Review by The Hon. Veronica Masefield,
wife of the late J. B. Masefield
(Malayan Police 1936-1955)
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The book is written from letters to Jean's mother in Australia from 1941 to 1952. Jean
arrived as a bride in Klang in 1941 where John was the District Officer. It was a very critical
time just before the Japanese invasion on 8 December 1941. Jean gives a very clear
description of her departing from Klang, and her time in Singapore before her escape to
Australia. John became a civil internee in Singapore. In 1946 John came on leave to Australia
but shortly returned to Malaya to Perak, where at Batu Gajah he and Joan entered into an
active life in the community. The shortages were awful and the health of the people bad. Joan
soon set to work at the hospital and founded an almoners service for the families of TB
patients. For her work in this field in Perak, Malacca, and Johore, Joan was awarded the
MBE in 1953.
Jean gives a vivid description of the life of the British Adviser, his life in Malaya after the
war and during the communist troubles. There are the times they met the Sultans and local
communities of Malay, Indian, Chinese and European in the different states. It is the story of
how two people had a full life and discovered the country and people of Malaya up to John's
retirement in 1952.
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Author
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Jean Falconer
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Published
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1992
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Pages
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233
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Publisher
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The Pentland Press
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ISBN
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1872795684
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Availability
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Abebooks
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