Notable military types among the ex-students
The fall of Singapore 1942
Sydney Boys High connections
I remember the Sydney High Anzac Day assembly in 1957, and I remember too that when I told Mum and Dad about it afterwards their enthusiasm was muted. Gordon Bennett was not entirely uncontroversial, as memories of the surrender of Singapore and what Bennett did were still quite fresh. Fifteen years does not seem long ago to me these days, nor did it to my parents in 1957. My Dad’s RAAF greatcoat was still hanging in our laundry…
For detail see this episode of Four Corners (ABC).
Despite highly decorated achievements during World War I, during which he commanded at both battalion and brigade level and became the youngest general in the Australian Army, Bennett is best remembered for his role during the fall of Singapore in February 1942. As commander of the 8th Australian Division, he escaped while his men became prisoners of the Imperial Japanese Army. After this, Bennett’s military career waned and, although he rose to command a corps, he never again commanded troops in battle. In 1945, his escape caused controversy and resulted in a Royal Commission and military enquiry. Both found that he had been unjustified in relinquishing his command. — Wikipedia
Sydney Boys High — “The Record” 1957
UPDATE: I have found the citation for Des Duffy’s Military Cross. It can be viewed on the 2/30 Battalion Association site. Search for “Duffy”.
And for the local people:
Operation Jaywick
This was a truly epic venture, and a Sydney Boys High alumnus was a vital member of it.
WARNING: The following video is a religious telecast, so if you want to avoid the sermon stop it at 20 minutes! Up until then it really is a good account of the Krait.
I have posted about this before. See From Sydney High to World War 2 heroes….
Bob Page? Now there is a story!
This humble fishing trawler led a double life during World War II as part of Operation Jaywick.
See The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (NX19158) Captain Robert Charles Page, Z Special Unit, Second World War.
Bob Page was born on 21 July 1920 in Sydney, the eldest son of Harold and Anne Page. He attended Sydney Boys’ High School and enrolled to study medicine at the University of Sydney in 1940. He left his studies a little over 12 months later to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force. Joining the 2/4th Pioneer Battalion, he was quickly promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
In 1942 Page’s father, Harold, who had been a senior administrator in New Guinea, was captured by the Japanese at Rabaul. Later that year Harold Page was en route to Japan on board the Montevideo Maru with more than a thousand prisoners of war when it was torpedoed and sunk, killing all the prisoners on board.
In the same year Lieutenant Page transferred to Z Special Unit, a joint Allied unit formed to conduct clandestine operations behind Japanese lines in South East Asia. In September 1943 he took part in Operation Jaywick, devised by British officer Captain Ivan Lyon and using a dilapidated Japanese-built fishing vessel, the Krait, to sneak a crew of 14 into enemy waters. The Krait left Western Australia on the 2nd of September and arrived off Singapore about three weeks later. From there, Page and five other men paddled canoes in to Singapore Harbour and attached limpet mines to Japanese ships under cover of darkness. They destroyed or seriously damaged seven ships, more than 35,000 tonnes of shipping.
On his return, Bob Page married Roma Prowse in Canberra on the 1st of November, 1943. His role in Z Special Unit required him to keep the operation secret from Roma. Page was awarded the DSO for his “courage and devotion under extreme hazardous conditions”, but because of the need for secrecy it was not officially promulgated until 1945 and Bob never knew about it….
To conclude the story, I turn to the Australian Dictionary of Biography.
In September 1944 Page was one of twenty-three men taken by submarine to the South China Sea. There they seized a junk in which they sailed towards Singapore. On 6 October, off Laban Island, they mistakenly fired on a Malay police launch, killing some or all of the crew. With secrecy lost, the mission was abandoned. The commandos scuttled the junk and made their way in rubber dinghies to their base on Merapas Island. For about two months they either evaded or fought off the pursuing Japanese. A British submarine sent to collect them failed to make contact. Page and ten other survivors were eventually captured, taken to Singapore and sentenced to death. With nine comrades, he was beheaded on 7 July 1945 at Ulu Pandan. After the war had ended, his remains were reinterred in Kranji war cemetery. His wife survived him.
There was a made-for-TV movie in 1989, Heroes of the Krait.
Sir Roden Cutler VC — from Sydney Boys High to WW2 in Syria
The road down the Moore Park side of the school is called Cutler Drive. I mentioned it yesterday.
Cutler Drive on the left
[Sir] Roden Cutler was awarded the VC and went on to be Governor of NSW. The driveway from Anzac Parade to Cleveland Street past the school’s front entrance is named after him. And the gates at Anzac Parade, dedicated to him in 2007.
Dr Jaggar, the Principal, said at the Dedication:
As a scholar, sportsman, soldier, leader,diplomat, concerned citizen and statesman,Sir Roden Cutler was an example in action of our SBHS ethos – with truth and courage. At High in 1934, Sir Roden was awarded School Blues for swimming, water polo and target rifle shooting. Sir Roden was described as a trier, a leader and a role model for younger boys. At High, then as now, we idealise the good all-rounder – the person who has the talent, courage, will power, self-discipline, flexibility and communication skills to succeed in a variety of endeavours. Sir Roden was such a man. His integrity in public life was legendary; his gallantry conspicuous, his humility inspirational. He was able to interact easily and warmly with people from all walks of life. He loved his sport. His lifelong dedication to public service and charitable causes marks him out as a very special Australian icon – a man of the people.
Most importantly of all for us here, Sir Roden held his old school in high regard and throughout his life supported its activities. His involvement as patron of our organisations made him special to our community. He was a point of reference for the school in its history and a champion of its causes. He dedicated buildings and made himself available at ceremonial occasions, despite his commitments as Governor. Even as late as 2000, nearly two decades after his retirement, he attended an Anzac Day assembly with a 1934-40 class reunion at High, despite his ill health and the inconvenience of being confined to a wheel chair. He joined in the singing of the school song with his old classmates. He followed closely the fortunes of the cadets and the rifle team and was very pleased with the gift of a picture of the High GPS Championship target rifle shooting team of 2001. It was with a solemn pride that twenty School Prefects formed up behind our school banner and led the procession into St Andrews cathedral at Sir Roden‟s state funeral in 2002.
As a staff member in 2000, I was at that Anzac Day assembly.
In the early hours of 6 July 1941, the Battle of Damour began. This operation, fought 30 km south of Beirut, was the last major operation of the Syria-Lebanon Campaign that Australians were involved in.From the start, Vichy French forces responded with constant shelling and mortar attacks. Australian losses began to mount.
As an artillery observation officer, Cutler was involved in heavy fighting. He captured 8 Vichy French soldiers from 3 separate machine-gun posts.
The enemy in the first nest were persuaded by the sight of this six feet four inches of elongated Aussie jumping right into their midst. Those in the second nest were talked into it by Cutler’s limited French. A grenade dropped into the third plus the assistance of a Bren-gunner from the battalion caused its occupants to make an instant decision on the subject.
[John William O’Brien, Guns and Gunners: the story of the 2/5th Australian Field Regiment in World War II, 1950, p 122]
As fighting continued in the hilly surrounds, communication became difficult. The Australians’ wireless would not work. Cutler offered to attempt to restore communication. He planned to go to a pre-arranged spot and try and lay a telephone line, despite the danger from ongoing heavy machine-gun fire.
Before he could complete the task, Cutler was wounded in the leg. He managed to stem the blood loss with a tourniquet. But he lay in the open, in excruciating pain, for 26 hours. Pinned down by enemy fire, his company was unable to rescue him.
Cutler was eventually rescued by French prisoners, who took him to the road. From there, he was taken for medical care at a dressing station. By this time, his leg had become septic. Amputation was the only option.
Cutler’s ‘conspicuous and sustained gallantry’ bravery was recognised with the awarding of a Victoria Cross (VC). When he was well enough to travel, he was invalided out of the army and returned to Australia.
That is from Anzac Portal — Australian Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
Arthur Roden Cutler (right) pictured at the awarding of his Victoria Cross with his mother, Ruby Cutler (centre) and the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Gowrie (left), at Admiralty House, Kirribilli, on 11 June 1942. AWM 012577
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