Simon Hutchinson
(Malaya and Borneo 1948-67)
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Cecil Gutteridge has produced a readable, modestly written, autobiography of which
the greater part deals with his seventeen years as a customs officer in Malaya. It is
evident, though he is far too modest to make such a claim, that he was an outstanding
officer frequently given special tasks and always ready to go beyond the routine
performance of his duty. Although he did his fair share of routine revenue collection
duties and administrative work he had a flair for preventive work and his description of
the well-nigh impossible task of preventing cross-border smuggling along the whole
length of the Thailand/Malaya border makes good reading. Equally interesting is his
brief but very active service as a locally commissioned RNVR officer in 1942
culminating in capture by the Japanese Navy after the sinking of his ship and an
increasingly awful four days clinging to wreckage. The Japanese Navy treated its
prisoners moderately well, unlike the abominable Japanese soldiers, though still well
below civilised standards and with scant regard for the health of their prisoners. All this
is well told without bitterness or self pity. He ended his service when Malaya achieved
independence as head of all preventive work in the north western part of Malaya and
although he adapted well to enforced retirement and made a great success of a career in
commerce at home he, like many others, was never so satisfied as when serving the
Government and people of Malaya.
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Author
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Cecil Gutteridge
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Published
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2005
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Pages
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206 |
Publisher
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The Author
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Availability
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