ESCAPE FROM MALAYA

Evening Star, Issue 25618, 19 October 1945, Page 5

ESCAPE FROM MALAYA

FORMER AUSTRALIAN COMMANDER MILITARY INQUIRY (ißec; noon.) SYDNEY, October 19. A hoard of inquiry has been appointed to investigate the circumstances of the escape of Lieutenantgeneral Gordon Bennett from Malaya after the fall of Singapore in February, 1942. Lieutenant-General (Bennett was formerly Commander-iivOhief of the A.I.F. m Malaya. The_ inquiry board, consisting of General Sir Leslie Morsliead and Major-general V. P. Stantke, was appointed by General Blarney, Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Military Forces. The action was taken by General Blarney following receipt of a report from Lieu-tenant-general A. E. Percival, G.0.C., Malaya. Lieutenant-general Bennett has declined to comment on the decision > to hold the inquiry, but a year ago said: “ As far as my escape is concerned, it has been laid down that it is a soldier’s

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENNETT.

duty to escape .if captured, and to bring back any valuable information that can be obtained. My escape was after hostilities had ceased —not before.”

In reply to criticism by a section of the public that Lieutenant-general Bennett should not have escaped, the Minister for the Army, Mr Forde, announced in Parliament that his action ,in escaping had been endorsed by the War Cabinet and service chiefs of staff. Mr Forde added that the Military • Board had been unanimous that as Lieutenant-general (Bennett had remained for two hours after the Singapore surrender, he must be completely exonerated. •

Lieutenant-general Bennett retired from the Army last Aprih He said he did .not want to get out, but he had been “ frozen out.’’