Dr.Dinesh
Continued from Nicobar Diary part-11
(Letter to Prime Minister Shri..Jawaharlal Nehru)
Mr. E. Hart AGAIN SICK
After a few years Mr. Hart again had an attack of liver abscess as diagnosed by Dr. Asirvatham. When he was sick I never left his bed side and so the doctor. We were greatly anxious about his condition. Just then a barquentine arrived from Moulmein with fresh supply for the traders. I told the captain to unload half of the important goods and then leave at once for Port Blair to take message to the Chief Commissioner regarding the seriousness of the condition of Mr. Hart.
She heaved up anchor the same evening, but unfortunately it was the month of April in 1933, the sun was so calm and no stir of wind. By the time the ship was hovering within sight of the shore, Mr. Hart passed away on the second day at 3 a.m. His remain was interred into the old churchyard in the mission compound. (His grave was discreted by the Japanese during their occupation of the island and the marble cross was broken to pieces).
While the sailing ship was tacking to sail out but no avail. Meanwhile the station ship arrived unexpectedly. The flag was half mast. I was on board, before I got on the gangway, the visiting officer shouted from the top, “what had happened”?, he was shocked when I sadly informed him about the demise of Mr. Hart two days ago. He landed and was taken straight to the grave yard. The sad message was conveyed to the Chief Commissioner and I was told to act as Assistant Commissioner Nicobars till the appointment of a new ACN. It was not till a year or two a new candidate was found. He was also from Burma, Mr. R.W Scott. He came with this wife.
APPOINTMENT OF Mr.R.W SCOTT
In 1934 Mr. R.W Scott was Assistant Commissioner of the Nicobars. He was ex- New Castle United footballer and very keen fisherman as his hobby. He was Assistant Commissioner of the Nicobars till the outbreak of the 2nd world war in 1939.
In 1940 he and Mrs. Scott and wireless operator were evacuated by a minesweeper to Port Blair. I was left in charge of the office. A few days after, the S.S. Maharaja arrived from Port Blair with all the evacuants. I did not understand why Dr.& Mrs. Jones , three children and a ayah, were not permitted to go as well. It was the fate of Dr. Jones, who was among the first victims of the Japanese atrocity. His wife, three children and an ayah survived him, and were the first to be sent to Port Blair after the liberation.
ARRIVAL OF JAPANESE: –
On July 22nd1942, a fleet of 3 Japanese ships appeared suddenly in the afternoon, I was returning from Arong village on the west coast at 2 pm and while coming by the beach of Sawai Bay with four boys we saw a strange ship out in the Bay. She could not anchored there, as the S.W wind was very strong this time of the year. She sailed for east and anchored off Mus village on the east. There were three ships, one carrier and two cruisers. Two boats landed, one was swamped by big waves and last a gun. We all were summoned to help and pull her upto the beach. There were huge waves breaking on the shore. But all landed safely. We all were standing on the beach and the Japanese surrounded us with naked swords and fixed bayonets. They asked us, “You English”? We replied are Indians. No wireless, no Gorkha, Sikhs or Scottish here? We replied negative. They searched the vicinity of the village and returned to the beach. A post was put up with some writings in Japanese to mark the occupation of the Island by them. The officer asked help from us to take some of them to their ships as the waves became worsen. We launched a sampan and took then to the ship. In return they gave us a bag of rice on landing the sampan was smashed on the beach and the rice was lost, The ships left at 5 p.m to our great relief.
It was God’s providence, that they did not visit the office of the ACN where secret and coded messages were kept. If this did, I would not have been alive today. Next morning I made a bonfire of these papers.
Next day three of the leading traders came to me and demanded that the cancelled outstanding’s debts of the Nicobarese should be paid or else they would exposed it to the Japanese. I told them to wait till I consult the headman. The headman agreed that half of it might be paid. The traders agreed. The traders were, Kurben Hussain, Mohamed Kutty and Ahmed Ramaya.
LANDED AT MALACCA:-
On august 2, 1942, the Japanese landed at Malacaa, this time to occupy the Island with three thousand soldiers. They told us that the Island from now onward is belonging to the emperor of Japan, his rule we all must acknowledge. We were made force labourers. Our first work was the construction of the Malaca jetty.
One day a transport plane was attacked by two allied planes while at anchor and was sunk. As a result all the Nicobarese were collected and sent to a concentration camp in the middle of the Island. It was the signal of their atrocity on the people. My elder son was among the first victims, Dr Jones and three leading traders who demanded the payment of the cancelled outstanding debts, were, Kruben Hussian , Mohammed kutty and Ahmed Ramaya. They had no chance to collect the debts. The traders were in the plight with the Nicobarese from the hands of the Japanese; even their co-operators were put to death. Their shops were burnt down and everything were looted, copra, the dried nuts, were used as fuels for cooking.
I ordered all headman of village to look after the restitute traders. They said, “We can take any kind of local food, but the forbidden meat”. They were given help free but no gratitude, when they left the island in poverty at the end of war.
They hated Mr. Scott very bitterly. He came with the liberators party, with the free supply of food and clothes for all people of the island for most were wearing old sack. We were cut away from the outside world from 1939-1945 during the war. The few traders left saw Mr. Scott waling at the jetty and came straight to me. We shook hand, without words but tears flows. The first thing he did was to send away Mrs. Jones and three children and an ayah, to Port Blair by the first boat. She suffered a lot and lost her husband from the hands of the cruel Japanese.
DISTRIBUTING FOOD AND CLOTHES;-
The next day Mr. Scott distributed food and clothes in all the villages. The traders got 4 yards of cloth each and more rice, for the Nicobarese have their local food.
They used to mock at us, told us to search for Mr. Scott in the sea, under the ground, and in the jungle. Now they see him face to face and receive supply of food and cloth from his hand. They all thought he was already dead. Arrangement was made to send these traders to their homes on the mainland and Minicoy Island at the expenses of Government.
In the last minute of the committee for absence members it, was said, “that the President may be advised not to nominate again,”
I am very grateful indeed.
Sincerely yours
497 John. Richardson( Hachevka) Member Parliament
• Ex- Dental Surgeon of Government Civil Hospital (now known as Bishop John Richardson Hospital), Car Nicobar under Directorate of Health Services A & N Administration.
e-mail: dineshdentalclinic@gmail.com
