tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379962256741902605.post8147038872437159016..comments2024-03-20T10:29:10.810-07:00Comments on Military History: John George Frelford - 1st Bn Middlesex Regiment Philip Cracknellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03742419743648086989noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379962256741902605.post-78859192886069706762020-05-09T05:29:17.605-07:002020-05-09T05:29:17.605-07:00Hello: Thanks for your message. Could you email me...Hello: Thanks for your message. Could you email me (email address at top of post) your father's full name and I will see whether I have any info on him. Thanks, PhilipPhilip Cracknellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03742419743648086989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379962256741902605.post-53256843950739259962020-05-09T03:56:49.672-07:002020-05-09T03:56:49.672-07:00My farther was with the 1st Battalion Middlesex re...My farther was with the 1st Battalion Middlesex region,and captured on 25th December 1941,Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08543714812385422675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379962256741902605.post-44343176092009077242018-03-26T17:10:29.954-07:002018-03-26T17:10:29.954-07:00Thanks. It was interesting discovering Frelford...Thanks. It was interesting discovering Frelford's story and that interaction with Lewis Bush. The Crown Wine Cellars is another fascinating story.Philip Cracknellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03742419743648086989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379962256741902605.post-1916959823392103152018-03-26T15:28:00.586-07:002018-03-26T15:28:00.586-07:00A most interesting account Phil. I am only annoyed...A most interesting account Phil. I am only annoyed with myself that I did not “find” this earlier!<br /><br />There is something I would like to add though, regarding Lt. Bush of the HKRNVR. This officer, as you correctly point out, spoke Japanese fluently and was, of course, married to a Japanese lady.<br />The victorious Japanese put his language skills to good use after the surrender, and used him to call on the Australian Major commanding the Shouson Hill ammunition depot to surrender.<br />(This location is now the Crown Wine Cellars).<br /><br />The depot had held out until the morning of 27 Dec 1941 - quite some time after the rest of the Colony had surrendered on Christmas Day!<br />The Commanding Officer was reluctant to surrender, saying that he had wired the place up with explosives and that although he and his men would die, they would take a large number of Japanese with them.<br /><br />Bush, however, was able to persuade the Major to surrender, and we are told the Japanese treated the latter well - taking him to Aberdeen nearby where they gave him beer and chocolate!Megalodonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17410634803458807415noreply@blogger.com