History
The jungle war
by Commander Ah Hai
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History
The jungle war by Commander Ah Hai |
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The Jungle War (Part 4) In Chapter ten of these memoirs members of the 2nd Independent come to Negri; in Chapter eleven an attack on the Japanese police station fails; in Chapter 12 the 2nd Independent is reorganised Chapter 10: The question of the 2 Independent At the end of January 1944, Lai Lai Fook ( Note 54) (formerly Tu Long San of Perak, the Party representative at the 2 Independent) came to Titi and had a discussion with Ah San and Ah T'ie of the No 1 Base. They did not make progress so Ah San wrote to Ah Hai about the situation. According to Lai Fook, the 2 Independent had wanted to return to Perak but the Japanese were attacking fiercely and there was no way they could return. They were stuck in Negri. Lai Fook wanted to recruit and fight a guerrilla war. Ah Hai proposed a meeting of the State Committee Ah Hai hurried over from the No 2 Base to take part in the committee discussions. The meeting considered that (1) the 2 Independent did not have a formal introduction from the Central Committee. There was one called Ah Niao who had come with Lai Fook, but he was only a guide; (2) the men numbered only 20 to 30 and had only some hand guns , about ten pistols and a few hand grenades. The request to recruit 300 to 400 men to be armed with 200 weapons to form a guerrilla force was unrealistic; (3) learning from Malacca State's experience when the committee was tied up by the 3 Independent (not that the Malacca State was politically unreliable or that there were traitors involved but just because they had differences), if we gave them our troops they might do a 3 Independent on us; (4) to ask Central Committee to solve the problem for us Lai Fook then went over to No 2 Base to speak to Ah Hai They were both from Perak and were old battle comrades. They had a friendly talk. Ah Hai asked Lai Fook what he talked to Ah San about. Lai Fook repeated what had passed between them. Central Committee had decided that the 1 Independent was for Kedah, 2 Independent was for Perak On January 11 they had set out and came to the border of Negri when the Japanese took KL. So the 2 Independent was stranded in Negri. Here they recruited men to fight |
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Ah Hai asked him how many men he had
and how many weapons Lai Fook said 30 men, 3 light machine guns, 10 sub-machine guns, 10 revolvers, hand grenades, 5 boxes (12 in each box) of explosives and detonators Lai Fook said it was difficult to talk to Ah San but that since Ah Hai was a cadre from Perak it was easier to talk Ah Hai told him that he had only 30 men and with few arms, and that the request to absorb 300 to 400 men and to be equipped with the 200 weapons from Negri did not add up. Would it not be better that the proposal be that the two should join forces? Ah Hai also raised the question of appointment of the commander of the joint forces. Lai Fook said he would ask the Central Committee Ah Hai said Negri would also have to ask Central Committee for a directive Ah Hai also spoke of the Malacca experience but Lai Fook said that that would not happen here Ah Hai said he would speak to the others of the State Committee with a view to solving the problem Ah Hai then went over to No 1 Base to speak to Ah San and Ah T'ie and told them about his talk with Lai Fook so that they would understand and agree to the 2 Independent coming to Titi, but that the question of the merger of forces was to await a reply from the Central Committee Chapter 11 An attack on Kuala Pilah police station fails In late January 1942, after the Kuala Pilah representative of the Negri State Committee, Comrade Ch'en Ch'un, had met the liaison man of the command of the 2 Independent, he despatched an District cadre Ah Li and "White Hair Nuan" to guide Yan Show Ch'i, Seow Yau Ling and 8 others to "Tampin Kotor" (4 or 5 miles from Tampin) to take the 2 Independent as well as a quantity of arms to Parit Tinggi, Kuala Pilah camp After Ah Li got to "Kotor" he hurried back to Parit Tinggi, Kuala Pilah to report to Comrade Ch'en Ch'un, and to wait for "White Hair Nuan" to bring the 2 Independent The evening of February 4 the troop walked to Parit Tinggi from "Tampin Kotor" via the Tampin Johore jungle. Because they had no experience of marching in the jungle in the dark the men lost touch (this easily happens when a group is marching at night without adequate organisation). |
| Ah Liu (Note 55) and Ma Ting (Note 56)
discussed this and cut the force down, splitting the 50 men into two smaller
groups, one to be led by vice-commander Liu Kuan Wen and Controller Liao
Te. The other was put under Political Department's Ma Ting and Teng
Ch'ang (Note 57). This done the troop was able to reach the outskirts
of Kuala Pilah in two groups at daybreak. Because they were going through
rubber estates where heavy equipment could easily be exposed it was decided
that the heavy weapons should be concealed in two separate dumps After a night's march everyone was hungry and after reaching the target each carried a pistol in search of food. It was agreed that all would meet at Parit Tinggi camp At 8 o'clock in the morning, the high command of the 2 Independent and Comrade Ch'en Ch'un sent men out to retrieve the hidden weapons but they failed to locate them. We were later told that the Kuala Pilah police had exhibited a large quantity of arms. We learnt later that some traitors had discovered Liu Kuan Wen's hidden weapons. Fortunately Ma Ting's weapons had not been discovered and they were immediately retrieved. But our men were uneasy and unhappy at the loss. After a discussion between Liu Kuan Wen, Ma Ting, Leow Te and Ch'en Ch'un it was decided to attack the police station 1 40 men to be in the attack armed with 20 rifles, a few pistols, hand grenades, swords and spears 2 The attack was to be launched (a) frontally at the gate and (b) from the sides and to seize weapons. (c) The two groups to be on guard to prevent assistance reaching the enemy (d) two to guard the rear for retreat and (e) "attack when he is unprepared; sally out when he does not expect you." (f) the 2 Independent was to be in command with the collaboration of Ch'en Ch'un (g) attack to be launched February 7 morning But this quickly assembled troop had no training in coordinated battle, had no experience of warfare and had no military discipline. It relied on enthusiasm and was poorly organised. For these reasons, when they got to the target, before each unit had got to its position someone shouted "Attack!". Besides, they opened fire at more than 300 yards, only to give the police warning. The police had the advantage of a higher vantage point and though taken by surprise were able to counter attack vigorously, resulting in our troops being thrown into a position of passivity. Although the comrades were brave they were unable to break through the enemy lines. When the courageous Chu Chie got to the gate he was wounded and unable to open the gate. The command was forced to give the order to withdraw. We suffered heavy losses. The 2 Independent's second in command Liu Kuan Wen was killed. The deaths included comrades Ch'iu Pai and Ch'iu Pa, both Party members, and an activist, Chang. In addition to Chu Chie, who was an activist, several others, whose names cannot be recalled, were wounded. |
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this attack was not successful it showed that comrades were willing to sacrifice
themselves to retrieve the lost arms. It was a defeat yet glorious, as
they say, "defeat is the mother of success." This was to be a valuable
experience The exposure of the Parit Tinggi camp, Kuala Pilah, after the attack decided the 2 Independent on moving the "Tampin Kotor" camp. Ch'en Ch'un led the troops to another mountain top. The Japanese troops did not dare not chase them and only to burnt the attap huts in the camp, after which they retreated . In those years when the Japanese attacked they only came to the fringes of the jungle or they would spend one or two hours searching for us but were afraid to venture too deep into the old forest. Chapter 12 The new 2 Independent Lai Fook returns to "Tampin Kotor" from Titi In late February 1942, when the 2 Independent arrived at the Titi No 1 Base they were only about 20 men with six sub-machine, some pistols and hand grenades and explosives. They were warmly welcomed by the Negri guerrilla commanders In the early part of March 1942, Comrade Chu Lau (Note 58) was ordered by the Central Committee to Titi. It was a dangerous journey which he did in a small sampan, slipping through the enemy lines and reaching his target following the eastern coast. The Negri State Committee knew that Chu Lau was an executive member of the CC. He also had been secretary of the Negri State. It was proposed to him that a meeting should be called of the Negri guerrilla forces, the 2 Independent and the "Selangor Company" to deal with the question of the three different commands. Chu Lau was pleased with the proposal and held a meeting of representatives at the No 2 Base at a comrade's house at the "Wharf." Those attending the meeting besides him were Ah Hai, deputy commander of the Negri Guerrilla Force and State Committee member, the commander of the 2 Independent, Huang Kuo P'ing (Note 59), and Liu She, representing the "Selangor Company". Chu Lau proposed that there be a merger which would be named the "2 Independent". However Liu She later went back on the agreement saying that Chu Lau was only a messenger and that he would lead his force back to Selangor. Thus sometime in March the Negri Committee, following the decision of the three sides (four if we include Chu Lau), merged the Negri Guerrilla Force with the 2 Independent to form a new 2 Independent Negri State gave to the Negri guerillas the following cadres, men and arms: |
Ah T'ie, State Committee and commander of the Negri Guerrilla Force; Ai P'ing, Yeh Ai K'e and Mo Liu, District cadres; platoon cadres Yang Yin Hin, Miao Siew, Su Yu Ru, Chou Ming and a woman cadre Hung Ye (Note 60), Hsiao Ying (Foo Lai), Siao Chu, Siao Yu Soon, Chen Ming Wen, Hai Nan Kang, Wu Shih Fu (Note 61) and also many squad cadres numbering some 300 persons i.e. the forces of the No 1 Base and No 2 Base, and all manner of guns numbering some 200, ammunition which included more than 10,000 bullets and explosives together with hand grenades which they had obtained from the remnants of the British army The organisation of the new 2 Independent was as follows Command: Party Representative (Political Committee member) Lai Fook, head and commander Huang Kuo P'ing, Political Department Ma Ting, Control Department or Support Services head Teng Ch'ang. Ah T'ie was appointed one of commanders (Lai Fook in May or June returned to Perak and Huang Kuo P'ing took over. Ma Ting became head of command, Ah T'ie took over the Political Department) At the company level, the model company Party Representative was Teng Ch'ang, commander was Chang T'ian Tai (Note 62), with Yeh Ai K'e as second in command; Moh Liu was head of Political Department. Their area of activity was to be the valley of the Kenaboi At No 15 Company Liao Te was the Party Representative (Note 63). The commander was Yu Kuo Pao, the deputy commander Shao Ping. They were to be active in the Pertang area At No 43 Company Huang Ai P'ing was Party Representative , commander T'ang Yun Hsing with Yeh Ai K'e as deputy (he was replaced by Wu Shih Fu when he was posted to the Model Company), xx (name can't be recalled) was head of the Political Department, Yu Ru was in Control. Their area was Limong (between Titi and Limong), Sungei Rotan and the "Wharf". At No 24 company Chen Yau was Party Representive, Hu Li, commander, and his deputies were Pan T'ien and Wei Ming (when Pan T'ien died in battle Chung Siang replaced him) The head of Political Department was Ch'en Ch'un and Control was under Ch'en Ch'ing. Their area was Bahau, Palong, Rompin and Lingkap (near Tampin) areas Shortly after the merger, the Selangor Troop led by Liu She while returning to Selangor came across Japanese troops at Broga and were forced back. Liu She fell ill on return to the "Peak" No 1 Base and died. We lost a talented and able cadre. The Selangor Troop was later to return to Selangor and join the 1 Independent.# Go to the top (To be continued) |
NOTES (54) Lai Lai Foo also Tu Loong Shan. Party representative of 2 Independent and commander of the 5 Independent. Died bravely when arrested (55) Ah Liu also Liu Kuan Wen Second in command, 2 Independent Died bravely in the attack on the Kuala Pilah police station (56) Ma Ting also Chen Kuan Png also Chen Ting Head of the political department of 2 Independent, reserve member of the Central committee. He deserted when the war began against the British imperialists (57) Teng Chang. Had military training in the 101 School and was head of the supply department of 2 Independent and was state committee member of the Negri Party. When the national liberation war began against Britain he was killed in battle (58) Chu Lau. Member of the Central Executive Committee. Was killed in the September 1 Incident (59) Huang Kuo P'ing Attended the Batu Caves enlarged Central Committee Conference and turned traitor when captured (60) Hung Ye. Was captured by the enemy when 2 Independent moved East. Was killed together with his aunt when defying the traitor Ya Tie during interrogation. (61) Wu Shih Fu. An activist of the Titi youth movement. He was a member of the Traitor Elimination Unit at the beginning of the war. Towards the end of the war was a cadre of a platoon ??? of 2 Independent. He was deputy commander of a company platoon ??? when 2 Independent moved East and the time of victory deputy commander of the Old Company. He was Titi area committee member and posted to Pahang during the war against the British. When the army moved North he continued guerrilla warfare in Pahang and died bravely when fighting the British "Starve Policy" (62) Chang Tien Tai also Chang Cho. He was deputy commander of the 5 Detachment during the war against Britain In the 70s he was leader of the Sixth Assault Unit and went South. In the 80s entered Kuala Lumpur for action and was captured.. Sixth Assault Unit members were all captured and their fate still awaits investigation (63) Liao Te. Was head of the control department of 2 Independent and the company representative in the 15th Company |
from The War in the South - the story of Negri Sembilan's guerrillas by Shan Ru -hong (Internet edition) First published 2003 Part 3 |
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