Tunku Osman Tunku Mohammad Jewa
Encyclopedia
General
Tunku Osman Tunku Mohammad Jewa was the first Malaysian Armed Forces Chief of Staff.
Tunku Osman received his early education at the Hutchin School, Penang
and later enrolled into the Sultan Abdul Hamid College
(SAHC), Alor Star
, Kedah
. On March 1935, he furthered his studies at the Bristol Grammar School
, England
. 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
when R.J. McGregor's sons joined the Royal Air Force
.
Regiment. He was then sent undergo cadet training at the Highland Fieldcraff Centre in Scotland
. He underwent further training at Bovington and was seconded to the Royal Armoured Car Regiment
. In 1944, he entered the OCTU at Barmouth
, Wales
on December 1944 to undergo training as a cadet officer.
In 1945 Tunku Osman joined the Force 136
and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant
(May 1945) and was absorbed into the General List. He continued parachute
training and investigations at Calcutta, India. 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
(1 February 1947) and was commissioned as Lieutenant
and assigned to the 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment. He was promoted to Captain 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
and took command of the 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment. He was the first Malay 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.
and appointed as the Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces. He was the first Malay to hold the highest rank in the Malaysian Armed Forces. Tunku Osman retired from his position on 24 November 1969.
He was also bestowed the Malaysian order of chivalry which carries the title 'Tan Sri'.
, Malaysia's first Prime Minister
. 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. He died on 19 April 1994 at the age of 75 and was buried near Tunku Abdul Rahman's grave at Kedah Royal Mausoleum
at Langgar
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Tunku Osman Tunku Mohammad Jewa was the first Malaysian Armed Forces Chief of Staff.
Tunku Osman received his early education at the Hutchin School, Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
and later enrolled into the Sultan Abdul Hamid College
Sultan Abdul Hamid College
The Sultan Abdul Hamid College is a premier school in Alor Setar, Malaysia. Formerly known as the Government English School, it is one of the oldest English schools to be established in the country. It boasts of an illustrious alumni roster that includes Prime Ministers Mahathir bin Mohamad and...
(SAHC), Alor Star
Alor Star
Alor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...
, Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
. On March 1935, he furthered his studies at the Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England. The school was founded in 1532 by two brothers, Robert and Nicholas Thorne....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There, he was taken care of and guided by Reginald James MacGregor
Reginald James MacGregor
Reginald James MacGregor was a British author of children's literature who wrote numerous books and plays between the 1920s and 1950s, as RJ McGregor. His early books had Far Eastern settings. His most successful books were The Young Detectives and its sequels. These books charted the adventures...
. When the war broke in Europe, Tunku Osman showed his interest in joining the armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
when R.J. McGregor's sons joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
Career highlights
From April to August 1942, Tunku Osman trained with the Gloucester Regiment as a recruit and later joined the 80th ReconnaissanceReconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
Regiment. He was then sent undergo cadet training at the Highland Fieldcraff Centre in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He underwent further training at Bovington and was seconded to the Royal Armoured Car Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
. In 1944, he entered the OCTU at Barmouth
Barmouth
Barmouth ; Y Bermo ) is a town in the county of Gwynedd, north-western Wales, lying on the estuary of the River Mawddach and Cardigan Bay.The town is served by Barmouth railway station.- History :...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
on December 1944 to undergo training as a cadet officer.
In 1945 Tunku Osman joined the Force 136
Force 136
Force 136 was the general cover name for a branch of the British World War II organization, the Special Operations Executive . The organisation was established to encourage and supply resistance movements in enemy-occupied territory, and occasionally mount clandestine sabotage operations...
and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
(May 1945) and was absorbed into the General List. He continued parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
training and investigations at Calcutta, India. 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
Royal Malay Regiment
The Royal Malay Regiment is the premier unit of the Malaysian Army's two infantry regiments. At its largest, the Malay Regiment comprised 27 battalions. At present, two battalions are parachute trained and form part of the Malaysian Army Rapid Deployment Force...
(1 February 1947) and was commissioned as Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and assigned to the 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment. He was promoted to Captain 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
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and took command of the 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment. He was the first Malay 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 GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and appointed as the Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces. He was the first Malay 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:- the 'Vietnam National Order' (2nd Class),
- the 'Order of Distinguished Diplomatic Service II' (Korea),
- the 'Datu Sikana' (the Philippines),
- the 'Order of Grand Tadj' (Iran), the 'Knight of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia' (Ethiopia) and
- the 'Knight Grand Cross of the Exalted Order of the White ElephantOrder of the White ElephantThe Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...
(Thailand)'.
He was also bestowed the Malaysian order of chivalry which carries the title 'Tan Sri'.
Death and Burial
He is a nephew of Tunku Abdul RahmanTunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
, Malaysia's first Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. 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. He died on 19 April 1994 at the age of 75 and was buried near Tunku Abdul Rahman's grave at Kedah Royal Mausoleum
Kedah royal mausoleum
Kedah royal mausoleum is a Kedah royal burial grounds. It is located at Langgar near Alor Setar, Malaysia.-Sultan graves:*Sultan Muhammad Jiwa*Sultan Abdullah Mukkaram Shah*Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin III*Sultan Zainal Rashid Muadzam Shah III ...
at Langgar
Langgar, Kedah
Langgar is a town near Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. The Kedah royal mausoleum is located here. The nation's founding father and the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, was laid to rest in this royal mausoleum....
.