Ibrahim Ismail (general)
General (Rtd) Tun Ibrahim bin Ismail KMN SSM MBE (19 October 1922 – 23 December 2010) was a Malayan soldier who served in the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II, subsequently rising to the post of Chief of the Malaysian Defence Forces from 1971 until 1977.[1]
Ibrahim Ismail KMN SSM PIS PJK PKB PDK MBE | |
|---|---|
| 5th Chief of Defence Forces | |
| In office 1 July 1970 – 30 November 1977 | |
| Monarch |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | General Abdul Hamid Bidin |
| Succeeded by | General Mohd Sany Abdul Ghaffar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ibrahim bin Ismail 19 October 1922 Sultanate of Johor |
| Died | 23 December 2010 (aged 88) Kuala Lumpur |
| Resting place | Makam Pahlawan, Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| Spouse(s) | Toh Puan Zakiah Ahmad |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Senior military officer, secret agent, businessman |
| Civilian awards | Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1941–1977 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit |
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| Commands |
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| Battles/wars |
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| Military awards | Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) |
Biography
Ismail was born in Johor Bahru, Sultanate of Johor, at the southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula. He graduated from the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun and was commissioned into the Indian Army, following the Japanese invasion of Malaya.
He was recruited into "Force 136", the cover name for the SOE in the Far East. In October 1944 he and two colleagues were parachuted onto the western coast of Terengganu as part of "Operation Oatmeal". Unfortunately their location was betrayed and they were soon captured by the Japanese – along with their codebook. After a month's interrogation, they agreed to turn double agent, but managed to inform SOE of their situation, effectively becoming triple agents.[1]
Their disinformation led the Japanese to believe the land assault on Malaya – Operation Zipper – would occur on the Kra Isthmus, 650 miles to the north of its actual location. Fortunately Japan surrendered before the landings, and Ismail regretfully informed his captors that his religion would not permit him to commit hara-kiri with them.[1] For his actions Captain Ismail was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in November 1946.[2]
Post-war, Ismail joined the Sultan of Johore's Royal Johor Military Force (JMF), transferring to the Malay Regiment in 1951. He commanded the 6th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment from 1958, and was promoted to Brigadier in 1962. He served as Director of Administration in the Federation Army, and then commanded the 5th Infantry Brigade, and was GOC of the 1st Infantry Division from 1966.[1] He was involved in the suppression of the May 1969 riots[3] and was a member of the ruling National Operations Council between 1969 and 1971. With the rank of General he then served as Chief of the Defence Forces until his retirement in 1977. In 1984 he published his wartime memoirs Have You Met Mariam?
In 2000 Ismail was appointed a Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia, and received the honorific title "Tun".[1]
Tun Ibrahim died at Tuanku Mizan Military Hospital, Kuala Lumpur on 23 December 2010. His body was laid to rest at Makam Pahlawan near Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur. He was the first military person laid to rest there.
Honours
Honours of Malaysia
References
- "Tun Ibrahim Ismail". The Daily Telegraph. London. 26 January 2011. ISSN 0307-1235. OCLC 49632006. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- "No. 37780". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 November 1946. p. 5465.
- "Malaysia's former military chief and WWII spy dies". asiaone.com. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
- "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 2000" (PDF).
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