The Atlantic Express
by: justjames17
(Copyright 2004 -2007 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...
 

Chapter 40

The Fox Hound is stranded in Alexandria awaiting repairs we will leave them in this chapter and investigate a sortie of British capital ships out to Asia to silence and repel the expected Japanese invasion of Singapore the British controlled jewel in the Far East. The common consensus of opinion at this stage was that the Japanese would be terrified to see two British battleships appear in the area and their might would put paid to any idea of attacking Singapore.

The Admiralty dispatched the Prince of Wales one of her newest capital ships, commissioned in 1937 and the HMS Repulse a much older vessel, commissioned in 1916 during WW1 and refitted in 1939, the fanfare at their departure was joyous as the two mighty vessels put to sea from the Scarpa Floe. The grand sight of the two heavily armed ships was enough to stir the blood of anybody who saw them as they steamed out line astern of each other with their escort vessels, the destroyers looking like cygnets surrounding their adult swan parents. The long trip down the West African coast and round the Cape of Good Hope completed the small fleet put into Cape Town to refuel. The crowds flocked to the shore to ogle and admire the size and splendour of them and it was taken as proof of the might of the unbeatable British navy.

The crews were given 24 hour leave before the ships sailed again to cross the wide Indian Ocean, Cape Town opened her doors gladly to entertain the seamen as the flocked ashore. Entertainment was provided in the form of dances at various halls for the lower ranks while the officers were entertained in the homes of the wealthy and influential residents. The jolly jack tars flooded the streets and all forms of fun and games were afoot about the city, one leading seaman, a 20year old by the name of Brian Bourke, was off in search of gay sex. He visited various places he'd heard of and finally in a park at the foot of Table Mountain he found what he was searching for. A tall black native was attending to the garden there, his sweaty shiny ebony skin reflecting the light as he moved, his bulging muscles almost glowing in the sunlight, Brian was entranced by this apparition of virility and wanted to get it on with him.

Sam, the gardener saw the young white man wander into the area and was watching him surreptitiously as he worked, he saw the man watching him and as he worked he felt his member growing in his tattered work trousers. The sailor sat upon a bench facing him and smiled at him, Sam looked away as it was prohibited for a black man to get involved with a white in anything other than a servile matter; certainly nothing sexual was permitted under the threat of dire consequences.

Brian watched and dreamed of what this amazingly intriguing black man would be like naked, his crotch was bulging excitedly and he began to play with his erection in front of the native.

Sam couldn't miss the lewd hand action as the young sailor stroked and squeezed his erection, Sam's tool was hard and pulsing in his pants and Brian could see it straining the very thin and worn trousers. Brian twitched and wriggled in excitement as he toyed with his tossle willing the gardener to come across but although he could see his eyes flicking across he kept working methodically.

Brian was now so horny he was nearly blowing his load as he sat there, he decided to make a move and he arose and walked slowly across the trimmed grass and paused close to the man rubbing himself provocatively and thrusting his hips forward.

Poor Sam was terrified of this young sailor, was he a plant by the police or was he really just a randy sailor looking for some male sex? Sam couldn't work out which was correct so he put his head down and continued working thrusting his shovel into the rich soil and turning it over. Brian watched that shovel sinking into the soil and his mind conjured up the picture of the big black dong sliding up his tight young white arse, his cock throbbed hard and he gripped the base of his cock squeezing hard to stop himself ejaculating on the spot, this of course made his dick look even bigger and harder as it bulged obscenely in his tight white bell bottom shore going uniform. Sam's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he watched the wet spot grow on the stark white material where the sailor's cock head bulged; Sam could see the guy was nearly cumming in his pants.

Brian then slowly walked past Sam and rubbed his erection on Sam's arm before continuing on into the nearby shrubbery and standing just inside the leafy cover as he undid the front flap of his pants and pulled out his sweet six inch dick waggling it at Sam who was standing slack jawed watching his lascivious behaviour. Brian became more desperate and he beckoned the hulking man with little jerks of his head, Sam slowly stood upright and hesitated moving as he searched about for any spying eyes. The park looked empty so the man began walking hesitantly and slowly towards where Brian hid stroking his dribbling tool and smiling across at Sam trying to give him confidence.

Sam neared the shrubbery and Brian reached out grasping his huge calloused hand dragging him inside the shading bushes, Sam was trembling with fear and desire, he always desired to be with a white person either male or female. He remembered when a young buck he had been played with secretly by the master's son, those memories lingered on in his mind and now here was the opportunity to experience an adult meeting. Brian grasped the huge African in his arms hugging him as he ran his hands up and down the warm muscular back, Sam shivered, his head still turning searching for anyone who might see what was occurring.

Brian pulled open the thin cotton shirt baring Sam's massive chest, the large soft nipples begged to be licked and sucked as he pressed his mouth to those succulent nubs, Sam moaned deep in his chest as the young seaman sucked his excited tits. Sam began swaying back and forth as if hypnotised by Brian's mouth action as the sailor suckled and nipped those large nipples. He feverishly undid the few buttons as he tugged the shirt from the waistband of Sam's pants, he began licking and nibbling down the bulging muscles of the African's six pack towards the sparse hairs that flowed down the silken smooth curved lower abdomen to hide in the old scruffy trousers.

Brian tasted the saltiness of the man's sweat and smelt the strong musk of his body, the young sailor was licking and caressing the bared torso crazy for more reaction but Sam was still terrified of being discovered breaking the strict laws concerning the segregation of races. Brian's searching hand found and gripped Sam's pulsating monster, he had never felt anything like this cock, it was so long thick and hot as it throbbed like crazy in his grasp. Brian began undoing the cord Sam used as a belt before fumbling with the buttons of his fly to baring the hidden wonder to his eager eyes.

Sam's huge cock slewed out and up pointing out at right angles to hid fit muscular belly, it stood out glistening as if polished, every vein standing out beneath the silken skin, the crimson cock head semi bared as the hood slid back and a pearly bubble of pre cum at its wide slit. Brian was entranced by the sheer size and colour of the massive erection as he held it reverently and rubbed his face and lips on the slippery gleaming glans. Sam was rocking on his feet as his eyes watched Brian making love to his penis, he was quivering excitedly then he gasped, Brian opened his gob and swallowing his dick head as far as he could. His bulging cheeks showed the size of his mouthful as he slobbered and gagged on the huge schlong; Brian's bobbing head dislodged his cap that fell to the dirt and his short blond hair shone in the dappled light as he moved back and forth gurgling and sucking hard.

Sam was quivering on the verge of erupting when the blond sailor pulled off his cock with a resounding wet pop, he looked up into Sam's bulging dark eyes and he smirked. He grasped Sam's hips to steady himself as he stood up and his hand went up and behind the man's head pulling his face to his as he kissed the full purple lips and sent his tongue scuttling into Sam's dumbfounded mouth where it began stroking his own appendage. Brian pressed his slim body to the rock hard man as he rubbed against the hard erection his own poking up into the heavy black ball bag while they kissed passionately.

Brian wanted Sam to take him totally and he broke the kiss to turn and bend over spitting on his palm to start lubing his hungry hole, Sam watched the young man not believing what he was witnessing, he shuddered with suppressed desire. Did this slim young guy want him to fuck his tiny tight arse? He could see the tiny little ring of muscle as the saliva glistened on the light fair hairs dusting around the minute entrance, he looked at his slavering schlong and back at that delicate looking entrance and shook his head in wonder. Brian pulled his snow white arse cheeks apart and flexed his ring making it pout at Sam who couldn't resist the invitation and moved in his member swaying as he moved.

Brian tensed himself when he felt that massive hot male torpedo press between his buttocks, he feared the pain but wanted to enjoy being stuffed by Sam; slowly he pushed back onto that awesome weapon while Sam stood immobile gawping at that alabaster white flesh gradually absorbing his fat monster inside. The incredibly tight muscle strangling his cock sent shivers of lust through his tensed body as he watched Brian pushing slowly back pausing every inch to pant and moan in pain. Sam flexed his cock and Brian whimpered pressing back again taking a little more, inch gasp pause, inch moan pause, slowly the young Englishman took him inside his incredibly silky hot innards until eventually that incredible cock was totally hidden, buried inside his stretched aching guts.

Every beat of Sam's heart caused a throbbing through his tool and caused Brian to whimper, sweat poured from him as he tried to adjust to being impaled on a tool of such incredible proportions. Slowly his insides and stretched sphincter ceased aching and he moved just a little, feeling the fullness ease a little he pulled off more and his ring slid on the silky skin of Sam's tool feeling the rippling effect as the blood engorged cock eased through his mucus coated muscle. The fat head caught and stretched his ring before he pushed back once again moaning deliriously, Sam's huge hands clutched his hips and he pushed his face into Brian's neck, his thick rubbery lips pressed to the seaman's smooth flesh. Brian rolled his head caressing the side of his face against Sam's, the African opened his mouth sucking on the sweet sweaty side of Brian's throat, he sucked harder making Brian moan and squirm then he bit down grinding his white teeth onto the soft flesh. Brian squealed loudly as he twisted in Sam's grasp pulling his bruised flesh away from those sharp nipping fangs, he felt his body responding to the shafting as Sam began rutting into his flesh.

The pounding slamming grinding thrusts caused his cock to spurt again and again as his prostate was rubbed incredibly on each movement in or out, his aching balls soon emptied but still his body screamed to cum until eventually Sam exploded pumping a huge load of sperm up into his aching guts, again and again volleys of thick cum spewed and filled him. The pounding causing his ring to release a frothy discharge as cum bubbled and surged inside him as that fleshy piston slammed back and forth. Brian was like a rag doll in the powerful grip of the incredibly strong African, but as Sam's ardour calmed they stood panting still coupled together, Brian drooping in Sam's grasp his body numb and still full of male tool.

Sam slowly dragged that semi hard horn out of Brian's abused body, the sloppy slurp, as he broke free of that pummelled anus caused both men to groan. Brian slipped to his hands and knees while Sam stood bent over hands on knees gasping while watching his sperm drool from the wide stretched muscle and drip from the white lad's empty balls to fertilize the soil. He straightened up and looking all about to ensure they were still alone he pulled up his pants covering his nakedness, Brian still unable to move was groaning while his arse emptied out and his ring slowly returned to normal.

Sam grunted his thanks and stomped off to continue his gardening leaving Brian to climb to his feet and dress himself, he felt deserted and rejected by the casual departure of his black paramour, he slowly and painfully climbed to his feet and pulled up his underwear and then his pants. He left the bushes waddling away his aching arse hurting and still dribbling juice, Sam watched him go and thought to himself how delicious the sailor's tight arse was and he now had a burning desire to feel more but knew it would not happen under the current regime.

The fleet raised anchor next day bearing the horde of sailors away, the whole town turned out to sing Well Meet Again a popular Vera Lynn song as the ships sailed out and slowly disappeared over the horizon. The trip across the Indian Ocean was uneventful except for one of the oil pumps breaking down on board the Repulse slowing their speed to 10 knots until repaired causing mild mirth and ribbing between the two capital ships and as they neared the tropics the crews enjoyed the warm sunshine stripping off as much as they were permitted, more so on the smaller vessels where discipline was more laid back. The small but powerful fleet steamed on drilling at the guns in preparation for meeting the enemy, the might and pride of the Royal Navy slid ponderously through the mild tropical seas. They entered the Strait of Malacca between Sumatra and Malaysia steaming towards the huge Singapore naval base.

As the sun touched the horizon the ships arrived off Singapore, their long menacing silhouettes black against the brilliant sunset, the people taking the air saw their ominous shapes and panic set in until it was found that they were British not Japanese. The ships slowly steamed into harbour and moored at the naval docks where they relaxed as refuelling wouldn't begin till the morning.

The off duty men were given shore leave and there was a race to get out of working gear and into their clean white uniforms, the liberty men were paraded and examined by the officer of the deck and dispatched ashore after being warned to behave as befitted representatives of the King.

The crews disembarked and raced through the dockyard gates to catch the buses into the busy squalid streets of this fascinating Asian city. Once there they moved about gawping at the strange sights of this tropical humid town, the sights of the open fronted shops displaying their strange wares and the generally smaller and different coloured residents swarming about the busy streets these lads found exotically interesting. The scents of spices and the smell of the open drains filled and overpowered their olfactory nerves. Brian was intrigued by the finely built smaller Asian males as he walked along studying them, suddenly he spotted a very good looking lad, his slender willowy body clad in just a singlet and short shorts. The lad's skin somewhat darker than the average and his jet-black hair shone and glistened in the warm tropical sun as he leant against a shop beside a squalid looking alley, his slim hips arched out provocatively as he smiled seductively at the fair headed sailor.

Brian's eyes flicked to the crotch of this lad's shorts to see an interesting but small bulge visible in the dark blue material, his eyes travelled up the slim torso taking in the prominent rib cage and the small tufts of black hair in each pit. The lad looked young, very young but he obviously was on the game, Brian paused and lit a cigarette watching the lad as he puffed smoke.

The lad's hand slipped provocatively down to rub his bulge and his smile broadened, he knew the handsome sailor was interested; he looked at the tight bell bottomed trousers and was rewarded by the shape visible through the tight material, he saw a largish lump and sausage like shape resting above as Brian's cock began to stiffen. The lad licked his dark lips in anticipation of tasting the white man's cock, he loved the sexy sailors who came ashore after long periods at sea, they were all very excited and randy for sex, while their big full balls were bursting for release. Din watched Brian as Brian watched him, then Din moved into the alley a few steps pausing and looking back at the handsome sailor before walking hips swaying further into the dark alley.

Brian was feeling hot and horny he was worried that maybe this was a set up and he might be mugged in that grotty alley, then lust overcame common sense and he set off following the slim sexy lad. He rounded a corner and there posed the ravishingly sexy boy his hand inside his shorts playing with his sweet erection, Brian walked to him and Din's other hand pressed to his semi hard cock. Brian groaned as he bent his face to kiss the lad's moist parted lips, they kissed and instantly their tongues entwined as they swapped spit together. Brian hugged the slender youth crushing his lissom body against his more powerful torso, Din gasped at the strength of Brian's grasp then he relaxed totally and went with the flow as they pashed on hotly.

Brian pulled back and squatted down grasping Din's waistband, he undid the buttons then allowed the shorts to slip down exposing the cute lad's genitals.

Din didn't possess underwear he ran about commando under his shorts and loved the feel of the material rubbing on his sensitive genitals plus it was cooler in the sultry humidity of the tropics. Brian pressed his flushed face to the lad's crotch his cheek resting against the hot flexing slender but stiff 5inch dick as he inhaled the muskiness of the lad's groin, it was exceedingly erotic and aroused him even more as he began licking the bare smooth lower belly before taking the dark skinned cock into his mouth. Din moaned loudly as he felt his wicked wand swallowed deep into the sailor's mouth, his hips bucked and he began humping that warm wet sucking hole while Brian clutched his tight muscled bum.

Din was soon on the edge his balls were tight up his dick throbbing and that wondrous tingling almost pleasurable pain which was the precursor to a major ejaculation, he grasped Brian's head holding him as he rammed frantically in and out of the sweet orifice. Din squealed aloud as his body tensed rigidly his incredibly stiff dick pulsed again and again the spattered his milky essence into Brian's wanton mouth, again and again he discharged a sweet salty deluge and Brian sucked it down hungrily. Din's climax whimpered to a dribbling halt as he sagged back against the wall behind him held up by the sailors grasp on his bony hips as his limp noodle slipped from Brian's hot moist gob.

Brian squatted there savouring the tasty teen juice as he watched Din's thin chest heaving his face wet with perspiration as he rested his head tilted back, Brian watched the slender swan like neck licking his lips before rising and taking the lad's throat in his mouth gently biting the exposed Adam's apple making Din moan and gurgle. He licked up the dark throat to the small ear tonguing Din's ear hole eliciting more moans as the lad twisted in his grasp. Din was on fire, burning once again with overpowering lust as this man sucked and licked his sensitive ear and throat. His excited moans echoing off the walls about them, Brian's lust for the lad increased as he squirmed and moaned, he wanted to take him fully and root him hard.

Din was putty in his hands the lad wanted, no needed love and the feel of this white man's hot hardness pressed up his tight little arse was his ambition. Din was normally the plaything of his own people and the odd British soldier, who garrisoned this bastion of the Empire, but the hot hard horn of an aroused and sexually deprived sailor was his ultimate desire. Brian was exactly that he was feeling as horny as possible and this young handsome girly boy was going to feel his exceptionally hard cock thrusting into his firm muscled bum. Din's young dick was once again hot and hard as he became more and more excited by Brian's incredible love making while Brian, his mind an inferno of lust was ready to take this so slender willowy young man.

Brian crouched a little and grasped Din's right leg and began pulling it up until he placed the heel up on his shoulder stretching the lad's arse open while Din teetered on one foot. This brought Din's twitching rosebud into line with Brian's slobbering schlong's shiny moist knob. Din moaned as that cock crown pressed to his moist hole, he quivered in anticipation their moist lips pressed together again, tongues lashing about in frenzy as they danced in each other's mouths. Brian's hips hunched up thrusting hard into Din's dark juice moist ring, the small muscle strained and stretched at the forceful entry. Din's whimpers stirring his fire, as he slammed deep up the quivering hot silky tunnel, Din squealed into his mouth as his fingers clutched painfully about Brian's head knocking his cap to the refuse littered ground.

Brian strove to impale Din's light frame totally, he humped hard feeling the lad's aching ring rest firmly on his damp pubes as he swivelled his hips stirring Din's innards with his hardness. Din was quivering with lust while their moist mouths hard pressed muffle by that throbbing male lance, both the lad's squeals and Brian's gasping grunts as their bodies were totally joined.

Their torrid lovemaking continued, Din's light frame being slammed again and again against the rough bricks as Brian lost all sense of his power. Din's head aching from the pummeling as his head bounced again and again off the wall, he grasped his arms about Brian's shoulders pulling himself tight to Brian and saving himself from being battered into unconsciousness.

Brian rutted like a stud ram, thrusting and driving his cock as deep as he could into the tight hot moist heat, until his dangling nuts tightened in advance of his nearing climax, Din now had both legs wrapped about the sailor's waist clinging to the almost demented man like a limpet as he tightened his arse muscles increasing Brian's pleasure. Brian felt the muscle strangling his crazy driving dick then Din's tight young nuts gave a lurch spewing cum for the second time since he'd begun making love with this white stud. This spasming of Din's tight body dragged Brian grunting over the edge and he pumped a huge amount of sperm up Din's squirming palpating innards.

Cum spewed from Din's distended hole as the deluge overloaded his achingly stretched rectum, creamy froth ringed their union as droplets of cum dripped to the filthy ground between Brian's feet. Brian's climax wilted as he slumped exhausted pushing Din against the bricks leaning his sweaty head on the boy's shoulder and against the wall as their ardour cooled and their panting eased.

Din's tightly clamped legs released Brian's waist as he slipped them to the ground, the impaling tool slid wetly out of his cum drooling vent and Din moaned tiredly. They remained pressed together as they recuperated then Din turned his head kissing Brian softly on the corner5 of his lips, Brian opened his dreamy eyes then turned to Din and they kissed softly their frantic sex drive satiated temporarily.

Brian went to tuck away his slimy tool but Din grasped it and dropped to his heels taking the glistening knob into his sweet mouth as his tongue began cleaning the juices from the warm tool. Brian caressed Din's cheeks as he watched those sweet lips moving back and forth on his cock, he squirmed as the agile tongue swabbed his sensitive knob and little whimpers issued from his lips. Din satisfied he'd laundered the beautiful pink pole stood up his dark brown almost black eyes twinkling as he stared into the sky blue orbs of the fair sailor. He whispered, "You like Din big sexy sailor?"

Brian nodded his voice caught in his throat as he looked into the cute swarthy features; he felt a close bond with this impish street lad and he kissed the small nose, making Din giggle. They dressed themselves and walked from the alley into the throng of people moving along the busy street. Din led Brian towards a small park beside a muddy inlet where they sat together chatting quietly, Din asked Brian if he wo9uld be his lover while he was stationed in Singapore and Brian nodded excitedly delighted the randy cute little lad desired him. He told Din he'd be glad to be his boyfriend while in Singapore but that he had to be back onboard the Prince of Wales that night and they would be sailing soon but returning in a week or so.

Din was chuffed to hear the sexy sailor liked him and wanted to continue their romance and he took Brian's hand in his and squeezed it to show his excitement, Brian squeezed back as they stared transfixed into each other's eyes. Their reverie was shattered by the arrival of some drunken soldiers staggering from a bar next to the park, they sat side by side not touching as Brian found out where to contact Din when he was back ashore after their sortie out into the South China Sea to show the flag and dare those upstart forces of Nippon to put in an appearance.

The two lovers strolled away into the evening and parted at the bus stop where Brian had to wait for the bus to return to the ship, quite a number of his shipmates were arriving so Din left him and strolled away pausing to wave sadly before he disappeared into the crowd. They returned to Sembawang where the dockyard was situated and climbed back aboard their massive home away from home.
Next morning the ships raised steam and left their moorings to start the sweep North towards Vietnam.

The crowds watched with pride as the camouflaged battleships slid quietly through the water until they steamed out of sight turning north into the South China Sea. The first two days were uneventful no sign of the enemy to be seen then small specks were observed o the horizon that as they watched began to take on the shape of aircraft. Action stations bells shrilled through the steel hulls as the bridge called for full speed ahead. The mighty turbines spun up driving the battleships up to 25knots as the planes closed with the rapidly moving fleet. The gunnery directors above the bridges locked onto the aircraft and the heavy guns sniffed the air as they swung onto their distant targets.

The turret bells dinged and the circuits closed sending a spark into the silken cordite bags releasing their huge explosive power sending the massive shells screaming into the air towards the oncoming squadrons. Black puffs littered the blue sky as the shells exploded all about the aircraft but they flew on relentlessly unscathed by the disruptive power of the explosions. Barrage after barrage was flung at the planes a couple fell from the massed shapes trailing plumes of smoke to crash into the blue sea. The fleet's smaller 5 inch and 4 inch guns took up the battle flinging their smaller shells skyward to little avail the bombers continued seemingly calmly on till overhead they 8unleashed their missiles to rain down on the frantically manoeuvring fleet below.

The sea blossomed with tall white spouts as the bombs crashed down but the Repulse took a hit on her bridge killing the captain and officers in the blast.

The other ships were unscathed as the planes turned away heading back towards their bases. A second covey of planes appeared this time torpedo bombers, these flew close to the surface limiting the guns attack, barrage fire was begun with timed fuses set and a sheet of flame and smoke exploded in front of the fast moving planes, again and again the guns roared but the aircraft were moving faster than the gunners were used to and hardly a hit was scored. The bombers released their harbingers of destruction as they had at Pearl Harbour; the long slim torpedos speared into the blue sea with hardly a splash and then found their running depths speeding towards the rapidly turning ships. Battleships being huge and heavy took time to turn and everyone held their breath as the long white wakes raced towards the massive hulls.

The wakes sped on past the turning ships as the aircraft flew back towards land to rearm, the fleet cleared the spent shells away as the waited for the enemy's next move. Soon more planes were spotted approaching high above the horizon bombers again running the gauntlet of long range fire unscathed, the crew were concentrating on the high flying aircraft and unnoticed a second flight of torpedo bombers raced at wave top height towards the smoke wreathed ships. They reached their drop point and released their loads; The Prince of Wales took a hit in the stern tearing a massive 8meter by 5 meter hole in her armoured hull snapping the support bracket of her outer starboard propeller to snap which caused the fast revolving shaft to gyrate and thrash uncontrolled causing huge shuddering vibrations through her stricken hull. The ship slewed away losing speed as she began to list due to the huge volume of sea rushing into her ripped hull and drowning those poor sailors not killed by the initial explosion.

Brian trapped below decks in the after magazine heard and felt the mighty vessel take the blow, her hull shook then the racket of her propeller shaft shaking and screeching as it tore itself apart threshing about without the needed support.

The waters rushed into the hull and the crew in the magazine struggled to open the hatch and escape to the upper deck, finally their frantic efforts pulled the semi jammed hatch open just enough for the men to squeeze through into the racing waters. The fast flowing flood was up to their knees as the struggled towards the ladder leading upwards, they scrambled up the sharply angled ladder as the huge ship began to list further over and the men only just climbed through the hatch and made their way hurriedly along the corridor to the next ladder. They struggled to climb this as it was almost lying on its side from the pronounced list; this led to the main deck and daylight.

The blue sky was stained with black smoke from fires burning around the superstructure and they slid down the teak deck to the rails where they paused to see the Repulse about 4 miles away circling out of control as she too listed heavily, flames and heavy smoke belching from her bombed superstructure. Brian looked into the sea about the Prince of Wales to see the hundreds of seamen swimming away from the sinking ship as fuel oil leaked from her bunkers glistening black and viscous on the surface as the survivors thrashed swimming through its foulness. Brian took a deep breath and leapt out as far as he could splashing down into the filthy muck, he surfaced wiping the acrid oil from his eyes feeling it burning them and he began swimming frantically away from the rapidly sinking ship. His struggles caused him to ingest the poisonous fuel as he frantically attempted to avoid being sucked down by the ship as it sank. He coughed and gagged as he brought up the choking oil and eventually he reached clear water to see a destroyer closing the area scrambling nets lowered down her side.

Brian joined the crowd of frantic men waving and calling to their fellow seamen on the slowly approaching ship, the destroyer stopped engines and the men swam towards her some not making it and slipping below the surface in the melee. Brian grabbed onto the scrambling net and dragged his sodden oil soaked body up the net top be helped over the side onto the deck where he collapsed gasping and retching. The destroyer's deck was full of vomiting oil filthy sailors as one of her consorts arrived to help pick up the remaining survivors of the Prince's crew.

The Repulse valiantly firing her guns took 5 torpedoes amidships and one in her stern, this latter explosion jammed her massive rudder hard over and into her inner port propeller knocking that turbine out of action as she began turning away nearly running own one of her escorts. Both battleships sunk, the aircraft flew back to base cheering their success. The other two destroyers circled picking up the survivors of the Repulse and rescued those that survived. The remaining ships searched for survivors until darkness descended when they turned tail still suffering shock at the brutality of the attack. Brian and many of the survivors were very ill but after a spell in hospital he was fit enough to seek out Din and renew their affair. Until the Japanese army attacked Singapore after making their way through what was thought to be impenetrable jungle in Malaya and attacking across the causeway while the massive guns built to protect the island were facing out to sea vainly awaiting a seaborn invasion. Brian was interned as a prisoner of war where he was treated abominably as all allied prisoners were until his release in 1945. He returned to Singapore looking for Din but no trace could he find but after much diligent questioning he ascertained that the invaders had caught Din trying to smuggle food to prisoners in Changi prison and executed the lad. Brian mourned the brave and sweet lad's death searched for a grave but Din's body had been tossed unceremoniously into a mass grave and no trace could be found. Brian returned to England where the horror of the war, terrible treatment as a prisoner and loss of Din caused him to become very depressed. He sank lower and lower turning heavily to drink and he was run down and killed by a taxi, he stepped off the footpath in a drunken haze straight into its path 3 years after being demobbed from the navy.

To be continued...
 

Feedback always welcome:     

Posted: 08/17/07