Speech by Brigadier F G Galleghan to Australian POWs in Selarang Barracks - page 2

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I feel it is a very big victory. But they came along this morning with a certain amendment, which, in our opinion, made it a damn sight worse than before and I say this in fairness to them, I do not think they realise what they are writing. We refused to accept that form but we told them that, if they were prepared to place on that form that you are asked to sign “I...” and the rest of it, we would order it to be signed. They said that they would not put anything on the form, that it had been prepared in Tokyo. We said that it did not matter two hoots in hell whether it was in the front or on the back of it for all we cared but they said, no. We then submitted that they issue to the commanders an order of the Japanese army in writing, ordering us to sign. They went away to talk it over and subsequently issued an order to us. They issued it in this form.

...On 2nd Sept. I.J.A. order No 17 was issued wherein it said that those who were willing to sign would remain in Changi under the old conditions and those who were not willing would be moved to this area. Remember that number and date and that I am using the term “willing”. Today Col. Holmes was sent to the gaol and he had to take the original and duplicate copies of that order. When he arrived they were taken from him and he was handed an order dated 2nd September 1942 No 17, which orders every officer, non-commissioned officer and man, as prisoners of war to sign that declaration by order of the Japanese Army. Col. Holmes is subscribing an affidavit that this order was received on the 4th Sept. at 1545 hrs. And so that is that.

I personally am a junior commander to be in charge of 10000 men because I have always considered myself a battalion commander and no more. Very shortly after assuming command of the A.I.F. I am faced with the first major problem that has assailed us since being P.O.W. and I say that I accept the responsibility without hesitation. My order to you is being given knowing that my responsibility to you, the people and the government is, I regard – as I told you in my original message on assuming command – my primary job, that of keeping you as fit as possible, for possible subsequent service to your country.
Any commander going into battle always appreciates what will be his maximum casualties before he makes his plans. In this battle the casualties appreciated by the medical authorities are – before two weeks expire, 50%, in another week a much greater number and a possible 100% casualties by virtue of death and permanent disablement to the troops in this area. Any commander in appreciating casualties also has to appreciate – What casualties can I inflict on the other bloke? If he can inflict a greater number he is justified in taking the risk. If the appreciation shows that he cannot, he is not justified in taking the risk. I am faced with the responsibility of accepting a percentage of casualties far higher and greater than battle casualties without the opportunity of inflicting a casualty, .......... (unknown few words)

I say that I am accepting the responsibility knowing full well what I am doing. It is quite possible that a number of you people will criticise the decision I am making. I am afraid I am not to be worried by it. I am prepared to answer to my government and to the people of Australia. And I am prepared to look every one of you fairly and squarely in the face when I meet you in the towns of Australia and feel that I have done my job honestly and conscientiously. I want you to know that your action in coming here, in my opinion, increased the prestige of the British forces in the eyes of the Japanese. I am not criticising the past administration when I tell you something you know – that is, for the first time since we have been prisoners of war, the order of my friends has not been obeyed entirely and smoothly. I think he will appreciate us better because of that. The mere fact that we were subsequently able to get some compromise from them, I feel, has lifted our prestige considerably. What I am mainly concerned about is that I have seen by your move here a spirit of cooperation, of unity, and above all of brotherliness that makes any commander proud. I have seen in the barrack square the extension of that spirit to the other British forces here, and I have always deplored that there has been any question of separating we Australians from our brothers by race.

We are British, just as much part of the British Army as the cockney who came out here to go into the Gordon Highlanders. I say we are British. Some of you no doubt have heard quite a lot about me. You have heard that I have criticised (and criticised severely) the A.I.F. of this war. I have criticised you because you have no A.I.F. spirit. You have got your unit spirit, the brigade spirit and so on, but you have not got the spirit of the A.I.F. The spirit

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Taken on: September 17, 2024

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Sets appears in: • World War 2 (1939 - 1945) • Speech by Brigadier F G Galleghan - Changi Prisoner of War Camp, Singapore - WW2

Groups appears in: • Trove: Australia in Pictures

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