‘Oh, Mary,’ she said. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
Later that day the bad news was confirmed. The air attack on the aerodrome at Butterworth was intense with the entire RAF and Australian airforce presence wiped out. The enemy had been careful to use only anti-personnel bombs on the runways, presumably to preserve them for their own eventual use.
Mary told Evie she didn’t know whether Frank Hyde-Underwood had been one of the few airmen who had managed to scramble but had been shot down by the superior Japanese aircraft, or whether he had been one of the victims of the annihilation on the Allied presence on the ground at RAF Butterworth. Either way, he had almost certainly lost his life and with it, Mary Helston had lost her second chance of happiness.
Over the following days, as well as bombing the two airfields, the Japanese attack included a less successful attempt to sink all the ships in the port at George Town. The city was completely unprepared. Within three days of the Pearl Harbour attack, the Japanese had total supremacy of the skies above Penang and soon after that, the last of the Brewster Buffalos, sent up from Singapore after the first attack as reinforcements, limped away from Butterworth.
The civilians of Penang were now alone, and on the 11th December the Japanese began to bomb George Town. There was incredulity among the population that this was happening to them.
Evie and the children had taken shelter in the relative safety of Bellavista, up in the hills above the city. She stood beside Susan and Reggie Hyde-Underwood on the lawns where she had once walked with Susan to admire the orchid garden on her first visit to the estate, looking up at the sky.
Reggie had taken the inevitable, but still unconfirmed, death of his brother stoically but Evie could see that he and Susan were badly shaken.
Clutching Hugh tightly in her arms, Evie stared up at the regimented planes, flying like geese in a perfect V-formation across the pale empty canvas of the sky. They couldn’t see the bombing from Bellavista, but they could hear it. It lasted for two long hours and left the Chinese quarter a burning ruin. Later Evie discovered the planes had not only dive-bombed the buildings, including the Temple of Harmony, but had machine-gunned the streets, killing many unsuspecting citizens who had been standing outside to watch what would happen. Among them, Evie would soon discover, was Aunty Mimi’s husband, Cookie, who had been on his way back from the market. She never discovered the fate of her friend the monk.
Two days later, the news spread through George Town and throughout the island that the order had been given to evacuate the entire European population from Penang.
An uncharacteristically pale Reggie walked into the drawing room, where Evie and Susan were drinking tea. ‘Arthur Leighton is on the telephone. He wants to speak to you, Evie.’
Picking up the receiver, she felt a rush of emotion as she heard the familiar but long-absent sound of Arthur’s voice.
‘Evie, are you all right? The children?’
‘Yes, we’re all well. Reggie and Susan have been wonderful. We’re safe up here away from the city.’
‘For now, but not for long. You know we’re evacuating you all?’
Evie bit her lip, torn between a wish to say that they’d be fine up here in the hills and a very real fear that more danger was imminent.
‘It’s only a matter of time before they invade. Who knows what they’ll do once they’ve taken the island. Sir Shenton’s already taken the decision to get you all out, because the Chiefs of Staff are withdrawing the troops from Penang. It’s going to be a complete capitulation. The island is being abandoned. The Japanese imperial flag will be flying there within days.’
Evie gasped.
‘Percival wants to withdraw and abandon so he can focus the troops on the mainland rather than splitting his resources. George Town is about to become an open city.’
‘Dear God, how has it come to this?’
‘I could write the book, but right now my job is to manage the evacuation. I’m in Butterworth. The first train has already left. You need to get here as fast as you can.’
Evie’s heart lurched. He was here.
Arthur’s voice was urgent. ‘Look I don’t have long so I want to make sure you do exactly as I tell you. Reggie knows the drill. You all need to get down to George Town. We’re getting everyone onto the ferries and then on trains to Singapore.’
‘Singapore? But–’
‘No buts. Just do it. No time to spare. We have to get you to safety. The clock’s ticking.’
Evie was numb. ‘I need to let Aunty Mimi and Benny know. They’re still in the house in George Town.’
‘Europeans only.’ Arthur’s voice was clipped, and she could detect the anger underneath it.
‘I can’t leave them! Aunty Mimi’s husband, our cook, has been killed. It happened in the street. The Japanese were machine-gunning people from the planes. I can’t abandon my servants here with the enemy coming.’
‘Orders. I have no say. The decision has been taken that it’s Europeans only. It’s come from the top. From Duff Cooper himself. The local population will have to fend for themselves. It stinks but I can’t do anything about it. I have to go, Evie. Hurry up. I’ll keep a look out for you. But don’t waste time looking for me at the port. Just get the hell out of here. Do as the officials tell you.
