Escape from Sandakan - Part 2

ESCAPE FROM SANDAKAN — 11.
(First hand account written by (Florence)May Young and reprinted from the “North Borneo News” 25/12/52, 1/1/53 and 8/1/53.)

To Balik Papan after a long wait.

At last, after eight days, the Dutch told us that they were trying to get the KNILM plane which was still running between Balik Papan and Java to come on to Tarakan and pick us up. Had the plane come over late at night and left earlier in the morning than the hour for the Jap raid — 9.00am — we might have got away. As it was, the plane was advised as coming for us at 9.00am. We took a small proportion of our luggage and waited for the conveyance, which was to take us to the airport. We were not at all sanguine about this arrangement as the Jap raids were regular to time each day and all we could foresee was that we would be out on the airfield just as the Japs arrived to bomb it! However, we were saved this extra danger, for even as we stood on the steps of the Rest House waiting for the car, the sirens heralded the usual morning arrival of the Jap raiders and we were bustled off to the shelter. After the raid was over, the Dutch told us that the KNILM plane had been within half an hour’s flying of Tarakan but had been spotted by the Japs and was forced to fly into the clouds for protection and that meant it would not make a second attempt.

The next day our Captain came to tell us that the local Dutch Naval Commander had decided to load his ship with armament for down the coast and that we four were to go on board and get to Balik Papan. We were initially willing to go as we felt that we had lost nine valuable days staying at Tarakan but that we had a poor chance of getting through, judging by the photographs and accounts of ships lost around Tarakan at that time. Not one had been able to reach port safely since our arrival. The Captain was not at all happy at the idea of taking three women and a child with a cargo of armament under the existing conditions in the waters outside Tarakan and so we were not keen on going. During the raids, our ship the Baynain had had a lively time, being chased around the minefields by the Jap planes. It was peppered by machine gun fire but a Dutch minelayer had managed to keep the planes fairly high up, so that their bombs all missed the objective as far as these two ships were concerned. Once more we started to get our belongings together and on the tenth day when we were expecting to leave on the following day, Captain Dooley came in to say that the Commander would like us to dine with him that evening at the airport.

When we arrived we found with the Commander, nine American airmen who had been picked up at sea off Tarakan, all who had survived of the crews of 5 Catalina’s shot down by the Japs over the Philippines. They had been at sea in a small native boat for 11 days and one had an injured eye that was beginning to give him a lot of trouble. They had only what they stood up in. It was a queer dinner party, with not much variety of food as this was running short but good wines. After dinner our very charming host called us aside and asked if we would like to leave early next morning. Our surprise and excitement were tremendous and the answer obvious. It appeared that the Dutch had been asked to get the American airmen through to their nearest base and so they would be sparing one of their Dornier bombers to send them on their way and we were to be allowed to go too! We had to be ready at 4.30am the next day but to take only hand luggage, leaving the rest to go by the Baynain. The Commander drove us back to the Rest House, admonishing us not to oversleep the next morning — as though we could! I think we sat up nearly all night, packing and re-packing in our excitement, unable to decide what to take.

Punctually the next morning we were picked up by our friend the Commander and arriving at the airport, found the Americans all ready. We were given breakfast and packets of sandwiches and flasks of hot coffee for the journey. The Commander gave us the address of his wife in Soerabaya, telling us if we had any trouble in Java, to go to her. We had met her previously when we first arrived in Tarakan but she had left, apparently flown out by one of the bombers to Balik Papan, from where she was to go by civilian plane. (How thankful we were to be later for this kind thought of the Commander!)

We were taken across the airport to a jetty and could see where the craters everywhere had been filled in as fast as they were made. From the jetty we went on a small motorboat to our waiting plane and climbed aboard. It was like sitting in a great aluminium tube — above, behind us and above the two pilots sat the gunners, while behind the pilots sat the navigator and another officer. We sat on the bomb racks with the Americans and soon to a terrific din of the great engines we were off. We had not been told of our destination but took it to be Balik Papan, which would take about two hours. The journey was quite unlike any in a ‘liner’ and we did some terrific vertical dives and almost perpendicular climbs and my little son was very sick. Once the Americans all jumped up to look out the small windows high up in the plane.

As two hours and then three hours passed, we began to wonder where we were going. I thought perhaps right through to Java — that would be marvellous! However, after three and a half hours we realised we were circling to land and soon we were stepping out with great relief onto the wing of the bomber and waiting for the motorboat to come alongside. As we looked around we realised we must be in Balik Papan — the refineries and wells were all around us. I looked at the pilot in surprise and asked him if this was Balik Papan and if so, why had we taken so long? He explained that this was a patrol plane and before he could take us to our destination, he had first to make his morning patrol over towards the Philippines to see that no Jap ships or fleet were en route to Tarakan. I laughed and observed that I was very pleased we had not known this at the time or we might have felt more apprehensive. The dives we made were to identify ships far below and when the Americans had all stood up to look out, that had been because one of the gunners had fired a burst but only to make sure his gun was in working order — when required the previous day it had jammed at the critical moment. The gunner apologised afterwards for frightening us but I assured him that we had not heard it above the noise of the engines, our ears were not as attuned as those of the Americans.

Arriving at Balik Papan, our first thought was to find out if the civilian plane was still running and we were reassured to find that the KNILM service was still functioning. We had also noticed with relief that a small KPM ship lay at the wharf, which seemed to indicate that shipping also had not stopped in this region. We and the Americans were taken to the Rest House where Clare and Norma were given a room adjoining ours. That night we seemed to have a premonition and contrary to eastern custom, we locked our rooms when we retired. Next morning we woke to a hubbub going on around us and found that all the other occupants had been robbed. Some had lost a great deal of money and jewels etc and detectives were busy investigating the affair. Even the poor Americans were robbed of the few guilders and watches with which the Dutch had supplied them for their journey.
We had gone to the KNILM Office the previous afternoon to make bookings for our flight out but this morning were met with the unhappy news that only two seats were now available as one had been commandeered by a high ranking Dutch official. As I was occupying only one seat it was decided that Alan and I would have to wait for the next plane in four days time. However, events were moving fast and the Japs were so close behind, I felt anything might happen in those four days and that it would be better to try and get on the small KPM ship which I had seen at the jetty. On enquiring at the shipping office I was told that the ship was already overcrowded, camp beds even filling the saloon but that the Captain would nevertheless take me and my son.

The ship would be several weeks at sea and I had clothes only for the short trip by plane but there seemed nothing else to do, so I bought our tickets — at First Class fare prices — and was told to hurry and get my bags as the ship was sailing in an hour. As I arrived at the Rest House, an official from KNILM arrived saying that a seat had been found for me on the plane as a Dutch lady had given up her seat and decided to stay with her husband. I was quite overcome by this lady’s wonderful gesture and was loath to take advantage of it but the official assured me that she would just as soon stay on. I was really quite relieved, as I had been warned by the Dutch to avoid going by ship - none had managed to get away safely from the port for many days. The KNILM official motored me back to the shipping office to return the tickets and then on to his office to get tickets for the plane — for which I paid the usual fare. I cannot say enough for this kindly man and his help.

At 4.00pm that afternoon the four of us were taken off in the airport bus to catch the plane due to leave at 5.00pm. But it had been late in arriving from Java and the pilot decided to delay leaving until early the next morning so we returned to the Rest House. We were up at 4.30am, breakfasted while it was still dark and then once more travelled the long road to the airport. The KNILM plane was warming up and we were soon off to Bandjamasin. The pilot remarked that there were plenty of nice clouds to hide in if we sighted Jap planes — which he had had to do on previous occasions — we hoped the clouds would not be needed!

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