Page numbers in bold refer to images.
Achilles 245
Ajax 245
Allied Combined Fleet 231
American British Dutch Australian force (ABDA) 82, 238, 245–46, 251
Andaman Sea 82
Anniversary Day regattas, Auckland 8, 86
Aquitania 29, 30, 31–33, 35, 38–40, 314
Atkins, George 151, 164, 172, 175, 177, 178, 180, 310
Attack 74
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Far East bureau 264, 280
Australian Imperial Force, Great War 21
Australian Imperial Force, Second World War
Java 243
Malaya 113, 115, 116, 118–19, 120
Singapore 131
Bale, Arthur 151
Bale, Arthur James 310
Ballarat 265
Bangka Island 160, 164, 196, 197, 199, 200, 201–02, 204, 208
Batavia 149, 157, 186–87, 208, 214, 221, 231, 235, 236–47, 249, 264, 279
Batu Pahat 107–08, 109, 111, 112, 113–17, 160
Berhala Straits 160
Bettany, Arthur 314
Blackburn, Arthur 242
Blackforce 242
Britain 53, 54–60, 75, 77–78, 83, 85, 124
see also Scotland; and other placenames
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 151, 310
Gordon Highlanders 311
Brough, Andrew (Jock) 309
contact with Len Hill in later life 306
evacuation of Singapore 151, 157
General Verspijk, voyage to Fremantle 260–80
Japanese attack, Bangka Strait 163, 164, 165
Java 233, 234–36, 238, 239, 241–65
ML310, based in Singapore 88, 101, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 120, 141
repairs to prahu, Katjangan Island 190
shore leave, Singapore 91, 94, 96, 122, 123, 133, 146, 147, 148
Tjibia Island 173, 176, 177, 181, 185–87, 192, 193
travel from Fremantle to Melbourne 286, 287–89
voyage in prahu from Tjibia Island to Merak 197, 198, 200–06, 208, 209, 212–16, 218, 220, 222, 223, 225, 227, 229, 230–31
Bull, Anne see Heise, Anne (née Bull)
Bull, Cecily 177, 297, 301, 302, 303
Bull, Herbert John (Johnny snr) 309
in Auckland, following the war 297–304, 306–307
evacuation of Singapore 144, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 301
first meeting with Len and Tim 86–87
General Verspijk, voyage to Fremantle 260–80
godfather to Len Hill’s son 307
on HMS Scorpion 90
Japanese attack, Bangka Strait 164, 165, 166, 167, 169, 170
ML310, based in Singapore 128, 138, 140, 141, 142
photograph, Devonport, 1944 317
repairs to prahu, Katjangan Island 191
Solomon Islands service 299, 305
Tjibia Island 170–80, 181, 185–88, 192–94, 301
travel from Fremantle to Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland 286, 287, 288, 290, 291, 293–94
voyage in prahu from Tjibia Island to Merak 195, 196, 197–201, 202, 204–16, 218–31
Cant, Glen 227–28, 229, 230, 231, 233, 265, 270, 278
Chan, Teh Ling (Charlie) 89–90, 111, 132, 133, 137, 158, 172, 180, 193
Christmas, Ernest 144, 152, 160, 161, 162, 228
Clark, Victor 144, 160, 161, 162
coast watch stations 7
Collins, John (Commodore, China Force, Royal Australian Navy) 231, 237–40, 244, 246, 250, 251, 280, 284, 304
convoys
eastern coast of Britain and North Sea 60, 63–71
evacuation fleet from Tjilatjap to Fremantle 265–80
trans-Atlantic convoys 70
US3 convoy 38, 45–46, 51–52, 53–54, 58
Davidson, Alistair 287
Davies, Richard 310
Davis, Sir Ernest 24
Davy, Charles 310
Dawi 195, 198, 201, 204–07, 213–15, 218, 220, 222, 223, 225, 227, 229, 230–31, 233
Dimmett, Auburn 311
Docherty, James 311
Dutch East India Company 240, 241
Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL) 179, 193, 241, 249, 253–54
Dutch Navy 279
Dwight, Christine (née Hill) 307
Empress of Britain 29
Empress of Japan 29
Endurance 19
Fairbanks, Charles 310
Fairmile motor launches 77–78, 87, 88, 100, 127–28, 136, 143, 149
see also ML310; ML311
80th Fairmile Flotilla 305, 315
see also Malaya; Singapore
Firth of Forth 62
Flower, Robert William 309
Fort William 74
Frampton, Pendarvis 151, 164, 172, 309
Fremantle 35–38, 259, 264, 278, 279–86
Freyberg, Bernard 15
Galway, Lord 10
General Verspijk 260–80, 283–86
Gibson, Bert 310
Gifford, Jack 298
Ginn, James 310
Gneisenau 45
Graf Spee 245
Great War 15, 16, 18, 19, 20–22, 48, 71–72
Guadalcanal 299
Harbour Defence Motor Launches see HDML1062; HDML1063
Hauraki Gulf 2–3, 13, 24, 78, 307
Auckland waterfront and RNVR 2, 7
Japanese attack, Bangka Strait 164, 165, 167
ML310, based in Singapore 87, 99, 111, 149, 152
Royal Navy training, and leave in Britain 74, 78
shore leave in Singapore 93–94, 95–96, 97, 122, 123, 130, 132
Tjibia Island 173, 182–83, 184–85, 188, 284
HDML1062 87, 88, 99, 109, 127–28, 144, 155, 158, 228
HDML1063 87, 88, 127–28, 144, 155, 160, 228, 242–43
Heise, Anne (née Bull) 301, 302, 307
Heke, Ree 21–23, 25, 43, 47, 103
Heke, Richard 22
Henderson, Malcolm
evacuation of Singapore 144, 156
Japanese attack, Bangka Strait 164, 166, 168, 169–70
ML310, based in Singapore 87, 88, 90, 102, 104, 118, 119, 128, 138, 142, 143, 309
Tjibia Island 173, 175, 191, 193, 291
Hendrick, Monk 298–302, 303, 304
Hermes 45
Hill, April 307
Hill, Arthur 10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26–27, 28, 48, 103, 295–96
Hill, Ava 6, 9–10, 28, 39, 92–93, 133, 182, 203, 290–91, 307
Hill, Bill 6, 10, 18, 20, 22, 25, 26, 43, 48, 103, 303, 315
Hill, Christine see Dwight, Christine (née Hill)
Hill, Joy 10, 21, 22, 25, 26, 295
Hill, Kate 20, 21, 22, 23, 36, 37, 39, 48, 93, 103, 289
and Len’s departure for Britain 24–26, 27
Māori woman 10, 42, 43, 47, 49
Hill, Leonard Bruce (Len), personal life
in Auckland, 1943 315
in Auckland, following the war 302–08
‘being Pākehā’ 303
contact with Jack Hulbert in later life 307
contact with Jock Brough in later life 306
Māori heritage 11, 22–23, 42–45, 46–51, 54–55, 56
photograph with Jack Hulbert 316
post-war business and retirement 305–06
trip to Singapore and Java, 1980s 306
Hill, Leonard Bruce (Len), war service 309
embarkation and voyage to Scotland 26–53, 211–12, 279
General Verspijk, voyage to Fremantle 260–80
influence of uncles’ service and deaths in Great War 20–21, 22, 25, 40, 48, 103, 168, 187
on leave in Scotland, January 1941 313
ML310 motor launch 87–90, 98–106, 107–21, 125–30, 136–45, 148–53, 155–60, 164–74
ML403 motor launch, Solomon Islands 305
photograph in uniform after Alynbank, before Singapore 316
promotion to able seaman 70
repairs to prahu, Katjangan Island 189–92
return home, 4 April 1942 294–96
in Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, New Zealand 7–10, 14–17, 18–26, 315
Royal Navy training 59–60, 74, 77–78, 317
Singapore 84–87, 90–98, 120–27, 130–36, 145–53
Tjibia Island 173–74, 175–89, 192–94
travel from Fremantle to Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland 286, 287–94
travel to Southampton and voyage to Singapore 71–76, 78–83, 313
voyage in prahu from Tjibia Island to Merak 195–231
Hill, Tim
early friendship with Len Hill 4–6, 9–10
embarkation and voyage to Scotland 27, 28, 30, 32, 35–36, 37–38, 40–42, 46, 53, 279, 313
godfather to Len Hill’s son 307
ML310 motor launch 87–90, 98–106, 107–21, 128–30, 138, 141–42, 144, 148–49
ML311 motor launch 152–53, 158
ML311 motor launch sinking, Bangka Strait 160–61, 169, 174, 182, 187, 189, 203, 283–85, 290, 307
post-war life 307
Royal Navy training 59–60, 74, 77–78, 317
Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, Auckland Division 4, 6, 7, 8, 16, 18, 19, 20
Singapore 84–87, 90–98, 120–24, 130–36, 147–48
voyage to Singapore 78–83, 313
Hokke, C (Captain of Sirius) 234, 306
Hornby, Edward 310
Houston 245
Hulbert, Jack 2–3, 6, 7, 8, 23–24, 307, 316
IFF (‘Identify friend or foe’) 64
Japan
attacks on evacuation fleets from Tjilatjap 266–67, 268–69
declaration of war 79
HDML attacks 228
Java 234, 238, 240–56, 258–64, 292
Malacca Straits attack by aircraft 82–83
Malaya 101–02, 107–08, 109, 111, 112, 113–17, 118–19, 160, 168, 242, 300
Merak bombing 224–26, 230–31, 234–35
ML310 boarding, Tjibia Island 175–79
ML311 motor launch sinking 160–63, 169, 182, 228
Palembang capture 234
Patrick Heenan’s spying 159, 323
Prince of Wales and Repulse sinking 80, 159
Singapore 83–84, 87, 98–99, 101, 104–06, 112, 120–27, 133–34, 144–46, 149, 159, 229, 252–53
Sumatra 234
Java 144, 149, 157, 221, 223, 231, 233–64, 280, 283, 292
Battle of the Java Sea 264
Johncock, T H S (Johnno)
ML310 motor launch 88, 111, 142, 145, 146
prisoner of war 309
repairs to prahu, Katjangan Island 190, 211, 214
shore leave, Singapore 132, 134–36
Tjibia Island 173, 180–81, 183, 185, 186, 187, 188, 192, 193, 194, 195–96, 239, 285
Johor Strait 127–28, 129, 138–40
Jupiter 252
Katjangan Island 160, 186, 188–92
Keeling, Ralph 310
Kindred, Jack
Alynbank 70
ML311 motor launch 88, 108, 137–38, 152, 153, 158
ML311 motor launch sinking, Bangka Strait 160–61, 169, 174, 182, 188
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 7
Royal Navy training and leave in Britain 74, 75, 78
shore leave, Singapore 95, 122, 123, 130–36
voyage to Britain 53
voyage to Singapore 80, 81, 313
KNIL (Dutch East Indies Army) 179, 193, 241, 249, 253–54
Kranji River 139
Leander 29
Little, John 310
Luckett, John 310
Malaya 83, 100–02, 107–08, 109, 111–20, 127–28, 160, 168, 242, 249, 300
Māori
East Coast 49
land confiscations 49
Māori Battalion (28th Battalion, 2NZEF) 27–28, 31, 36–38, 40–45, 48, 49–50, 52, 53
Maryborough 227–29, 265, 268, 269, 270, 273, 277, 278, 279
Mata Hari 163
Mayfair Hotel, Singapore 93–97, 132–33, 145–47, 148, 203
Maynard, Stanley G F 87, 90, 99, 102, 109, 116, 117, 118, 119, 121, 128
McMillan, Colin 99, 111, 128, 144, 158, 228
McVinnie brothers 7, 37, 42, 55, 56
Mediterranean Fleet 71
military police
United States Navy 293
Wellington 30
Mission to Seamen, Auckland 9
ML310 motor launch
crew left on Tjibia Island to await rescue 190–94, 195, 237–38, 303–04, 305
departure of rescue party on repaired native prahu 185–96
evacuation of Singapore 149–53, 155–60, 301
Japanese attack, Bangka Strait and Tuju Islands 164–74
Japanese boarding, off Tjibia Island 175–79
‘On Active Service’ radio serial episode 319
repair attempt and Japanese bombing, Tjibia Island 180–85, 190–91
Singapore 87–90, 98–99, 120–21, 127–30, 136–45, 148–49
ML311 motor launch
evacuation of Singapore 151, 152–53, 155, 158
Japanese attack and sinking, Bangka Strait 160–63, 169, 182, 228, 290, 307
Malaya 99, 100–03, 107–09, 112
Singapore 87, 88, 89, 99, 121, 129, 130, 136, 137–38, 140, 144
ML403 motor launch 305
Naval Base, Devonport 8
‘Naval Mobilization Emergency Regulations’ 7
Neville, Bill (Lofty) 123, 142, 143
embarkation and voyage to Scotland 27, 28, 32, 35–36, 37–38, 39, 40, 42, 43–44, 46, 52, 53
photograph in uniform after Alynbank, before Singapore 316
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18, 19, 315
Royal Navy training 59–60, 74, 317
Solomon Islands 305
training on Wakakura 23
travel to Southampton and training on Attack 71–76
New Zealand Division
2nd, Second World War 74
Great War, known as ‘the Silent Division’ 71–72
New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 2nd
First New Zealand Echelon 19, 20
Second New Zealand Echelon 20, 29–33, 35–53, 86, 314
Ngāti Porou 49
Nicolaas (Dutch Commandant) 195, 197, 198, 201, 204–08, 212, 214–15, 218, 219, 222, 223, 225, 227, 229, 230–31, 233, 254, 258
Oldnall, Herb 310
Oudenaarde, Captain (of General Verspijk) 261–62, 264, 266, 267, 269, 270, 275, 283–84, 286
Paddon, William 309
Palmer, Charles (jnr) 14
Parata, Haami 40–45, 48–50, 54–55, 207, 296
influence on Len Hill 46–51, 55, 56, 65, 104, 153, 168, 196, 202, 209, 210, 303
Parit Jawa 109
Percival, Arthur 129, 136–37, 150, 159
Perth 245
Pool, Richard
Course for Disaster (1987) 321–22
evacuation of Singapore 143–44, 151, 156
injured hand 157–58, 163, 164, 168
Japanese atack, Bangka Strait 168, 170
ML310 motor launch Gunnery Officer 138, 140, 142
prisoner of war 310
repairs to prahu, Katjangan Island 190
Royal Navy Local Operations, Singapore 109, 110, 127, 128
Tjibia Island 170, 171, 172, 175, 178, 180, 181, 185, 186, 187, 192, 193–94
Portland, Royal Navy training base 74, 77–78
Prize 19
Pulford, Conway 150, 152, 156, 159, 164, 166, 167–68, 171, 172, 180, 305, 310
Raffles Hotel, Singapore 83, 130–31, 132, 306
Richardson, Warrant Boatswain 310
Robinson, Alfred 309
Robinson, James 310
Rose, Angus 144
Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve 87
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) 82, 226–29, 237, 243, 279, 285, 288, 310
Commodore, China Force 237–40, 244, 246, 250, 251, 280, 284
Garden Island base, Sydney 290–91
Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve 309
Royal Indian Navy 82
Royal Marines 107, 149, 151, 172, 310
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, New Zealand 6–10, 13–15
Auckland Division Headquarters, Ngapona 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 19, 20, 80, 86
Auckland Division social events 9
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, New Zealand, Reservists’ war service
see also Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve; and names of individual Reservists
embarkation and voyage to Scotland on Aquitania 26–53, 314
‘Mobilisation Fiasco’ 18
parade of inspection 10
Royal Navy training, St Vincent, Gosport 59–60, 317
signatures on concert programme, Aquitania 314
training in New Zealand 18–19, 23
Royal Navy, New Zealand Division 15, 19, 23–24, 31
Royal Navy (RN) 16
Alynbank anti-aircraft ship 60–61, 128
Coastal forces 78, 84–85, 88, 109
Fremantle 279
Laburnum, Volunteer Naval Reserve base in Singapore 84–87, 99, 120, 142
Mediterranean Fleet 71
Royal Fleet Auxiliary 234
sailors on ML310 87–88, 165, 237, 309, 310
Scheme B 20
Scheme Y 87
Singapore Naval Base 120–21, 127, 129
training, St Christopher, Fort William 74, 77
training, St Vincent, Gosport 59–60, 317
Royal Netherlands Navy 82
Royal New Zealand Navy, establishment 73
Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve 237, 247, 255, 259, 298–99, 309, 310
see also Fairmile motor launches; Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, New Zealand
Singapore 84–87, 90–98, 120–27, 130–36, 145–53
training in Britain 74, 77–78, 317
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron 8, 86, 297
Russell, James Edward 309
sailing, Auckland and Hauraki Gulf 2–3, 8, 9, 24, 86
Sanders, William 19
Scammell, Leonard 311
Schief, Stan 310
Scorpion 90
Scotland 53, 54, 69–70, 77, 78
Second World War
declaration of war 7
departure of New Zealand troops 19–20, 23–24, 26–33
training and mobilisation of New Zealand forces 13–19, 23
Shackleton, Ernest 19
Shrimpton, Henry 314
Simson, Ivan 137
Singapore 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 119, 229, 300
evacuation 125, 144–53, 155–60, 252, 253, 258, 264, 305
Fairmile crews’ shore leave 90–98, 121–24, 130–36, 146–48
finding of crates of gold 134–36
Japanese attacks 83–84, 87, 98–99, 101, 104–06, 112, 120–27, 133–34, 144–46, 149, 159, 229, 252–53
motor launches based in 87–90, 99–100, 102, 105, 120, 125, 126–30, 136, 142, 144–45, 148–53
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve base Laburnum 84–87, 99, 120, 142
Singapore Harbour Board 87
Smethwick, Hector 310
Smith, Norman 310
Smith, William 310
Sneddon, James 310
Spooner, Ernest 322
evacuation of Singapore 125, 149–51, 152, 156, 157–58
Japanese attack, Bangka Strait 164, 166, 169
and Patrick Heenan 159
Tjibia Island 170–72, 173, 178, 179, 180–81, 185, 186, 188, 191–95, 199, 237–38, 245, 305, 309
Tuju Islands 163
St Christopher, Royal Navy training base, Fort William 74, 77
St Vincent, Royal Navy training base, Gosport 59–60
Stonor, Ian 151, 165, 170–71, 172, 173, 175, 179, 180, 181, 310, 323
Straits Settlements 83, 128–29, 137
see also Malacca Straits; Singapore
Strathallan 294
Stride, Reg 310
Sully, Samuel 310
Sumatra 82, 157, 160, 162, 166, 208, 209, 219, 234
Sussex 79
Swift, Harry 81, 93, 95, 99, 313
Tangaroa (sea) 210, 212, 222, 269
Tāwhirimātea (wind) 209, 210, 221–22, 269
Texas National Guard 242
Thomas, Shenton 137
Tjibia Island 170–74, 175–89, 284, 301
Tjilatjap 231, 233, 234, 238, 239, 240, 243, 245, 250, 251, 252–53, 254, 255, 257–65
Townsend, Edwin Richard 309
Tucker, Edward 309
Tuju (Seven) Islands 160, 163, 164, 166, 169–70, 195, 196
see also Katjangan Island; Tjibia Island
Tūmatauenga (god of war) 210
Turner, Jack 310
Tweedale, Alan 309
United States Navy 279, 292–93, 297
US3 convoy 38, 45–46, 51–52, 53–54, 58
Vampire 82
Vendetta 228
Victoria Cross 19
Victory 59
Warren, Alan 107
Wavell, Archibald 129
Welman, A E 77
Westforce 118
Williams, Henry, ‘The Mission boat accompanying a New Zealand war expedition’ 11, 22, 23
World War I see Great War
World War II see Second World War
Worsley, Frank 19
Wright, Reg 310
yacht clubs, Auckland 2