Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam
***
Chapter
27: Yamasaki
The
Japanese army major Sadavo Yamasaki’s green Morris car, a duror with descending hood entered Belawan road from Kesawan. Thana Labang was on its east. The
flower plants decked with lights in different colours were waving their
branches in wind. Sirissa trees were standing at the edges of greenish
grass beds, and flowers from crimson white Kapok trees were shedding and flying
in air. It was a road where tamarind trees were found standing in rows. To the
west of walking platform, were found mammoth buildings- Peppayam, Hundal
Company, Javanue Bank, Bin-Jay Way and the diversion towards Kotharaja. His car
took a turn on left and picked up speed.
Yamasaki
lit cigarettes one after another, in sequence without gap, puffed at it and
kept throwing away the buds, tugging at them from the clench of his teeth well
before the quarter of its size was burnt. His eyes were fixed on the road, and
his mind was fully occupied with Japan. ‘Ojima and Okinawa are fortified interior
military bases. Will our holy land of Yamato city become the birth place of
United States’ Statue of Liberty? No…never. It can’t be. It shouldn’t be. They
can decimate, burn the cities of Tokyo, Kobe, and Osaka. They can easily
massacre those ‘white clad eunuchs’1. But it is not that easy to
fight and kill those fifty lakh soldiers of Tenno Heikka. We, fifty lakh
soldiers are ready to sacrifice our lives for our mother land’.
His
mouth puffed at cigarettes, flipping it between lips…..’ssssssss’. ‘Navy and
air force have betrayed us and got perished too. These Admirals and
commodores are just children of merchant class.1 They can never be
brave. Can they? They don’t know anything about war tactics. The navy had its
demise when the Admiral Yamamoto died. The legends of Admiral Siyuchi Nakumo’s
striking forces, and Commander Mitchuvo Puchida’s sea Hawks have just become
memories now. Just old memories. Burma and Philippines are almost gone out of
hands. Petrol supply from these countries have stopped. If solution to this
issues is not found at the earliest….It must be a rumor that the British forces
are going to land in Sumathra. Just a rumour anyway. Where will they land from?
Long range air strikes from military bases may get intense soon.’
His
eyes were cruising on both sides of the road. Be it grass beds around, or
Buddha or trees or wild creepers, all looked mesmerizingly beautiful under
crimson light of afternoon. His left hand stroked the nape of his neck while
his mouth still emitting smoke. ‘sssssss’. ‘If the general gets this
letter, he will be extremely happy’
Three
persons came running to him pointing to the forest area lying in the north. “Indo- Thamiro- Coorie…kairi3-shirt
Thamiro” the corporal driver shrieked at seeing them. The major asked him to
slow down the speed of the vehicle, in a lowered voice.
The car
reduced its speed and rolled along slowly. The Tamil men approached the Major
near. “Stop the car” the Major bellowed. The car stopped.
Pandian
approached Major Yamasaki, went closer to him from left. Natarajan and
Karuppaiya were on the other side. All three shouted at high pitch, as their
eyes and bodies emitting unusual fear, “Aircrafts, Parachute soldiers, army
equipment…”
Yamasaki’s
sharp eyes first glanced Pandian penetratingly and then assessed other two as
well. His left hand took out the cigarette from his mouth and flipped it away.
“Maanaa”
“Sana,
masta”
They
pointed to the north-eastern side.
“Sho
desh yo” The Major mumbled throwing his eyes at that direction, tuning suddenly to
Pandian and gestured to him with his head to stand near the driver. His right
hand picked the telescope that was dangling on his neck. Driver’s hand slowly
slid off from his thighs and groping his tiny Tommy gun lying on the seat next
to his - his usual gesture of precaution under such circumstances.
Pandian
turned to west as if going near to the driver but turned in fraction of a
second to where he was, and pounced upon him with the rubber shielded iron
rods. Natarajan didn’t waste a second and did the same.
Thuddddd…thuddddd…thuddddd. A perfect sequence of smacks. Everything was over
in seconds.
Karuppaiya
opened the car door and finished off the remaining likely doubts of existence
inside. Pandian and Natarajan closed the water tank’s lid where they were
hiding. Karuppaiya threw out Yamasaki’s body under the rear seat and driver’s
body under the front seat and sat on driver’s seat holding its steering wheel.
Other two jumped into the car and closed its doors.
Morris
rolled along slowly.
“Drive
slow. There will be a river bridge on the way. Let me know when you reach
there” Pandian told as he was busy rummaging the leather bag. “Watch out for
men and vehicles on the way”
“Mmm”
Natarajan, sitting in the rear seat was
watchful of the road through mica window. After a thorough digging in the
leather bag, Pandian started checking Major Yamasaki’s shirt pockets.
“It’s
here”- he took out a yellow paper kept in an oily cloth cover, kept it in his
vest pocket, turned to Natarajan.
“Go to
the front side and tie up all floating stuff together.”
The new
driver was driving the car towards west. Other two tore open the sear cover,
made a rope out of it and completed the task of tying up floating stuff
together. The bridge was visible in the front.
“Stop
the car by roadside near the bridge”
The
Morris stopped at the edge of road near the bridge. The shrubbery from Kabhan
Jahe hills came floating in the fresh flood.
“A car
is coming behind” Karuppaiya announced with his winking eyes.
“An
uninvited event anyway. Sudden appearance of enemy”
Natarajan
shrieked as if he were very happy at seeing the car, and jumped off to the rear
side. He and Pandian looked at the new entrant intently through mica window. It
was a car in undiscernible colour. Sedan. Coming in lethargic speed. Natarajan
held the Japanese army telescope against his eyes and watched on attentively.
“It
must a Japanese man going for harvest”
“Move
aside”
Both of
them pulled themselves away from the window and sat down along the sides of
car.
“Karuppaiya”
“Mmm”
Pandian
gestured to him signaling to use the machine gun, to get ready for any
eventuality.
“The
moment I touch your shoulder, press the trigger”
“Mmm”
Karuppaiya held the Tommy Machine gun, checked
its trigger and aligned it in a comfortable position in the car. Other two
collected the pistols from the corpses and held it ready for action.
The
Chevrolet car, arrived with a senile grunt and halted with a big heave of sigh.
The Japanese yells of calling friends were heard. Pandian’s hand touched
Karuppaiya’s shoulder. In fraction of a second, Tommy gun spewed out its burst
fire rounds. ‘Trrrrr…trrrrr’. Pandian and Natarajan aimed at the men one after
another and finished them off. Karuppaiya rose from his sat, balanced himself
with his right leg on the seat, lowered the Tommy gun and pressed its trigger
again for additional burst of rounds. ‘Trrrrr’
“Enough….enough”
Natarajan got off the car, thoroughly checked
the Chevrolet and collected the Tommy guns lying inside it and closed its doors
tightly. They rolled those two cars down into the river.
“Throw
away those Tommy guns too into river”. Natarajan
and Karuppaiya threw away their Tommy guns.
“Arigato…Yamasaki
san sayonara”4- Natarajan raised his right hand, waved it across and
spoke theatrically looking at the river.
“Enough…let’s
leave”
They
walked east. The dark was descending. Shrill chirpings of beetles on both sides
of the road. A swarm of mosquitoes tasted their blood, biting their bodies
indiscriminately.
The
road ran straight.
“Kufoon
Dipur- This is the name of a tobacco estate. A relative of Maruthamuthu, a
local tax collector, is dead. Severe fever. He must be seven or eight years
old. A big scar on his forehead” Pandian was talking in a lowered voice, as he
was walking right. “We went there to attend funeral. Our motor car broke down
on the way. Now we are on the way to Pulupraiyan. This is the story you have to
tell till we reach Thana Labang. After that, everything will be as per
instructions I already gave you”
Everyone
was walking in silence.
The
road to Belawan lay ahead. They turned right, towards Kesawan.
**
Sooner
he reached Singapore, Pandian had his bath and completed his meals and went out
to meet Colonel Kalik Usman. He couldn’t control his overwhelming happiness
built in him. He journeyed to Sumathra by a Japanese ship, ambushed and
murdered the Japanese army Major Yamasaki, retrieved a highly confidential
letter from him and returned to Malaya by a Japanese ship itself. Quite a no
mean achievement! It must be his good luck that he was given entry into the
cargo ship leaving for Penang by the ship captain at the very moment the
captain saw the permit sheet issued by the Malaya general. ‘So without any
hassles I could complete the tasks successfully’
The
colonel was on another call. He gestured to Pandian with his left hand to sit
on the chair opposite to him. Pandian sat down.
The
telephone conversation was over.
“I
could see the pride dancing across your face. Even if you have failed in
bringing the letter, I believe that you must have finished Yamasaki off. Your
face says so”
“The
Japanese army Major Sadavo Yamasaki is dead. The letter is in the hands of
Commando Captain Pramod Chandra Majumdar. Here it is” Pandian announced it in a
theatrical flamboyance.
The
colonel received the letter, and kept staring at Pandian for some time. He then
suddenly rose from his chair, and grasped his right with his both hands.
“Pan….don’t
forget one thing. Humility is what we must have when we taste success. Vanity
just kills our senses. My hearty congratulations”
“Thank
you colonel sir. I just acted to suit the momentous occasion we enjoy now”
“I
don’t mean that. I just told it in a lighter vein. You are very young. The
things you need to learn and get to know are very huge indeed. That is why I
said humility is very important. Come with me…we must meet Netaji. We can
discuss Pandian- Yamasaki encounter later. Your other two men?”
“They
are in my room.”
“I hope
no hassles, no damages”
“Yes…nothing”
“Good”
Both
left. They got the call immediately on production of their visiting cards.
Netaji, who was busy writing something, looked up raising his head. Both gave him
a stiff salute.
“Kalik
Usman, have a seat”
Colonel
sat on the chair.
“Did
you get the letter?” he turned his eyes to Pandian.
“Yes,
sir” Pandian took out the letter from his shirt pocket and held it to Netaji.
He
received it, read it.
“Any
problems?”
“Everything
happened as planned sir”
“Your
men?”
“They
are fine, Sir”
“Thanks,
Kalik Usman”
“Sir…”
Kalik Usman acknowledged it.
“All
these three men should be sent on leave with adequate cash in hand. Do arrange
it”
“Sure
sir. I’ll do it”
“Lieutenant”
Netaji called out to Pandian. He turned his face.
“You
have perfectly completed the duty assigned to you. Indian National Army is
proud of you. I’d like to assign you another very important task. You’ll get a
call soon. Now you may go”
Both
saluted Netaji and left his room.
***Chapter 27: “Yamasaki” ended***
Note:
Chapter 28: “Atom Bomb” will be posted soon.
1.
Before the war, usually the children of businessmen would
join the Navy and the children of farmers in army.
2.
Coorie…Japanese people pronounce ‘l’ as ‘r’ and the
Chinese pronounce ‘n’as ‘l’.
3.
Kairi- Japanese pronunciation of Kaili, a Tamil word for
lungi, a lower garment worn by south Indians especially Tamils.
4.
Mr Yamasaki, Thank you. See you”
