The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (NX35005) Brigadier Arthur Leslie Varley, 22nd Infantry Brigade, Second World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day commemorates (NX35005) Brigadier Arthur Leslie Varley, 22nd Infantry Brigade, Second World War.

NX35005 Brigadier Arthur Leslie Varley, 22nd Infantry Brigade
KIA 13 September 1944
Photograph: 005515; ART26425; and ART28403.009

Story delivered 12 September 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Brigadier Arthur Leslie Varley MC, whose photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

Born in Sydney in 1893, Varley had been working as a clerk before his enlistment in the AIF in August 1915. Posted to the 45th Battalion, Varley arrived in France in 1916 and soon saw action. Following the fighting at Pozières he was promoted to lieutenant.

In 1917 at Messines Varley won the admiration of his battalion commander for his leadership. Advancing to a forward position, Varley took control of two companies that had lost all their officers, and successfully organised a counter-attack on the German positions. For his “coolness under fire and utter disregard of personal danger” Varley was awarded the Military Cross.

Promoted to captain, Varley added a bar to his MC for his leadership under heavy fire near Hamel, France, in August 1918. He was later Mentioned in Despatches.

Returning to Australia in 1919, Varley married Linda Middleton. They had three children before Linda died in 1925. He remarried and ran a stock-and-station agency at Inverell, New South Wales. Following the outbreak of the Second World War he was seconded to the 2nd AIF as a Lieutenant Colonel and given command of the 2/18th Battalion.

In 1941, the 2/18th Battalion was sent to Malaya. Following Japan’s entry into the war in December, Varley led the 2/18th into action in January 1942, having planned a successful ambush of the enemy near Mersing. He was promoted to brigadier and given command of the 22nd Infantry Brigade. By early February the Japanese had landed on Singapore, and after weeks of fierce fighting Singapore fell to the Japanese and Varley became one of 45,000 Australian and British troops captured in the surrender.

In captivity, Varley was given command of “A Force”, a work party that left Changi in May 1942 for Burma. There Varley found himself in command of a 9,000-strong prisoner-of-war workforce used by the Japanese to construct the Burma–Thailand Railway. He did the best he could in dismal circumstances to ensure better treatment of his men. Fellow officer Lieutenant Colonel Charles Anderson VC wrote of Varley’s “strong personality” and his “vigorous and fearless championship of the troops”.

In September 1944 the remnants of Varley’s “A Force” were sent from Singapore to Japan and embarked upon the Rakuyo Maru and Kachidoki Maru. On 12 September the convoy was attacked. The Rakuyo Maru was hit by a torpedo from the USS Sealion. Not long after, the Kachidoki Maru was sunk by the USS Pampanito.

It took 12 hours for the stricken Rakuyo Maru to sink. An orderly evacuation was made from the ship, and once in the water many clung to debris while some managed to board lifeboats. Over the following days Japanese destroyers rescued around 500 survivors and American submarines picked up around 150, but a total of 1,559 Australian and British prisoners were killed in the sinking of the two ships.

A leader to the end, Varley was last seen in command of a group of seven lifeboats seen drifting away over the horizon. His party was never seen again.

Varley’s eldest son, Jack, also a distinguished soldier, was awarded the Military Cross in Malaya. His youngest son, Robert, was killed in action in New Guinea in 1945.

Varley’s name – along with his son Robert’s – is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with the names of 40,000 Australians killed in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of honour, courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Brigadier Arthur Leslie Varley, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.