Arthur Edward Barstow

Who was Arthur Edward Barstow?

Major-General Arthur Edward "Bustling Bill" Barstow CIE MC was an officer in the British Indian Army and commanded the Indian 9th Infantry Division during the Battle of Malaya. He was killed by the Japanese on 28 January 1942 while trying to cross a demolished railway bridge near Layang Layang village. At the time he was attempting to contact one of his brigades which had become cut off from the rest of the retreating British forces. The Japanese found his body.

The 22nd Indian Brigade was nearly completely destroyed by the Japanese. The Indian 9th Infantry Division, after suffering many more casualties, would later be absorbed by the Indian 11th Infantry Division and the Australian 8th Division, both of which would later surrender at Singapore.

His brother was Brigadier John Anderson Barstow, who commanded the 69th Infantry Brigade but died in 1941.

He married Nancy Lewkenor Knight daughter of Col. Henry Lewkenor Knight and Sybil Madeline on 27 July 1927 in Alton.