15th December 1994
Jersey-born Commissioner of Singapore dies
Arthur de la Mare was born in St John and educated at Victoria College and Cambridge. After joining the Foreign Service in 1936 he served in both the US and Far East. He was acting vice consul in Seoul before turning 30, ambassador to Afghanistan by the age of 49, then High Commissioner of Singapore and, later, Thailand, between 1968 and 1973.
The posting to Singapore was singularly important as, in that role, he oversaw the country gaining independence from Britain, and the handing over of Britain’s bases in the territory to local forces.
Upon retiring to Jersey in 1991, de la Mere, who was raised speaking Jèrriais, wrote a monthly column in the language for the Jersey Evening Post. He died in 1994.
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Other events that occured in December
Jersey lifeboat crew performs a daring rescue
- The crew of Jersey's lifeboat rescued the crew of the Norwegian yacht Festina Lente in good visibility but rough seas.
- Read more…
Lifeboat rescues crew after mine strike
- Jersey lifeboat rescued 11 crew members after their cargo ship ran aground and hit a mine left over from the Second World War.
- Read more…
Channel Island cargo ships collide
- Two British Transport Commission cargo ships serving the channel islands collided in December 1955 resulting in significant damage.
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Jersey is granted its own flag
- Although it had flown a red saltire for some time, it wasn't until the 1980s that Jersey finally, officially, got its own flag.
- Read more…
