‘Yes, I’ll come round now. The sooner we meet the better.‘
In Colonel Mason’s office C C Too told him that he had had a phone call from Ah Fat’s deputy, from the border, and ‘I told him to come to KL. He hinted that there was a lot of activity in the MCP HQ but only once he’s here will I get details so you and I will have to meet again. Our first priority must be getting Captain Rance out of the battalion unostentatiously to meet up with us here before leaving for the meeting with Ah Fat. We have some time as the proposed date is 28 December.’
‘Yes, that agrees with what we’ve heard here. Let me think.’ The Director of Intelligence had heard how Rance had reacted with the RAF and how ‘feathers had flown’. The thought was that he had been overtaxing himself and so needed a few days local leave. ‘The General has blown hot and cold about bringing Rance into it but bring him into it we must. It will seem unusual to his CO for me to ask him but I’ll word it somehow so as not to sound suspicious. I will suggest that he is being asked to lecture to the Gurkha recruits on jungle warfare before they disperse in mid-December after the Passing Out Parade, which, I have heard, is to be inspected by the High Commissioner, but which may be too early for when Ah Fat wants to move. And after that he takes some local leave up north, say in or near Penang’ – a bit of casuistry?
‘That will be phase 1 and I’ll only come active in phase 2.’
The Colonel nodded. ‘That’s how best to play it. Keep in touch and thanks for coming round.’
Colonel Mason was a friend of the Colonel of the Gurkha Training Depot so he was the first person he rang. ‘John, it’s James from KL. How’s it going?’
‘James, good to hear from you. How’s the family?’
‘Fine. The wife’s with me and the kids are back in England in college. I’ve something to put to you.’
‘I knew it, let’s have it.’
‘Would you like your recruits to have a lecture on jungle warfare before they pass out?’
‘They have been doing jungle training so this might be a bit of icing to put on the cake. Who have you in mind?’
‘Captain Rance of 1/12 GR. His prowess in the jungle on ops is unsurpassed.’
‘Yes, I’ve heard the name but have yet to meet him. Let me look at my programme. We’re pretty busy practising for the Passing-Out Parade …’ his voice trailed away and it sounded as if pages of a book were being turned over. ‘I can only fix him an hour on the afternoon of Friday the 16th.’
‘That’s too early for us our end. A pity but there it is.’ Pleasantries were exchanged before they rang off.
‘CO 1/12 GR speaking!’
‘Eustace, it’s James Mason from KL here. I’ve heard about young Rance and the RAF and the idea that he needs local leave. Correct?’
‘And how!’ But why should you worry?
‘When do you think you’ll let him go on local leave?’ Again why? I’ll hear him out before asking him.
‘Let me look at my diary.’ He put the phone on the table and Mason heard sounds of a book being opened. ‘Not before Monday, 19th of December.’
‘The Director of Operations had some idea that Rance lectured the recruits before they pass out but the date, Friday the 16th of December, is the last possible date given, so that has to be dropped. However, from an Int point of view, I’d like to have a word with him. Do you know where he’ll go on leave?’
‘No idea’ and no interest.
‘Can you get him to ring me just in case he goes to or through KL? I’d like to hear just what is the matter with Smash-Hit?’
‘Have you got a number you’d like him to ring?
‘Yes, please take this down and give it to him.’
After a few more words, the conversation ended. The CO sat silently, staring at the far wall. There must be more to this than meets the eye. And if there is, should I be worried? He called out to the Adjutant, ‘Get Captain Rance to come and see me after lunch.’
‘What do you know about going to the Gurkha Training Depot to lecture the recruits?’ the CO asked Jason, standing to attention in front of him.
‘Who are you referring to, sir?’ he replied in puzzlement. After being told the CO wanted to see him, all he could think of was his bad standing with the Brigadier and the RAF. Lecturing Gurkha recruits was a new one.
‘To you,’ answered the CO, more hesitantly than he had expected to. ‘Have you been told anything about it?’
‘No, sir. This is entirely new.’ His obvious ignorance of anything previously planned was plain.
‘No matter, it had been mooted by the Director of Operations, though why I can’t imagine. The Training Depot staff is more than capable of giving lectures on jungle warfare.’
Jason said nothing and kept his features rigid.
‘I have been rung up from HQ Malaya Command and asked where you are going on local leave.’ Here he hesitated, ‘it was inferred that you were overwrought after all that time in the jungle’ – ‘as was shown when you spoke to the RAF’ he did not say – ‘a few days local leave, possibly in Penang, would let you relax. What are you views on that?’
Jason remembered Flat Ears talking to him in Rompin. So that’s how they’re playing it! ‘Sir, I’ll go if you think I ought to. A couple of weeks away would do me no harm. I could go to KL where I was born and visit friends if they are still there. I don’t have to decide here and now, do I?’
‘No, and I don’t care where you go, so long as it’s not back to the AVM’s office.’
The look of disgust that Jason gave him, followed by an expectant gleam that, as the CO said to himself later, looked like a hunter who has found some spoor after a long search, made him think that were Jason to have given a lecture to the recruits he might have started talking about surrounding camps as opposed to bombing them. He saw that he had gone too far. ‘You can go on leave for two weeks, leaving here on Monday the 19th of December.’
‘Is that all, sir?’
‘No, as a matter of fact it isn’t. The Director of Intelligence, Colonel Mason, wants to talk to you about the Intelligence aspect of Smash-Hit.’
The CO rang him up. ‘James, it’s Eustace. I have Captain Rance with me and he has mentioned KL as a place to go on local leave. I have therefore got him here to talk to you. Ready?’
‘Yes.’ The CO gave Jason the phone. ‘Captain Rance, sir.’
‘Colonel Mason this end. Thank you for ringing. Hold the phone tightly to your ear. Bring a Gurkha orderly and two pistols and at least twelve rounds of ammunition for each. When will you be coming to KL?’
‘Monday the 19th of December, sir, by the day train.’
‘When you get to KL, a senior Police officer, Mr C C Too, will arrange your accommodation. Got something to write with?’ Yes, Jason had. ‘Then ring this number,’ which the Colonel gave him. ‘I may not see you myself, despite what you may have been told. Once you get to KL you’ll find out why,’ and he rang off. Jason asked the Adjutant if he could get the Chief Clerk to give him and his batman a warrant to KL for the 19th and back two weeks later.’
‘Yeah, go and fix it. And, Jason, remember, we junior officers are all on your side.’
15-20 December, 1955, Kuala Lumpur: On Monday afternoon Jason and Chakré, pistols and ammo in their hand luggage, got out of the train at KL station. ‘Chakré, come with me to find a telephone’. He dialled Colonel Mason’s number, introduced himself and said he was still at the station. ‘Take this number down.’
Jason repeated it then, turning to Chakré, said it in Nepali. Gurkhas have a marvellous power of memory. By that time the phone was dead. He doesn’t waste time!
‘Chakré, what was that number?’ and, given it again, he dialled it and was answered by a woman’s voice. ‘Excuse me, Madam, I am Captain Rance and am looking for Mr C C Too. Is that his house? Are you Mrs Too?’
A dulcet-toned voice answered. ‘No, it is not his house and he is not married. This is the house of his girlfriend, Miss Wong. I have been told to expect you. His house is at Federal Hill, not all that far from the Lake Gardens. Don’t go there but ask a taxi to bring you to this address,’ and she gave a house number in Ampang Road. He heard her speak, as though over her shoulder, in Chinese, and calling out what sounded like Wang Ming.
Not my old friend, Hung Lo, the Bear, surely? There are more pieces in this jigsaw puzzle than seemed likely at first count: Ah Fat on the phone, lecture, pistol, Director of Intelligence, C C Too and the Bear! ‘Chakré, Providence has something for us. Let’s go and find out what it is.’
Wang Ming opened the front door before there was time to ring any bell and he and Jason almost fell into each other’s arms, so long was it since their last meeting. A young lady came to the door and ushered them inside. Jason introduced himself and Chakré whose English wasn’t up to much and his Chinese was nil so Jason kept him abreast of the conversation as they sat in the front room with tea and a noodles snack. ‘Mr Too will be here shortly,’ she was saying as C C Too himself arrived.
He greeted Jason warmly. ‘We haven’t met since September 1952, if my brain doesn’t let me down.’
