Melbourne Cup Frog Race, Gloe Gloer Camp, Sumatra
Below: Melbourne Cup Frog Race 1942 – won by 2/4th’s ‘Bluey’ Semple
‘One Sunday, the nearest to Melbourne Cup Day, the Australians decided to run their own cup. Frogs were the contestants. A West Australian, Bluey Semple (WX7532) appeared in jockey’s colours with a riding whip. Nobody knew where they came from. Appropriately his frog won, and he was presented with the cup – half a coconut on a stand.’
Bluey Semple was wounded on 9 Feb 1942 Singapore, on second day of fighting, receiving gunshot wounds to both legs and an upper arm. He escaped to Sumatra where he was, with other escaped POWs some weeks later taken POW of Japan, imprisoned at Padang.
When the Sumatran POWs were being shipped south on ‘Hirukiku’ Maru to begin work on the Railway, the ship was sunk by a British submarine. There was loss of life however Bluey, although injured survived. The POWs were picked up and taken to Singapore. It was here Bluey’s luck was ‘in’ – because of his injuries, he remained behind at Changi when the remainder of the work Party returned to Sumatra – he avoided the horrific conditions of the railway where so many died.
He spent the remainder of his POWs days on work parties in Singapore – X4B Party, W Party, Tanjong Pagar Camp before the war ended.
