▁officer ▁prior ▁to ▁his ▁civil ▁career . ▁ ▁Post ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁British ▁Military ▁Administration ▁in ▁Mal aya ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 – 1 9 4 6 , ▁Brig ad ier ▁McK er ron ▁was ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁Civil ▁Affairs ▁Officer ▁in ▁Singapore , ▁assist ing ▁Major - General ▁Sir ▁Ralph ▁H one ▁( Ch ief ▁Civil ▁Aff air ▁Officer ▁of ▁Mal aya ). ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Military ▁Administration ▁ended ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁McK er ron ▁was ▁sw orn - in ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Col onial ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Singapore ▁on ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁During ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁Col onial ▁Secretary , ▁McK er ron ▁was ▁sw orn - in ▁as ▁Officer ▁Administr ating ▁the ▁Government ▁when ▁Sir ▁Franklin ▁G im son ▁( G overn or ▁of ▁Singapore ) ▁was ▁away ▁in ▁England ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁ 5 ▁months ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁He ▁retired ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁as ▁Col onial ▁Secretary ▁and ▁handed ▁over ▁to ▁J ▁D ▁M ▁Smith , ▁whom ▁became ▁the ▁Act ing ▁Col onial ▁Secretary . ▁Wil fred ▁B ly the ▁was ▁later ▁sw orn - in ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Col onial ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Singapore ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June . ▁ ▁McK er ron ▁was ▁later ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁British ▁Mal aya ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁hon ours