It fell to an unfortunate young major named Wilde to carry the white flag toward Japanese headquarters. He reached Lieut. General Tomoyuki Yamashita at 2:30 p.m. and asked for conditions of surrender.
General Yamashita had the conditions written out. At 4:15 Major Wilde left for the British lines. He promised to be back with an answer by 5:30.
And so, what with the comings & goings, Major Wilde's commander, Lieut. General Arthur Ernest Percival, had less than an hour in which to make his decision.
In less than 60 minutes he had to decide what to do with one of the...
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