This oval is dedicated to the memory of
Brigadier Arthur Leslie Varley.
13 October 1893 - 14 September 1944.
A distinguished son of Inverell
Arthur Leslie Varley distinguished himself in WW1, serving in Egypt, France and Belgium.
He came home to Inverell a Captain in the AIF, decorated with the Military Cross and Bar.
He joined Bert Daly and Sons as a stock and station agent and took up the grazing
property Kahmoo, near Nullamanna. Arthur distinguished himself locally as a sportsman,
excelling in rugby, cricket and tennis. A stalwart in promoting the Inverell CMF,
he was promoted to Lt. Colonel in 1939. In 1940, he was seconded to the AIF and assumed
command of 2/18th Battalion, part of the 22nd Brigade destined for service in Malaya.
In the final days of the Battle for Singapore against the advancing Japanese
Forces he was promoted to Brigadier. Defeated, he surrendered to the Japanese
on 15 February 1942. Varley then found himself in charge of 9,000 allied POWs. Varley
and his men were taken to Burma for forced labour on airstrip construction.
Varley distinguished himself with his men with his extractions of small comforts
from their Japanese captors. The POW's were then shipped to Thanbyuzayt to begin
construction on the Burma - Thailand Railway. Again, Brigadier Varley championed
the welfare of his men against the cruelty of the Japanese. The railway
completed, Varley and 1200 of his men were prisoners aboard the Rakuyo Maru en route
to Japan when the ship was torpedoed off Hainan. The survivors managed to man eleven
abandoned lifeboats which set off in two groups , one going west. Varley's boats
went east and they were not seen again. It is assumed that all perished at sea.
Varley's two sons were also in the war, Robert killed In New Guinea. Jack served
in Malaya, won the Military Cross and survived the conflict. A much loved and
admired citizen of Inverell, Arthur Leslie Varley served his community and country, ultimately
paying with his life. To honour the memory of this much loved man and soldier, this
sports oval is named after him.
Lest we Forget. RIP, Arthur Leslie Varley.