when the merchant seamen was not so popular

[Lou Barron]

i can remember when we as merchant seamen got a bit of abuse it was in changi jail in 1944 that it was the time we got a earfull it came from some british soldiers who was lended in singapore in 1942 of the empress of asia when the japs bombed it the soldiers said the behaviour of the crew was shocking this stared a bit of agro between the army guys and us in fact i think there was a few punches thrown it seem so silly now as at that time we had other things to worry about like keeping alive

[Captain Kong]

There was a strong rumour that the firemen on the Empress of Asia had mutinied when the Empress came under atttack by Japanese planes as the convoy approached Singapore.
This was completely wrong, the firemen stayed below keeping up steam to get her into Singapore while the bombs were exploding around her. Indeed they were complemented for their heroism. The Captain managed to run her ashore on Sultan Shoal in the approaches to Singapore Harbour preventing her from sinking thus saving many lives. I think, only four men were killed in the attack.[ could be wrong but that is the figure that comes to mind.]
The troops and crew wer taken off and landed in Singapore and the Catering department were sent to help out in hospitals and the troops were landed and then deployed around Singapore as the Japs advanced into the city. Many of the sailors and firemen got jobs on other vessels that were leaving . The surrender came and all the troops were captured. I guess they had to blame the Seamen for their plight tho` it was completely unfounded.
Most of the Catering Staff that went to work in the hospitals were killed by the Japs.
All this is from the top of my head from what I had read a long time ago. No doubt someone will come up with a different story.

[Phil Crawley]

The Empress of Asia has her own website with crew lists of who was in her at Singapore, I sailed with two cooks who were in her and taken prisoner, when I tried to ask them about it I was told very firmly to mind my own business, I never heard or read about any trouble with the firemen.
Phil Crawley.

[Lou Barron]

there was a lot of controversy over this but i can say that there was a dust up with our guys and the army guys as i was there when these soldiersstarted to sling off about some of the crew off the asia we had a few guys off the asia with us in changi cblock floor three and they where all ok but they said there was some rat bags aboard her it was some of the ones that got away in fact i was in contact with one them until a few years ago when he passed away regards lou

[DeepSea]

Two of the crew died five days after the attack. Five others died in captivity.

Jakarta War Cemetery

BREE, Barkeeper, BERNARD MEDLICOTT, S.S. Empress of Asia (Vancouver). Merchant Navy. 14th No-vember 1944. Age 54.

MARLOW, Waiter, WILLIAM JAMES, S.S. Empress of Asia. (Vancouver). Merchant Navy. 11th August 1944. Age 46. Son of Samuel and Anne Marlow; husband of Catherine Marlow, of Liverpool.

ROBERTS, Waiter, THOMAS HENRY, S.S. Empress of Asia. (Vancouver). Merchant Navy. 25th June 1944. Age 37. Son of John and Ada Roberts, of Kirkdale, Liverpool.

SMALLWOOD, Kitchen Porter, HERBERT, S.S. Empress of Asia (Vancouver). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1944.

Kranji War Cemetery

ELWORTHY, Pantryman, DOUGLAS RICHARD, S.S. Empress of Asia (Vancouver). Merchant Navy. 10th February 1942. Age 22. Of Canada.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Thailand)

TOWERS, Deck Boy, JAMES JOSEPH, S.S. Empress of Asia. Merchant Navy. 13th June 1943. Son of Edward and Elizabeth Towers, of Liverpool.

Tower Hill Memorial

HARKINS, Second Radio Officer, PATRICK LEO, S.S. Empress of Asia (Vancouver). Merchant Navy. 10th February 1942. Age 41. Son of Patrick and Margaretta Harkins, of Belturbet, Co. Cavan, Irish Republic.