Black Sheep Traitor: the story of Patrick Heenan (Part 2)
Why do some historians think an NZ-born traitor was "instrumental" in the Japanese victory in Singapore during WWII? And why is there such a mystery surrounding the Reefton boy who seemingly spied for the Japanese?
Why do some historians think an NZ-born traitor was "instrumental" to the Japanese victory in Singapore during WWII?
In part 1 we heard how Patrick Heenan, a NZ-born captain in the British Army, came to despise his comrades and eventually decided to act as a spy for the Japanese. In this episode Black Sheep uncovers the mystery surrounding that treason, allegations of a cover-up, and the "watery grave" which ends Patrick Heenan's story.
The Spy
Once he arrived in Malaya Patrick Heenan got a job as an intelligence officer, working as a liaison between the Army and the Air Force
Almost from the moment that transfer was approved, he began to act suspiciously. His commanding officer, Major France, wrote a memoir outlining some of his dodgy behaviour.
"I had discovered that during my absence had done two outrageous things:
Firstly he had taken a party of my troops on ground exercises and on these he had taken photographs of all the junctions and crossroads into Thailand, whilst the signposts were still in position. These would of course have been removed in event of a war.
Secondly, whilst I was away he had gone to the Station Commander and persuaded him that he had my permission to see my documents - highly secret and kept in my Command safe." - Major France, Odd Man Out: The Story Of The Singapore Traitor
Actually, Major France said Heenan tried to get into his safe and access those secret documents not once, but twice.
Professor Brian Farrell says that's totally astonishing. "You do this and you're some sort of fast-talking charmer who has the gift of the gab and you maybe get away with it once ... but twice? You have to ask what was going on here."
"Why didn't as a measure of sheer prudence have this guy behind bars right away? You're not in a position to take chances, you're in the middle of a war which is going very badly!"
To give Major France some credit, he did try to get to the bottom of Captain Heenan's suspicious behaviour by searching his room…