Letter from Sergeant B. Nicholas, 1/4th KSLI.

TERRITORIALS' EXPERIENCES AT SINGAPORE.
[Bridgnorth Journal, 10th April, 1915]

The Captain of the Ludlow Fire Brigade (Mr. A. W. Packer) last week received an interesting letter from 889 Sergeant B. Nicholas, a member of the brigade, who is serving abroad with the Ludlow Territorials. The letter is dated Feb. 25 from Tanglin Barracks, Singapore, Straits Settlements, and in it Sergeant Nicholas says :- "I dare say you will be surprised to see our address has been altered, but we are on 'active' service, and we know it, too, for we are on the move all the while. I don't mind in the least, for we are all having what a good many regular troops, and what no other Terriers are - flying trips, with only about 8 to 10 hours to pack up and clear off for some unknown spot.

The regiment received orders on Tuesday night to have everything ready for noon the next day to move off to where no one knew. I myself was on guard at the time, and I was not relieved until 9 a.m. on the Wednesday, so that gave short time for packing. We moved off for the docks at 1:15 and embarked on H.M.S. Edavana, which had orders to take us at full speed to Singapore, as a native regiment had mutinied and killed a number of British officers, and men besides civilians, and fled to the jungle, where we were to go and get then out, which we found a difficult work as the jungle is very dense here.

When we got off the ship at Tanglin, to our surprise we found about 200 motors waiting to take us up to the barracks. Here we found the place where the murders had been done. Our fellows are having plenty of duty at present, for when they mount guard they do not come off for 48 hours at a time, so they will be fit for France.

There had been a number of French, Jap, and Russian sailors here before we arrived, and they captured a good many of the natives and killed some, but there are still a large number at large, and it fell to the lot of the 4th Shropshire to clear them off, which won't take long as we are all itching for a smack at them. They say they are fine shots, and that we are to beware of snipers as they have got the latest rifles and ammunition with them. We are having a drive through the jungle, and I shall fancy I am at Oakly Park on a rabbit drive when we start, but the difference will be men instead of rabbits. But we don't mind, for we shall all have our sporting rifles with us, and when we get up you can say that he comes into our bag. The Ludlow men are enjoying themselves very much, and they are all in the best of health. . . It is rumoured that we are coming back to England and then going to France. Well, I can say that we shall be fit for any German or anyone who comes our way."