Outcome and later career

Outcome of the espionage 

The information that Boudewyn had stolen had apparently been relayed to the Allies through other channels and hoped that the other documents would help to secure the punishment of the INA officers who had mistreated the POWs (prisoners of war). The papers were handed to Army Intelligence and sent to India for an inquiry but to Boudewyn’s disappointment, the case collapsed.

Later career 

Nonetheless, Boudewyn received a letter from British Army Intelligence for his actions. He was awarded the Colonial Police Medal for meritorious service, conferred by Governor Sir Franklin Gimson at the cadets’ passing out parade. Years afterwards, he suffered nightmares arising from his wartime experience. Boudewyn then resumed the police work and was promoted to chief inspector in 1948 and later deputy superintendent. He was popular in the force and was among a few selected for an advanced training course in England in 1952. 

During his career, he served as:

       1. Quartermaster for the Criminal Investigation Department
       2. Officer in charge of Kandang Kerbau station

       3. Commandant of the recently- formed Guard and Escort Unit (dealt with wave of                              kidnapping, robberies, targeting the wealthy

       4. Public relations officer 

In 1968, he received the Pingat Bakti Setia (Long Service Medal) from the Singaporean government and retired around 1970.  

A Picture

                                                            A picture of halford boudewyn

Wartime espionage

How did Boudewyn gets interested to become a 'spy'? 

Boudewyn worked with a Eurasian food contractor who supplied Indian army camps in Singapore. While making deliveries, he met a prisoner of war from the British Indian Army and learned of the ill- treatment by Subhas Chandra Base's Japanese- backed Indian National Army (INA) of those who refused to join INA. Boudewyn admired the bravery of those who remained loyal and wanted to avenge those who had suffered for it.  

How did Boudewyn knew about the documents and where did he kept it? 


Boudewyn's new friend told him that the documentary proof would be obtained and planned to gather those evidence. Each day, his contacts would purchase vegetables and later claim some were rotten and return them with the documents stolen from the military's office. Boudwyn kept the papers of evidence where he left the camp and the bicycle carrier where it was never searched. He did this until 1944 when he had all the relevant documents and stored them in an oil drum burried beneath a friend's tennis court in Chancery Lane. However, the Japanese converted the tennis court into a vegetable garden. Therefore, after the war, this made locating the drum difficult but was later discovered that while he had taken care to bury it four feet deep, it was only now one foot below the surface. 

Early Life

In His Early life, Boudewyn went to learn at St Joseph's Institution and had aspiration to be a policeman. In 1939 he joined the Straits Settlement Police Force as a constable. Two years later he was posted at Alor Gajah as an inspector. His assignment ended when the Japanese invaded Malaya and Singapore in early 1942.

Background infomations

Halford Boudewyn 

1. Family --> Parents: Mr and Mrs F.M Boudewyn
              Wife: Theresa Mildred Da Silva 
              Children: 1 daughter and a son; seven grandchildren as of                         1992 

2. Birth year --> 1921
   Passed away --> 26 April 1998 

3. Education --> educated at St. Joseph's Institution 
                 - always aspired to become a policeman 
4. Occupation --> long- service policeman  

Introduction to this blog

Full Name: Halford Boudewyn
Date Of Birth: 1921
Date Of Death: 26 April 1998
Occupation: Police Officer

Introduction: Halford Boudewyn is a great hero of Singapore. Back then, he was a long-serving officer whom risk his life by stealing data from the Indian National Army. Then, he will brocast the dat to everyone through the radio.

If your are interested in these stories, check out this blog.