Brigadier Arthur Leslie Varley, MC & Bar (13 October 1893 – 13 September 1944) was an Australian soldier who served in the First and the Second World Wars.

He was killed in September 1944 when the transport ship taking him and several hundred fellow prisoners to Japan was sunk by an American submarine.

He was assigned to 45th Battalion, a unit formed largely from men from New South Wales as the AIF expanded following the Gallipoli Campaign.

In 1917, Varley was awarded the Military Cross (MC) following a recommendation made by his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Herring, for his actions during the Battle of Messines.

He afterwards did most valuable work in organising a counter-attack, and his coolness under fire and utter disregard of personal danger were most marked throughout.In August 1918, now serving on the staff of 12th Brigade with the rank of captain, Varley was awarded a bar to his MC.

[7] Following the invasion of Malaya by the Empire of Japan, the 22nd Brigade was forced into fighting a series of rear guard actions against the advancing Japanese.

The action was cut short when the brigade's commander, Brigadier Harold Burfield Taylor, ordered Varley to withdraw to Jameluang.

[10][11] On 8 February, the Japanese commenced an artillery bombardment of 22nd Brigade's sector[12] but even though Varley later noted that it was heavier than what he had undergone in the First World War, casualties in his battalion were light.

[13] That night the Japanese launched landings on the sector held by Varley's battalion and were able to outflank and put pressure on his positions.

Brigadier Taylor had become extremely fatigued and asked Varley, whose battalion had been in reserve sine the previous day, to take over temporary command of 22nd Brigade.

Initially, conditions were good and men were paid for their work (although the Japanese deducted expenses) which allowed them to buy rations.

To manage A Force, which was spread out across a series of camp to the southeast, he had a small headquarters, with departments responsible for food, medical care and so forth.

However, the Japanese were experiencing difficulty in getting shipping to Japan and so it was decided to initially return the prisoners, including Varley, to Singapore.

However, on 12 September his transport, the Rakuyo Maru, carrying around 1,250 prisoners, was amongst those torpedoed off Hainan by the United States submarine USS Sealion.

The diary detailed the daily life of the prisoners, construction of the railroad and also provided accounts of various war crimes committed by his captors.