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Ian Christian - Murdered By Communist Terrorists
The following originally appeared in the July 1948 edition of 'The Planter', the magazine of the Incorporated Society of Planters, under the heading 'Obituaries'.
"Mr. Christian’s planting career commenced on the 11th May 1948 and ended tragically just over a month later. Even in that short time he showed considerable promise, and his pleasant personality had already made him very popular. He served with a Gurkha Regiment during the war, and although only just 21 attained the rank of Captain. His untimely death at the hands of gangsters is deeply regretted by all who knew him."
The murder of Mr Ian D Christian by Communist insurgents was one of three that took place on 16 June 1948. He was the Assistant Manager to Mr A E Walker, the manager of Elphil Estate, Sungei Siput, who was also murdered in the same attack. A third planter, J M Allison, was also murdered that same day. It was the murder of these three planters that caused the government to declare a state of emergency that lasted from 1948 to 1960. It was called the Malayan Emergency.
An annual memorial service takes place in "God's Little Acre" cemetery in Batu Gajah in memory of all those who died in this Emergency.
To see photographs of the first God's Little Acre Ceremony in 1980, click here.
To read more about Wally Walker, click here.
To read more about John Allison, click here.