Ah Fat said, ‘I have a suggestion.’
‘Let’s hear it,’ both officers said at the same time.
‘Make Captain Rance’s visit unattributable.’
That suggestion brought consternation to all three listeners. Ah Fat continued, ‘This is off the top of my head so please hear me out. Some of my key men are willing to serve him. I doubt I’ll be able to come back here for quite some time but my close escort, Wang Ming, known as Hung Lo, the Bear, has pledged to serve Captain Rance unconditionally, can meet up with him, maybe in KL around the time that the ceasefire talks take place, then take him to meet me, somewhere in the jungle of course, with the secret material at a pre-arranged secret place near the Thai border on the Malaya side.’
‘He’ll be court-martialled if he is found out,’ said Colonel Mason.
‘And my head will be on the chopping block if that happens,’ added the General.
‘Not necessarily,’ broke in C C Too. ‘Suppose he is asked to go north, say to Sungei Patani to give the Gurkha recruits or even a Police Jungle Squad somewhere around there a lecture on some particular aspects of guerrilla warfare and asks for a week’s leave afterwards and then, in plain clothes, meets up with Ah Fat’s Bear who will guide him to the chosen area.’
‘Who will arrange the Bear’s meeting up with Captain Rance? That is the tricky part, isn’t it?’ That was the General’s question.
‘Not really, sir,’ said Ah Fat. ‘The Bear can visit C C Too with the details of when and where in enough time and detail for a meet up to be possible. He is my deputy and we live in a different part of the camp from the others. His absence will not be noticed.’
‘To make sure about your friend, have you thought of trying to ring him while you are here in KL?’ the Intelligence Colonel asked.
‘No sir, but I’d like to. My worry is that phones are insecure and I don’t know where he is.’
‘Then when we have finished with the General, I’ll take you both to my office. Not only can I easily find out where your friend is but I also have a military phone that is more secure than any civilian one.’
A broad smile appeared on Ah Fat’s face. ‘That sounds just what I want. Thank you for the suggestion.’
The General looked at his watch and said, ‘I’ve only got a short time with you so I’ll say that we all have to take risks sometimes and the stakes are high so I’ll stick my head out and say “yes” in outline. There is, however, a proviso: the politicians will all be elected Malayans by the time the terms of an amnesty are agreed on, likewise if and when any peace talks are arranged, military activity in that area will indubitably be vetoed. That rather sadly means I mustn’t know any more about what we’ve being discussing. For now only we four in this room will know about it, other than Captain Rance, of course.
‘General,’ said the Colonel, ‘excuse me but there is one more person I believe should know about what I might call the “cover plan” and that is, surely, the CO of Rance’s battalion. You can override any doubts he may have. It won’t be the present man as he’s due for replacement at the end of July.’
‘Good point. Thank you, James. If nothing happens there’s no need to tell him. And as for you, Mr Ah Fat, you have my total support for all your magnificent hard work. You are one in a million. It’s a great pity there aren’t more like you and Mr Too.’
Both Chinese acknowledged the compliment. The meeting broke up and the Colonel Mason said, ‘Come along with me,’ and led them to his office, which was wired off from the others. Once inside he called for a Major subordinate and told him to look up details of 1/12 GR, find out where the rifle companies were deployed and which one was commanded by a Captain Jason Rance. ‘I have details of every unit in the country,’ the Colonel said, ‘so it won’t take long to find out.’
Indeed within a few minutes the Major reported that Captain Rance commanded A Company which was in Rompin and gave the telephone number. The Colonel dialled and, after a few rings, the answer came, ‘OC A Company, Captain Rance here.’
The Colonel gave the phone to Ah Fat who, in Chinese, said ‘Wei, Shandong Cannon, it’s Flat Ears here; sorry I can’t talk to you face-to-face but only by fighting with the electric speech.’
Jason’s roar of approval was heard by the others who grinned delightedly at Rance’s obvious joy at hearing his old friend’s voice.’
‘Jason, listen,’ still in Chinese, ‘don‘t interrupt till I’ve finished …’ and succinctly passed on his plan, warning him of possible come-backs if anything went wrong or he was discovered.
‘Flat Ears, I’m with you all the way. Just tell me who to contact for details where and when.’
‘I’ll hand you over to Sinsaang Too. He’ll be the link man. Good bye, Jason. See you later,’ and he handed over the phone. ‘Very briefly, I’ll make contact with you as and when I can. Do you want a code word?’ asked C C Too.
‘Let’s go for Red Tidings Mark II.’
The Colonel made a sign for Too to break off for a mo. ‘I also must be in on this. Give me the phone, please. Captain Rance, this is Colonel Mason, Director of Intelligence in HQ Malaya Command. Are you willing to help this way?’
‘Yes, sir, I am.’
‘Excellent. All this is topper than top secret and apart from Mr C C Too and Mr Ah Fat, only the Director of Operations and I know about it. Only we five. It will be my responsibility to alert your CO about a cover plan for you to move north. In outline we feel it best for you to disappear on local leave after, say, giving a lecture for the Gurkha recruits in the Training Depot or to a Police Jungle Squad or whatever skulduggery will be needed for you to disappear is up to us, unless you have a better idea. Understood?’
‘Fully, sir. It will be a change from Framework Operations and during any amnesty could be the best time possible.’
‘Good, I’ll hand you back to Mr C C Too,’ who thanked Jason and rang off.
Before the two Chinese left, the Colonel wrote a number of a bit of paper and gave it to C C Too. ‘This is my unlisted number. Give me yours.’ The exchange was made. ‘When either of us has anything to tell each other, both of us will feel free to call the other, using veiled speech, of course.’
‘Of course. Colonel, I don’t know how much you heard of Captain Rance’s Chinese but anyone who didn’t know he wasn’t a Chinese wouldn’t believe otherwise.’
‘If anyone is needed for a job like this, he is our man.’
They parted and the two Chinese went to the car park and drove off.
There may have been no one to recognise Ah Fat in the Director of Operations’ office but there was one who saw him being driven out of the HQ Malaya Command camp. That must be comrade Ah Fat. I know him too well. Playing a double game is he? A treacherous yanshu. Not knowing the English for mole he gave it its Chinese name.
On the way back in his car, C C Too said, ‘I have an idea that could help you. Let me give you some “bait”, paperwork we give out when we don’t want to give actual details. Have that with you when you go to get the Politburo’s secret mail and if you are caught, your excuse will be that because of what you had filched when you went to KL is so secret, this was the only way you felt you could deliver it.’
‘That’s a great idea. Please get it to me within the next couple of days before I return. I’ll keep it safe until I need it.’
It turned out to be a most lucky forethought.
Same day, Rompin, Negri Sembilan: Jason sat back in his office still stunned at hearing his boyhood friend’s voice so unexpectedly. Almost can’t believe it. He’s a plucky one, that’s for sure. He gazed out of the window with a ‘thousand yard’ stare, seeing nothing. A goose ran over his grave. I’ve saved his life before but I had a squad of my men with me then. This time it will be the Bear and me alone …
In the other office the corporal clerk had listened to his OC’s burst of fluent Chinese with amazement, admiration and wonder. A girlfriend? Another unusual operation? Or what?
End of April 1955, south Thailand: Ah Fat and Wang Ming got back to Betong without any trouble. Both had felt rejuvenated by being away from the monotony and forced camaraderie there and seeing their family. Ah Fat was happy that Chan Man Yee would soon be in China and that arrangements for purloining the secret material had been talked about at such a high level. His sorrow was that he had not met up with his old friend. It was just as well for his peace of mind that he was ignorant about having been recognised.
Mid-May 1955, High Commissioner’s office, Kuala Lumpur: Sir Donald MacGillivray’s Personal Assistant knocked on the door of his master’s office, was called in and went to the large table where the Great Man sat busy reading some papers. ‘Excuse me, sir, for interrupting you but we have received a letter with a Thai stamp on it, addressed to you but rather curiously. The person who addressed the envelope obviously did not know the correct protocol. I nearly threw it away, feeling it might be one of those spoof letters we get from time to time, but curiosity got the better of me and I feel I must hand it to you without delay.’
‘Micky,’ Sir Donald said with a smile. ‘Just give it me without being so long-winded.’
The PA handed it over and Sir Donald was galvanised by what he read. Dated 1 May 1955, sent from South Thailand and signed by a Ng Heng, Representative of the Malayan Races Liberation Army, offering peace talks with the British Government of Malaya. Can this be true? He read it again. I’ll find out.
‘Micky, ten to one it’s genuine. However, there’s only one man who can verify if that is so and can recognise the name.’
‘Sir, I know who you mean, Mr C C Too in Bluff Road. I’ll give him a call and have it transferred to you.’
‘Straightaway, please.’
The phone in C C Too’s office rang. Does this ever stop ringing so I can settle down to some work? ‘Too here. Can I help you?’
‘Mr Too, it is the High Commissioner’s PA here. Sir Donald would like to speak to you. May I put you through to him?’
‘But of course,’ and he heard the click as the call was transferred. ‘Sir, Mr Too is on the line.’
‘Mr Too, a quickie. I have just received a letter signed by a man whose name is given as Ng, N G, Heng, H E N G, apparently a representative of the Malayan Races Liberation Army, offering peace talks with the Government of Malaya. Can you elucidate for me, please?’
