positioned in the clubhouse's tennis court, manned by Airmen Singto Saensukh and Kasem Wongkangya. The machine gun kept firing throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Pilot Officer Somsri Suchrittham and his men, whose strength was now around thirty, were forced to withdraw when their northern flank was threatened by the abandonment of the runways. Having successfully secured the beachhead, the Japanese proceeded to occupy what was left of the hangars and runways, and reinforcements, including artillery and ten tanks, were landed from the transports. The families of the airmen took refuge in guesthouses on Mount Lom Muak. The evacuation of the living quarters was supervised by Pilot Officer Phol Thongpricha. Another position was set up by defenders, who divided themselves into three groups. One group was stationed by the guest houses on Prachuap Bay and fired on anything coming up the road from the guard house. A second group, under the immediate command of Wing Commander Prawat, placed itself in the area around the command and administrative buildings. The final group occupied houses facing Manao Bay. These two groups fired on the approaches from the hangars and the runways. Fighting continued into late evening, but with lessening intensity. The machine gun at the tennis court held back the Japanese, while a light machine gun was held in reserve and moved to plug gaps in the perimeter. Rumours that Royal Thai Navy sailors were fighting their way through to relieve the airmen kept up Thai hopes through the night. Ammunition was low, and at one point the airmen fired blank rounds at the Japanese. The following morning, the exhausted Thais received a telegram from the Ministry of the Interior, brought in by a postman during a lull in the battle. The telegram ordered the defenders to cease fighting, as an armistice had been arranged by the government. The Thai defenders suspected this was a trick by the Japanese and continued to resist. The infuriated invaders now mounted assaults with renewed vigor. The defenders were slowly pushed back. About this time, the lone machine gun in the tennis court was taken out, both gunners severely wounded. By 10:00, with the Japanese closing in, Wing Commander Prawat ordered the command building to be burned, along with all military documents. As flames engulfed the building, Flying Officer Prayad Kanchonwiroj, the senior medical officer, ordered the hospital building evacuated and set on fire. Wing