Tunku Tan Sri Osman (24 November 1919 – 19 April 1994) was the first
Malaysian Armed Forces
The Malaysian Armed Forces (: MAF; ms, Angkatan Tentera Malaysia; Jawi: ), are the armed forces of Malaysia, consists of three branches; the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The number of MAF active pers ...
Chief of Staff. He is a nephew of
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ( ms, تونكو عبد الرحمن ڤوترا الحاج ابن سلطان عبد الحميد حليم شاه, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 8 Febru ...
, Malaysia's first
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
as well as a
first cousin
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, " ...
to the late
Sultan Abdul Halim, the late
Tunku Abdul Malik
Tunku Abdul Malik ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah (24 September 1929 – 29 November 2015) was the heir presumptiveAlthough he was sometimes called heir ''apparent'' due to him being invested Raja Muda, this was not technically true since he could s ...
, the late
Tunku Annuar
Tunku Annuar ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah PSM DKH DMK SPMK SSDK PSB (30 June 1937 – 21 May 2014) was a member of the Kedah royal family and Chairman of the Regency Council of the Malaysian state of Kedah. He was the son of Sultan Badlishah ...
and
Sultan Sallehuddin since their fathers and
The Tunku are brothers (paternal half siblings). General Tunku Osman was known for his strong principles and self-discipline as well as highly respected by the ranks and files of the army.
Background
Tunku Osman received his early education at the
Hutchin School,
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
and later enrolled into the
Sultan Abdul Hamid College
Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid ( en, Sultan Abdul Hamid College; abbreviated SAHC; also known as Maktab Sultan Abdul Hamid) located in Alor Setar, Kedah, is one of Malaysia's oldest and most prestigious schools. Founded in 1908 as Government English S ...
(SAHC),
Alor Star
Alor Setar ( Jawi: الور ستار, Kedahan: ''Loqstaq'') is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia ...
,
Kedah
Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
. In March 1935, he furthered his studies at the
Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School (BGS) is a 4–18 mixed, independent day school in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1532 by Royal Charter for the teaching of 'good manners and literature', endowed by wealthy Bristol merchants Robert and Nicholas Thorn ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. There, he was taken care of and guided by
Reginald James MacGregor. When the war broke in Europe, Tunku Osman showed his interest in joining the
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
when R.J. McGregor's sons joined the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
.
Career highlights
From April to August 1942, Tunku Osman trained with the
Gloucester Regiment as a recruit and later joined the 80th
Reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
Regiment. He was then sent undergo cadet training at the Highland Fieldcraff Centre in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. He underwent further training at
Bovington
Bovington Camp () is a British Army military base in Dorset, England. Together with Lulworth Camp it forms part of Bovington Garrison.
The garrison is home to The Armour Centre and contains two barracks complexes and two forest and heathland tr ...
and was seconded to the
Royal Armoured Car Regiment. In 1944, he entered the OCTU at
Barmouth
Barmouth ( cy, Abermaw (formal); ''Y Bermo'' (colloquial)) is a seaside town and community (Wales), community in the county of Gwynedd, northwestern Wales, lying on the estuary of the Afon Mawddach and Cardigan Bay. Located in the Historic coun ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
in December 1944 to undergo training as a
cadet officer
St John Ambulance Ireland (SJAI), previously known as the St John Ambulance Brigade of Ireland, is a charitable voluntary organisation in Ireland. For constitutional reasons it is not a full member association of the Venerable Order of Saint Jo ...
.
In 1945, Tunku Osman joined the
Force 136
Force 136 was a far eastern branch of the British World War II intelligence organisation, the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Originally set up in 1941 as the India Mission with the cover name of GSI(k), it absorbed what was left of SOE's Or ...
and was commissioned as
second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
(May 1945) and was absorbed into the General List. He continued
parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...
training and investigations at
Calcutta, India
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, commer ...
. He spearheaded the Malay Guerrilla Group when Force 136 was abolished after surrender of Japan.
In 1946, Tunku Osman joined the British Military Administration (BMA) in Malaya and served in the British Army in Malaya. In 1947 Tunku Osman joined the
Royal Malay Regiment
The Royal Malay Regiment ( ms, Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja; Jawi script, Jawi: ) is the premier unit of the Malaysian Army's two infantry regiments. At its largest, the Malay Regiment comprised 27 battalions. At present, three battalions are par ...
(1 February 1947) and was commissioned as
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
and assigned to the 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment. He was promoted to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in February 1951 and later to the rank of major in 1955. The same year, Tunku Osman was sent to attend a Senior Officers course at Devizes, Wiltshire. In 1958, Tunku Osman was assigned to the 6th Battalion and the 7th Malay Regiment as Assistant Commanding Officer.
In July 1958, Tunku Osman was promoted to
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
and took command of the 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment. He was the first
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
Commanding Officer of the battalion. In May 1960, Tunku Osman was promoted to the rank of colonel while he was attending the Joint Services Staff College and in June 1960 was promoted to brigadier general and took command of 2nd Malayan Infantry Brigade. In July 1961, Tunku Osman was made "Brigadier of The Army" at the Ministry of Defense.
Appointment as Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces
When General Tan Sri
Sir Rodney Moore retired as the
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Tunku Osman was promoted to
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
and appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. He was the first Malayan to hold the highest rank in the Malaysian Armed Forces. Tunku Osman retired from his position on 24 November 1969.
Honours
For his many services and contributions, he was conferred various medals and honours:
Honours of Malaysia
* :
** Companion of the
Order of the Defender of the Realm
The Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm ( ms, Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara) is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country. The Order Motto are 'Dipeliharakan Allah-Pangkuan Negara' (By the Grace o ...
(JMN) (1961)
* :
** Commander of the
Order of the Defender of the Realm
The Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm ( ms, Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara) is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country. The Order Motto are 'Dipeliharakan Allah-Pangkuan Negara' (By the Grace o ...
(PMN) – Tan Sri (1964)
**
Recipient of the
Malaysian Commemorative Medal (Gold) (PPM) (1965)
* :
**
Recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (PPT) (1968)
* :
**
Knight Companion of the
Order of the Crown of Pahang
The Esteemed Order of the Crown of Pahang (Malay: '' Darjah Kebesaran Mahkota Pahang Yang Amat Mulia'') is a knighthood order of the Sultanate of Pahang.
History
The order was founded by Sultan Abu Bakar on 27 December 1968. It is awarded t ...
(DIMP) – Dato' (1969)
Foreign Honours
* :
**
Grand Officer of the
National Order of Vietnam
The National Order of Vietnam ( vi, Bảo Quốc Huân Chương) was a combined military-civilian decoration of South Vietnam and was considered the highest honor that could be bestowed upon an individual by the Republic of Vietnam government. ...
(1965)
* :
**
Second Class of the
Order of Diplomatic Service Merit
The Order of Diplomatic Service Merit (Hangul: 수교훈장) is one of South Korea's orders of merit. It is awarded by the President of South Korea for "outstanding meritorious services in the interest of enhancing national prestige and promoting ...
* :
**
Grand Cross (Datu) of the
Order of Sikatuna
The Order of Sikatuna ( fil, Orden ng Sikatuna) is the national order of diplomatic merit of the Republic of the Philippines. It is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic of the Philipp ...
*
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
:
**
Grand Commander of the
Order of the Crown
*:
**
Grand Officer of the
Order of the Star of Ethiopia
The Order of the Star of Ethiopia was established as an order of knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire, founded by the Negus of Shoa and later Emperor of Ethiopia Menelik II in 1884–1885. It is currently awarded as a house order by the Crown Cou ...
*:
**
Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the White Elephant
__NOTOC__
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก; ) is an order (decoration), orde ...
*:
**
Burma Star
The Burma Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to British and Commonwealth forces who served in the Burma Campaign from 1941 to 1945, during the Second World War.
One clasp, Pacific, was ...
**
British War Medal
The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in si ...
**
Defence Medal
Death and burial
He died on 19 April 1994 and was buried near Tunku Abdul Rahman's grave at
Kedah Royal Mausoleum
Kedah Royal Mausoleum or Langgar Royal Mausoleum ( ms, Makam Diraja Langgar) is a Kedah royal burial grounds. It is located in Langgar, Kota Setar District, Kedah, Malaysia.
List of graves Sultan graves
* Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Mu'adz ...
at
Langgar.
Orang Melayu Pertama Memegang Jawatan Tertinggi Tentera Negara Dari Kedah
/ref>
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tunku Mohammad Jewa, Tunku Osman
1919 births
1994 deaths
British Army personnel of World War II
Malaysian Army personnel
Osman Osman is the Persian transliteration and derived from the Arabic masculine given name Uthman ( ar, عُثْمان, , link=no ''‘uthmān'') or an English surname. It may refer to:
People
* Osman (name), people with the name
* Osman I (1258–132 ...
People educated at Bristol Grammar School
Companions of the Order of the Defender of the Realm
People from Kedah
Malaysian people of Malay descent
Malaysian Muslims
Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm
Gloucestershire Regiment soldiers
British Special Operations Executive personnel
Reconnaissance Corps soldiers