camp, the men split up again. One group included Lieutenant Charles Wagner, who had previously been decorated with the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions around the Nithsdale Estate and who had been commissioned in the field. Having bribed one of the camp guards, Wagner's group had contacted the local guerillas and arranged to rendezvous with a fishing vessel. After hiding out for three weeks, the vessel eventually arrived offshore and took them on board. The group then met up with the other escapees on Tawi-Tawi where in mid-1943 they began working with the Filipino guerilla forces, fighting alongside them until the end of the war. Other escapes occurred later in the war, including one in which five men escaped from Ranau over the course of two days in early July 1945 during one of the death marches. After effecting their escape, these men were helped by locals who provided food and information, before the men were able to meet up with some Australians from Z Special Unit. Following the end of the war in August 1945, the men that survived as prisoners of war were repatriated to Australia. Returning by aircraft and ship, this was largely completed by October, and later that year the battalion was officially disbanded. A total of 1,323 men served in the battalion throughout its existence, including reinforcements and personnel that were transferred. The battalion's battle casualties amounted to 80 killed and 10 wounded in Malaya, as well as 175 killed and 238 wounded in Singapore. On top of this 225 men from the 2/18th died in captivity as prisoners of war. For their involvement in the war, members of the battalion received the following decorations: one Military Cross, two Distinguished Conduct Medals, one Military Medal, two Members of the Order of the British Empire, and 11 Mentions in Despatches. Battle honours The 2/18th Battalion received the following battle honours: Malaya 1941–1942, Johore, Jemaluang, and Singapore Island. Commanding officers The following officers served as commanding officer of the 2/18th: Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Varley; Major William Fraser; and Major Charles O'Brien. Notes References Citations Sources External links 2/18th Battalion Association home page The Australian War Memorial Research Centre – "Australian prisoners of war: Second World War Prisoners of the Japanese" 18 18 18 18 18 B