Sir Adrian Herbert Curlewis CVO CBE as a captain General Staff Officer Grade 3 Headquarters 8th Division, Malaya and Singapore, and a prisoner of the Japanese in the Second World War, interviewed by Dr Hank Nelson.

Sir Adrian Curlewis speaks of his experiences in Malaya and Singapore and as a prisoner of the Japanese during the Second World War.

Sir Adrian was a barrister-at-law before he enlisted. As President of the Surf Life-Saving Association with so many members enlisting he felt that it was his duty to enlist as well. He had a wife and two children and was well over the age for enlistment. In 1920 he had been an officer in the Cadet Corps and when he went to university he became an Orderly Room corporal in the University Regiment. After a few months he sat for a commission and had passed it when compulsory service was terminated. When the Second World War broke out he was told that his brief holding of a commission meant that he would have to be called up from his regiment. He began working as a barrister for the Intelligence Corps in Sydney. In August 1941 he joined the 8th Division as General Staff Officer 3 (GSO3) in intelligence. When posted to Malaya he became GSO3 in Operations.
Curlewis describes his part in obtaining permission for nurses to dance with officers aboard the troop carrier Queen Mary and the wonderful sight that it was. He describes the training of the 6,000 8th Division troops aboard and the route that the Queen Mary took to Malaya whilst three other ships in convoy after leaving Perth carried on the Middle East.
He talks of the difficulties in moving troops around Malaya and liaising with British troops, when writing operation orders. The Australians concentrated on training for jungle-fighting whereas some British forces such as the Manchester Regiment had not left Singapore. Around September 1941 they began to think that war in Malaya with Japan was probable and this was confirmed on 7th December with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
He comments on the bad effect that The Australian newspaper’s Shelton Smith’s article stating that Australian troops were having a great time in Malaya had upon the troops who knew differently. The troops had been led to expect by General Bennett to take the fight forward against inferior troops but General Percival who was in command had them falling back to defensive positions, eventually back across the causeway into Singapore.
On 11th February 1942 he first heard of Gordon Bennett’s intention to leave Singapore. He was unsure whether he had been given an invitation or an order to join the party. He was told by Walker and Moses that they had to get the General out. He was to fetch the boat and was to be there to negotiate with Malayan Command, if necessary. In his circles the reaction to Bennett’s departure was shock, especially by the G1, a colonel, who asked him to write the matter up. Somehow, over the years the disapproval had changed to admiration as the troops greeted Bennett but he cannot explain it. Surrender to the Japanese. Organising the ‘University of Changi’, for giving the prisoners training that could be of value after the war. Working parties around Singapore. Black Jack Galleghan’s taking command of all military prisoners. Signing an order under duress not to escape.
Hellish conditions of railway working party F Force: travel, accommodation, feeding, working and captivity in general.

A cholera epidemic. Diet details. 29 attacks of malaria and hospital; Curlewis’ diary. Concerts at Changi and performers. The end of the war and minor retaliation against the Japanese by some Gurkhas. Curlewis’s Catalina flight from Labuan to Darwin and hospitalisation against his will.

Places mentioned: Bam Pong, Changi, Darwin, Fraser’s Hill Health Resort, Gemas, Johore Bahru, Kamburi, Kota Baharu, Labuan, Muar, Singapore,
Selarang Barracks. People mentioned: General Gordon Bennett; Col Broadbent, Arthur Davis, Major Dawkins, Col Derham, Black Jack Galleghan,
Lt Greener, Major Head, Captain Jessop, (G3 Intelligence), Colonel Kappe (G2), Daryl McIntyre, Capt Roy Mills (MO), Charles Moses, Muriama, Matron Paschke, General Percival, Shelton Smith (Australian correspondent), Colonel Thyer, G1, Col Thompson, Gordon Walker.