Hi Gerry and Alan
Hear that Jock Oehlers has joined AEAWA as a member. Please feel free to utilize any of the info herein on your website if you see fit.
Best regards
Robert
Details from “Jazz In The Jungle” per the previous jAZZrOUNDuP version
Please note the additional [+] info and links included, the reader’s comments, a list of places to go with the faces, the jazz websites and the special notes at the end…
What do all these persons have in common?
Sir Ralph Richardson - Lt Gen Arthur Percival - Dr John Van Cuylenberg - Gen Tomoyuki Yamashita - Lionel Goodall - Ms Grace Fox - Dr George Allen - Jean Leembruggen nee Koch - Barbara Kay - Prof JK Munro - Dr Walter Poulier - Gordon Scott - Ong Wee Lee - AJ Braga - HE Woodford - WH Mosbergen - G Shelley - Reikieto Yano - Barbara Van Cuylenburg - Adrian de Silva - Brother Cronan - Sir Archibald McIndoe - Dr Kurt Thoma – Brother Robert – Tan Sri Tay Teck Eng – Dr Lee Khee Wee +Maideen + Bing Crosby +Carl Schubert +Augusta Leicester +Mortenson +Dr Barry Pereira - Joseph Conrad - Dr CJ Paglar - Capt Tom Lingard - Nellie Lingard - Colonel Watanabe - Julia Cavalho - Malcolm MacDonald - James Clarke - Wilhemina Cashin - Somerset Maugham - Hazel Van Geyzel - EW Barker - Kenny Leembruggen - Noel Coward - Billy Mayerl ( Britain’s top jazz pianist of the day ) - Dr Benjamin Sheares - Canon Adams - Lloyd Valberg - Daphne Pye - Bishop Adrian Devals - Prof EK Tratman - ‘Lulu’ Fitpatrick nee De Souza - Mamoru Shinozaki - Charlie Bolar - Herman de Souza – Sato - Philip d’Almeida - Albert Clarke - Harry Trollop - Herman Hoedon - Mr & Mrs Sokolov - Clare & Tony Ryan - Monteiro - Ray O’Hara - Matron Carroll - Benedict de Souza - Cyril Schelkis - John d’Almeida - Charlie Bateman - Ossie Corderio + Glen Miller - Father Becheras - Santokh Singh - Shibayama - Lord Louis Mountbatten - Mr & Mrs Mervyn Koch – Doreen & Ivan Newman - Laura de Souza – Dr Choo Teck Chuan - Major KRR Heine – Dr Henry Goldman - Dr Jaswant Singh Sodhy - Ivor Kramer - Sir William Kelsey Fry - Edmund Hilary & Sherpa Tensing - Lester Piggott - Shirley Bassey - Maria Hertogh – Chong - Dr. Harold Chan - Ronald Lam - David Marshall - Lee Kuan Yew - Perry Como - Erroll Garner - Rose Kennedy - Paul Revere - Ethel Merman - Dr Jamie Robertson - Sir William Goode - Dr BR Sreenivasan - Tuanku Abdul Rahman - Nan Tessensohn - Dierdre Lauder - Gussie Xavier - Jacob Ballas – Dr Lee Ek Chong +Norman Bell + Dr Harry Spira + Lorraine Meyer + Teoh Eng Hong + Elizabeth Somerfield + Stafford Somerfield + Dr Tan Hwa Luck + Joy Malcolm + Dr. William Shafer… and many others…
They are all mentioned in a new book titled “That’s How It Goes” by Dr Jock Oehlers of Singapore. The book provides fascinating insights into the life and times of the Oehlers family in Singapore and Malaya prior to, during and after the fall of Singapore in 1942. It paints vivid pictures of the Japanese Occupation and it’s effects on the local and expatriate populations, covering those who went to form the Bahau Catholic Colony in Negri Sembilan, Malaya, and those who stayed behind or tried to leave Syonan…
Imagine, as a dental student having to give up your patent rights for “Kulene” tooth powder to an executive from the Matsusakaya Department Store, which had taken over Robinson’s in Raffles Place. Imagine a Japanese soldier playing love songs on his sister-in-law’s piano. Imagine that same much loved piano travelling from a family home in Singapore into the muddy and deep jungles of Bahau… And imagine the formation of a four piece jazz band in this new colony, stemming from their common love of music despite very harsh conditions, which included food shortages and malaria! Jock then became the dentist of Fuji-go ( Bahau ). Those who did survive, finally and happily made their way back home to Singapore…as did some of the Japanese, who were in fact good-guys, back to Japan…
Jock Oehlers’ excellent autobiography also covers time spent in Malacca where a second jazz band was formed, and in Britain and the USA after World War 2…and is named after an original song that he wrote as a young man. It is indeed a labour of love!
+ The music is reproduced in the book with a new arrangement by his grandson, jazz saxophonist, Jamie Oehlers. Glen Miller’s famous dance piece ‘In The Mood’ is also referred to, and Jamie and Australian jazz pianist Mark Fitzgibbon have collaborated to produce a further score of “That’s How It Goes”.
A copy of this historical and motivational book should reside in the library of every club, school and university in Singapore, Malaysia, and beyond!
Robert Leembruggen
jAZZrOUNDuP
Melbourne:
Some places mentioned in this book:
Raffles Hotel : Kandang Kerbau Market : Singapore Island Country Club : The SRC : Itzehoe, Schleszwig-Holstein, Danish Protectorate : Oehlers Lodge : FMS Hostel : St Paul’s Church : St Andrew’s School : Newton Rd : Sungei Road Thieves Market : King Edward VII College of Medicine : Singapore Cricket Club : Aurora Dept Store : Kuala Pilah : Malacca General Hospital : The Stadthuys : Heeren Street : Penang : “Moon Gate “ - Cameron Highlands : Eastman Dental Hospital : Raffles Girl’s School : Tanglin Road Shopping Centre : Montreaux Jazz Festival : The York Hotel : The Koninklijke Pakevart Maatschappij Building : Portman Mansions : Bukit China : Perth Modern School : “Grofmo” – Tanah Merah : The Siam Death Railway
In addition, several warships and passenger liners of the era are also mentioned…
“That’s How It Goes…”
Available on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/981402239X/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
+ Front and back covers, and an extract are viewable on this link, together with endorsements by author Martha Scully - Sheperdson, Councillor Ron Ravenhall, Rugby Borough, UK, and a inspirational foreword by Prof. Arthur Lim, MD (Hon), FRCS, as they appear in the book.
Review from The South China Post…
http://select-books.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-of-thats-how-it-goes-in-south.html
And what some readers have to say…
“F.A.C. “Jock” Oehlers’ autobiographical book “That’s How it Goes” is an engaging account about the experiences of a member of Singapore’s minority Eurasian community from pre-WW2 to the post war years. The book’s cover photo of a car parked at the side of a narrow road, which leads through deserted jungle vegetation, poignantly captures Oehlers’ journey back to the dark years of his wartime internment at Bahau, Malaysia. It is but a part of the story of his revisiting his life, for the book also captures his heartfelt memories.
Oehlers uses the language of his generation, (definitely not ‘Singlish’) which reinforces the values of those times: the British system of education, hard work, aspirational goals, the encouragement of sporting prowess (certainly a tension release for the colonised); and enjoyment and expertise in music. This latter value was simply taken to be a quality almost innate to a Eurasian.
As Oehlers’ life story was originally meant for his immediate family, the wider audience of readers are therefore provided with a very personal insight into the fear and hardships of the wartime occupation years in particular.
Oehlers’ formative years were when race or ethnicity determined one’s place in the social hierarchy, and from his various comments through the book, the reader is able to grasp the humiliation of being subject to the colonial system (whether British or Japanese). The book does not engage in lengthier comment and debate on this issue, rather it is limited to Oehlers’ dilemma as a Eurasian in the immediate post war era: which side do you most passionately argue for - the colonised or the colonisers?
Oehlers’ recollection of his wife’s conversion to Catholicism, and then the necessity of her reverting back again to her original Protestantism, was an interesting contrast to their being invited by friends to co-enjoy the festivals of the other religions: Hari Raya, Deepavali and Thaipusam. The end of colonialism left religious difference to fill the vacuum as the active divider of communities and disadvantage, which was a factor in the Oehlers’ quitting of Singapore. He left his lifestyle of servant help and Eurasian friends, but in keeping with the theme of ‘That’s How It Goes’ the reader is left in no doubt that he made the right decision. - Dr Diane Kraal, Research Fellow, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
“I found “That’s How It Goes” by Dr Jock Oehlers to be an excellent book about what happened during World War II when the Eurasian community or a good portion thereof, were sent to Bahau, in Negri Sembilan for enforced settlement in an agricultural colony.
As you may be aware, many of my family and friends died when they were interned in South Sumatra, after the sinking of the Vyner Brooke, and it is of tremendous interest to me, and other survivors to learn what happened in Bahau. Jock Oehlers tells his story vividly and clearly. It is only through his book that we are able to learn what actually happened during those dreadful days in such detail. It is a book well worth having.” - Ralph E H Armstrong, Author of “Short Cruise On The Vyner Brooke”, Queensland, Australia
“I enjoyed ‘That’s How it Goes’ by Jock Oehlers immensely. His account of a fascinating upbringing in Singapore before World War 2 followed by the grueling experiences he and his young wife and children experienced after the fall of Singapore, I’m sure will interest most readers. Jock’s limited experience during this time, as a student of Oral Surgery [ of which he eventually became a Professor ], made him indispensable [ and to the Japanese as well ] and enabled the family to stay afloat and cope. His ability and skills as a musician also helped to keep everyone in the prisoner of war camp’s spirits up and somehow he managed to find enough musicians to form a dance band!
Following the war, Jock’s three sons were eventually sent to Perth for higher education and many years later Jock and his wife joined them there in retirement. As a result of all this, Perth and Australia have had the immense pleasure of his grandson Jamie’s musical brilliance. Jamie Oehlers’ great talent is now recognised worldwide……….and that’s how it goes!
This book is a credit to it’s author, and will hopefully inspire others to record their memoirs for posterity. Thank you Jock for a great read!” - Diana Allen, Director, Jazz Australia, Melbourne
+ To order ONLINE : http://www.selectbooks.com.sg/getTitle.aspx?SBNum=045464
My mom makes very good Devil Curry but it’s impossible to get her to write down a proper instruction (she lives in Singapore you see). I’m dying to have Devil Curry this Christmas.