Chitty, George Noel OW(1922)

George Noel Chitty (1922) VX45954 8 Div Signals, a commercial traveller enlisted with the AIF in July 1940 at the age of 31. He arrived in Singapore with the 8th Division in February 1941 to defend Malaya/Singapore from any Japanese invasion.

For the rest of the year, he was involved in training and preparation for the possible invasion. During that time, he wrote frequently to his Melbourne fiancée, Edna telling of not only a little about his work but also of the things he got up to in his spare time – including running a book on local sports events.

In early December 1941, with the Japanese invasion of northern Malaya the war had finally come. The Japanese made quick progress through the British and Indian forces in the north and headed south to Singapore.

On 14 January 1942, Noel wrote what would be his last letter to Edna:

The Japs have had a great run so far but looks like meeting up with the AIF very shortly and everyone is quite confident that they will give the little yellow men whato. Have seen a lot of Jap planes about but have not been in any bombing raid yet.

Noel confidence was ill-founded. The Japanese could not be stopped by the Australian forces and after a retreat to Singapore, the island itself was surrendered to the Japanese on 15 February and Noel Chitty like 15,000 other Australians became Prisoners of War.

After a period at Changi, Noel was sent by ship as a member of 'F Force' to work on the Burma-Thai Railroad.

On 21 September 1943, Noel, at the age of 34 years died of illness at Taimonta, in Thailand. In the book The heroes of F Force collated by Don Wall, his death is documented:

He was a big man and a tower of strength, he worked like a slave on the line, apart from his own work he would always try and help some other man either with his work or carry his gear. [He] was a top bloke and one of the top heroes as far as our group were concerned, he was a real man in every way.

Dr Roy Mills recorded: He was jaundiced and had terrible pain in the muscles of his legs and it was clear he was suffering what is called “Weil’s disease”.

On the night he died he told his mates that he was not able to go on; by 6am the following morning he was dead.

Dr Mills continues: The men from Signals thought so much of Noel Chitty that instead of just burying him and take a map reference of the grave and keeping a record, they erected a wooden headstone, but afterwards it could not be located and it was probably swallowed up by the jungle.

His body was never recovered and his name is recorded on the Singapore Memorial.

In 2022, Noel’s niece, provided to the College archives two documents of historical interest.

1. A letter from City of Malvern on his enlistment.

2. A condolence letter from Buckingham Palace.