Lt. Patrick Ormond Howard Wilkinson HMS Yin Ping (Tug) Naval Forces of the Colony, Straits Settlements
Pat Wilkinson was born in Kew, Victoria, Australia and with his brother, attended Melbourne Grammar School. The boys were boarding at the school for most of their school lives. Their father was a Captain in the Merchant Navy, pre-WW1 days and then transferred to the newly formed RAN as a Lieutenant for the duration of the war. Pat's mother was the daughter of a well known lawyer and Mayor of Kew.
Pat married his first wife in Singapore and was there when she was killed in the evacuation. The tug, HMS Yin Ping was torpedoed as they made their escape. Alice and the Captain were both killed when a torpedo struck the wheelhouse. Patrick was a Lieutenant in the RN and took command of the boat and the loading of the surviving men into the tender. They were captured and Pat was taken as a POW, he had been injured in the attack when Singapore fell.
This is an account of the evacuation only dealing with the tug Yin Ping
13th February, 1942
The Yin Ping was at anchor off Clifford Pier, Singapore, commanded by Lt. Wilkinson, RNR and acting under the orders of Captain Atkinson, RN. Captain Atkinson who had been Captain Superintendent, H.M. Naval Base, had moved with his staff to Union Building, Singapore, when the Naval Base was evacuated on 31st January. During the afternoon of 13th February, he received orders from Rear Admiral Spooner to proceed to Batavia. At about 17.00 he repaired to board Yin Ping with his staff... Captain Atkinson then landed to assist as necessary with the embarkation of troops who were being evacuated in H.M. ships, Grasshopper and Scorpion.
He returned on board shortly before midnight, when shells began to fall near the ship. Yin Ping was ordered to weigh anchor, and proceeded out of harbour at 0015 on 14th February. A Eureka Launch, manned by P.O. McFarling and Mech. Gillcock was in tow of Yin Ping.
The night was dark and visibility poor on account of smoke from fierce oil fuel fires from various fuel depots which were being denied to the enemy.
On approaching Peak Island, H.M. Tug Trang, Commander Alexander, was seen to be ashore. Yin Ping anchored, and the Eureka Launch, with Commander Douglas in charge, closed Trang and transferred 70 Army and Air Force other ranks to Yin Ping. Yin Ping was carrying coal on deck and could not accommodate a greater number with safety.
Yin Ping proceeded with the launch in tow, and about 0800 sighted Fairmile Launch No. 310, with Admiral Spooner on board, in difficulties with damaged steering gear. The Fairmile refused assistance, and shortly afterwards proceeded ahead of Yin Ping.
Later in the morning of the 14th February, Yin Ping fell in with the water boat Daisy. Daisy had no charts, so Yin Ping eased speed to keep Daisy in company. At about noon HMS Malacca was sighted close in shore near False Durien Island. Yin Ping and Daisy closed with the intention of remaining there until dark...as enemy aircraft which might attack vessels proceeding in daylight, and opportunity was taken to transfer about 20 Army other ranks to the water boat Daisy.
Enemy aircraft were spotted about 1400. These attacked and scored a very near hit. This caused some confusion in the still rather crowded Yin Ping and the Eureka Launch proceeded ashore, ran on a reef and was lost. Yin Ping, Malacca and Daisy, then proceeded in company since the cover afforded by lying close inshore was obviously inadequate. During the night 14/15th February touch was lost with both the other ships (Malacca had reported minor damage to a condenser as a result of the bombing). Yin Ping proceeded alone, set course for Banka Strait so as to arrive at the Northern Entrance at sunset. Before it grew dark I was asked to go to the engine room to investigate a knock which had developed in the main engine. I left Captain Atkinson and his staff on the bridge, and since the knock was in the air pump discharge system, I was detained below tracing pipe systems until the Yin Ping came under shell fire. The sixth shell damaged the boiler fittings so I ordered the engine room to be evacuated, and steam was shut off the main engine. Firing had ceased when I came on deck (the Yin Ping was unarmed) but the decks were littered with dead and wounded and the Yin Ping's upper works were burning furiously. I went forward, but blinded by the light of the fire, fell through a shell hole into a bunker and damaged my shoulder - this incapacitated me from rescue work later. On reaching deck again I found Lt. Wilkinson assisting Captain Atkinson who was suffering from a severe leg wound and appeared dazed. I am not quite clear as to whether Capt. Atkinson or Lt. Wilkinson ordered the ship to be abandoned - she was obviously sinking.
Lt. Wilkinson assisted Capt. Atkinson aft, and then returned to lower boats. There were two boats stowed abreast the funnel abaft the bridge. The starboard boat was too badly damaged to be serviceable. A large quantity of 303 amunition was stowed near the port boat and was exploding. Lt. Wilkinson, assisted by naval ratings, succeeded in launching this boat, righting it when it capsized, and fully loading it with survivors. His action, and leadership, under most trying circumstances and despite his having sustained a number of slight wounds deserves high commendation.
The Yin Ping sank by the head at about 1925 (local time) on 15th February 1942.
Account written by Captain (E) R.P. Chapman, R.N. (Chief Engineer)
Yin Ping disaster
Lieutenant Patrick Wilkinson of the Merchant Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, was in command of HMS Yin Ping, tug ship and acting under the orders of Captain Atkinson R.N.
This is part of a report written by Pat for the inquiry into the sinking of the Yin Ping.
On 15th Feb 1942, at 17.45, Banka Island was sighted and I went below, the watch being kept by Captain Atkinson. At 19.20 I returned to the bridge to find a cruiser and destroyer on our port quarter distant about 2 miles. Identification was impossible until the cruiser turned to port presenting her beam to us. At this moment she made some short signal to us, presumably an identification signal and opened up one searchlight on us. Our position was approx. Muntok Light bearing 124 degrees, 20 miles. Orders were given for all personnel to get out of sight, but at 19.25, she opened fire on us at about 3000 yards. So far as can be ascertained six rounds were fired, three of which were direct hits. The first hit the bridge, killing or seriously wounding all up there except Captain Atkinson, myself and my wife, who was on board with Capt. Atkinson's permission. We three were badly cut about with shell splinters. Fire immediately broke out and we were compelled to leave the bridge by climbing over the fore end. The second hit the fore deck killing a large number of men, while the third damaged the boiler and killing a number of men on deck by the engine room.
I am unable to remember clearly all the subsequent events owing to a severe hit on the head. From information received from Engine room staff, the ship still had way on her. At approx. 19.30 it became impossible to remain on the fore-deck, and as the whole mid ship section of the ship was on fire, the order to abandon ship was given. At this time Capt. Atkinson was on the fore-deck and appeared to be in a rather dazed condition. After all hands forward had left the ship I informed Capt. Atkinson that I was also going. As mentioned above the ship still had a little way on her, and, as she came past I noticed that the two small boats carried were still intact, although the paint was beginning to blister from the boat. I managed to haul myself aboard again and found some sixteen Naval and R.A.F. personnel on the aft deck. It appeared to me that it would be wise to launch the port boat first, as the fire was not so close to the boat as the starboard one. A party was made up, and after some effort, this boat was successfully launched. Before anything further could be done, two men from the deck jumped into it and capsized it. Steps were immediately taken to right it. In the meantime I found that Commander Douglas had been brought aft. He was very badly wounded, having among other things, two broken arms and both legs broken, and it appeared to me that he was mortally wounded. By this time the starboard boat was in flames and could not be launched and at about 19.40 Yin Ping listed quickly to starboard and sunk by the head in less than a minute. I ordered all hands to jump clear and keep the boat clear as well. I decided that all wounded should be kept in the boat while the unwounded should remain in the water. Two lines were rigged from bow to stern and those in the water were supported by these lines. At this stage it was discovered that one oar man was missing and it was impossible to tow towards those people who had already left the ship from the fore-deck. A moderate sea was running and the boat was kept head to sea. These conditions prevailed till morning where the Japanese cruiser which had sunk us was sighted heading towards us. When about 1500 yards from us, she stopped and after an interval of five minutes, proceeded again. At this time we were about four miles from the coast of Banka Island, near Muntok Lighthouse. We had been making a certain amount of progress by using the floorboards as paddles, but, the tide having turned, it was obvious that we were no more than holding our own. About midday two R.A.F. launches were sighted, and, in view of the fact that the wounded required attention and we had no water, I signaled them for assistance and was picked up about 10 minutes later by R.A.F. launch 56. We were then taken to Muntok pier having made a search for survivors and were made prisoners of war.
The report goes on to commend some men and mentions Capt. Atkinson not being seen again after the ship had sunk but there is no more mention of Alice. My Uncle Pat relayed the story to our family and told us that she died in his arms. I can only assume that she was mortally wounded and his responsibilities for the crew just took over and that she went down with the ship.
This was the last day of the battle for Singapore when it finally fell to the Japanese. Clearly, they were trying to make their escape to relative safety when disaster struck. Alice died on board and Patrick was wounded and captured. He was taken as a prisoner of war. HMS Yin Ping was commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as a "cemetery" with those who died on board being lost at sea. Records show Patrick was a prisoner of war from 1942 until 1945.
Pat's POW records show where he was located:-
February - March 1942 - Coolie Line's Banka, Tinwinning camp
March - September 1942 - Chung Wan School, Palembang, Camp leader - Cdr. Reid
September 1942- October 1943 - "O" Camp, camp leader - Lt. Col. Hill
October 1943 - February 1944 - M.U.L.O. School, camp leader - Lt. Col. Hill
February 1944 - May 1945 - Sungei Ron, camp leader - Cdr. Reid
May - September 1945 - Changi, Singapore, camp leader - Lt. Col. Dillon
After being released from Changi, Pat and the other surviving POWs were repatriated to England where Pat had contracted tuberculosis. He was sent to a sanitorium and during this time, met and married Pam. Pat and Pam were then sent to Australia where Pat was to recuperate. He spent the next 6 months in the Victorian Alps where the air was clean and fresh. He built a home for Pam and the children in Langwarren, Frankston, Victoria. Pam was persuaded to return to South Africa where her father was living.
In 1952 on the maiden voyage of the 'Oronsay' the family booked a passage to Colombo, (Pat lived and worked at Colombo as a planter, before the war) where they stayed for a couple of months and looked at different tea plantations. After this time, the family booked another passage to Southern Rhodesia. Arriving at Kenya, Pam was admitted to hospital with appendicitis and eventually they arrived in Southern Rhodesia. After a few short years when the two children were settled in at schools, Pat was considered to be an unsuitable husband for Pam and so he left Southern Rhodesia as it was called then and arrived back in Australia about 8 years later with Olive. He had very little contact with the family and disappeared for 20 years. It was not until his daughter came to visit us in Australia that she found his headstone at Esk in Queensland. He is buried alongside Olive.
