Private Goulden was amongst the first Australians to be sent to Burma to work as forced labour for the Japanese. Escape from a Japanese work camps for Allied and Dutch POW’s was difficult. But against all the odds, Private Goulden would attempt an escape to get back to his young wife in Australia. It would have tragic consequences.

British General Wavell’s report into the Fall of Singapore was declassified on the 1st January 1993, after a 50 year suppression under the UK Secrets Act. The report made scathing allegations against Australian soldiers on Singapore Island leading up to the Fall of Singapore. Allegations that included desertion, indiscipline and failure to send out required patrols. Was this true?

Only 48 hours before the invasion of Singapore Island by the Japanese, a composite battalion was formed to help strengthen the Australian numbers defending the North West corner of the island. Known as the Special Reserve Battalion (SRB), it comprised men from the Australian Army Service Corps (AASC), Ordinance units and a company from the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion. The AASC (cooks, mechanics, drivers, clerks etc.) were relatively untrained. Such was the desperation of the time.

Lieutenant John Thompson Meiklejohn was a member of the Australian 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion which was part of the Australian 8th Division’s 22nd Brigade. His story of heroism while leading his men, is the story of the initial invasion of Singapore on the night of the 8th February 1942.