I always think about my old friend Fred Sargent come Anzac Day. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese in Singapore and spent 3+ years as a POW in Shangi and on the Burma railway. His brother, a patient in Singapore hospital, was killed in the fire that destroyed the hospital following the bombing raid. Another of his brothers, Albert, a commando on a mission to blow up Japanese ships in Singapore harbour, was captured, sentenced to death, and beheaded about a month before the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan early in August 1945.
Some years ago, in a newspaper article dated 7 Nov 1945, replicated in The Weekly Times book 'The Bible of the Bush', released in 1994 in celebration of 125 years of publication, I came across the story of 8 Australians who were beheaded by the Japanese earlier that year. I was moved by this story. Firstly because the Australian soldiers were reportedly "gallant to the end", dying with great bravery in a ceremonial execution respectful of their courage. Secondly, I was aware that one of the men executed was Fred's brother, the newly married Lieutenant Albert 'Blondie' Sargent.
A few years ago I came across a book titled 'Kill the Tiger', subtitled 'The Truth about Operation Rimau', first published in 2002. This book reveals that the 8 Australians and two Britons did not go cheerily to their deaths after sharing cigarettes. They were brutally hacked to death with bungling ineptitude by five guards from Outrim prison and thrown on top of each other into three graves, four in one and three in each of the other two, after five months of cruelty and degradation.
The book states that no one in the Allied forces wanted the full story of Operation Rimau, which went horribly wrong, to be publicly revealed. They all had something to hide. This includes the British Establishment, the Americans, the British Navy and the Australian High Command. It concludes the chapter 'The Final Betrayal' saying the Rimau cover-up, in place for nearly sixty years, can be traced right to the top of the Australian High Command.
It dismays me that history, war time or otherwise, can be distorted, and that for years I had been under an illusion. Fred, who died in 1996 when aged in his mid eighties, probably never knew the truth which is the least he deserved, given his and his family's sacrifice.
Fred spent most of his working life after the war as a commercial beekeeper. He had a great love of trees and birds. In his retirement he planted and tended ten acres of red gums, spotted gums and sheoaks at Boorhamen. I'm pleased that shortly before he died I visited him with Lib and the boys and he proudly showed us around his young mini forest. He was a gentle man and a wonderful friend.
4 comments:
Uncle Fred was an amazing man, who I looked up to as I grew up. The Sargent's were very family oriented people with very traditional values, which have been passed down through generations. Uncle Fred's sister Dorothy (my grandmother), had always reflected her thoughts and feelings regarding her brothers death, blaming the Capt. of the submarine (porpoise), for failing to keep to the schedule and leaving all of those men waiting for a rescue that would never happen, sealing their fate. My uncle Albert obviously knew he couldn't rely on anyone but himself, would have realised very early on, it was a doomed mission from the beginning. He was a commando because he never rellied on others, was always a forward thinker and invented his own weaponry because it would save his life which was way better than the garbage given by the military.
The Sargent family spoke often about the cover ups and has never been a secret that the records, would never see light of day even after the 50 year suppression had lifted, although they deep down, hoped.
My grandmother spoke of her mother's sadness at her sons she had lost and those still fighting. The Sargent men weren't scared of hard work or the women for that matter. So when you see each and every one of the brothers war records, as well as their uncles before them, they were right in amongst it and fighting the most notorious of battles.
The three brothers met up one last time after they signed up, in Egypt before they were all sent on equally dangerous encounters, they even wrote home, expressing how happy they were to have seen each other, albeit for a short time, and thanking everyone for the gifts sent to them and how much it meant in their lives.
Uncle Fred told me a lot of stories about what the conditions were like for them in the field. He spoke of mud, heat and flies and he drew a picture with his words, that fighting overseas was hell, with no comforts or luxuries, along with the feelings of fear, boredom and pain as well as missing everyone back home.
Uncle Fred loved the bush life and when he had found out that I had built my house in Peechelba, the stories of his childhood came flooding back. He loved to express his life through his words, putting pen to paper writing in poetry and reflecting his childhood memories and those later in life. He compiled a small homemade book of poetry, which I had been given a copy of by him. He wanted me to carry on with the family tree, which I have and enjoy, although it is so much easier for me than it would have been for him thanks to the internet.
I am proud and privileged to have had such an amazing family.
Brenda Mahoney (nee Caddell)
Thank you Brenda. I'm pleased the Sargent family knew of the cover up. I'd also be pleased to meet you one day when I come to Wangaratta. You could message me your contact details if you choose. 0435317626.
Sadly I have moved away from Victoria and live in New South Wales, Grafton currently. I divorced back in 2001 and moved north in 2004. I have only been to Victoria once in the last 5 years due to my partners parents who made our lives a living hell and we were too scared to leave our house, however after we left our home for a few hours one day, they burned our house to the ground and we have been homeless and broke since which was in July 2016. It is still under police investigation and we are losing hope that the police will make an arrest, although we still cling to hope. The police made many mistakes from the beginning of our troubles and then covered it all up, so they won't do anything because too many questions about why they refused to help us and actually assisting my partners family to harass us every day until we couldn't suffer any longer, isn't a good look for them. My partner Andrew, has the worst family, so greedy and manipulative, it's quite a story but also a very lengthy one and it's getting late. We are still homeless and have been staying at a friends house but he is going to probably lose his house to pay his ex wife after she walked out with another man 5 years ago. Anyway that's the next installment of our rotten life. We feel so let down by those closest to us and my health is failing fast. I have been on a pension unable to work and my prognosis is not good, Andrew is my full-time carer now, I have several autoimmune diseases which have made my body attack itself. My back is so bad I can't walk very far, only very short distances. I've had several falls and now require surgery on my shoulder unfortunately my back is inoperable. I am suffering arthritis in every joint and calcification through my whole body. My doctor didn't like the fact that I had a walking stick before I turned 50 but since the first fall I can't use it because I have no movement left in my arm to support myself. I am finally seeing a specialist next month to see if we can get to the bottom of what is wrong with me and give me some hope for a better quality of life. I can't even brush my own hair now and my disability started in 2014. I was a security officer and I used to walk at least 12kms a day and then within 3 yrs I'm totally disabled. Life's been pretty rough but I just try to make the most of it now, taking one day at a time.
What a nightmare story Brenda. As fate has it I also suffer rheumatoid arthritis but mine is well under control with medication. You have certainly been dealt a shitty hand of cards. It may seem hollow but I can only agree with you to take a day at a time and look out for all the beauty of nature and the things like birds, flowers and trees. I find reading is a great thing too. I'm always into a book, as I finish one I'm into another and reading can take your mind to another place. All the very best wishes to you, I have been flatterred to have had contact from Fred's neice.
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