Major-General Gordon Bennett was enthusiastic about the health of the troops, He disclosed that there had been expectations of much illness on account of the heat and malaria and other diseases which, it was said, were rife, Every precaution had been taken, therefore, to prevent disease, "The result is that the rate of sièk-ness in Malaya is lower than the rate of sickness when we left Australia," he declared.
Major-General Gordon Bennett was also enthusiastic about the hospitality of all races in Malaya, particularly the Chinese and Indians, who had been entertaining the Australian troops in large numbers, The Governor, Sir Shenton Thomas, telegraphed Major-General Gordon Bennett the following message:
"On this Anzac Day men of Australia are following gloriously in the footsteps of their forbears who won immortal fame at Gallipoli, We are proud to have with us in Malaya men of the Australian Force,"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.