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LT-COL NORMAN CRAWLEY, who has died aged 72, made a splendidly daring attempt to escape from Singapore when it was surrendered to the Japanese on Feb 15 1942.
A soldier's son, Norman Crawley was born in India on Oct 29 1917 and educated at Preston Grammar School and Woolwich. He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1937, completed a parachute course and served with the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine.
He arrived in Singapore with 18 Division at the beginning of the fateful February of 1942, when what was left of the Navy had been withdrawn and the Japanese had complete air superiority: to make matters worse much of the Division's equipment had been sunk on the way in, including their anti-tank guns.
On learning of the surrender Crawley, who could not swim, had paddled himself out to a detached mole, clutching a baulk of timber. With 30 other soldiers he managed to reach a large junk, named Hiap, which was anchored nearby. Crawley, who was an experienced yachtsman, took charge and set off for Australia. Soon afterwards the junk picked up some Australians and Indians from an island and mustered a ship's company of 72, including five wounded. Strict discipline was imposed, and all possessions were pooled.
Soon afterwards they encountered a Malay fisherman, who piloted them to an island where there was a food cache. Here they learned that British and Dutch SOE officers had prepared an escape route to India via Sumatra. But when they reached Padang they found it sealed off by Japanese aircraft and submarines. From here Crawley set off in a Malay prow, 40 fl long with an ample head of sail but no engine or keel - this made any progress to windward virtually impossible. Nonetheless they had managed to sail to within 300 miles of Ceylon when they had the misfortune to run into three Japanese tankers - a million-to-one chance, as it was raining at the time and visibility was poor.
The escapers were returned to Singapore and sent up to Thailand to work on the Bangkok-Moulmein "Railway of Death". There Crawley made two other abortive attempts to escape.
As adjutant of his unit he did his best to improve the conditions of the men, to influence the Japanese to provide more and better food, and to prevent sick and dying men being sent out to work. He was frequently beaten up by his captors for his
pains, but his cheerfulness and courage were a great solace to his fellow prisoners.
After the Japanese surrender on Aug 15 1945 Crawley voluntarily remained in Bangkok to assist in tracing and evacuating the surviving prisoners of war, who were in the last stages of exhaustion after three and half years of malnutrition, disease, over-work and ill-treatment.
Crawley was appointed MBE. After the war he commanded the Battle-Axe Company, and continued to serve in various staff appointments until his retirement in 1962. He went on to pursue a successful business career although dogged by ill health.
He is survived by his wife, Doreen, and a son.
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