.’
‘Did he say who it was?’ asked Fairweather.
‘No, sir. Just that it was urgent,’ said Arthur.
Fairweather looked at his lunch companions and said, ‘I’d better
take this. I’ll catch up with you chaps later on.’
He followed the head waiter to the desk at the dining room
entrance and held the receiver to his ear. ‘Hello. Fairweather here.
Who is this?’
The man, speaking with a Malay accent, told him, ‘Don’t worry
my name. I have been asked to tell you that your police inspector in
good health. Also, aide to the governor. They are in hidden place you
cannot find.’
‘Who the hell are you and where are you?’ demanded Fairweather
angrily.

242
 ‘I contact you tomorrow morning at KL police station, Tuan,’ said
the man. ‘I shall have requests for governor. If he will grant our
requests, your inspector and the governor’s aide will go free
unharmed. If not, very bad.’
‘I see. What are these requests?’ asked Fairweather, calming
down.
‘I tell you tomorrow morning, Tuan.’
‘How will you contact me?’ asked Fairweather.
‘By telephone, Tuan.’
‘You have to tell me your name,’ persisted Fairweather.
‘You can call me Han.’
‘Okay, Han. I want you to understand that if either of your
hostages is harmed, you and your fellow kidnappers will face the full
fury of the British Empire,’ said Fairweather slowly and distinctly.
‘Are you in Kuala Lumpur yourself, Han?’
‘Yes, Tuan. I talk with you tomorrow,’ Han replied and hung up.
‘Hello? Hello?’ said Fairweather. ‘Blast!’

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 CHAPTER 26

Brushing insects from his face, Robert Douglas sat on the steps of his
hut which was under the shade of some large tualang trees. His mood
varied between optimism and despondency. Optimism because of the
proximity of his potential saviours, Jacko and Sarah. Despondency
because he didn’t know how to discover the exact location of Colonel
Martin. It could turn out to be an impossible task, like trying to prise
open an oyster with a feather. Jacko and Sarah were adamant they
wouldn’t lead him alone out of danger without Martin. Dinnertime
was a long way off and the aide-de-camp might not even cooperate
with him. Bloody Martin!
He raised his eyes, squinting against the mid-afternoon glare in the
clearing, and was startled to see the subject of his thoughts, a gaunt
and sweating Colonel Martin, walking towards the eastern end of the
encampment. He was still wearing his soiled and open uniform coat
in spite of the heat. Martin stopped in the middle of the clearing and
looked around. He finally fixed his eyes on Douglas and headed over
towards him. Douglas stood up, his thoughts racing. If he could
convince Martin to step around to the back of the hut, Jacko and
Sarah could take control and he’d be home free.
Martin stopped near the hut and gazed at Douglas. ‘Are you also a
prisoner, or one of them?’ he asked hoarsely.
Douglas was taken aback and exclaimed, ‘We’ve met before, sir.
I’m Robert Douglas, Police Inspector for KL. Don’t you remember?’
Martin seemed not to have heard the question. He looked around
and asked, ‘Where are we?’
‘We’re deep in the jungle, Colonel Martin. Don’t you remember
walking here?’
‘Walking? Yes. Yes. Days of walking,’ he said. He stared at
Douglas and asked, ‘KL? How can we get to KL? I need to see the
governor.’

244
 ‘If you come with me to the rear of this hut, I’ll be able to tell
you,’ replied Douglas hopefully.
‘I’m not going any further with you or the others,’ said Martin
angrily. ‘Where is my house?’
‘Your house?’
‘Yes, my house,’ said Martin loudly. ‘I have to contact the
governor.’
Douglas realised he was going to get little cooperation and decided
on a new tack. ‘I’ll walk with you back to your house if you like,’ he
said.
‘Yes. Yes. When I get to my house I can call the governor,’ said
Martin, nodding his head.
Douglas led the way towards the western end of the encampment
with Martin tamely following him. They passed the cooking shed
where meals were doled out and further on, the hut with a radio
antenna. Covering fifty yards more, they finally arrived at the western
edge where three huts stood side by side with thick jungle foliage
behind them. Douglas turned and asked Martin which was his. Martin
looked glassily at the huts and then started towards the middle one.
Douglas stood watching him when he was startled by a voice he knew
just behind him.
‘What are you doing here?’ Dirk demanded.
‘I ... er ... I was escorting Colonel Martin back to his hut,’ said
Douglas, feeling a little angry himself. ‘I found him wandering
around at the other end of the camp.’
Dirk strode forward quickly and guided Martin into the middle
hut, uttering some soothing words in his ear. Then he returned to
where Douglas was standing.
‘I fear that your Colonel Martin has gone gaga,’ said Dirk, circling
a finger beside his head. ‘Go back to your hut and I’ll see you at
dinnertime, ya?’
Douglas felt an uncharacteristic spring in his step as he made his
way back across the clearing. Not for the first time, he wished he had
a hat to shield him from the brutal heat of the afternoon sun. He was,
however, buoyed by having at least discovered Martin’s hut,
something he had almost despaired of achieving.

245
 Arriving in the shade around his own hut, he looked about warily.
There were only a few men moving about on the outskirts of the
clearing and no one seemed to be paying him any attention.
He made as if to start undoing his fly, and wandered around to the
rear of his hut before stepping into the bushes. He waited and wasn’t
surprised when Jacko materialised beside him. He carefully explained
about the three most western huts and Martin’s assignment to the
middle one.
‘I don’t know if he shares the hut with anyone,’ he said. ‘Probably
not. There are other huts close to the last three, including those of the
Germans. Dirk was not happy to see me with Martin, but he
understood when I told him the colonel had wandered up to my end
of the camp. He confirmed that Martin has gone gaga. His word.’
‘Hmm. I could see that for myself,’ said Jacko. ‘Otherwise he
would have come with you into the jungle when he was here earlier.
It’s going to be tricky to get him out.’
‘I feel like leaving him here,’ said Douglas ruefully.
‘I’m going to ask you to wait a bit longer. Sorry about that,’ said
Jacko. ‘We’ll take you both out tonight. We might have to carry
Martin.’
‘When? How will I know?’ Douglas pleaded.
‘It’ll be after dark when we’re sure Martin is in his hut,’ said
Jacko. ‘We’ll have to create a diversion. Probably an hour or so after
dark. We shall have to leave now to organise it, but we’ll be back by
nightfall. When you hear a lot of noise down the trail to the east of
you, whip around the back of your hut where you are now and Sarah
will be waiting for you.’
Douglas nodded. He could sense that Sarah was nearby but he
couldn’t see her. With a growing sense of elation, he took his leave of
Jacko and walked back to the front of his hut, pretending to do up his
fly. The nightmare will be over tonight, he thought. Entering his hut,
he lay down and tried to control his conflicting hopes and fears.
It took about an hour for Jacko and Sarah to reach the site of the
ambush set up by Jamie and the others. Jacko emitted the call of an
owl and was rewarded by a return call and the sight of Jamie standing
in the centre of the trail.

246
 ‘G’day, Cap,’ said Jacko, grinning. ‘You’re getting better and
better at that owl call now.’
‘Yeah yeah,’ Jamie laughed. ‘What’s happening with you two?
Did you find the bandits’ camp?’
Johnny, Bing and the Gurkhas emerged from the jungle on either
side of the trail and surrounded Jacko and Sarah.
‘Yep! We not only found the campsite, but we also located the
hostages,’ said Jacko. ‘It’s a bloody big camp. We were able to talk to
Robert Douglas, but there’s a big problem with the other fella.’
‘Colonel Martin? What’s happened to him?’ asked Johnny.
‘He’s out of his head,’ said Jacko. ‘I think the long walk through
the jungle has deranged him. We’re gonna have to carry him out.’
‘Carry him? How are we going to do that?’ insisted Johnny. Jamie
put a hand on his shoulder and said, ‘I think Jacko has that worked
out. Right?’
‘Yeah, right, Cap. I’ll need a couple of Ganju’s men to bring along
the stretcher you used for me. Do you have any chloroform or
something like that? We’ll need to knock him out, otherwise he’s
liable to start shouting.’
‘I think there’s some chloroform in the first aid kits, Jacko,’ said
Jamie. ‘You need anything else?’
‘Yeah. As many bandages as we can find in those kits to tie him
down on the stretcher,’ said Jacko. ‘We’ll also have to set up a
diversion.’
‘A diversion?’ asked Jamie.
‘Yeah. We’ll need some of you blokes to make a lot of noise a few
hundred yards down the trail from the camp,’ said Jacko. ‘That’ll help
us get Martin out. Do you fellas have any grenades?’
‘We didn’t bring any grenades,’ said Ganju.
‘We’ll have to make do with a lot of shooting or something like
that,’ said Jacko. ‘Did you manage to catch those two bandits?’
‘Yeah, they’re both safely trussed up,’ said Jamie. ‘When are you
planning to return to the bandits’ camp?’
‘We’ll have an early dinner and leave here about an hour before
sunset,’ said Jacko. ‘It takes that long to get there and into position.’
‘Okay. We’ll assemble the gear and have dinner ready in half an
hour or so,’ said Jamie.

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 ‘Can I come with you, Jacko?’ asked Bing.
Jacko chuckled and patted Bing on the back. ‘No. We might lose
you in the dark, Bing. You’re too valuable to lose. You could use my
rifle as part of the diversion.’
‘Okay, Jacko. That’ll do me,’ said Bing. ‘Just the ticket!’
They had just settled down near the stream where they had camped
the previous night and started the fire for cooking when there was a
shout from one of the Gurkhas. An answering shout came from
further down the trail. They all stood with rifles at the ready until they
caught sight of six commandos led by Captain Angus Morrow
trotting up the trail towards them.
‘Greetings, gentlemen,’ said Angus Morrow, grinning. ‘Any
chance of joining you for dinner?’
‘By jove, Angus! You chaps have been quick,’ said Johnny. ‘You
must have been running half the way.’
‘Trotting, actually. Jolly good exercise,’ said Angus, still grinning
and wiping his brow with his sleeve. ‘My troops are pretty fit. The
trail looks like a herd of elephants went over it. We found your
captives way back there and they’re now on their way back to KL.’
‘We’ve got a couple more captives here,’ said Jamie. ‘We might
need one of your fellows to take them back too.’
‘All in good time,’ said Angus, sitting down on a log while his
men found places to rest.
‘You fellas are not carrying grenades are you, by any chance?’
asked Jacko.
‘Grenades? Yes. We’ve got a couple each,’ replied Angus, looking
at Jacko with curiosity. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘They’d be perfect to create a diversion this side of the bandits’
camp,’ said Jacko.
‘You see, Jacko and Sarah have located the hostages,’ Jamie
explained. ‘We’re planning to extract them from the bandits’ camp
after dark. The inspector is not a problem, but Colonel Martin will
have to be carried out. Jacko wants a loud diversion at this end so he
can enter the other end of the camp where Martin is and carry him
out.’
‘Okay, understood. We’ll be in that,’ said Angus. ‘Is Martin badly
injured?’

248
 ‘No. He’s not injured. Apparently, the situation has driven him
batty,’ said Jamie. ‘Jacko’s gonna have to knock him out with
chloroform and carry him out, or he’s likely to start yelling.’
Angus noticed Sarah who was leaning back against a tree quietly
watching him. ‘Who’s the girl?’ he asked.
‘That’s Sarah, Jacko’s half-sister,’ said Johnny. ‘She’s our secret
weapon. She can move through the jungle like a ghost. Say hello to
her.’
‘Hello, Sarah,’ Angus said, waving at her. She waved back and
smiled shyly at him.
Bing walked into the centre of the group and said, ‘My cooks have
made extra food for the newcomers. Dinner will be ready in fifteen
minutes.’
‘Good-o,’ said Angus. ‘Jacko can explain the strategy to us over
dinner.’
‘Can I still fire your rifle, Jacko?’ asked Bing.
‘Yeah. But those grenades are dangerous,’ said Jacko, winking.
‘You’d better stay back here and fire it in the air when you hear the
blast of the grenades.’
Bing laughed. ‘Less exciting for me, but okay.’
The sun was far into the western sky when Sarah and Jacko set off
again up the trail towards the bandits’ encampment. This time, they
were accompanied by two Gurkhas armed only with their khukuris.
One of them was carrying the stretcher. Behind them, the six
commandos walked in single file, fully armed with rifles and
grenades. About half a mile from the camp, Jacko stopped and spoke
to Angus, who directed his men to positions on either side of the trail
hidden amongst the jungle foliage. With a wave to Angus and his
men, Jacko continued up the trail at a fast walk, with Sarah and the
two Gurkhas close behind.
Near the encampment, they turned to the left off the trail and
followed their own faint tracks through the jungle on the northern
side of the encampment. Above the clearing, Jacko could see restless
clouds scudding across the sky indicating the promise of rain later in
the night. The clouds would make it more difficult to see after sunset,
but help them remain undetected.

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 Arriving at the rear of the hut occupied by Robert Douglas, Jacko
whispered to the two Gurkhas, Sudi and Kush, that they would leave
Sarah there and continue together to the end of the camp. The light
was fading fast by the time they had circled the encampment and
reached the last three huts on the western edge of the clearing. Jacko
pointed out the middle hut and they all settled down to wait in the
thick foliage behind it.
Meanwhile, Robert Douglas waited impatiently inside his hut for
the diversion he had been told would happen after nightfall.
Following Jacko’s instructions, he had folded some branches and
leaves in his blanket to make it look as though someone occupied his
cot. Sitting on the bamboo floor beside it, he yawned at the dragging
hours. It was already dark and he was sweating with the humidity.
What if nothing happened? No, he mustn’t think that way. Why did
everything take so long? Soon he would be rescued and later laugh
about this. If Dirk and his men discovered him before he could
escape, he could expect no mercy. Ruthless bastards! He thought of
Jacko and his sister, Sarah. They seemed so calm in the face of
danger. The thought reassured him. God, the waiting!
He was half-asleep when alerted by a series of loud explosions
somewhere east of the encampment. Birds and other wildlife shrieked
and screamed in protest. Carefully, he stood and peeked out the door
of his hut. Several men were running across the clearing towards the
noise, shouting excitedly to one another. He quickly left the hut and
walked around the side to the rear. No one took any notice of him. He
took several steps into the jungle, some fronds scratching his face. It
was so dark he couldn’t see anything. Where are they? he wondered.
Next moment, he felt someone take him by the hand and pull him
further into the foliage. He realised it was the girl, Sarah. He couldn’t
see her but she held his left hand in hers and pulled him along so that
he followed in her footsteps. He had no idea which direction they
were going, but he trusted that she knew. Relief and exhilaration
swept over him.
At the other end of the camp, as soon as the explosions broke the
silence of the night, Jacko whispered to Sudi and Kush to get the
stretcher ready and wait for him. He then disappeared around the side
of the centre hut. Unseen, he entered the hut and with his eyes

250
accustomed to the dark, made out a figure stretched out on a low cot.
Taking a small bottle of chloroform out of his pocket, he poured some
into a white cloth. He folded the cloth and held it firmly over the
prone man’s face. He then lifted the unconscious man over his
shoulder, checked outside to see if anyone was close by and, satisfied,
descended the steps and slipped around the side of the hut.
The two Gurkhas helped him lay the man, dressed in a whitish
uniform, onto the stretcher and then bound him firmly to it with long
lengths of bandages. Jacko made a sign for them to lift the stretcher
and follow him. Although the jungle was dense, the Gurkhas had
keen eyesight and were able to distinguish Jacko in the darkness.
They carried their load without effort, although somewhat slowed by
the thick foliage. As they moved through the jungle, they could hear
voices shouting urgently from the clearing beside them.
Ahead of them, Robert Douglas was surprised to find that Sarah
had now led him onto the main trail, making progress easier. His eyes
had eventually become more accustomed to the dark, although he
found it hard to see the small girl who was leading him by the hand.
He could hear her occasionally murmuring to herself, and was content
to have her lead him on. Exhilarated, he would have been happy to
walk like this all night. Away from those ghastly kidnappers. The
further they went, the better. After some time, Sarah hooted like an
owl and was greeted by an answering owl hoot ahead. A little further
down the track, Douglas became aware of people rustling the bushes
next to the trail. Someone hidden in the darkness said, ‘Just keep
going.’
Further back, Jacko and the two Gurkhas carrying the stretcher had
just reached the trail east of the encampment. One of them put down
the stretcher and pulled pieces of fronds and vine from their clothing,
readjusting some of the bandages wrapped around the unconscious
Martin who had started moaning softly. Jacko suddenly signalled to
them to move into the bushes on the side of the trail. They quickly
moved the stretcher off the trail, while Kush held his hand over
Martin’s mouth. They could hear two men calling to each other as
they trotted down the trail from the camp. As they drew level, Jacko
pulled out his knife but before he could move, Sudi jumped into the
trail wielding his khukuri. All Jacko could hear were stifled cries and

251
grunts. By the time he stepped onto the trail, he could dimly see two
prone bodies and Sudi on his haunches, grinning up at him and
wiping his blade on the clothing of one of the bodies. Together, they
dragged the corpses into the undergrowth before Sudi and Kush lifted
the stretcher back into the trail. With wide smiles, they both nodded
to Jacko who set off in the lead down the track.
In a short while, they reached the point where the commandos
waited in ambush. After exchanging owl hoots, Angus Morrow
stepped onto the trail and informed Jacko that Sarah and Douglas had
already passed through. He and his men would wait another hour to
take care of any pursuers, and then withdraw.
‘Did you like the noise we made?’ he chuckled. ‘We tossed six
grenades into the jungle over there.’
‘Very effective,’ said Jacko. ‘It sounded like a war going on.
Really loud, up there at the camp. We got this fella out while the
bandits were all running around in circles wondering what was
happening.’
‘Good, good. Glad you liked it,’ said Angus. ‘A few of those
bandits might come to investigate now, though.’
‘One of my Gurkha friends here has already eliminated a couple of
them who were running down the trail,’ Jacko told him. ‘We’ll keep
going for at least another four hours. The more distance we put
between us and them, the better.’
‘Good man. We’ll meet you down the track in an hour or two.
Good luck.’
‘You too,’ said Jacko, beckoning to Sudi and Kush to follow him.
A couple of miles further down the trail, Martin started to wake
from his induced slumber and called out for someone to get him his
car.
Jacko looked over his shoulder, saying, ‘I hope you fellas have
him securely bound with those bandages.’
‘The only thing he can move is his mouth, sir,’ said Kush,
laughing.
By the time Jacko, Sudi and Kush reached the camp where Jamie,
Johnny, Bing, and the others waited for them, Martin was already
calling for the governor and threatening to shoot everyone.
‘You’ve got him?’ said Johnny. ‘Splendid!’

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 ‘Yeah, that diversion by the commandos helped a lot,’ said Jacko.
‘A real bang-up job!’
Jamie said, ‘Welcome back, Jacko. Sarah and Douglas have
already gone ahead. Looks like you’ve got Martin securely tied up.
We’ve got the backpacks for Sudi, Kush and yourself here. Sarah’s
already got hers. We all need to get underway.’
‘No worries, Cap.’
‘I’ve got your rifle, Jacko,’ said Bing, showing it to him. ‘I’ll
shoot anyone who tries to attack us from the rear.’
Jacko chuckled. ‘Just make sure you don’t shoot any commandos,
Bing.’
‘Okay, Jacko. No commandos.’
‘Just the ticket, Bing!’

253
 CHAPTER 27

‘That must have been the other rocket, Tuan,’ said Boon.
Dirk scratched his chin and said, ‘Didn’t sound like it. Sounded
more like several explosions, not just one big one.’
‘Could be echoes in the jungle, Tuan,’ persisted Boon.
‘Ya, ya, maybe you’re right. I don’t know what to think,’ said
Dirk. ‘Your men who originally went down to see the rocket group
aren’t back yet.’
‘They’ve probably decided to camp down there until morning.
Anyway, I’ve sent a couple more men down the trail to have a look,
Tuan.’ Boon eyed Dirk warily.
‘What about the prisoners?’
‘Both checked on, Tuan,’ said Boon. ‘Didn’t even wake up.’
‘Goot. Goot. It’s dark tonight with these clouds,’ said Dirk. ‘Your
men should be able to tell us what happened in the morning, Boon.’
‘Yes, Tuan. Goodnight.’
‘Ya. Goodnight, Boon. Looks like it might rain tonight. See you in
the morning.’

****

Douglas no longer needed to hold Sarah’s hand. His eyes had become
more accustomed to the darkness and he was able to see the tiny
figure moving ahead of him along the trail. They were moving quite
quickly now and in spite of the unmoving hot air, Douglas was elated
and believed he could continue like this all night. Not even the
occasional wild pig crashing through the undergrowth worried him.
He didn’t remember when he had felt so fit. Probably when he was at
school years ago. It would be worth giving up whisky altogether to
feel like this all the time. Well, maybe not altogether.

254
 It started to rain but it didn’t dampen his spirits. The weather could
do its worst. He wouldn’t care. He was far from the clutches of those
ruthless kidnappers. He wondered if they had managed to rescue
Martin as well. He was sure they would have, but found that he didn’t
really care about that either. The rain was getting heavier, the trail
muddier. Sarah glanced back at him occasionally to make sure he was
keeping up. I’ll keep up all night if necessary, he thought.
Further back, by using more bandages, Kush had covered Martin
in broad leaves to keep some of the rain off. By this stage, Martin was
fully awake, loudly cursing and swearing in between his demands to
see the governor. His shouting and demands provided some
amusement for the others who were following them. Sudi asked if
they could gag him, but Jacko thought it might make him struggle
more.
They had to stop once in a while, as the stretcher was heavy and
difficult to navigate through narrow portions of the now muddy trail.
Ganju suggested that he and the other Gurkhas could take over and
regularly rotate the pairs carrying the heavy stretcher. This helped to
speed up the pace as they progressed down the trail in almost total
darkness.
Soon after midnight, the rain eased off and they arrived at their
first campsite west of where the bandits had attempted an ambush
amongst the granite outcrops. Sarah had already set up a roaring fire,
and Bing’s cooks were pulling their cooking utensils from their
packs.
‘I’m ravenous,’ said Bing, stepping close to the fire. ‘We’ve eaten
all the fresh food. The fare tonight is out of tins, but my cooks will
still produce a tasty dish.’
‘A cup of tea would be good, too,’ said Jacko. ‘Just the ticket,
Bing.’
Bing spoke in Malay to one of his cooks and then told Jacko,
‘Tea’s coming up. Just the ticket, Jacko.’
‘Better make enough food for the commandos,’ said Johnny.
‘They should catch us up within the hour.’
‘No worries, mate,’ said Bing, mimicking an Australian accent.
‘You’d make a fair dinkum Aussie, Bing,’ said Jacko, chuckling.

255
 Bing burst into laughter and then sat down on a nearby log,
mumbling to himself, ‘Fair dinkum. Fair dinkum Aussie.’
When the food was served up, they all agreed it was very tasty.
They had hardly started eating when they heard a whistle and Angus
Morrow and his commandos arrived.
‘Could smell the cooking from a mile up the trail,’ said Angus.
‘I’m starved.’
‘Did you see any more bandits?’ asked Jamie.
‘Nah! All quiet on the eastern front.’ Angus chuckled. ‘We left a
couple of booby traps of our own back there. Couple of grenades and
some fishing line.’
The rain had stopped, but the canopy continued to drip. After
dinner, they set up enough bashas to accommodate everyone. Two of
the commandos were selected to guard the trail to the west, and the
rest settled down for the night.
At daybreak, they were all up and ready to travel the last leg of the
trail after a quick breakfast. Sarah again located and handed out the
leech-repelling plants, as they would be crossing more swampy areas
during the day.

****

At daybreak, Dirk was just stepping out of his hut when one of the
men ran up, pointing to the western edge of the clearing. ‘White
colonel! Him missing, Tuan. Can’t find anywhere,’ he cried in an
agitated manner. ‘No sign. Gone, Tuan.’
‘Colonel Martin? Gone?’ said Dirk. ‘He must have wandered off
in the night. You’ll find him lost in the jungle behind his hut.’
‘No, Tuan. We have many men looking in jungle. No sign.’
‘Where’s Boon?’ asked Dirk.
‘Him also look, Tuan. Colonel nowhere. I go get Boon.’
In a short while, Boon appeared looking worried. ‘He just vanish,
Tuan. Nowhere inside camp. Nowhere outside camp.’
‘Well, he’s got to be somewhere, Boon,’ said Dirk grimly. ‘Go and
get Robert Douglas out of bed. We’ll see if he knows anything.’
‘Right away, Tuan.’

256
 Dirk was talking to Fritzi near where the camp cooks were
preparing breakfast when Boon returned and coughed to get his
attention.
‘Well! Where is Robert?’ said Dirk with rising apprehension.
‘Him also gone, Tuan,’ said Boon nervously. ‘It looked like him
asleep but just stuff wrapped in a blanket.’
Dirk was speechless. He stared savagely at Boon who flinched,
unsure about what the tall German was likely to do.
‘Scheisse!’ yelled Dirk. ‘Someone must have been here last night.
That dummkopf Robert could never have organised an escape.
Someone from outside. Scheisse!’
‘Our men are searching everywhere, Tuan,’ said Boon.
‘They won’t find anything around here,’ said Dirk. ‘Have your
men returned? The ones who went down the trail to investigate the
explosions?’
‘None of them, Tuan.’
‘I want you to take twenty armed men down to where the rocket
launcher was set up and find out what happened down there, Boon,’
said Dirk. ‘Have breakfast and then quick as you can, ya?’
‘Yes, Tuan. Baik! Maybe we find Englanders on the trail.’
‘Maybe,’ said Dirk, looking at him doubtfully. ‘Or maybe it’s the
ghosts who took away your prisoner from the Cameron Highlands
before, ya?’
Boon looked at him sheepishly, knowing what he said could be
true. ‘We eat now and then go, Tuan. We catch them. You’ll see.’
‘Boon! Fritzi and I shall come with you,’ said Dirk suddenly.
‘Let’s eat, then we catch them together, ya?’

****

By mid-morning the rescue team had already covered seven or eight

miles and were taking a break. Martin, who had been spoon-fed
during breakfast, was slumbering and snoring quietly. Gurkhas and
commandos had been taking it in turns to carry the stretcher. Johnny
switched on his radio and walked a little way down the trail from the
others to try to reach Russell Fairweather. After trying several
different locations, his efforts were rewarded. He informed Russell

257
that they had rescued Douglas and Martin and expected to be at the
end of the trail by late afternoon. Returning to where the group was
resting, he told them that vehicles would be waiting for them when
they reached the pickup point.
For the rest of the morning, Sarah and Jacko led, followed by
Jamie just ahead of Johnny, Bing and his cooks. The Gurkhas and
commandos were next, taking it in turns to carry the stretcher with the
firmly bound Martin, quiet now.
As he walked behind them, Jamie’s heart was full of admiration
for Jacko and Sarah for the way they had made it seem so easy to
extract the hostages from the dangerous kidnappers and murderers.
He knew it hadn’t been as easy as it looked. He thought of his own
role in the rescue of Douglas and Martin as that of an impotent
onlooker, but was proud to have been one of the team.
He again recalled when he had first met Jacko during the Syrian
campaign in 1941. Five years ago, but it didn’t seem so long. Jacko
had rescued him when he was pinned down by a machine gunner, and
he’d later carried him to a field hospital after he’d been wounded.
They had subsequently spent the rest of the war working for British
intelligence based in Cairo. Johnny Cook of MI6 had been their boss.
His thoughts turned more and more to his wife, Carna, who would
be waiting. By now, Russell would have informed them about their
imminent return. He was happy that she had elected to stay in KL to
wait for him. I shall not leave without you! Come back to me. I’m on
the way back, my princess. His sodden boots were caked with mud
from the swamplands, but Sarah’s deterrent for leeches seemed to be
working. Even if my boots carry a ton of mud, it won’t stop me, he
thought. Come back to me.
He knew that Jacko would be having similar thoughts about
Monique. She would never know how close she had come to losing
him when those two rockets had exploded. Jacko wouldn’t tell her,
that was for sure. His thoughts were interrupted by a mouthful of
curses behind him. Someone having trouble with the unwieldy
stretcher on the slippery trail. Other than that, there was little
conversation. Even the irrepressible Bing seemed strangely silent.
Saving his breath for the long hike. Everyone would be happy to
finish this journey.

258
 Around midday, no one wanted to spend any time having lunch. A
quick rest and a snack from their own backpacks and they were off
down the trail again.

****

The bandits had started their pursuit at a fast pace, with one of Boon’s
men in the lead. Before they reached the site of the rocket launcher,
the leading bandit walked into a nylon line strung across the track and
was killed by an exploding grenade left there by the commandos.
After that, the pace became considerably slower as those in the lead
nervously picked their way along the trail. The next two miles took
them the best part of two hours.
When they finally arrived at the site where the rockets had
exploded, they looked around, bewildered and shocked at the scene.
Dirk studied the small crater and the shredded bushes and trees
around the site and muttered, ‘Scheisse! How could this happen?’
There was an eerie silence around the site. Not the usual screeches
of birds and monkeys in the jungle. It was as though wildlife had
been obliterated. The men looked superstitiously at one another.
‘Looks like blood, bone and bits of metal in some of the trees,
Tuan,’ said Boon.
‘Ya! Those rockets must have exploded before they were able to
use them,’ said Dirk slowly, shaking his head in frustration.
‘Scheisse!’
‘No sign of any of my men, Tuan,’ said Boon. ‘What to do?’
‘So! So! We can tell nothing from the foot tracks on the trail,’ said
Dirk, ‘too many. We must push on. We must catch up.’
‘Nein! I think we have been completely out-manoeuvred, Dirk,’
said Fritzi. ‘All our men who went down the trail before have been
killed or captured. No point in going further. We must leave. Get out
of Malaya.’
Dirk wheeled around, his flashing blue eyes filled with anger and
hate. ‘Leave? Scheisse! Run like weaklings? We can’t let them defeat
us, Fritzi.’
‘The captives are gone, Dirk,’ said Fritzi, nervous but holding his
ground. ‘They’ve been spirited away like ghosts. The British know

259
where our camp is now and it is certain they will come to get us. We
have to buy or steal a boat on the eastern coast and sail to Batavia.
We have plenty of money. We will have to pretend to be Dutch again.
Our local men will become Javanese. They speak the same language.
Even Hiroaki Fukuda. Only hope for us, Dirk.’
‘Scheisse!’ Dirk shouted at the silent jungle. He glared around at
all the faces watching him. His eyes then fixed again on Fritzi.
Slowly, the reality of the situation intruded on his anger. After a
while, he shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘So be it, then.’

****

Towards late afternoon, Sarah pointed ahead where bright daylight

was shining through thinning jungle growth. Jacko yelled over his
shoulder that it wouldn’t be much longer. This spurred the group into
increasing the pace and in a short time, they broke out into the
clearing where they had previously been dropped off. Shading their
eyes from the unaccustomed glare of the western sun, they saw a
dozen vehicles and an ambulance parked close by. They were greeted
by a smiling Police Sergeant Balveer Singh who ushered the men
carrying the stretcher towards the ambulance. Police and army
drivers, as well as Bing’s driver, Abdul, stood by their cars.
‘The superintendent told me to take you to your hotel,’ said
Balveer to Johnny and the Australians. ‘He’ll meet you there after
you’ve had a chance to bathe.’
Balveer then walked over to Douglas who was looking around,
blinking in the glare. ‘Do you need to go to the hospital, Inspector?’
he asked.
‘No. No. I’m fine. Fit as a fiddle,’ replied Douglas with a weak
smile. ‘Just a bit tired. I’d like to go home.’
Balveer pointed to one of the police cars. ‘Please take that one, sir.
We are all happy that you are fine. The superintendent would like to
talk to you tomorrow.’
Jamie stood beside Bing and asked, ‘How did you enjoy the last
few days, Bing?’
‘Great adventure!’ said Bing with a chuckle. ‘Wouldn’t have
missed it for the world. I’m glad it’s over, though. Ah! I see my

260
driver, Abdul, is here. I’ll come over to the Majestic after I’ve washed
this stinky swamp stuff off me.’
‘We’ll buy you a drink or three, Bing,’ said Jamie, waving to him
as they set off towards the cars.
The cavalcade drove down the muddy track and passed through
Senawang, watched by its highly curious and fascinated inhabitants.
After that, the cars split up in different directions.
Jacko and Sarah were in one car following Jamie and Johnny in
another. Before they arrived at the Majestic, Jacko rolled up his right
sleeve and studied the bruises and scabs on his arm from which the
bandages had already been removed.
‘Dunno how I’m gonna explain this to Monique, sis,’ he said. ‘I’ll
have to think up a good story, eh?’
‘Aye yu, bik brother.’
As they approached the hotel, the sun was setting ahead of them,
blazing like molten metal from a furnace. They could see Carna and
Monique standing on the steps at the entrance. Carna was dressed in
her favourite white and Monique in dark green. When Jamie emerged
from the back seat of his car, a flurry of white topped by flowing
black hair raced towards him and almost knocked him back into the
car. Monique appeared more reserved. She walked slowly towards
Jacko and he also strolled towards her. She then ran to him and he
engulfed her in his arms, kissing her.
Monique then held him at arm’s length, fixed him with her green
eyes, laughed, and said, ‘Pas l’amour. Beaucoup d’arôme. Jacko, you
smell bad!’
Carna looked across, joined in the laughter and nodded. ‘Mal olor!
My Jamie smells worst of all.’
Jamie blushed and said, ‘Er ... it’s pretty hot and smelly in the
jungle.’
Johnny and Sarah watched, bemused. Sarah smiled and said,
‘Jungle stinky!’
Still laughing, Carna said, ‘You boys had better go and have a
good wash before we do anything else. You too, Johnny. Sarah also.’
Sarah laughed. ‘Aye yu, Ka Na.’
‘Carna and I will wait for you downstairs,’ said Monique.
‘I’ll need a cold beer after I’m showered and washed,’ said Jacko.

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 ‘You won’t get one unless you smell sweet,’ said Monique. ‘You
should take off those filthy boots before you go into the hotel.’
‘Yes, Boss,’ Jacko grinned, ‘I’m going. I’m going!’
Jamie, Jacko, Sarah, and Johnny all marched into the hotel in their
socks accompanied by peals of laughter from Sarah.
An hour later, they were all sitting in the ground floor bar of the
hotel, allowed to order cold drinks after they had passed Carna’s
‘stink test’.
As he sipped his beer, Jacko sighed and said, ‘Ah, the nectar of the
gods.’
Jamie started to explain to the girls what had happened to them
over the past few days when he was interrupted by the arrival of
Russell Fairweather, who sat down with them. He said, ‘I’ve got an
amusing little story to tell you.’
‘We’re all ears,’ said Jamie.
‘Yesterday, I was contacted by a local chap, Han, whom the
kidnappers had conscripted to negotiate on their behalf in relation to
the hostages,’ said Russell. ‘He said he would contact me this
morning, and he did.’
‘You’re kidding!’ said Jacko.
‘Not at all,’ Russell continued. ‘I had already received your radio
call, Johnny. Therefore, I told him I would meet him outside the
police station during the morning. I said I was empowered by the
governor to agree to all his terms, which were mainly to provide safe
passage for the bandits to a destination of their choosing, and that I
would give him the necessary documents.’
‘Is that what the governor agreed to?’ asked Johnny.
‘Of course not,’ said Russell, smiling. ‘The governor knows
nothing about it! Mr Han was most astonished when I arrested him
and another man who came with him outside the police station. I
marched them both into the police cells. Han has been yelling ever
since that the hostages will die.’
They were all laughing when Bing arrived, looking freshly
scrubbed. ‘Did I miss a good joke?’ he enquired, looking around.
‘Doesn’t matter, but I could do with a glass of cold beer.’
Dinner in the second floor Chinese restaurant was a robust affair.
Jacko, Jamie and Johnny took it in turns to regale the others with

262
slightly exaggerated descriptions of the events leading to the eventual
rescue of the hostages. Bing added to the merriment by boasting
about the extreme accuracy of his rifle before it was so carelessly
destroyed by Jacko.
Sarah contributed to the conversation by observing, ‘Australian
bush smell nice. Malay bush stinky!’
Jacko added that the Australian bush was just as stinky, but only
when there was a saltwater crocodile close by.
‘What do you think the bandits will do now, Russell?’ asked
Johnny.
Russell thought for a while and said, ‘They’ll run for it, I’d guess.
They have little choice. Don’t know where they’ll go. They may try
to take a boat on the east coast. Whatever they do, their attempt to
control the Malay Peninsula is finished, thanks to you chaps. You did
an amazing job. What are your plans now?’
‘I think I’ll get an early night tonight,’ said Jacko.
‘Me too!’ said Carna quickly.
‘Me too!’ said Jamie.
‘Me too!’ repeated Sarah.
There were several more cries of, ‘Me too,’ before Bing
exclaimed, ‘So, no dancing this evening.’
‘Don’t you ever get tired, Bing?’ asked Jacko.
‘Not like you poor old chaps,’ Bing chuckled. ‘I’m sure I can find
a few pretty young dance partners in the Rooftop Club. That’ll be just
the ticket!’

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 CHAPTER 28

The sun was already high above fluffy clouds when Jacko and
Monique decided to take an after-breakfast stroll along the nearby
Klang River. There was a pleasant breeze from the northwest, causing
Monique to steady her broad-brimmed hat with her left hand, Jacko
clutching her right.
Monique broke the companionable silence by asking, ‘What’s
wrong with your right arm, Jacko?’
‘Aw ... er ... nothing really,’ said Jacko, surprised by the question.
‘Just some scratches and bruises from the jungle.’
She stopped and fixed him with her flashing green eyes. ‘And how
did you destroy Bing’s rifle, Jacko?’
‘I ... er ... I ... it was an accident,’ he muttered.
‘I’m just worried about you,’ she said firmly. ‘I have another
question.’
‘Question?’
‘Yes, Jack O’Brien. If you don’t fix a date soon for us to get
married, I think I’ll cut my throat or drown myself – or drown you.’
‘No. No. I really want to marry you,’ said Jacko with a twinkle in
his eye. ‘I wasn’t sure whether you really wanted to marry me.’
‘Oh. Poo. Je t’adore, mon Jacko. Sometimes you are like a little
boy. Of course I want to marry you. As soon as possible.’
‘Here in Kuala Lumpur?’
‘Non! No, of course not. Will we be flying back to Darwin soon?’
‘Yeah. I don’t think they need us anymore. As soon as we can get
away,’ he said with a grin. ‘We’ll get married when we get back to
Darwin. Would you prefer Brisbane?’
‘Non. Non. My parents hardly know anyone yet in Brisbane. You
have many friends in Darwin. We’ll get married there, like Carna and
Jamie did, n’est-ce pas?’

264
 ‘Monique, I don’t deserve you,’ he said, seeing the tears forming
in her eyes.
‘Tush. Of course you do, mon chéri. We deserve each other, n’est-
ce pas?’
As they continued their stroll along the river accompanied by the
twitters and chirps of a variety of birds, Monique held his left arm
tightly. With a cheeky grin she said, ‘Alors, mon coeur. You must
now tell me the true story of how you managed to destroy Bing’s
rifle.’

****

‘Pájaros del amor,’ Carna muttered to herself as she watched from

the hotel window the two distant figures strolling along the river. She
turned to Jamie and asked, ‘When do you think those two lovebirds
will decide to get married?’
‘Lovebirds?’
‘Si. Lovebirds. Monique and Jacko. They are down by the river
and can’t keep their hands off each other.’
Jamie grinned. ‘They’ll decide when they decide. Maybe they
don’t want to.’
‘Poo! Monique is so in love with your friend, she will get him to
the altar even if she has to drag him by the hair,’ said Carna,
chuckling.
‘That would be a sight to see.’
‘We had a nice time together while you were chasing criminales in
the jungle. We were able to discuss you both,’ said Carna with a
twinkle in her eye.
‘Pulled us to pieces, no doubt.’
‘Si. No doubt. We went shopping at the markets, which are
fabulous,’ said Carna. ‘Bing’s driver, Abdul, drove us. It was fun.
Beautiful silk. You could have a dress made to fit in two hours. We
could get you a proper suit made to wear at Jacko’s wedding.’
‘A suit? I have a suit.’
‘Jamie, my dearest Jamie, your suit is at least ten years old.’
Jamie laughed. ‘It was good enough for our wedding. Anyway, we
don’t know when Jacko’s wedding is going to be.’

265
 ‘It will be soon,’ said Carna, looking out the window again.
‘Monique doesn’t want to wait any longer. She will tell that to Jacko.
When do we fly to Darwin?’
‘We’ve got a meeting this morning with Algie and Russell,’ he
said. ‘We’ll be able to plan our departure after that.’
‘Make it soon, mi corazón,’ she said, looking at him seriously.
‘You’ve chased after enough gangsters for a while. Let’s go home.’
Jamie joined her at the window and studied the distant pair.
‘Home. That sounds good.’
Morning tea with scones and strawberry jam was being served in
the ground floor café when Russell and Algie arrived and greeted the
others.
‘Greetings, ladies and gentlemen,’ said Algie. ‘This looks
delicious. I had to go to Naval Headquarters this morning and missed
breakfast. I must congratulate you chaps on your brilliant rescue of
the hostages. I can’t begin to imagine how you pulled it off. My
admiration knows no bounds.’
‘Any news on Colonel Martin?’ asked Johnny.
‘Martin? No. He’s in the hospital and doesn’t seem to know where
he is,’ said Algie. ‘That’s all I know. We can only hope he’ll
recover.’
‘I must say that our other rescued hostage, Inspector Douglas, has
come through his ordeal very well,’ said Russell. ‘In fact, he looks
fitter than I’ve ever seen him. He’s a new man!’
‘So, you’d recommend a week in the jungle as a good fitness
regime?’ Jacko chuckled.
‘Not a recommendation I’d make normally,’ Algie laughed. ‘But
on a serious note, I’ve had some thoughts about where the bandits
might be headed now.’
‘We’re all ears, Algie,’ said Johnny.
‘Obviously, their grab at control of Malaya has failed completely
and they have no hostages to bargain with. So they have to run,’ said
Algie. ‘I believe their only chance is to find their way to Kuala
Rompin on the east coast.’
‘Kuala Rompin?’ exclaimed Johnny.

266
 ‘Yes. It’s a fishing village at the mouth of the Rompin River,’
explained Algie. ‘There are a number of reasonably large fishing
vessels they might be able get their hands on.’
‘How long would it take them to get there?’ asked Johnny.
Algie looked at his notebook and said, ‘I estimate it’s some sixty
miles from their present campsite, but it’s not only jungle. They’d
have to traverse some fairly rugged country, some of it mountainous.
I estimate that if they really pushed it hard, it would take them at least
three days.’
‘So, what do you plan to do about it?’ said Johnny.
‘The navy is willing to lend us a minesweeper, HMS Lioness. It’s
currently at Penang but it will be at Port Swettenham, thirty miles
from KL, by this evening,’ continued Algie. ‘The distance from Port
Swettenham to Kuala Rompin is something less than 400 nautical
miles via the Singapore Strait. The ship can cruise at about fifteen
knots, so leaving Port Swettenham tomorrow morning we can easily
be at our destination by late morning the following day. At least a day
or two ahead of the bandits.’
‘What if they decide to go somewhere else?’ asked Johnny.
‘There’s few other places they could go,’ explained Algie. ‘I’m
certain they would try to get hold of a boat large enough to carry
thirty or forty men to Java, their most likely destination. So, Kuala
Rompin it has to be.’
Johnny was studying a map shown to him by Algie and he nodded.
‘I agree with you. Are you sure this HMS Lioness would arrive before
them?’
‘With time to spare. Possibly days,’ Algie declared firmly.
‘Very good. I assume the ship could carry a good number of
troops?’ said Johnny. ‘Those bandits have plenty of weapons. They
are not going to give up easily.’
‘Captain Morrow and his commandos are keen to go,’ said Algie.
‘I haven’t spoken to Lieutenant Colonel Henson yet, but Sergeant
Ganju Gurung and his Gurkhas seem at home in the jungle and, I
think, would be happy to go also.’
‘That should be enough to bring the bandits to heel,’ said Johnny.
‘I assume the troops will just wait for them to emerge from the
jungle?’

267
 Algie shook his head. ‘Angus Morrow thinks they should set up
ambushes in the jungle. Otherwise, there could be a major shoot-up in
the Kuala Rompin village. Innocent villagers, including women and
children, in the line of fire. We want to avoid that.’
‘You’re right. It would be best to set up an ambush in the jungle,’
agreed Johnny.
‘Our major problem is trails,’ said Algie. ‘The only trails in that
part of the jungle are aboriginal sakai trails. They are very difficult to
detect and follow. It’s likely that the bandits will pay some local
Temiar natives to guide them. It is best to set up the ambushes in the
jungle well away from the village. To do this we’ll need to locate the
most likely sakai trail leading to the coast. That’s where our
Australian friends will come in.’
‘Whooaa!’ exclaimed Jacko. ‘We’re all set to fly back to Darwin.’
‘I think our men have done enough for you already,’ said Carna,
her dark eyes blazing with anger.
‘Can’t you enlist the help of a Temiar guide at Kuala Rompin?’
asked Jamie.
‘The Temiar rarely visit the village,’ said Algie. ‘They usually fish
in more remote areas of the eastern coastline. I don’t think we could
find any.’
‘Mon Dieu! Jacko and I are planning to get married,’ cried
Monique. ‘He might be killed. Another week in KL not knowing
what is going on. I’ll die. Merde!’
‘You and Carna can come along. Also Sarah, of course. There is
plenty of spare accommodation on the ship. I’ve checked. It normally
serves as a minesweeper,’ said Algie earnestly. ‘The officers and
crew who usually operate the sweeps are not required, so they’re
taking a holiday in Penang.’
‘We can go on the ship, n’est-ce pas?’
‘Yes. Yes. It’s about 180 feet long, 700 tons, and has plenty of free
cabins,’ said Algie. ‘We can reserve one of the bathrooms solely for
ladies. After we’ve captured the bandits, the ship can drop you at
Changi, right next to the Singapore airport.’
Jacko looked at Monique. ‘Hmmm. What d’ya reckon, my angel?’

268
 She looked at him, her green eyes brimming. ‘I don’t like it, mon
coeur. But I know, this is what you do. I won’t stop you. Au moins,
we’ll be together on the ship, n’est-ce pas?’
‘Yeah, I s’pose a few more days won’t hurt,’ said Jacko, then
looked at Jamie. ‘What d’ya reckon, Cap?’
‘Yes. We’ll all go,’ said Jamie to Algie. ‘But after that, we’re
going home!’
Clapping her hands, Carna exclaimed, ‘Si, si!’
‘Si, si!’ repeated Sarah, also clapping her hands amid laughter
from the others.
‘Jolly good. I’ll organise vehicles to take you to Port Swettenham
in the morning,’ said Algie. ‘I’ll let you know the timing of that this
afternoon. I presume you’ll also be coming along, Colonel Cook?’
‘Absolutely,’ said Johnny. ‘You also, Algie?’
‘Oh yes. I wouldn’t be much use in the jungle, but I’ll be onboard
ship,’ said Algie, chuckling. ‘It’ll be a nice ocean cruise with some
excitement at the end.’
‘Not too exciting, I hope,’ said Carna.
‘I’ll stay in KL and hold the fort,’ said Russell. ‘The ship can
reach me by radio anytime.’
‘Well, I’ll be off now,’ said Algie, standing and waving as he
headed for the door. ‘I’ve got some organising to do. I’ll be in touch.’

****

The first ten miles of slogging west from the campsite through the
jungle took only three and a half hours but after that, the pace slowed
considerably with the topography becoming rougher. Numerous
rocky crags and crevasses had to be negotiated.
Earlier in the morning, the Japanese Kempeitai officer, Hiroaki
Fukuda, had led Dirk to a Temiar village a mile northwest of the
bandits’ campsite to arrange a guide. Although the local aboriginal
people had not taken sides during the war, Fukuda had become
familiar with the villagers and had sometimes used them over the
years as guides in exchange for food, cloth and tobacco.
Their group, now down to thirty-nine men, was being led along a
trail difficult to detect and becoming more hilly and rugged.

269
However, the Temiar guide, answering to the name of Bu, seemed to
have no difficulty and often had to wait for the others to catch up.
The men were suffering from bruises and scratches by slipping on
loose stones while climbing up and down steep slopes. Sweat in the
eyes. Blood, blisters and pain. Muscles straining. Straps of backpacks
cutting into shoulders. The muggy, airless conditions added to the
hardship, and the air was often filled with loud curses in various
languages. The screeches and shrieks of birds and monkeys, sounding
like shrill cackles of laughter, endlessly mocked their discomfort.
Bu was unaffected by the heat, walking barefoot with easy strides
along the trail, his long blowpipe slung over his shoulder, the only
one who knew where they were going.
At midday, Bu descended a steep slope and stood by a spring.
When Boon caught up to him, he said in Malay, ‘Makan,’ indicating
lunch. Dirk and Fritzi arrived and agreed it was a good idea and set
about building a fire. It took another fifteen minutes for all the rest to
arrive, including their cook, Ah Wing.
One of the stragglers, Chou, a Chinese-Malay, slipped and fell
down the slope leading to the stream. He screamed out that he had
twisted his ankle. Fritzi inspected the ankle and quietly informed Dirk
it was broken. Dirk nodded, went over to Chou and told him to rest
and after lunch he would help him.
Lunch was a morose affair. As they opened tins of food from their
backpacks, many of the men wondered whether they could endure
several more days of this. By comparison, Dirk was laughing and
joking with Fritzi and didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
Chou had trouble eating anything. At first, the pain in his ankle
was torture. After a while, he couldn’t feel anything in his whole leg.
After finishing lunch, Dirk walked over to him and offered his hand.
‘Let me help you stand up, Chou old man,’ he said. ‘Fritzi and I
will hold you and see if you can walk on one leg, ya?’
‘Terima kasih! Thank you, Tuan. I try,’ he said.
With Dirk and Fritzi supporting him on each side, they walked a
little way alongside the creek. Chou found he could walk on one leg
with his other leg dragging along the ground. The others watched
them as they continued along the creek until they were out of sight
around a bend. After a quarter of an hour, the bandits were startled by

270
the sound of a pistol shot followed by the shrieking of birds around
them. The waiting bandits sat motionless until Dirk and Fritzi finally
reappeared without Chou.
Dirk looked at them, picked up his rifle and backpack and said,
‘Chou decided not to continue. Let’s get going, ya?’
He motioned to the guide to lead on while the others sat in stunned
silence, except for Hiroaki Fukuda who was chuckling. Slowly,
everyone got to their feet, slung their rifles and backpacks over their
shoulders and followed the guide and the Germans up the slope on
the other side of the creek and then in single file along the trail.

****

Dinner and dancing followed a familiar pattern at the Majestic Hotel

that evening. There was considerable laughter during dinner, as an
enthusiastic Bing held forth with amusing, exaggerated anecdotes
about his experiences in the jungle. Under questioning by Carna and
Monique, he changed his story five times about how Jacko had
destroyed his rifle. Even his friend, the normally stoic Duminda
Herath, couldn’t help laughing.
At the end of the dinner, Russell informed them that the prisoner,
Han, whom he had arrested the previous day, had revealed under
interrogation the names of a number of other members of the bandit
group based in KL and Ipoh. The police were in the process of
rounding them up.
‘Your operation in Kuala Rompin should finally put an end to the
aspirations of the Fascists to take control of Malaya,’ said Russell.
‘What about the Communists, Russell?’ asked Johnny. ‘Do you
think they’ll try the same thing eventually?’
Russell sighed. ‘Yes, that’s another story. If their efforts to win the
hearts and minds of the Malayan people fail, they may well try to gain
power by other means. If that happens, MI6 will have to become
heavily involved again.’
‘Yes. Yes. Well, it’s not going to happen tomorrow,’ said Johnny.
‘By the way, what time do we leave the hotel in the morning, Algie?’
‘I’ve organised for you to be picked up at seven o’clock,’ replied
Algie. ‘The HMS Lioness will be ready to sail at eight thirty.’

271
 ‘I’ll come to Port Swettenham to wave you all goodbye,’ said
Bing.
‘You’re not coming into the jungle again with us, Bing?’
exclaimed Jacko.
‘No. I have a business to run,’ said Bing. ‘I can’t spend too much
time partaking of the delights of our jungle with you chaps. Besides,
I’ve only got three rifles left.’
‘Yes. I can see that would be a problem,’ said Jacko, chuckling.
‘Anyway, important things first,’ said Bing. ‘We have to go to the
Rooftop Club now so that I can have a last dance each with Sarah,
Carna and Monique. KL will be deadly dull after you’ve all left us.’
Beaming, Sarah cried, ‘Aye yu! Dance. Yea!’
Jacko laughed. ‘Okay, Bing. That sounds like just the ticket.’
‘Just the ticket!’ repeated Bing.
‘Well, I’m going to leave you young things to it,’ said Russell.
‘Me too,’ agreed Algie. ‘When I try to dance, I’ve got two left
feet. I’ll see you all at Port Swettenham in the morning.’
Up at the Rooftop Club, the big band was in full swing playing
favourites from George Gershwin and Cole Porter, and several
couples were circling the floor. The group was ushered to a large
table where they ordered drinks. True to his word, Bing immediately
took to the floor with Sarah, who stared wide-eyed up at him as they
whirled around.
‘Your sister is a very good dancer, Jacko,’ said Duminda.
‘She’d be happy to dance with you also, Duminda,’ said Jacko.
‘No. She’s too good for me. I’d walk all over her toes.’
‘You haven’t asked me for a dance yet, Jacko,’ Monique pouted.
‘Sorry! Sorry!’ said Jacko, jumping up. ‘I was too busy watching
Sarah. Would you please dance with me, my love.’
‘Bien sûr! Merci. Thank you for asking, Monsieur O’Brien.’
Monique winked at him as they joined the couples on the floor.
Jamie took one look at Carna and also jumped up before she could
say anything, leaving Duminda and Johnny at the table with their
drinks.
‘I believe you have known Jamie and Jacko for a long while,’ said
Duminda.

272
 ‘Yes. We met in the early part of the war and worked together on
intelligence in Cairo until Rommel’s Afrika Corps was finally
defeated,’ said Johnny. ‘I wasn’t aware of the extraordinary tracking
skills of Jacko at that time, although I knew he could move around
like a ghost when he wanted.’
‘And Sarah, his sister?’ asked Duminda.
‘She’s his half-sister. If anything, I believe she is an even better
tracker than Jacko,’ said Johnny. ‘We’re lucky to have them on this
venture.’
‘A good tracker and a good dancer,’ said Duminda with one of his
brief smiles.
Over the next hour, there was much merriment. Bing had his
dances with both Carna and Monique, making them laugh with his
quirky humour as they circled the floor. Monique and Carna both
managed to drag Johnny onto the floor and finally, as had happened
on the previous occasion, Bing saw a girl he knew at another table
and vanished.
‘You might not see him again for a while,’ said Duminda. ‘He
won’t stop until he’s danced with every pretty girl in the club.’
By mutual agreement, they decided to call it a night and went
down to the ground floor where they waved farewell to Duminda as
he was driven off in his car.
‘It’s a lovely night,’ said Monique. ‘Lots of stars.’
‘Yeah. Beautiful,’ said Jacko. ‘I was just thinking of those other
characters way out in the jungle tonight.’
‘Aye yu! Stinky jungle,’ murmured Sarah.
‘You’re not thinking of those awful bandits, n’est-ce pas?’ asked
Monique, puzzled.
‘Yeah,’ Jacko chuckled. ‘I’d rather be where I am than where they
are right now. What do you think, Cap?’
‘I’m with you there, Jacko.’
‘On that note, I’m off to bed,’ said Johnny, also chuckling.
‘Goodnight all.’
They dispersed to their bedrooms on the upper floors, all thinking
about sailing on the ship the following day.

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 CHAPTER 29

Port Swettenham had clearly suffered severe damage during the war
from both bombing and deliberate destruction. The group observed a
great deal of work was underway to rehabilitate the port facilities,
many of which were in derelict condition.
Arriving at the mouth of the Klang River, they could not see any
ships. They could, however, see a couple of wrecks with their
superstructures jutting out of the water. These served to block boat
movements in the immediate coastal waterways.
To the south of the river mouth there was a pontoon bridge over
which they drove to Pulau Indah, a banana-shaped island more than
ten miles long. Army and navy officers could be seen with local
workers, assessing reconstruction work on devastated areas evident
throughout the whole of Pulau Indah. On a flat piece of ground
amongst the ruins, some barefoot children were playing badminton,
hitting a shuttlecock over a makeshift net.
As the vehicles approached the far southwest tip of the island,
carefully avoiding bomb craters, the passengers could see the HMS
Lioness moored to a massive, newly constructed pontoon attached to
the part of the old wharf that had escaped destruction. Two other
ships were also moored alongside the pontoon, one loading tin
concentrates, the other palm oil, latex and general cargo.
The cars pulled up next to a gangway leading to the upper deck of
the ship. Near the bottom of the gangway, several sailors in white
uniforms rushed forward to carry baggage and usher the group onto
the ship. On boarding, they were greeted by the First Lieutenant,
Timothy MacLeod, who introduced them to the captain of the ship,
Commander George Phillips, a tall, thickset man with a ready smile
and a neatly trimmed beard under a prominent hooked nose. The
officers were all in spotless white summer uniforms with short
sleeves.

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 Commander Phillips pointed to a youthful officer nearby and said,
‘This is Ted Franklin, our Second Lieutenant, who’ll be acting as
your purser for this voyage. If there’s anything you need, Ted will be
happy to oblige. He and my coxswain, Tony O’Rourke, will show
you to your cabins.’ He looked around and raised his voice.
‘O’Rourke! Where are you?’
A short but powerful-looking sailor stepped out of the shadows,
saying, ‘Here, zur!’ O’Rourke looked every inch the ‘old salt’ with
his weathered face, lopsided grin and rough leathery hands. ‘I ’ave
the list ’ere. One married couple. Two single ladies. Four single
officers. Two NCOs and fourteem other men, zur.’
Commander Phillips nodded. ‘Yes. Quite. This is not a passenger
ship, but I hope you’ll all be comfortable during our little cruise.
We’ll take our meals together in the mess. Ted and Tony will show
you where the appropriate heads are ... er ... the toilet and bath
facilities. Ted and Tony will always be available for you if you
require any further information or assistance.’
‘I hope you’ll have plenty of soap and hot water for when we
come out of the jungle, Captain,’ said Jacko.
‘Don’t worry. We have plenty,’ the commander laughed. ‘We
even have a high-pressure hose if you need it.’
‘Yeah, we might need that too,’ said Jacko.
Sarah giggled. ‘Aye yu. Jungle stinky.’
‘Thank you, Captain,’ said Jamie. ‘I’m sure we’ll be very
comfortable.’
‘You have a very beautiful ship, Captain,’ said Carna. ‘Is it all
right if we walk around the deck during the voyage?’
Commander Phillips smiled, nodding. ‘Of course. Of course.
Unless there are severe weather conditions, which we don’t expect,
Miss ...er ...’
‘Mrs Munro. But please call me Carna.’
‘Carna. Ah yes,’ Phillips mumbled and then said, ‘we’ll be getting
underway in another twenty minutes, so I suggest you go to your
quarters now and stow your gear. You can watch our departure from
the main deck after you’ve done that.’
‘Aye aye, sir!’ said Jacko with a cheeky grin.

275
 After being shown to their cabin, Carna asked Jamie, ‘Why do we
eat in a mess?’
Jamie chuckled. ‘That’s what they call the dining area in the navy.
Doesn’t mean we eat in a shambles.’
‘Oh. Bueno.’
By the time Jacko, Monique, Sarah, Jamie, and Carna were back
on deck looking down at the island, the hawsers had been hauled
aboard and there was a widening gap between the ship and the
pontoon. They could feel the throbbing of the ship’s engines as they
churned the water.
‘Shouldn’t we be throwing streamers?’ asked Monique, laughing.
‘Like when you left me years ago at Port Suez, Jacko.’
‘That was wartime, my love,’ said Jacko. ‘Now, it’ll only be a
very short streamer. Me to you.’
At last, the ship picked up speed and headed southwest into the
Malacca Strait. The sun shone brightly through ragged clouds drifting
across a blue sky ahead of a light westerly breeze. They could all feel
the sun warm across their shoulders and were glad they had brought
their wide-brimmed hats. After about twenty minutes, the ship turned
towards the southeast. The sea was flat, shimmering in the sunlight,
as the ship ploughed smoothly along, the Malay coast visible in the
distance on the port side.
‘Formidable!’ said Monique with a sigh and a wink at Carna. ‘I
always dreamt of taking an ocean cruise with my Jacko.’
‘And here we are, Princess,’ said Jacko, winking back. ‘Let’s take
a look around the ship.’
They wandered around the deck and then Lieutenant Ted Franklin
appeared and informed them that they were invited by the commander
to go to the bridge.
George Phillips pointed out to them various points on the coast of
Malaya, as well as giving them a brief rundown on the ship’s
controls. About fifty miles southeast of Port Swettenham, he pointed
to a distant lighthouse on the port bow.
‘That is the Cape Rachado lighthouse you can see there,’ he
explained. ‘It’s the oldest lighthouse in Malaya, dating back to the
16th century. However, it was reconstructed by the British in the 19th
century. It guides ships through the narrowest part of the Malacca

276
Strait. The land mass you can see on the starboard side is Pulau
Rupat, a sparsely populated island off Sumatra.’
‘So how wide is the strait opposite the lighthouse?’ asked Jamie.
‘About twenty nautical miles,’ he replied. ‘But don’t worry. We’ll
squeeze through.’
‘Tight squeeze, huh?’ said Jacko, chuckling.
‘Yes! It’s much narrower as we get towards the Singapore Strait
tonight, but there’s still plenty of room,’ said a smiling Commander
Phillips. ‘Lunch will be served in the mess shortly. Ted Franklin will
show you where to go.’
After lunch, the passengers were left to their own devices. Jacko
and Monique found a shady place on the deck to sit and talk. Sarah
retired to her cabin, as did Jamie and Carna to theirs. Jamie had
earlier joked to the others that he and Carna had been given the bridal
suite comprising one narrow bunk above the other.
Mesmerised by the sounds of sea and wind as the ship cruised over
the smooth surface, Jacko and Monique gazed abeam at the distant
shoreline of Malaya.
‘Je suis très heureux,’ said Monique softly. ‘If I were any happier,
I would be in heaven. I cannot wait to return and prepare for our
wedding, Monsieur O’Brien.’
Her bright green eyes were fixed on him when he looked at her.
‘Then you would become Madame O’Brien,’ he said.
‘Madame O’Brien! That sounds nice,’ she said, snuggling up to
him and smiling.
‘We have to wait a few more days yet, Princess.’
‘Don’t spoil my reverie, Monsieur O’Brien. Mon rêve. Merde!’
‘Sorry, Princess,’ he put his arm around her shoulder. ‘The time
will fly. You’ll see.’
‘I am so pleased that this time I am not left behind in KL, n’est-ce
pas?’
‘Happiness is to be close to you, my love,’ he said.
‘Oo là là! Mon Jacko is so poétique,’ she exclaimed, laughing.
They heard footsteps approaching along the deck and next moment
Carna, Jamie and Sarah were looking down at them with broad
smiles. Carna giggled and said, ‘Aha! The two lovebirds.’

277
 Jacko winked at Monique and protested, ‘We’re just innocently
sitting here contemplating the sea and sky.’
‘Si. Si. Of course you are,’ said Carna. ‘The coast of Malaya looks
so magical from here. All green and hazy. Brumoso. Lovely.’
‘We might join you for a while,’ said Jamie.
‘Yeah. Sit down here,’ said Jacko.
‘You come and sit next to me, Sarah,’ said Monique. ‘I want you
and Carna to be my bridesmaids when Jacko and I get married.’
As she sat, Sarah looked wide-eyed at Monique, ‘You marry
bikpela brother. Good. Good. I already bride maid for Ka Na.’
Monique put her arm around Sarah’s shoulder. ‘I know. You’re an
experienced bridesmaid. Jacko and I will get married in Darwin. I
need your help.’
‘Aye yu! I help.’
‘It’s just wonderful,’ said Carna. ‘It will be a beautiful wedding.’
‘Where are Johnny and Algie, Cap?’ asked Jacko.
‘When I last saw them, they were having a serious discussion,’
replied Jamie. ‘I think Algie’s MSS is about to become part of MI6.’
‘Ah! The politics of intelligence,’ said Jacko. ‘A bit deep for me,
Cap.’
‘Yeah. Me too.’
Later in the afternoon, the sunset cast coppery colours on the
scattered clouds and the Malay coastline. Johnny, Algie and most of
the Gurkhas and commandos had joined the others on the main deck
to watch the sunset. The only ripples on the sea were those caused by
the bow wave as the HMS Lioness cruised smoothly on through the
Malacca Strait.
After dinner that evening, the First Lieutenant, Tim McLeod,
informed them that if they went back to the main deck, they would be
able to see the lights of Singapore in the distance on the port bow.

****

Dirk was irritable and tired, drained. Two days on the trail and, he
estimated, they had barely covered thirty miles. The going had been
rough and strenuous. Boon had informed him that the Temiar guide
indicated they would find a fresh spring to camp beside before

278
nightfall, but he was beginning to doubt they ever would. His shirt
clung to his body and he could feel sweat running down his back,
arms, thighs, and legs. His feet were sore from walking in sodden
boots and his shoulders felt raw from the straps of his backpack. He
glanced at Fritzi, who looked in worse condition than himself, with
sweat trickling down his face and eyes staring sightlessly ahead. He
could only croak when he tried to speak.
At their last rest, two hours before, they had noticed that four men
had disappeared. Perhaps they couldn’t keep up and had fallen by the
wayside. Dirk no longer cared. Fewer men to worry about when they
sailed to Java. When? At the current pace, it might be two more days
before they reached Kuala Rompin.
‘Scheisse!’ he swore. ‘Beschissener Dschungel [stinking jungle]!’
He heard Boon shouting something up the trail ahead but couldn’t
make out what he was saying. Boon suddenly appeared to tell him the
guide had found the freshwater spring. Another 100 yards and they
could rest for the night. Within the next half-hour, they were all
sitting around a small clearing near the stream, having drunk their fill
of fresh water.
Darkness fell on the jungle, but no one was motivated to set up
bashas for shelter during the night. Luckily, it wasn’t raining. Three
of the men started a fire, and everyone contributed something from
their packs for Ah Wing to cook a hot meal for them all. I could eat a
horse, Dirk thought to himself, even if it tasted like hell. He noticed
that some of the men were staring at him with something like hatred.
He shrugged. Hatred and a little fear would keep them stimulated to
keep going and survive. Fritzi just gazed ahead with no expression.
Dirk realised that his friend had lost his resolve. He would need some
help. Scheisse!
The hot dinner was a mishmash, but welcome. Dirk thought about
what the Britishers would do next. He estimated that it would take
them until tomorrow evening to arrive at their old campsite. They
would find nobody there. By the time they worked it out, he and his
men would be well on the way to Java. He smiled at the thought and
sighed. He had already found a good bed of leaves for himself. His
limbs still ached from the exertions of the day. He would have no
trouble sleeping tonight. Just a day or two, and they were all free.

279
 ****

While they slept, HMS Lioness passed through the Singapore Strait
and entered the South China Sea. Jacko awoke when he felt his bunk
bed lifting and plunging gently in the open sea. It was still dark, and it
took him a moment to remember where he was. After a while, the
pitching was accompanied by the motion of the ship rocking from
side to side. Just like a baby in a cot, Jacko thought before dropping
off to sleep again.
After dawn and before going down to breakfast in the mess, Jacko
went up to the main deck where he found Sarah at the starboard rail
laughing at the sea, which had come alive. Whitecaps adorned the
wave crests as far as the eye could see. They could feel the swells
breaking beneath them. Cloud cover had increased and the wind had
risen. Towards the stern, one of the commandos was leaning over the
rail retching.
‘Big ocean, eh sis?’ said Jacko.
Sarah laughed and said, ‘Aye yu, bikpela billabong, Jacko.’
‘Yeah, big one all right,’ said Jacko, winking at her. ‘Let’s go and
eat.’
They headed down towards the mess deck and two more soldiers
rushed past them, looking green around the gills. They found
Monique, Carna and Jamie already in the mess, tucking into plates of
eggs and bacon.
‘We’ve just been up to the main deck,’ Jacko told them. ‘The sea
is restless today. Some of the soldiers are not going to join us for
breakfast.’
‘Ah. In French we call that mal de mer,’ said Monique.
‘I felt a little unsteady myself when I got up this morning,’ said
Carna. ‘Then I realised it wasn’t me. It was the ship.’
Just as they were leaving the mess, Johnny arrived for breakfast
and told them Algie had decided to stay in his bunk until the ship
stopped rocking around. They spent the rest of the morning on the
main deck. By the time Port Rompin appeared on the port bow, they
had all become accustomed to the motion of the ship and its sudden

280
changes of mood. Spray from the bow wave had dampened their outer
clothing but not their humour.
‘Quelle amusement! We’ll have to do this again one day,’ said a
laughing Monique, her eyes sparkling, as the ship inched towards the
estuary of the Rompin River. There was a long strip of sand along the
coast for miles south of the river mouth. A number of fishing boats
had been hauled up onto the beach, and various people were standing
there watching their approach.
Eventually, with its engines churning water, the ship edged into
the calm waters of the estuary. A loud rattling of chains announced
the dropping of the anchor and the vessel slowly swung until its bow
pointed into the wind. Commander Phillips descended from the
bridge and informed them that several inflatable boats would take
them ashore after lunch if they so wished.
Jamie asked Johnny how Algie was feeling. ‘I don’t know if he’ll
make it to lunch,’ Johnny said, ‘but with or without him we all need
to attend a strategy session with Angus Morrow and Ganju Gurung
after lunch to decide on a plan of action.’
In the early afternoon, they sat around a large table in the ship’s
mess. Algie was present but not looking his enthusiastic best. Johnny
opened proceedings by saying, ‘The important thing is to work out
how best to deploy our troops along the trail from which the bandits
will emerge.’
Jacko coughed and put up his hand to speak. ‘That’s important, but
I think the first thing we have to do is find the trail. If it’s a sakai trail,
it is usually well hidden.’
Johnny nodded. ‘Yes, of course. What do you propose?’
‘Firstly, I’d like to ask Algie how confident he is that the bandits
won’t arrive here until tomorrow,’ explained Jacko.
Algie looked at a notebook he was carrying. ‘I’ve plotted their
likely path. Unless they put in a superhuman effort, they won’t arrive
until tomorrow. They have up to forty men. Their pace will match the
slowest. What time tomorrow I couldn’t estimate.’
‘I suggest Sarah and I spend this afternoon looking for the trail,’
said Jacko. ‘We would like to take one of the Gurkhas with us. One
who speaks good Malay. The rest can plan what formation you want
and we’ll set that up first thing tomorrow morning.’

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 ‘I would like to come with you,’ said Ganju.
Captain Morrow shook his head. ‘We need you for tomorrow’s
planning, Sergeant Gurung.’
Ganju gave a wry smile to Jacko and said, ‘I’ll get Sajit to go with
you. He’s a good man and he speaks excellent Malay.’
‘I think that settles it,’ said Jamie. ‘Those sakai trails can be
fearsomely hard to detect. If anyone can find it, Jacko and Sarah can.’
Sarah was nodding as Jacko stood up and said, ‘Okay. We’ll do it
now. We need one of those inflatable boats to take us ashore and wait
for us.’
‘I’ll ask Ted Franklin to organise it immediately,’ said Jamie,
leaving the table.
‘I’ll get Sajit to report to you now, Jacko,’ said Ganju, also
standing up.
Jacko patted him on the shoulder as they walked out the door.
‘Please, tell Sajit there’s no need for guns today. Just knives.’
Half an hour later, Sarah, Jacko and Sajit, a short athletic Gurkha
with a round face and a ready smile, were deposited on the south bank
of the river near where the jungle began, west of the small village.
They walked slowly along the jungle fringe, studying the foliage.
They were quickly joined by a flock of young children following
them, curious to see what these strangers were doing. Sajit told them
they were just inspecting the jungle.
After covering more than 200 yards, they retraced their steps for a
short distance, at which point Sarah whispered to Jacko. He nodded to
Sajit and the three of them plunged into the jungle, leaving the throng
of children milling around and chattering to one another in loud, shrill
voices.
As they progressed up the barely discernible sakai trail, with Sarah
in the lead, Sajit swung his khukuri from side to side to cut a wider
pathway behind the other two.
After an hour of walking, Jacko called a halt. ‘This looks like a
perfect place for an ambush,’ he said to the other two. ‘I’ll lop off a
branch and leave it across the trail so it’ll mark the place for
tomorrow.’
‘Would you like me to cut a clearing here, sir?’ asked Sajit.

282
 ‘No. We don’t want it to look any different from the rest of the
trail,’ explained Jacko. ‘We’ll continue further. We need a second
position to pick up the stragglers.’
‘I understand, sir.’
Jacko turned to him and said, ‘Sajit, my name’s Jacko. Not sir!’
‘Yes, sir ... er ... Jacko.’
The jungle seemed to get thicker and more airless, always with the
overbearing smell of rotting leaves. As in the west, the tangle of
foliage reverberated with the protesting screeches and squeals of birds
and other wildlife.
After another hour and a half of following Sarah and struggling
through the thick clinging foliage, Jacko was satisfied that they had
found a suitable place for the next ambush position. He again cut off a
large branch and left it lying across the trail.
‘Why two haitim plass, Jacko?’ asked Sarah.
‘Two hiding places, sis,’ he corrected.
‘Aye yu! Two hide ding places,’ she said carefully.
‘The soldiers here will let the first lot of bandits through,’
explained Jacko. ‘They’ll be the fittest ones. The slower unfit ones
will then be easy to round up here. We’ll have more soldiers at the
first ambush position we’ve marked out, because it’s possible they
might have a fight on their hands.’
‘I understand, Jacko,’ said Sajit, grinning.
‘Good man, Sajit.’
‘What we do now, bikpela brother?’ asked Sarah.
‘We’ll go back and get out of this stinking jungle, sis.’
‘Aye yu. Stinky jungle.’
By late afternoon, watchers from the main deck of the moored
HMS Lioness saw the three figures emerge from the jungle. Myriad
children rushed up to them with their high-pitched squeals and
laughter as an inflatable boat from the ship headed to the riverbank to
pick them up.

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 CHAPTER 30

In the late afternoon, after another day of heavy slogging through the
dense jungle growth, they found that the topography flattened out.
The land was more even, and it descended slowly to the east, much to
the relief of the bandits. Dirk had been encouraging Fritzi for a good
part of the day’s trek and was cheered by his friend’s positive
response to the less arduous going. As they followed the guide, Dirk
encouraged Fritzi by telling him they were on the last leg and would
arrive at the coast the next day for sure. As darkness came upon them,
the guide brought them to a small clearing near a little spring and
indicated they should stay there for the night. Dirk was pleased to see
a sizeable area of dry ground suitable for camping. The jungle was
relatively quiet in this place except for a few birds chirping in the
trees.
Dirk looked around and said to Fritzi, ‘This is a good area to spend
the night, my friend. Sit down and rest. Our last night in the jungle,
ya?’
‘I could only endure one more day,’ croaked Fritzi. ‘If more, I
die.’
When Boon caught up with them, Dirk told him they would set up
their camp in this place. He requested him to ask the Temiar guide
how much further to the coast.
Boon shook his head, looking Dirk in the eye, and said, ‘These
aboriginal people have no concept of distance, Tuan. They know long
way or short way. No more.’
‘Scheisse!’ Dirk swore. ‘I’m sure it can’t be more than ten miles to
go.’
‘I think you are right, Tuan,’ said Boon.
Dirk nodded. ‘We could be there by midday tomorrow, Fritzi.
Then easy sailing, ya?’
‘No more jungles, Dirk,’ croaked Fritzi.

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 ‘Nein! No more jungles.’
Once the remainder of the bandits, who had been following in a
strung-out single file, arrived at the clearing, Boon went over to Dirk
and said, ‘Six more missing, Tuan. We are now down to twenty-nine
men. I don’t count the guide, Tuan.’
‘Scheisse!’ Dirk swore. ‘We can’t look for them. If they can’t keep
up, their problem.’
‘Only twenty-five rifles, Tuan,’ said Boon. ‘Some dropped. But
Ah Wing, the cook, is still with us.’
Dirk laughed humourlessly. ‘I’m happy the cook is still with us.
Get the men to start a fire and we’ll have a hot dinner. Last one in the
jungle, I hope.’
‘Last dinner, ya?’ muttered Fritzi.
Dirk sat down, leaning back against a tree. He started brooding
about their failure to take control of Malaya. Those Britishers were
lucky, he thought. We had it so well planned, but luck was against us.
Everything went wrong. They’ll be sorry when the Communists take
over. Very sorry. They’ll wish we had succeeded. He smiled ruefully
and shook his head. Spilt milk! He noticed the Kempeitai
commander, Hiroaki Fukuda, fiddling with his rifle and coldly staring
at him from the other side of the clearing.
Dirk spoke to Fritzi in a low voice. ‘Look at the Japanese, Fukuda,
over there. He blames me for the loss of his men in those buildings.
He would like to shoot me, but then he would have nowhere to go.
Verdammt ihn! Damn him, he will have to get used to being a
Javanese with the rest of them, while you and I, Fritzi, will have to
salute the tricolour flag from now on as good Dutch citizens.’

****

Just before the dawn of a new day, there was much activity on the
main deck of the moored naval ship in preparation for the ambush
settings and the fighting that could occur before the bandits were
safely subdued and captured.
Algie was having second thoughts, fretting that he could have
miscalculated. The bandits might take much longer, or choose a
different path to the coast. Jacko told him not to worry. He and Sarah

285
hadn’t been able to detect any other trails leading to Kuala Rompin
from the west.
Algie nodded and said, ‘Yes. Thank you, Jacko. I agree with you.
No point in worrying. There are other small villages along the east
coast, but this is the most obvious place for the bandits to find a
seagoing fishing boat.’
Meanwhile, the ship’s crew had already lowered two boats into the
water and were ferrying the commandos and Gurkhas across to the
southern riverbank. As the first tongue of sunlight licked the South
China Sea, Jamie, Jacko and Sarah joined them at the start of the trail
on the fringe of the dense jungle. They were all immediately
surrounded by the curious children from the village.
They all carried rifles except for Jacko and Sarah, who would lead
the group to their positions of concealment along the trail and then
warn them of the bandits’ approach using bird calls. After a brief
discussion, they all disappeared into the jungle, leaving the children
staring after them and loudly chattering.
Owing to the earlier slashing by Sajit, the trail was relatively easy
to follow. The usual difficulties of walking through the Malay jungle,
however, still confronted the group, with clothing and skin scratched
and lacerated by barbed and saw-toothed leaves, and boots sinking
into occasional muddy puddles. They were also accompanied by the
usual frantic screeches and squeals of birds and monkeys protesting
their presence. On one occasion, they heard a heavy animal crashing
through the bushes, probably a wild boar. After an hour with Sarah
and Jacko in the lead, they arrived at the point where the first branch
lay across the trail.
Jacko removed the branch and informed Angus Morrow that he
had selected this as the first ambush location. Angus looked around
and agreed it was suitable. As planned, the commandos settled down
in concealed positions on both sides of the trail, while Jacko, Sarah
and Jamie continued up the trail followed by the eight Gurkhas.
During the next few minutes, they all heard the distant but distinct
roar of a tiger. The Gurkhas looked at one another, puzzled.
‘That pussy cat’s not going to worry us,’ Jacko told them. ‘He’s
more interested in smaller animals.’

286
 The Gurkhas smiled and nodded before continuing up the trail,
following the Australians. Finally, they arrived at the second branch
lying across the trail and Jacko pointed out to Ganju Gurung that he
should deploy his troops for an ambush at this position. It had already
been planned that Jamie would stay with the Gurkhas, while Sarah
and Jacko would continue for a few miles up the trail to warn them
when the bandits were coming.
‘Just listen for our signals, Cap,’ Jacko reminded Jamie. ‘The same
as the ones we used during the war. When you hear the hoot of an
eagle-owl you’ll know the bandits are on their way. Hoo-oo!’
‘I’ve got it, Jacko,’ said Jamie with a grin. ‘Do you know if there
are any eagle-owls in this part of the jungle?’
‘Dunno, Cap. Maybe just today. The bandits won’t have a clue
anyway.’
Jamie laughed. ‘Yeah, I guess that’s right. See you later, Jacko.
You too, Sarah.’
‘Yeah. See ya later, Cap,’ said Jacko, as he and Sarah waved. They
were soon out of sight.
After they had continued for another twenty minutes, Jacko
stopped and said, ‘I’ll stop here, sis. You go on for a similar distance.
When you hear them coming, hoot like an owl. When the last one
passes, give another hoot and follow them back.’
‘Aye yu, bikpela brother,’ she said, smiling. ‘Easy. No problems.’
‘Just stay out of sight, sis. I don’t want to lose you.’
‘Aye yu, Jacko,’ she said, giggling and heading away up the trail.
Jacko settled down to wait, listening to the familiar sounds of the
jungle around him. For a while, his mind drifted off as he thought
about marrying Monique. He loved everything about her, from her
startling green eyes to the playful curve of her lips. The sweetness
and strength of her nature. Her love for him ... so amazing!
He was almost dozing off when he suddenly came alert to the
distant hoot of an eagle-owl, distinctly different from the chattering of
the birds in his vicinity. Another twenty minutes, he thought to
himself. He expected that the fittest bandits, including the Germans,
would be first in line, champing at the bit to get to the coast. The rest
would most likely be strung out in single file with gaps between
them, depending on their condition. He was sure none of them would

287
suspect that Sarah was there in the jungle when they passed her. That
little girl, he thought with pride, could stand right next to those evil
bastards and they would never even know she was there.

****

Dirk and Fritzi were following the Temiar guide closely, progressing
at a reasonable pace as the trail gradually descended. Dirk knew that
Boon and some of his men were just behind him but the rest had
dropped back some distance, struggling to keep up. Off to his left he
heard the distinctive hoot of an owl. So different from the shrieking,
chirping and chattering of the other birds, he thought. The guide in
front of him suddenly stopped, looked around and then continued.
Dirk thought it strange that a nocturnal bird like an owl would be
awake in the mid-morning, but the jungle was a strange, dark place.
He looked back over his shoulder to make sure Fritzi was all right.
When he looked ahead again, the guide had vanished. Where had the
stupid dummkopf gone?
Dirk stopped and peered through the jungle growth on both sides
of the trail, but the foliage was too dense for him to see very far. He
turned back to Fritzi and Boon and said, ‘The damned guide seems to
have run off. Did you see where he went?’
They shook their heads. Fritzi asked in his croaking voice, ‘Can
you see the trail enough to follow it?’
Dirk nodded. ‘Ya. I think I can see it. It’s a little clearer now, as
though someone has used it recently. I have a compass, so if I lose it
we just head west until we pick it up again. I’m sure I can smell the
sea from here.’
Fritzi sniffed. ‘I can’t smell anything except the stink of rotting
leaves.’
A number of other men had caught them up by this time. Dirk
waved to them and set off west, finding that although the pace was
slower than before, he could occasionally discern the indistinct trail,
having become used to it over the past days. The boots of the men in
front trampling the foliage made it easier for the men behind to see
the trail.

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 After labouring through the jungle for another hour and a half,
Dirk noticed the trail was becoming easier to follow, as though a
number of people might have used it recently. He then heard, off to
his left, the hoot of an owl again. Scheisse! The jungle is full of owls,
he thought to himself, as he grimly slogged ahead. He tried to
increase his pace. His arms were bleeding again from the barbed leaf
scratches, but he didn’t care anymore. Where is that damned coast?

****

Concealed in the jungle, Jacko watched the tall, fair-haired German

pushing ahead down the trail in front of his men. The German had
looked around when Jacko had signalled ahead with his owl hoot, but
he hadn’t seemed suspicious. The second, shorter German was having
trouble keeping up but was being assisted by a fit-looking Chinese-
Malay. They were closely followed by a group of Malay bandits.
Then there was a gap. Over the next fifteen minutes, Jacko watched
the line of bandits filing past with larger and larger gaps in between.
From up the trail, he heard the distant call of a cockatoo. Jacko
shook his head and chuckled to himself. Sarah was keen on using
Australian bird calls. That would signify that the last of the bandits
had passed her and she would be following them at a discreet
distance. Almost immediately after, he heard the distant hoot of an
owl down the trail indicating the first group was passing the
concealed Gurkhas. Jacko thought with some admiration that Jamie
had perfected his eagle-owl hoots. Another half-hour later, the first
group with the Germans would be arriving at the commandos’
ambush position. From what he had seen of the stragglers, who were
still limping past him, Jacko didn’t think Jamie and the Gurkhas
would have much trouble with them. Some of them didn’t even have
rifles. The commandos might have a fight on their hands with the
leading group though.
After what seemed like a long wait, Jacko watched the last bandit
limping along the trail, sweating profusely and muttering to himself.
When he was out of sight, Jacko stood in the centre of the trail to wait
for Sarah. He waited about five minutes, wondering where she was,
when a giggle came from behind him. Spinning around, he found

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himself gazing at two large eyes and smiling teeth looking very white
in the dim light of the jungle.
‘Aye yu, bikpela brother,’ she said, laughing. ‘You not see
anything.’
‘No, sis. You got me that time,’ he grinned. ‘Let’s wander back,
okay?’
‘Okay, Jacko. No worries.’
They had strolled about 100 yards when a Temiar native
materialised in the middle of the trail. He was wearing little except a
loincloth and a woven grass hat. A long bamboo blowpipe was slung
over his shoulder. He looked at them without expression, raised his
hand and vanished as quickly as he had appeared.
‘Must be the guide,’ muttered Jacko. ‘I wonder what that was
about.’
‘Him ghost,’ said Sarah.
‘Yeah, I think you’re right, sis.’ Further down the track, Jamie was
positioned close to Ganju Gurung where they lay hidden in the
bushes, watching the bandits filing past. It had been some time since
the Germans had passed their position, and they waited to hear any
signals from the commandos to the east.
The first indication that the leaders of the bandits had reached the
commandos’ position was sporadic gunfire.
Three Malays on the trail in front of them stopped when they
heard the gunfire and were talking excitedly to one another. Their
discussion was quickly terminated when two Gurkhas from the other
side of the trail jumped out and knocked the bandits on the head with
their truncheons and dragged them into the bushes. Soon after, two
more bandits appeared running away from the east, obviously
spooked by the gunfire, and they were easily dispatched in similar
fashion. Over the next half-hour, another dozen bandits, who were
cautiously approaching from the west, readily surrendered and were
handcuffed together.
After that, Jacko and Sarah appeared with a bedraggled bandit
limping painfully along in front of them. Jacko had him covered with
the bandit’s own rifle.
‘You and Sarah did really well, Jacko,’ said Jamie. ‘With your
prisoner we’ve got eighteen altogether. Didn’t have to fire a shot.’

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 ‘I counted twenty-nine bandits altogether, so the commandos will
have eleven to contend with,’ said Jacko. ‘They’ll be the most
dangerous ones, Cap.’
‘Angus and his fellows should be able to handle them,’ said Jamie.
Before the leaders of the bandits reached the commandos’
position, Captain Angus Morrow and his men had been on high alert
expecting them to appear at any moment. They heard low voices a
few minutes before the bandits were in sight on the trail nearby. The
first bandit was the tall German, his eyes fixed straight ahead with
grim determination. He was followed by a group including the other
German and six Malays.
Angus suddenly yelled, ‘Freeze! Drop your weapons now or you’ll
be shot.’
The reaction from the bandits was mixed. The second German and
three of the Malays dived onto the ground, three dropped their
weapons and held their hands in the air, but the tall German took off
at a run down the trail. After he had run fifteen yards, he was tripped
by a rope strung across the trail a foot off the ground. He went flying
through the air, losing his rifle and landing heavily on the trail where
a concealed commando knocked him unconscious with the butt of his
rifle. At the same time, the bandits who had dived to the ground
started firing into the jungle on either side of the trail. One of the
commandos suffered a flesh wound in the arm from a stray bullet
before the rest of his unit returned fire. Two of the bandits who had
been shooting were fatally wounded in the intense crossfire, resulting
in the other two, including the German, Fritzi, surrendering. It was all
over in less than a minute.
Angus Morrow and Sergeant Billy Moore set off at a trot up the
trail to capture any following bandits who would probably be
confused by the shooting. After covering about 150 yards, they
encountered one man who immediately surrendered. They waited for
a while and when no further bandits appeared, they assumed the
Gurkhas must have got the remainder, so they marched their prisoner
back to their ambush position. By the time they returned, all the
bandits had been handcuffed together, except for the tall German who
had been firmly tied up while he was unconscious. When he woke up,

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he treated the watching commandos to a variety of German swear
words in a loud voice.
‘Glad I don’t know what he’s saying,’ said Corporal Fred Parker.
‘Might make me blush.’
‘Yeah. I don’t think his grandmother would be happy with him,’
said one of the others.
It was more than an hour before the Australians and Gurkhas
arrived with their captives, a number of whom would have had
trouble walking even without being handcuffed together.
Jacko went around counting heads and then announced, ‘There are
only twenty-eight, including the two dead. We’re missing one.’
‘Maybe he’s hiding in the jungle back there,’ said Jamie. ‘It’d be
like looking for a needle in a haystack.’
‘Yes. I don’t think he’s likely to do any harm,’ said Angus. ‘Might
as well leave him. He’ll probably die out here in the jungle anyway.’
‘Was somebody injured here?’ asked Jamie.
‘Yes. Mervyn Cox was winged by a bullet,’ replied Angus. ‘Not
serious. Lost half an ounce of blood. You’ll remember him. He was
with you in the tower during the Malay Union celebrations.’
‘I remember.’
‘Hey, what’s with you Australians and the owl hoots?’ said Angus,
laughing. ‘It worked well. Good system.’
‘Yeah. Well, it’s gonna take a while to get this bloody mob down
to the coast,’ said Jacko. ‘Might as well get underway, mate.’
Angus chuckled. ‘I’m with you, mate.’

****

When the shooting occurred at the commandos’ ambush position, two

of the bandits, Abid and Rayzal, had been walking together. Hearing
the shots just ahead of them, they both dived to the left off the trail.
They then heard men running up the trail, and scrambled further into
the undergrowth, ignoring the barbs tearing at them.
They couldn’t decide what to do. It was confusing. What had
happened? Abid decided to press on ahead, skirting the trail, while
Rayzal stayed where he was. Abid headed off parallel to the trail,
giving the source of the shooting a wide berth. The jungle growth was

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dense but he found it was not hard to keep his direction, guided by the
discussion he could hear coming from the area where the shooting
had occurred. If he kept going like this, he should eventually be able
to work his way back to the trail. Some of the words he could hear
were in English.
He muttered to himself, ‘Lelaki putih. Foreigners!’
Moving as fast as he could, he found he was some distance ahead
of the activity and was eventually able to find himself back on the
trail. He noticed his arms were covered in blood from many scratches,
but this did not concern him because here, the trail was well trodden
and he could move quickly. He dropped his backpack off into the
bushes but retained his rifle. The noises made by the foreigners
receded into the background as he hurried along.
Meanwhile, Rayzal waited until he could see the foreigners
returning, and then elected to flee back towards the west. After
covering a mile or so, he was astonished to see a small black girl
standing on the trail ten yards ahead of him. His pent-up frustration
overwhelmed him. He let out a roar and charged at the girl, waving
his rifle. A foot came out of the jungle, tripping him and causing him
to fall flat on his face in front of the girl. Before he could get his
breath back, he was hoisted to his feet, prodded in the back with his
own rifle, and propelled down the trail back to the east.
‘This fella no problem now, Sar,’ exclaimed Jacko.
‘Aye yu, bikpela brother.’
In the meantime, several miles to the east, Abid could see a bright
light in the distance ahead. He felt a great sense of relief that he was
nearing the end of the jungle. He hoped Dirk and some of the others
had arrived already. As he stepped out from the edge of the jungle,
his rifle at the ready, he was momentarily blinded by the midday sun.
Through eyes slitted from the glare, he stared at the sea and the
village. A number of children were milling around close by, staring
curiously at him.
He froze when he felt a metal barrel pressed up against his neck,
and then a voice said, ‘Drop that rifle, old man.’
He let the rifle drop and stuttered, ‘I am young. Only twenty-one
years old.’

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 Johnny laughed and said, ‘All right, young man. You are now my
prisoner.’
The children giggled.

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 CHAPTER 31

Monique and Carna were waving excitedly when they saw Jamie,
Jacko and Sarah boarding one of the boats to be ferried back to the
ship. Carna said to Monique, ‘The worst part is not knowing what is
happening. I think it is worse than being in danger myself.’
Monique smiled at her. ‘D’accord! You are quite correct. But now
that we know they are safe, my heart is filled with happiness.’
‘I feel like jumping into their boat when it arrives and giving
Jamie a hug,’ said Carna with a mischievous grin. ‘I would probably
capsize it. I think we should wait here.’
Monique was gazing at the riverbank. ‘There are so many men.
They must have lots and lots of prisoners – ça alors!’
‘I don’t mind if Jamie carries all the stench of the rotting jungle
mud this time,’ said Carna, jumping up and down with excitement. ‘I
still want to hug him just for being safe.’
‘I have to coax Jacko to hug me,’ said Monique with a wistful
smile. ‘He thinks if he hugs me too hard, I will break. He needs
training.’
The Australians all entered the ship, climbed up to the main deck
and were greeted by the two girls who rushed into the arms of their
men. Sarah stood smiling and clapping her hands.
‘You don’t smell nearly so bad this time, Jamie mi amor,’ said
Carna, holding him close.
‘We were only in the jungle for a few hours,’ protested Jamie.
‘Still enough to pick up some of the rotten leaves aroma,’ she
laughed. ‘But I love you anyway.’
Commander George Phillips walked over to them on the main
deck and said, ‘I hesitate to interrupt these romantic reunions but I
need to talk to you. What are your plans, Jamie? How many captives
have you brought back with you?’

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 ‘Twenty-seven, Captain,’ replied Jamie. ‘I hope this ship has room
enough for all of them.’
‘Ah, yes. We’ve got a large hold which is empty at the moment,’
said Phillips. ‘We’ll just have to spread a few mattresses around.
Might be a bit of a queue for the heads down there once in a while.’
‘There are four ringleaders who are particularly dangerous and
should be separated from the rest,’ said Jamie. ‘One Chinese-Malay,
one Japanese and two Germans.’
‘We can accommodate them in the brig,’ said Phillips. ‘It will be
simple to post guards there.’
‘Perfect, Captain,’ said Jamie. ‘I don’t expect any trouble from the
others.’
‘I’ll get the crew to organise it now,’ said Phillips. ‘When will you
be ready to leave for Singapore?’
‘By late this afternoon, if that’s okay with you,’ said Jamie.
‘We need to leave our anchorage at high tide in this river,’ said
Phillips. ‘There are a number of shallow areas. The next high tide is
just after midnight. If we leave then, we can have you people in
Singapore by tomorrow morning.’
‘That would be most wonderful, Captain,’ said Monique. ‘Thank
you.’
‘You’re very welcome, miss. I’ll go and organise the prisoner
accommodation.’
After he left, Jacko suggested he should have a shower before the
rest of the men boarded the ship.
Carna clapped her hands and said, ‘That’s a good idea. You too,
Jamie. Sarah, of course, can use the ladies’ bathroom. No one will
disturb you there, Sarah.’
‘Aye yu. Stinky jungle. Thank you, Ka Na,’ said Sarah, waving to
her as she followed Jacko and Jamie to the ladder for the lower decks.
That evening, dinner in the mess of mainly local fish and crabs
was a celebratory affair. The captain produced a case of French wine,
which he said the navy had issued to him in Port Swettenham.
‘It is appropriate that the wine we drink is French,’ he exclaimed.
‘Since we have, in our midst, a lovely French lady. A very rare event
for the navy, I must say. I propose a toast to your successful mission.
Please raise your glasses.’

296
 Monique held Jacko’s hand tightly and blushed at the compliment,
but still raised her glass in response to the toast.
Jamie raised his glass again and said, ‘I propose a toast to you and
your crew, sir. Without you, this mission would not have been
possible.’
There was a general response of, ‘Hear hear!’
Jacko chuckled and said, ‘I’ll bet the prisoners won’t be toasting
each other with any of this fine wine.’
Tim McLeod, the First Lieutenant, told them the prisoners had
been issued with fish and chips. ‘Probably better fare than they’ve
been eating the past few days,’ he said.
Commander Phillips told them that they might be woken in the
middle of the night by clanging and banging. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said.
‘That will just be us weighing anchor and getting underway. Apart
from that, there might be a bit of rocking and rolling once we’re well
out into the South China Sea. I’m sure you’ll get used to it and sleep
through most of it.’
A couple of hours after midnight, Sarah was lying awake on her
bunk curious about the movements of the ship; lifting, plunging and
rolling randomly. She pulled on a dress, left her cabin and climbed up
to the main deck. As she looked over the rail, her face was peppered
with spray from the bow wave. The ship’s motion seemed stronger on
this upper deck. Wind whistled through the ship’s rigging, and
whitecaps on the waves stood out clearly in the darkness, following in
succession like a marching army. Sarah laughed as she faced into the
wind, the spray hitting her like small wet pellets. Such a big ship
floating in a big sea, she thought to herself.
She crept back to her cabin and lay down, chuckling to herself as
the ship moved about her. Nobody back in Tennant Creek would ever
believe her.
By daybreak, the wind had eased. The lifting and plunging had
become more benign, and the sun rose in a blue sky with a few puffy
clouds. Jacko and Monique found Sarah already at the rail on the
main deck. She told them she had been there for a short while during
the night.
‘Bin sikrapim,’ she said.
‘You mean, it was exciting,’ corrected Jacko.

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 ‘Aye yu! It was exciting.’
Soon after, they were joined by Jamie and Carna, who gazed with
wonderment at the endless rolling sea.
‘The captain says we’ll be in Singapore in three or four hours,’
said Jamie. ‘We’re going down for breakfast. Are you fellas coming?’
‘I am famished,’ said Monique. ‘Affamée!’
‘We’re right behind you, Cap,’ said Jacko.
Four hours later, the HMS Lioness slowly approached the wharf at
Changi Bay on the eastern tip of Singapore. There was some sadness
that they would be saying goodbye to the friends they had made
during the venture, but this was tempered by excitement at finally
leaving to go home. Sarah had no mixed feelings. She just wanted to
go back to Australia.
As the ship docked at the wharf, they noticed two large cars
waiting for them. Algie informed them that he had organised the cars
through the ship’s radio. He told them that he, Johnny and Angus
would also be disembarking at Singapore to see them off at the airport
before driving back to Kuala Lumpur. The soldiers and the prisoners
would sail on to Port Swettenham in the HMS Lioness. One of the
cars had brought some luggage and gifts for those flying back to
Darwin.
After saying their goodbyes to Commander Phillips and his crew,
they all disembarked and were driven to the airport terminal where
they found an aircraft waiting for them on the tarmac.
‘After all you’ve achieved, organising an aircraft was the least I
could do,’ said Johnny. ‘You’ll be flying back to Darwin courtesy of
MI6. Your own private charter. It’s a De Havilland 104 Dove. It’ll get
you there in comfort.’
‘That’s fantastic, Johnny,’ said Jamie. ‘I don’t know how to thank
you.’
‘It’s us who should thank you,’ protested Algie.
‘Well, it’s all over now,’ said Jacko.
‘Yes, perhaps,’ agreed Johnny. ‘However, I suspect that at some
stage in the future the Communists will make their bid to take control
of Malaya. Then we’ll be back to square one.’
‘I hope you fellas can handle that,’ said Jacko, laughing. ‘I’ve had
enough of jungles for a while.’

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 ‘Next time I see you, you’ll be an old married man,’ said Johnny.
‘Not too old,’ said Monique. ‘But married, oui.’
‘The very best of luck to you all,’ said Johnny. ‘We’ll keep in
touch.’
‘Yes. Take care of yourself, Johnny,’ said Jamie, waving as they
were leaving the terminal. ‘Try not to get kidnapped again.’
Johnny laughed. ‘I’ll certainly take that advice.’
At the door to the aircraft they met the pilot, Leo Kemp, who
explained that this was a charter flight by Britain’s MI6; however, it
was possible one of Australia’s domestic airline companies might buy
it after arrival. He stowed some of their baggage in a locker and told
them there was plenty of room for them on the eight-seater Dove. He
said they would find coffee in thermos flasks and sandwiches in a
chest behind the cockpit.
As the engines warmed up at the end of the airstrip, they could see
Johnny, Algie and Angus waving from the terminal. Then they were
off.
Once they attained cruising height, Jamie gave Leo the radio
frequency of the CIS office in Darwin and asked him to give his
operator and office manager, Sparky, their estimated time of arrival in
Darwin. Leo nodded. ‘Roger that!’
Following a brief refuelling stop in Dili, it wasn’t long before they
saw the familiar sight of Darwin Harbour as the Dove circled around
towards the airport.
As the Dove taxied towards the shed serving as the Darwin air
terminal, they could see Sparky standing on the tarmac next to a jeep.
‘It’s gonna be a bit of a squeeze in that jeep,’ said Jacko.
‘Alors. I don’t mind squeezing next to you, mon coeur,’ said
Monique with a mischievous glint in her eye.
They alighted from the aircraft and Jacko noticed Sarah with a
smile so wide he thought it was going to split her face. Someone’s
glad to be back, he thought.
Jamie asked Leo if he needed a lift into town; however, the pilot
had to do a few checks on the aircraft as well as refuel it so he said he
would come into town later. Jamie told him he would send the jeep
back for him.

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 Sparky was warmly greeted by everyone, including being kissed
by all the girls, which left him speechless. It turned out to be a tight
squeeze indeed with Carna and Sarah in the front, the other three in
the back and baggage piled on top of them. Sparky was full of
questions. Jamie told him there was too much to tell, so they would
tell all over dinner at the hotel.
After dropping Carna and Jamie at their home at Doctors Gully
Springs at the north-western end of the Esplanade, the jeep continued.
Jacko and Sarah cheered when the Hotel Darwin came into sight.
‘Home sweet home,’ he said.

****

Four weeks later on a warm day with a clear blue sky, a large crowd
gathered at the small church in Darwin for the wedding of Jack
O’Brien and his lovely fiancée, Monique Rousseau.
The previous few weeks had been bewildering but wonderful for
Sarah. First of all, Monique had asked her to be her bridesmaid along
with Carna Munro. This made Sarah happy. She felt she knew what
to do as she had already been bridesmaid for Carna, whom she
worshipped, and with whom she would walk down the aisle after the
bride. Sabella Rousseau, Monique’s mother, had arrived in Darwin
and taken her daughter to a dressmaker to have her wedding dress
made. Jacko had been very attentive to Sabella, telling her they
couldn’t do without her. On the morning of the wedding, Monique,
Carna and Sabella took Sarah with them to a hairdresser, who piled
her hair up on top of her head. Sabella told her she looked so pretty.
She was happy because of all these things, but she was mainly happy
because Jacko looked so happy.
As she walked nervously down the aisle beside Carna, following
Monique, she recognised many of the people sitting in the pews on
both sides. At the back of the church stood the two crocodile hunters,
the two ‘Nifties’, Neville Wise and Neville Watson, who were good
friends. As well as local Darwin people, there were also a number of
friends from Daly Waters and the Daly River Crossing. Also seated in
the congregation were the police from Halls Creek, Sergeant
MacKenzie and Constable O’Neill, with whom they had worked

300
together late the previous year in pursuit of some dangerous criminals
who had crossed into Western Australia.
Sarah looked straight ahead of her at Monique, dressed in a
beautiful white silk bridal gown, accompanied by her father, Henri.
Standing before the altar she could see Jacko watching their
approach. Beside him were his best man, Jamie, and Sparky, the
groomsman. As they neared the front of the church she noted Sabella
Rousseau in the front row sitting next to the Northern Territory
Administrator, Aubrey Abbott, and his wife Hilda. Next to them sat
Police Superintendent Russell Fitzgibbon, his wife Mary and various
other Darwin dignitaries.
She steeled herself to look straight ahead during the service,
although it was tempting to look around. She smiled when she heard
Jacko repeating the words, ‘With this ring I thee wed ...’ She had
never seen him look so happy.
Afterwards as they left the church, she was surprised at how many
people had congregated outside to watch the newly married couple.
There was a loud cheer from the crowd as Jacko and Monique
emerged into the bright sunlight and flower petals were thrown over
them.
Word had gone around about the capture of the bandits in Malaya
and after his previous exploits in northern Australia, Jacko had
become something of a local legend. Sarah’s heart swelled with pride.
She was, however, astonished when many people approached her and
congratulated her also.
Up on the road above the church was a convoy of parked cars with
ribbons on the front to take the bridal party to the reception. Sarah
wasn’t sure how to reach them through the milling crowds. Jamie
turned around and saw the desperation on her face and quickly
escorted her to the second car in the row which she would share with
him and Carna.
‘Thank you, Jamie,’ she said carefully, concentrating on her
words. Then she smiled happily when she saw Jacko escorting
Monique into the car in front. The Rousseaus entered the car behind
and some of the more important dignitaries filled the other cars.
After arrival at the Hotel Darwin, Sarah followed the bridal couple
into the Green Room where the reception was to be held. To her it

301
looked the same as it had for Jamie’s wedding a couple of months
before with beautiful hangings, flowers and balloons.
Henri Rousseau had insisted on financing the reception and had
spared no expense. On each of the tables, which were covered with
white tablecloths, were bottles of French Champagne in ice buckets
as well as small gifts for all the guests. As before, a big band was
tuning up on the stage near the dance floor.
Sarah was shown to a seat at the bridal table and was especially
happy when she found she was seated next to Jacko on one side and
Sparky on the other. She had danced with Sparky at Jamie’s wedding
and looked forward to dancing with him again. She thought he was a
good dancer and not so tall as some of the others who had asked her
to dance previously. Even if some of the tallest men insisted on
dancing with her, she would not mind, but dancing with someone
nearer her own height was easier.
The band started playing background music as waitresses
delivered different dishes to the guests. As she looked around, she
caught the eye of Carna who was seated the other side of Monique.
They smiled at each other and she felt full of confidence. She would
never be believed if she ever told them about any of this in Tennant
Creek.
She looked at the bubbling Champagne in a long glass in front of
her and pouted. Then she realised that Sparky was no longer sitting
next to her but, in a moment, he was back in his seat and handed her a
tall glass with orange juice.
She smiled shyly at him and said, ‘Thank you, Spar Key.’
As she ate, being careful to use her knife and fork the way Carna
had taught her, she thought about the recent overseas trip. She had
enjoyed the challenge of the Malay jungle, but knew that the main
reason was because she and Jacko had worked together. My big
brother! She smiled to herself. He was arranging schooling for her but
so far, there had been no spare time.
After a while, she realised that the music had stopped and
someone was making a speech. It was Mr Abbott, the administrator.
He had been saying something and then asked everyone to stand up
and raise their glasses to the King. Sarah was relieved that she had the

302
orange juice which she could raise and drink, copying everyone else.
There was much scraping of chairs as everyone sat down again.
Then on her right, Jacko stood amidst cheers and applause and
cleared his throat. He started by thanking Henri and Sabella Rousseau
for having organised the reception and also for having produced such
an incredible and wonderful daughter. Monique blushed and glanced
at Sarah with a wry smile as applause filled the large reception room.
It was Sarah’s turn to feel embarrassed when she realised Jacko
was praising her, not only for doing her duty as a bridesmaid, but also
for her crucial role in the arrest of a ruthless band of killers in
Malaya. Sarah looked down at the tablecloth but when she looked up,
she saw Jacko smiling at her so she smiled back to a round of
applause from the guests. She was grateful for the appreciation but
hated to be singled out, and decided to give Jacko a good kick in the
shin after the reception if she could get him alone.
After Jacko had finished his speech it was Jamie’s turn to speak.
‘I must tell you that my friend and colleague, Jack O’Brien, has
been madly in love with this beautiful girl you see before you for at
least five years,’ he said. ‘On the battlefield he is always decisive but
in matters of the heart, he falls to pieces. Luckily, Monique was there
to pick up the pieces and put them together into this happy fellow
next to her.’
When he then requested the guests to charge their glasses to toast
Monique’s lovely bridesmaids, everyone stood and raised their
glasses. Sarah wanted to crawl under the table but stayed, smiling at
everyone for her brother’s sake.
Once the applause and laughter died down, Henri stood and
requested the band to play a waltz for the bride and groom. Soon
Jacko and Monique were on the floor dancing around the floor to the
strains of the Blue Danube.
Then the band launched into its repertoire of swing music and
many of the guests hit the floor. Several of the guests, mainly old
friends from the bush, took it in turns to dance with Sarah who had
discovered that she enjoyed dancing, even with Big Steve from Daly
River Crossing who towered over her by a foot and a half.
Later, Jacko noticed Sparky Speck dancing with his half-sister.
She was beaming.

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 Monique leant over and whispered in his ear, ‘There is some
chemistry there, n’est-ce pas?’
‘I think she’s too young to be thinking about boys yet,’ he said.
‘Vraiment?’ exclaimed Monique. ‘How old is she?’
‘Umm. Nobody’s quite sure. She’s not sure herself,’ said Jacko
hesitantly. ‘She’s certainly younger than twenty.’
‘Oh, ça alors, Jacko,’ said Monique laughing. ‘What makes you
think she’s too young to be interested in boys?’
‘Well, I ... er ... I want her to get a good education first,’ said
Jacko. ‘I’ve spoken to the schoolteacher here in Darwin and she’s
going to teach her English, writing and arithmetic. It’ll take a while
but Sarah’s keen.’
Monique smiled at him. ‘That’s so good. C’est si bon. But you’ll
never control what she’s thinking. She’s a woman.’
‘As always, you’re right. Let’s have another dance, Mrs O’Brien.’
‘Oui. Bien sûr! I would be delighted, Monsieur O’Brien.’

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 Reviews for The Warramunga’s War
The Warramunga’s War is the first novel in a trilogy. It’s a historical
fiction about war and espionage.
Being suspenseful and absorbing, the tale is well written, easy to read
and full of fascinating historical details. The characters are unique,
exciting and well developed, particularly the focal characters.
The book is balanced consisting of enthralling conversations, action
and narration.
Undoubtedly, it will be a feast for fans of historical fiction blended
with mystery and romance.
Rosemary Wright. Official Review, Online Book Club,
23 March 2018

The Warramunga’s War was full of detailed and exciting characters.

There were so many aspect of the book I enjoyed. The introduction of
little French in their conversations which acted as spice, the numerous
humour in the book which left me in stitches, the introduction of
history about so many things which kept me updated just to name a
few. This book is perfect for almost all range of people because of its
details and humour. Though the book is not for fantasy lovers but it
worth a read by all and I strongly recommend it for lovers of
historical fiction.
Review by Online Book Club Reviewer, 9 July 2018

In my opinion, this is a great novel, well written and well told. The
literary techniques employed serve the book well and even the editing
is superb. I feel it would appeal to a wide range of audience. Both
men and women of all ages would find the novel interesting, funny
and educative while having a good time enjoying reading it.
Review by Online Book Club Reviewer, 18 July 2018

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A captivating, gritty, historical fiction novel The Warramunga’s War
is well written, detailed, and hard to put down. It begins with Jamie
and Jacko, who are military men that become friends. The story takes
place beginning in World War II. Jacko ends up rescuing Jamie and
they finally get stationed in Cairo. If they didn't know about the
‘crooked’ or political side of the military, they are learning about it
now. I think it is cool how they have Jamie and Jacko communicating
with real people from our actual history which adds to the realism of
the story. There is a bit of romance as Jacko falls in love with a
beautiful girl, but this is more of an action-packed story of two
friends during a turbulent time. The characters were very well-
developed and relatable, as is some of the betrayal they face
throughout the novel. I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to
all historical fiction fans.
Review by Amazon Reviewer, 17 February 2018

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 Excerpts from a Review for The Warramunga’s Aftermath of
War by the Online Book Club

The Warramunga's Aftermath of War by Greg Kater is a crime

mystery novel set right after the end of WWII. This is the second
book in a trilogy that started with The Warramunga's War.
After learning about a distress signal given by a fishing boat nearby,
the main characters, Jamie and Jacko, set off to investigate. This leads
to an investigation of a child trafficking ring providing for the
pleasure of rich paedophiles. Thus begins their major investigation
where both are hell-bent on bringing the pervert criminals to justice.
What surprised me was what came after, in the second part, when the
initial investigation came to an end. In many stories, this would be the
end of the book. Not in The Warramunga's Aftermath of War,
however. It continued with a gripping adventure story set in the
Australian wilderness involving tracking and taunting the enemy. I
have to admit, I enjoyed this new adventure way too much. There
were moments where I even laughed out loud.
The story was solid, and the characters were well fleshed-out. I could
easily warm up to them, even though I haven’t read the first book
where they were initially introduced. Jacko is a half Warramunga
aboriginal, who possesses some interesting tracking and survival
skills, which helped him greatly during the cat and mouse spiel with
the bad guys. While Jamie is an interesting character as well, Jacko
really grew on me. He and his half-sister, Sarah, literally stole the
show once they got their time in the limelight. Lovers of crime,
mystery, and thriller novels will enjoy reading it.

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