Gallery

The Tiger's Revenge in pictures

Step into the world of Churchill’s Department of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Special Operations Executive Orient and Special Operations Executive Australia. Unlike their European counterpart in SOE their work remained largely under the radar.

Credit to the Australian War Memorial for photos

<p>Plan drawing of Krait in configuration Operation Jaywick</p> — Plan drawing of Krait in configuration Operation Jaywick

Operation Jaywick

The deepest surface waterborne penetration behind enemy lines undertaken by special forces of WW2.

<p>The indefatigable Bill Reynolds hero of Singapore and ex skipper of Krait . On the 8 August 1944 whilst having been imprisoned on Borneo was summarily executed.</p>
<p><em>Faced with being executed by being beheaded by the Japanese the officer in charge saw he was not about to cooperate by bending or kneeling while someone cut off his head. Realising that the prisoner, who was standing rigidly at attention, was not going to yield, the commanding officer called up a firing squad to do the job. (Quote The Tiger’s Revenge)</em></p> — The indefatigable Bill Reynolds hero of Singapore and ex skipper of Krait . On the 8 August 1944 whilst having been imprisoned on Borneo was summarily executed.

Faced with being executed by being beheaded by the Japanese the officer in charge saw he was not about to cooperate by bending or kneeling while someone cut off his head. Realising that the prisoner, who was standing rigidly at attention, was not going to yield, the commanding officer called up a firing squad to do the job. (Quote The Tiger’s Revenge)

<p>The deadly limpet mine carried on the Folboats, nine on each, three for each ship. They would blow a hole two feet wide and were attached by a holdfast their magnets the smallest most powerful in the world designed by the General Electric Company. The mine was the brainchild of Major General Sir Millis Rowland Jefferis KBE MC.</p> — The deadly limpet mine carried on the Folboats, nine on each, three for each ship. They would blow a hole two feet wide and were attached by a holdfast their magnets the smallest most powerful in the world designed by the General Electric Company. The mine was the brainchild of Major General Sir Millis Rowland Jefferis KBE MC.

<p>Route of Operation Jaywick map</p> — Route of Operation Jaywick map

<p>Potential recruits testing the experimental kayak built by Davidson and Marsh from plywood, a task designed to test ingenuity and to help crew members to see that, if necessary, they could build their own craft in an emergency.</p> — Potential recruits testing the experimental kayak built by Davidson and Marsh from plywood, a task designed to test ingenuity and to help crew members to see that, if necessary, they could build their own craft in an emergency.

<p>Plan drawing of Krait in configuration Operation Jaywick</p> — Plan drawing of Krait in configuration Operation Jaywick

<p>Krait with Bill Reynolds at the helm making its way up the Hawksbury River to Camp X</p> — Krait with Bill Reynolds at the helm making its way up the Hawksbury River to Camp X

<p>Krait as she was discovered in Borneo in 1963 working for a logging company. She had then been  renamed Pedang.  They changed her name as Krait had been involved in drug running between the Indonesian Islands and she had developed a very bad reputation.</p> — Krait as she was discovered in Borneo in 1963 working for a logging company. She had then been renamed Pedang. They changed her name as Krait had been involved in drug running between the Indonesian Islands and she had developed a very bad reputation.

<p>Krait along side guard of honour awaiting General Douglas MacAthur to take the surrender of Japanese forces on Ambon Island in Indonesia.</p> — Krait along side guard of honour awaiting General Douglas MacAthur to take the surrender of Japanese forces on Ambon Island in Indonesia.

<p>Ivan Lyon relaxing after a night out which ended in him having a colourful Malay Tiger tattoos on his chest. Interestingly this followed an evening spent in the Little India area of Singapore drinking his favourite local brew 'Tiger Beer'.</p> — Ivan Lyon relaxing after a night out which ended in him having a colourful Malay Tiger tattoos on his chest. Interestingly this followed an evening spent in the Little India area of Singapore drinking his favourite local brew 'Tiger Beer'.

<p>Ivan Lyon identifying targets in a crowded Keppel harbour prior to the attack.</p> — Ivan Lyon identifying targets in a crowded Keppel harbour prior to the attack.

<p>Ivan Lyon at the forefront. The crew are working on their tans having been told their objective is Singapore. Note the Japanese flag flying off the stern.</p> — Ivan Lyon at the forefront. The crew are working on their tans having been told their objective is Singapore. Note the Japanese flag flying off the stern.

<p>Informal picture. Gentleman bottom left Harry Manderson SOA. Two guests top right have never been identified.</p> — Informal picture. Gentleman bottom left Harry Manderson SOA. Two guests top right have never been identified.

<p>HMAS Lyon going out to greet Bill Reynolds in Krait</p> — HMAS Lyon going out to greet Bill Reynolds in Krait

<p>Formal picture taken before the celebration at  Meigunyah House, Brisbane,11 November 1943. (Back row) Berryman, Marsh, Jones Huston. (Center row) Crilly, Caine, McDowell, Young, Falls, Morris. (Front row) Carse, Davidson, Lyon, Campbell, Page.</p> — Formal picture taken before the celebration at Meigunyah House, Brisbane,11 November 1943. (Back row) Berryman, Marsh, Jones Huston. (Center row) Crilly, Caine, McDowell, Young, Falls, Morris. (Front row) Carse, Davidson, Lyon, Campbell, Page.

<p>Map of the route Krait took.</p> — Map of the route Krait took.

<p>Camp X on the Hawksbury River, note recruit with bandaged head. Injuries were frequently sustained in training.</p> — Camp X on the Hawksbury River, note recruit with bandaged head. Injuries were frequently sustained in training.

<p>A relaxed swim in the sea 2000 miles behind enemy lines off Panjang Island. L-R  Lyon, Falls, Page, Huston, Jones.</p> — A relaxed swim in the sea 2000 miles behind enemy lines off Panjang Island. L-R Lyon, Falls, Page, Huston, Jones.

Krait post renovation

Krait post renovation in 2024 sailing in Sydney harbour and in dry dock for maintenance and cleaning. She is in exact configuration and colour scheme as she was in 1943. All proceeds from the Tiger’s Revenge Enhanced Edition will be donated towards the upkeep of Krait.