18.2 Along with the Birds

Group Captain H D Newton arrived in Gan and sat meeting with Tony Cooper and the CO, John Knet, over concerns of invasion and to reinstate troops recently moved.

Tony Cooper revealed, “I am afraid to say but I do believe she’s speaking the truth. She claims that the ship was sunk by a British submarine. In that case it would be P234, HMS Strategy. On that day, 27^th March 1944, HMS Strategy was in Gan and observed the change of command. Former commander, Captain Louis Willis, flew to Ceylon with Arthur Moyler and Lieutenant Ford Pell who flew in with him took over command of the submarine.

“This Arthur Moyler is an interesting subject. He was then a deputy at the Ministry of Aircraft Production who was in Burma. He flew to Gan from Burma as a signatory to this agreement. I have here all the files collected from the generator room.

“Mariam says she knew these files were at the generator room from officials present in the atoll asking folks and came across the actual hands who transferred them from Gan to RAF Hittadu.

“From the photographs she has taken, compared to the contents of these files, this original document of the Gan lease was signed for thirty years and one of the co-signers was Moyler. The other two Brits were Mr Norman E Castor and Lieutenant Nest Bert Gerard.

“I don’t understand why Arthur Moyler flew for one day from Burma to Gan to sign this agreement while he was at the ministry and again appointed to the Burma Office in 1945 after the war which he served before the war!”

“Author Moyler is now the British High Commissioner in Colombo,” expressed Group Captain Newton, “Can’t we ask someone, this submarine captain, Ford Pell? I don’t believe a British sub would sink a British trawler!”

“Pell is dead,” said Cooper, “This submarine left Trincomalee on 10^th November to patrol the Malacca Strait. On 22^nd November, she was attacked with depth charges by the Japanese submarine chaser CH35. It caused the sub to bow to hit the sea bottom. Forward bulkhead could not close. She was forced to surface and the crew scuttled the sub. Ten of her crew were taken prisoner of whom three survived. We do not know where they are. But there is still Captain Willis if we can find him and if he happened to be on HMS Strategy that day.”

“This thing is going out of our hands,” said H D Newton, “I can find Lieutenant Bert Gerard. He is in Ceylon somewhere. Castor, I don’t know him.”

“The thing is,” continued Cooper, “the original lease agreement submitted in 1944 to the sultan, as signed by these men, was drawn for hundred years.”

“I don’t get it,” uttered Knet, “Does she know about all these things?”

“She knows,” said Cooper, “she loaded the reel to the enlarger and looked into them frame by frame.”

“Tell me about the tube houses,” Group Captain Newton demanded.

“Port T was basically closed after the war though a small group of British remained. They did have a Wireless link from Hittadu in constant contact with Britain, Singapore and Colombo. During this time, lot of allied flights refuelled. US flights touched down without a permission from the UK. Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force require no permission. They used this base very often. RAAF began to do some tests. They brought in these tube houses, a compact laboratory, and some doctors flew in.

“We have the files from the RAF but it appears, according to the woman, some vital correspondence with Addu Authorities during those years have been removed and they are at large.

“She entered the tube houses, picked bottles and utensils, all Australian products. She cut the gloves of the glovebox. If they are smart enough, those gloves will have residue of the contents they were exposed to inside the box. Australians did some biological tests on vaccine, medicine, toxin, including nuclear, ionizing radiation. The lost boys were lost.”

“They must be attaining outside assistance!” uttered Group Captain Newton.

“Indeed, very smart assistance. Look at that radio transmitter! Now all those items are with Habib and Shakir. I don’t think they have taken them out of the atoll. We must get them back.”

“Where are those guys?”

John Knet replied, “They are hiding in Hulu-Meedu. Keeping one lady worries me. We anger them more if we hold another two. We have enough trouble with the government and it’s not over.”

“Sir!” began Cooper, “They have stolen important items and documents that belong to us. They breached the agreement and broke into our property. That stuff can reveal top secret.”

“John is right,” said Newton, “we can’t hold local folks here. We will make an official statement to Malé by diplomatic means to say we’re holding this lady, we need answers. They will understand.

“If you could, John, cover these guys and get the items, convince them or just sway. That’d be enough. I don’t think these two guys could be of any better help than the girl.”

“I’ll do that,” said Wing Commander.

“Sir!” Cooper drew his attention, “Are you suggesting that you reveal all to the High Commission, the film reel?” At that point, he was not aware that the content involved the subject of Author Moyler.

“Yes,” said the captain, “he’s the one in charge. We have to inform Moyler that we are keeping a Maldivian woman in detainment.”

“Okay, but do not mention the content in the reel. I would like to talk to Lieutenant Nest Bert Gerard and Captain Louis Willis.”

“I will try to locate them,” said Captain Newton, “Now we have a situation here. John, send the details to Admiral Stone, a full report from Cooper. Whatever he says is final.”