The 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade was a regular infantry brigade formed in 1939 with its headquarters in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

immediately after the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. The Brigade participated in the

Battle of Singapore The Fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore,; ta, சிங்கப்பூரின் வீழ்ச்சி; ja, シンガポールの戦い took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Empire of ...

against the

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

until the surrender of the garrison in February 1942.

History

Formed on 3 September 1939, the formation was initially known as the Malaya Infantry Brigade as part of the wartime expansion and reinforcement of

Malaya Command The Malaya Command was a Command (military formation), formation of the British Army formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of British Malaya, which comprised the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States and the Unfederat ...

. It was re-designated the 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade when the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade was formed on 8 September 1940.

Malayan Campaign

The 1st Battalion, Mysore Infantry served in airfield security duties during the Battle of Kota Bahru as part of the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade. With the collapse of the defences in Kota Bahru, the Battalion was withdrawn to Singapore and was joined with the Brigade on 18 December 1941.

Battle of Singapore

All organised Allied forces in Malaya had retreated to Singapore on 31 January 1942. The Brigade was deployed as part of the defence of the Southern Area of Singapore under the command of

Maj Gen Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Frank Keith Simmons Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Frank Keith Simmons, (21 February 1888 – 22 September 1952) was a senior British Army officer during the Second World War. He was commander of the Singapore Fortress when it fell to the invading I ...

together with the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade, the

Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Brigade A strait is an Ocean, oceanic landform connecting two Sea, seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ...

and the 12th Indian Infantry Brigade. The Brigade put up a stubborn defence during the

Battle of Pasir Panjang The Battle of Pasir Panjang, which took place between 12 and 15 February 1942, was part of the final stage of the Empire of Japan's invasion of Singapore during World War II. The battle was initiated upon the advancement of elite Imperial Japa ...

which included the famous last stand at

Bukit Chandu Bukit Chandu (Malay for Opium Hill) is a hill located in Kent Ridge in Singapore where the Battle of Bukit Chandu took place on 14 February 1942 during the Battle of Singapore in World War II. Notable attractions * Reflections at Bukit Chandu * ...

led by a platoon of C Company of the

Malay Regiment The Royal Malay Regiment ( ms, Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja; Jawi: ) is the premier unit of the Malaysian Army's two infantry regiments. At its largest, the Malay Regiment comprised 27 battalions. At present, three battalions are parachute train ...

under the command of 2Lt

Adnan bin Saidi Adnan bin Saidi ( Jawi: ; 1915 – 14 February 1942) was a Malayan military officer of the 1st Infantry Brigade who fought the Japanese at the Battle of Pasir Panjang in Singapore during World War II. He is lauded as a national hero in Sing ...

. With the fall of the Pasir Panjang Ridge, the Brigade fell back to the defensive line established along Mount Echo in

Tanglin Tanglin is a planning area located within the Central Region of Singapore. Tanglin is located west of Newton, Orchard, River Valley and Singapore River, south of Novena, east of Bukit Timah, northeast of Queenstown and north of Bukit Merah. ...

Buona Vista Buona Vista is a housing estate located in the subzones of one-north and Holland Drive in the residential township of Queenstown in Singapore. The housing estate is served by the Buona Vista MRT station which links it up with the MRT system. ...

. The Brigade was disbanded with the general surrender of the Singapore on 15 February 1942.

Formations

September 1939

The following units were put under the command of the Brigade when it was initially formed as the Malaya Infantry Brigade in 1939: * 2nd Battalion

Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Lancashire Reg ...

* 1st Battalion

Manchester Regiment The Manchester Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1958. The regiment was created during the 1881 Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot and the 96th ...

** Transferred to the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade in September 1940 * 2nd Battalion

Gordon Highlanders Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

** Transferred to the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade in September 1940

December 1940

With the formation of the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade, units were transferred to the new Brigade: * 2nd Battalion

* 1st Battalion

* 2nd Battalion

17th Dogra Regiment The 17th Dogra Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform the army moving away from single battalion regiments to multi-battalion regiments. After the part ...

** Transferred to the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade in August 1941

December 1941

The following units were under the command of the Brigade during the outbreak of hostilities in Malaya on 8 December 1941: * 2nd Battalion

* 1st Battalion

* 2nd Battalion

February 1942

The final order of battle of the Brigade prior to its surrender and dissolution: * 2nd Battalion

* 1st Battalion

* 2nd Battalion

* 1st Battalion Mysore Infantry ( Indian State Forces) *: Transferred to the Brigade on 18 December 1941 after the fall of Kota Bahru * C Company

Dalforce Dalforce, or the Singapore Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army (星華義勇軍; ''Xinghua Yi Yong Jun'') was an irregular forces/ guerrilla unit within the British Straits Settlements Volunteer Force during World War II. Its members ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:1 Malaya Infantry Brigade Brigades of the British Army in World War II Military history of Singapore during World War II Military units and formations of British Malaya in World War II Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1942 1939 establishments in British Malaya 1942 disestablishments in Singapore