THE CONFLICT
I have put together all I could find relating to that part of the Battle for Singapore that might have applied to Raymond James Martin and to James Ernest John Stubberfield and explain how they may have met their deaths.
[Most of the details, of the various airfields, came from one website in particular, "Pacific Wrecks", (http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/singapore.html); it′s a very informative site and a good example of what sites should be like. In addition to the information that I needed, there is a wealth of knowledge that would be, I believe, of interest to most people.]
The island of Singapore is about the same size and shape as the Isle of Wight and is separated from the Malaysian mainland by the Johore Strait (which is about a mile wide) with a causeway providing the only easy method of crossing the water.
At the time of the Japanese attack on Singapore, there were five RAF airfields on the island:-
Seletar, the oldest airfield, in the island′s north-east corner, facing the Johor Strait, with three RAF squadrons stationed – No.s 36, 100,and 205
Sembawang lay inland from the north coast and the Japanese, by shelling the airfield, on 5th February, 1942, stopped all flights and, a few days later, occupied and held it until the end of the war. There was an Australian Squadron based here – RAAF No. 453.
Kallang, on the southern coast, with a mixture of New Zealand, Australian, and British Air Force personnel and two squadrons – No. 243 (RAF) and No. 488 (RNZAF).
Sungei Buloh, in the north-west corner of the island.
Tengah, the newest of the airfields, was situated in the interior of the island and due south of Sungei Buloh with an RAF Squadron, No. 34.
The Japanese captured Tengah on the 9th of February and, though they had had air supremacy since the war in Singapore began, from then on had total control of the skies. The allied air forces were evacuated to Sumatra.
I have not been able to find (as yet, but, perhaps, one day) on which of the above airfields James was stationed but, I feel that he must have been on one of the above.
On the 8th December, 1941, the Japanese invaded northern Malaya and began a rapid advance down the peninsular toward Singapore; so rapid that on the 31st January, 1942, the last of the defending troops withdrew across the causeway onto the island of Singapore.
There were many problems for the forces, the authorities, and the people on the island, behind the defensive lines. Mistakes were made by the military though the quickness of the Japanese attack and the force with which they attacked virtually overwhelmed the allies. Add to that the growing numbers of refugees caught in the shrinking perimeter, the increased pressures on medical facilities, the clogged roads and the problems of trying to defend the island must have been immense. All these problems put additional pressure on the food and water resources so much so that by the 14th February, the water supply failed. Early the next morning, General Percival made the decision to discuss terms for surrender but the Japanese were in no mood to compromise and demanded unconditional surrender; with no alternative, and though Percival tried to negotiate, he, finally, had to accept and at 10.30 that night, the fighting stopped.
The following morning, Sunday, 15th February, 1942, Lieutenant General A.E. Percival surrendered Singapore Island to the invading Japanese forces; for the majority of the people, the real suffering was about to start.
After the surrender, the Japanese established what would become the infamous prisoner of war camp, at Kranji, an area in the north-west of the island.
