Transkrip Arsip WO 203/2455 Laporan Lengkap Kapten Laughland (tertanggal 3 November 1945)
REPORT FROM CAPT. T.L. LAUGHLAND HQ 49 IND INF BDE

The Brigadier was away from HQ and Col. PUGH told Capt Smith and myself that we were to go out with the Indonesian leader; myself to the North of SOURABAYA and Capt SMITH to the South.
We left Bde HQ on about 4 – 4.30 hrs and went to the Government buildings. There we were joined by the Brigadier, Capt SHAW, FSS and the Indonesian Party Leaders. As there had been fighting in the International Bank Building, where the D Coy of the 6 MAHRATTAS were, the whole party went round there first. There no fighting was in progress at the time and the party leaders started explaining General HAWTHORN’s agreement to the crowds.

Things went very well to begin with and the crowds were cheering “Merdeka”. There was one man who was all against what the party leaders were saying. He was quietened by one of the party leaders and went off after having shaken everybody by the hand. During this time we heard firing near the draw-bridge. As things in the International Bank area seemed settled, we started off to the draw-bridge are. We started to drive away from the International Bank with the whole party. We got about 300 yards when we were stopped by the crowd.

The party leaders got out of their cars again and answered the crowd sho [who] were yelling and shouting. They, that is the crowd, wanted the company in the building to walk out without arms. They said the TKR would provide a guard over the arms; they would provide transport to move the company away and guarantee safe conduct.
The Brigadier refused, thinking if the Coy came out, they would certainly be massacred by the crowd. One man in particular did his best and succeeded in inflaming the mob with the result that the party leaders lost all control.
The three of us are quite certain that that man was a Japanese. By this time we all decided that we would never get away.
About 5 o’clock the Brigadier decided that the Coy should come out without arms as some of them might have a chance to escape. The crowd wanted to take one of us to the building to tell the Coy Commander the Brigadier’s orders. The Brigadier said that the Coy Commander would not take orders from us as he was the Commanding Officer.
The crowd got hold of Capt Shaw and took him off to the building. The 3 of us remained by the car. They had taken away our arms except one sten magazine and one grenade, which I had in my pocket. Later they told us to get into the car and one of them saw the outline of my sten magazine, which was immediately removed. I patted my pockets and they did not see the grenade. In the car the Brigadier was in nearside, I was in the middle and Capt SMITH on the other side. I tried to put the grenade down the back of the seat, but could not do as they were looking in the windows.
One of the Indonesian leaders came back and said the Coy was coming out within 5 minutes. Soon after that firing broke out from both sides. We dived in the bottom of the car. One man fired 4 shots through the back, I asked Capt SMITH if he was all right and he said “Yes” and I told him that I had not been touched either. We asked the Brigadier if he was all right but he did not answer. After a few minutes he moved and asked us how we were. He had not been touched.