The Weary in Our Biscuit

Linking Singapore to the ANZAC spirit

Medical doctor and Lieutenant-Colonel E.E. ‘Weary’ Dunlop is an iconic figure in ANZAC history.

In January 1943, Dunlop and nearly nine hundred prisoners of war (POWs) were transferred from Java to Changi where many of the nearly 140,000 Allied military personnel from Australia, Canada, Great Britain, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United States were interred for a period after being captured by the Japanese Armed Forces in Southeast Asia and Pacific theatres of war in World War 2 (WW2).

For ironic and humorous reasons, Dunlop earned the nickname ‘Weary’ because he was tireless in his efforts to look after soldiers, and he came to represent the self-sacrifice, courage and compassion which doctors’ and ANZAC soldiers more generally are remembered as displaying in captivity.

Dunlop was renowned for his selfless efforts to care for the sick and suffering; many times, putting his own health and safety at risk to protect POWs and earning himself physical punishment when he protested to the Japanese that they receive better care.

When WW2 ended, Weary publicly forgave the Japanese and returned to Australia and established a foundation to care and support veterans of war and their families.

The Weary ANZAC Biscuit Company is donating 5 percent of its profits to the Weary Dunlop Foundation, and part of the inspiration to partner with MINDS Singapore as production partners flows from Weary’s humanistic inspiration.