In response to Codner's killing, the British forces instituted draconian measures of collective punishment of nearby villagers in Tanjung Malim.

[2] Born in Malaya on 29 September 1920, Michael Codner was educated at Bedford School and Exeter College, Oxford.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Royal Artillery on 2 August 1941, served in North Africa during the Second World War, and was captured on 14 December 1942 at Majaz al Bab in Tunisia.

He was sent first to Rome, then to Dulag Luft in Frankfurt, which was a mistake, as the camp acted as collection and interrogation centre for newly captured aircrew, and then to Oflag XXI-B in Poland, where he became good friends with fellow prisoner Flight Lieutenant Eric Williams.

The scheme was approved and so, using bowls for shovels, Codner, Williams and Philpot dug for three months whilst the other camp inmates vaulted continuously over the wooden horse in order to mask the vibration from the tunnelling work.

Sand was carried back inside the horse and dried in the attic of the camp canteen before being distributed in the compound.

He joined the Colonial Service and became an Assistant District Officer in Malaya at the time of the Malayan Emergency.

[8] The recommendation for the award read: "This officer was captured at Medjez-El-Bab on 14 Dec. 42.He was sent first to Rome and then, by mistake, to DULAG LUFT (FRANKFURT-am-MAIN).

The diggers were carried out daily inside the horse, and the dirt summarily removed, whilst a squad of P/W did vaulting exercises under the nose of a nearby sentry.

They went by train to FRANKFURT-an-der-ODER and then to STETTIN via KUSTRIN, arriving there on 30 Oct. On 1 Nov they entered the dock area, hoping to board a Swedish ship unaided, but this attempt proved unsuccessful.

"[9] In the 1950 British film The Wooden Horse, Michael Codner is portrayed as the character John Clinton, played by Anthony Steel.