A Javanese in the French Foreign Legion

In the early 1920s, Semarang was known as a "red city", referring to the prominence of communism in the city. Situated in Central Java, the city housed many laborers and migrants coming from various regions in Java.

It was during this time that George Thomas Buxton, an Englishman, lived in the city with a Javanese woman named Soetjie.

When the "red" labors were still notorious in Semarang, Soetjie became pregnant. The baby was born on May 7, 1921 in Semarang and named John Charles Buxton. George was not ashamed to recognize his Indo (of mixed Indonesian and European descent) son.

John spent his life until adulthood in Semarang. However, in early 1942, the Japanese army arrived, and this affected John who, according to the Brisbane Telegraph of October 18, 1948, worked in a paint factory. He found the situation during the Japanese occupation distressing, so he desperately decided to leave Java.

With a little understanding of world geography and geopolitics, John embarked to the southeast of Java, to a continent called Australia. During World War II, Australia, as part of the British Commonwealth, was an opponent of Japan. 

After reaching the southern region of Java, John managed to board the sailing ship Mira Para. The ship set sail in late 1942 and by the new year 1943 had reached mainland Australia. NAA archive number PP6/1, 1947/H/949 of the National Archives of Australia says John arrived in Port Keats, North Australia, around January 1, 1943.

The Story of Soeram

The Australian authorities inspected John as a new arrival and discovered that he didn't carry any identity papers. However, because he offered useful information about the Japanese in Java, John became valuable to the Allied Forces and was made a soldier. 

However, it wasn't the Koninklijk Nederlandsch Indische Leger or KNIL (Royal Dutch East Indies Army), who took him in, but the Australian Army, the Australian Imperial Force or AIF. On September 19, 1943, John Charles Buxton officially joined the Australian army as Private (Pte.) or lowly soldier with registration number Q272298.

With his experience sailing from Java to Australia and as someone who understood the Javanese and Bazaar Malay (Indonesian) languages spoken by many people on Java Island, John was a treasured asset to the Allies. He was then incorporated into a special unit of the Allied army known as Z Force.

As a member of Z Force, John was assigned to an infiltration mission into Central Java, codenamed Operation Beast. However, his departure was long delayed.

The plan was to dispatch John in early 1944, but it was canceled because submarines were not available. In March 1945, John’s attempt to infiltrate with the submarine Telemachus around Jepara also failed, because the weather kept him in Darwin.

Finally, the submarine USS Blueback (SS-326) managed to deliver John to the north coast of Java. "Landed in Java near Ujung Piring (near Jepara) on May 27, 1945," said John Buxton in his report summarized in NAA Archive number A3269, D1/A (National Archives of Australia).

As a member of Z Force, John was assigned to an infiltration mission to Central Java, codenamed Operation Beast.

After leaving the submarine, John carefully took a rubber boat to the mainland. John's task in Central Java was to monitor Japanese military forces in Semarang and build a resistance network there.

John headed to Semarang with a stopover in the Bendan Petik area of Mayong. There, he managed to buy an identity card in the name of Soeram from one of the residents for 75 dollars. John was also willing to spend 25 dollars because Soeram gave him food, lodging and transportation. Along the way to Semarang, whenever he met people, John would say he was Soeram who lived in Bendan Petik.

John's mission didn’t run smoothly. He suffered from dysentery during his three months in Semarang, and was even caught once by the Japanese occupation police who were looking for a Heiho soldier who had escaped. John or Soeram was mistaken for the escaped Heiho, but eventually the Japanese police and most people believed he was Soeram. His life was spared.

During his mission in Semarang, John or Soeram became acquainted with Miss L. Joling, through whom Soeram came across Gus Muntu from Minahasa. Via Gus Muntu, John got connections to members of other anti-Japanese groups in Semarang. Apart from the Manado people, there were also Chinese people who joined the anti-Japanese group.

John planned to take Gus Muntu to Australia, but the plan fell through. However, John continued to be untouchable to the Japanese army and maintained contact with anti-Japanese groups in Semarang. His disguise was successful. John aka Soeram stayed in Java until the surrender of the Japanese army to the Allies on August 15, 1945.

After Japan lost, John managed to reach Jakarta and met Lieutenant Colonel Laurent van der Post at the Des Indes Hotel. John was then transported to Singapore and returned to Australia.

Joining the French Foreign Legion

After World War II ended, John was in Australia. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), but being a soldier in Australia apparently didn't grant him permission to live in Australia because he had no proof of being a British citizen.

"You are hereby warned that you must settle your affairs and arrange to leave the Commonwealth before October 19, 1948," the Immigration Service said as reported by The Daily News, October 28, 1948.

John was discharged from the Air Force. However, as a war hero, John was defended by several Australians. Some considered the Immigration Service's move to be detestable, but John was powerless. His war hero status wasn't taken into consideration by Australian immigration authorities, which forced John to finally leave Australia. 

The Daily News of July 8, 1949 said he went to New Caledonia, overseas France in the southwest Pacific Ocean, at the expense of the Australian government and lived temporarily there. Apparently, John met the health requirements to register for the Légion Etrangère, or the French Foreign Legion. On July 6, 1949, John left for France to become a member of the legion that accepted all kinds of foreigners who wanted to fight for the French state.*