title: Bloody Shambles, Vol. 1: The Drift to War to the fall of Singapore
author: Christopher Shores
description: Christopher Shores served in the ATC and RAF during the 1950s and produced his first book in 1966. Since then he has produced an average of one book per year on aviation subjects, plus many articles, aircraft monographs, and similar works. By profession a chartered surveyor, Christopher Shores worked in the commercial property market for more than 40 years. Retired in mid 2000, he continues to be a consultant, but is now able to devote much more of his time and energy to aviation research and writing. He lives in Dorset, England.Brian Cull has written and co-authored more than 20 books on the air war of 1939&ndash;45. He lives in Suffolk, England.
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  ![cover-image.jpg](images/cover-image.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Torrance: Escape from Singapore by Jonathan
  Lunn](images/scale~1920x1200~singaporeti-1579709278-70.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For Michael
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Singapore, 1942](images/scale~1920x1200~singapore19-1576838268-98.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## One
  
  
  ### Sunday 2030 – 2330
  
  
  Howitzer shells plunged deep into the mud of the mangrove swamps, stirring up
  decaying matter that had been quietly rotting for decades, lacing the acrid
  reek of high explosive with the stench of putrefaction. In the darkness, the
  flashes of the explosions cast a flickering light over the mudflats. Private
  Jim ‘Bluey’ Quinn’s impression was one of a series of disjointed images: trees
  ripped apart by the blast, branches spinning through the night, eyes wide in
  terror in the pallid faces of his comrades as they clutched their
  Lee–Enfields.
  
  
  Shells that fell short sent up great fountains of water from the straits
  separating the island from the Malay