Lieutenant Colonel Francis George Leach Chester

Service number 255581, VB255581
Birth Date 1899-06-14
Birth Place South Africa: Gauteng, Johannesburg
Death Date 1946-08-18
Final Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Service British Army
Units
  • Services Reconnaissance Department
  • Z Special Unit
Places
Conflicts/Operations
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1947-03-06
Published in London Gazette in 1945-04-26
Published in London Gazette in 1947-03-06
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1945-04-19
Description

Lieutenant-Colonel Francis George Leach "Gort" Chester was a British officer attached to Special Operations Australia (SOA). Gort Chester led several covert operations in Borneo with SOA including Python, Agas I and Agas III. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). For 20 years prior to the Japanese invasion Chester was a rubber planter near Jesselton on the West Coast of North Borneo. His fluency in Malay, intimate knowledge of the country and many acquaintances in the Dayak and Chinese community provided vital intelligence and safe contacts in the region. Chester returned to North Borneo in October 1945 and resigned his commission in March 1946. He died at Jesselton now Kota Kinabalu on the 18th August 1946 of malaria. His gravestone is in Kota Kinabalu Anglican Cemetery.

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    Z Special Unit
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    06 March 1947 on page 1089 at position 39
    Commonwealth Gazette
    06 March 1947 on page 748 at position 27
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    Z Special Unit
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    26 April 1945 on page 2211 at position 1
    Commonwealth Gazette
    19 April 1945 on page 917 at position 1

Timeline

Date of birth 14 June 1899
Date of death 18 August 1946