Malaya Command
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The Malaya Command was a
formation Formation may refer to: Linguistics * Back-formation, the process of creating a new lexeme by removing or affixes * Word formation, the creation of a new word by adding affixes Mathematics and science * Cave formation or speleothem, a secondar ...
of the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of
British Malaya The term "British Malaya" (; ms, Tanah Melayu British) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. U ...
, which comprised the
Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
, the
Federated Malay States )Under God's Protection , capital = Kuala Lumpur1 , religion = Islam , legislature = Federal Legislative Council , type_house1 = State level , common_languages = , title_leader = Monarch , leader1 ...
and the
Unfederated Malay States The term Unfederated Malay States () was the collective name given to five British protected states in the Malay peninsula in the first half of the twentieth century. These states were Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu. In contras ...
. It consisted mainly of small
garrison A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
forces in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...
,
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
,
Taiping __NOTOC__ Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to: Chinese history * Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess * Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China ** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...
,
Seremban Seremban (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Soghomban'', ''Somban''; Jawi: ) is a city in the Seremban District and the capital of the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia. The city's administration is run by the Seremban City Council. Sere ...
and
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 ...
. With the outbreak of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in 1939, the command reinforced its strength in anticipation of an attack. With the bulk of
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
forces being tied down in
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
and
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
, the command was mainly augmented by units from
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. On 18 November 1940, the command was placed under the command of the
British Far East Command The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. These were firstly, 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command ( ABDACOM), and secondly, 1963–1971 succeeded ...
and later, on 7 January 1942, under the short-lived South West Pacific Command or ABDACOM, which was tasked to maintain control of the "Malay Barrier" (or "East Indies Barrier"), a notional line running down the
Malayan Peninsula The Malay Peninsula ( Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
, through Singapore and the southernmost islands of the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
. The command was disbanded on 15 February 1942 with the surrender of all Commonwealth forces in the conclusion of 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 ...
. With the
Surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...
, the command was re-formed from the 14th Army with its HQ based in Singapore on 1 November 1945. The command was divided and downgraded to the Malaya District and Singapore District in August 1947 but was upgraded again into a full command in August 1950 due to the
Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces o ...
. With the
independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
of Malaya on 31 August 1957, the command was disbanded and succeeded by
Overseas Commonwealth Land Forces (Malaya) The 17th Gurkha Division/Overseas Commonwealth Land Forces (Malaya) was a British military formation that saw active service during the Malayan Emergency. History The Division was formed on 1 September 1952 at Maxwell Road Camp, Malaya, as part ...
.


Formation and Structure

In November 1940, the total strength of Malaya Command was 17
battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
s. The
Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
contingent was mainly organised as III Corps with their HQ based in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...
. When Japanese forces invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941,
Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Arthur Percival Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a senior British Army officer. He saw service in the First World War and built a successful military career during the interwar period but is most noted fo ...
, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Malaya in charge of Malaya Command, with a force of 88,600 faced the 70,000 strong Twenty Fifth Army of the
Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
under the command of
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Tomoyuki Yamashita.


Allied Land Forces (8 December 1941)

As of 8 December 1941


Indian III Corps

* As of 7 December 1941 Commanding Officer III Indian Corps – Lt Gen
Lewis Heath Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, (23 November 1885 – 10 January 1954) was an officer in the British Indian Army during the early to mid-twentieth century. Early life and family Heath was born 23 November 1885, the son o ...
* Indian 9th Infantry Division :Maj-Gen Arthur Barstow (, 28 January 1942 at Layang-Layang near
Bota Bota ( Jawi: بوتا; ) is a mukim in Perak Tengah District, Perak, Malaysia. It comprises two geographical areas: Bota Kiri and Bota Kanan (Left Bota and Right Bota, respectively) as it is divided by the Perak River. There is a river terra ...
) :HQ:
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...
:* 8th Indian Infantry Brigade ::Brig Bethold Key ::HQ:
Kota Bharu Kota Bharu, colloquially referred to as KB, is a town in Malaysia that serves as the state capital and royal seat of Kelantan. It is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia and lies near the mouth of the Kelantan River. The ...
::*2nd Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment – Lt. Col. John Griffeth Frith ::*2nd Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment – Lt. Col. Arthur Cumming ::*1st Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles – Lt. Col. Clarence Gilbert ::*3rd Battalion, 17th Dogra Regiment – Lt. Col. George Allen Preston ::*21st Mountain Battery,
Indian Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is a combat/fighting arm of the Indian Army, which provides massive firepower during all ground operations of the Indian Army. It is a successor to the Royal Indian Artillery (RIA) of British Indian Army, which itsel ...
– Major John Bertram Sopper ::*19th Field Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...
) - Major M. Delmé Radcliffe RE :* 22nd Indian Infantry Brigade ::Brig Gordon Painter ::HQ:
Kuantan Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Penin ...
::*5th Battalion,
11th Sikh Regiment The 11th Sikh Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1922, when after World War I the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments.S ...
– Lt. Col. John Henry Devereux Parkin ::*2nd Battalion, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles – Lt. Col. Guy Edward Ross Stewart Hartigan MC ::*5th Field Regiment,
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
– Lt. Col. Edward William Francis Jephson ::*22nd Field Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...
) - Major H.T. Heard RE :*Command Troops ::* 4th Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Pahang) – Lt. Col. James Oliphant Mackellar (d.12 March 1945) ::*88th (2nd West Lancashire) Field Regiment RA – Lt. Col. Sylvain Claude D'Aubuz ::*42nd Field Park Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...
)- Major Thomas Wilfried Nash *
Indian 11th Infantry Division The 11th Indian Infantry Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the Indian Army during World War II. It formed part of Indian III Corps in the Malaya Command during the Battle of Malaya. The division was re-raised on 1 April 19 ...
:Maj-Gen
David Murray-Lyon Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General David Murrey Murray-Lyon, (14 August 1890 – 4 February 1975) was an officer in the British Indian Army. His final appointment was as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 11th Infantry Div ...
/Brig
Archibald Paris Brigadier Archibald Charles Melvill Paris, (28 May 1890 – 3 March 1942) was a British Army officer. Although he is better known for having died during the events that followed the sinking of the Dutch ship '' Rooseboom'' off Sumatra in 1942 ...
/Maj-Gen Berthold Wells Key :HQ: Sungai Petani :*
6th Indian Infantry Brigade The 6th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. The brigade was a pre-war formation designated 6th (Lucknow) Infantry Brigade in India in September 1939. In November 1940, the brigade arr ...
::Brig William Oswald Lay/Lt. Col. Henry Sloane Larkin ::HQ:
Jitra Jitra ( zh, 日得拉) is a town and a mukim in Kubang Pasu District, in northern Kedah, Malaysia. It is the fourth-largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim. History During World War II, when the Japanese attacked Mala ...
::*2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment – Lt. Col. George Edward Swinton ::*1st Battalion,
8th Punjab Regiment The 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947 and merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956. History Madras Infantry The 8th Punjab Regim ...
– Lt. Col. Ronald Charles Sidney Bates (, 12 December 1941) ::*2nd Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Henry Sloane Larkin (Died as a
POW A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...
on 1 January 1944) ::*22nd Mountain Artillery Regiment,
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
– Lt. Col. George Leonard Hughes ::*3rd Field Company (King George V's Bengal Sappers and Miners) - Major A.R. Beattie RE :* 15th Indian Infantry Brigade (III Corps Reserve) ::Brig Kenneth Alfred Garrett/Brig. William St.John Carpendale ::HQ:
Jitra Jitra ( zh, 日得拉) is a town and a mukim in Kubang Pasu District, in northern Kedah, Malaysia. It is the fourth-largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim. History During World War II, when the Japanese attacked Mala ...
::*1st Battalion,
Leicestershire Regiment The Leicestershire Regiment (Royal Leicestershire Regiment after 1946) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. The regiment saw service for three centuries, in numerous wars and conflicts such as both W ...
– Lt. Col. Charles Esmond Morrison ::*2nd Battalion,
9th Jat Regiment The 9th Jat Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army, moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. World War II The Regiment saw a g ...
– Lt. Col. Charles Knowler Tester ::*1st Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Leslie Vernon "James" Fitzpatrick ::*23rd Field Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...
) - Major John Eglington Bate RE :* 28th (Gurkha) Infantry Brigade ::Brig William St J. Carpendale/Lt. Col. Wallace Raymond Selby ::HQ:
Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...
::*2nd Battalion, 1st Gurkha Rifles – Lt. Col. John Oswald "Jack" Fulton (, 8 January 1942 at
Slim River Slim River ( Jawi: سليم ريۏر; zh, 仕林河; Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Mal ...
) ::*2nd Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles – Lt. Col. Geoffrey Harley Douglas Woollcombe (Died Indian Ocean, 28 Feb. 1942) ::*2nd Battalion,
9th Gurkha Rifles The 9th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiments (India), Gorkha infantry regiment of the Indian Army and, previously, the British Army. The regiment was initially formed by the British in 1817, and was one of the Gurkha regiments transferred to the In ...
– Lt. Col. Wallace Raymond Selby/Lt. Col. Maurice Bryer Allsebrook DSO MC ::*17th Field Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...
) - Major N.S. Bhagat – IE :*11th Division Command Troops ::* 3rd Cavalry ( IA) – Lt. Col. Julian Gerald Barnes De Wilton ::*137th (2nd West Lancashire) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. Gilbert Daly Holmes ( at Slim River) ::* 155th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. Alan Murdoch ( at Slim River) ::*80th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. William E.S. Napier ::* 85th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. A.J. Lardner-Clarke - arrived Singapore 13 January 1942 ::*1st Independent Company – Major Sheppard Percy Fearon ::*43rd Field Park Company, (King George V's Bengal Sappers and Miners) :* Krohcol ::Lt. Col. Henry Dawson Moorhead ::*5th Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment (3 Companies) – Lt. Col. Cyril Lovesy Lawrence Stokes ( in captivity on 15th February 1942 following the Battle of Slim River) ::*3rd Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Henry Dawson Moorehead ( at
Battle of Muar The Battle of Muar was the last major battle of the Malayan Campaign during the Second World War. It took place from 14–22 January 1942 around Gemensah Bridge and on the Muar River. After the British defeat at Slim River, General Archibald W ...
) ::*2/3rd Australian Motor Company - Capt. George Arthur Carrick Kiernan * Line of Communications Brigade :Brig Robert Gifford Moir ::*1st Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Perak) - Lt Col. J.E.G. "Jim" Staley ::*2nd Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Selangor) - Lt. Col. W.M. "Jimmie" James ::*3rd Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Negeri Sembilan) – Lt. Col. C.F.H. Riches ::*1st (Light) Field Regiment, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Equipped 4 x 3.7" How) ::*Armoured Car Squadron, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Equipped 9 Armoured Cars) – Major C.E. Collinge ::*Signals Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces - Lt. Col. Stanley P. Moreton * Fortress Penang :Brig Cyril Arthur Lyon :HQ:
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
::*D Company, 5th Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment - Lieutenant Edward John Ellis ::*3rd Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (
Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps The Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps (Abbr.: P&PWVC), also known as Penang Volunteer Corps and Penang Volunteer Rifle was a militia unit in Malaya. It was established on 1 March 1861 and together with Singapore Volunteer Corps and Mal ...
) - Lt. Col. The Hon Ernest De Buriatte ::*11th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. M.L. More ::*2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment,
Indian Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is a combat/fighting arm of the Indian Army, which provides massive firepower during all ground operations of the Indian Army. It is a successor to the Royal Indian Artillery (RIA) of British Indian Army, which itsel ...
* Support Units ::*5th Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment (assigned to ''Krohcol'') - Lt. Col. Cyril Lovesy Lawrence Stokes ( in captivity on 15th February 1942 following the
Battle of Slim River The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya. Background Japanese forces had invaded north-west Malaya from southern Th ...
) ::*3rd Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment (assigned to ''Krohcol'') – Lt. Col. Henry Moorhead ( at Battle of Muar) ::*1st Battalion, Mysore Infantry (
Indian States Forces The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the princely states of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government. At the beginning of ...
) – Lt. Col. Kenneth Harvey Preston ::*1st Battalion, Bahawalpur Infantry (Indian States Forces) – Lt. Col. Harry Ernest Tyrell ::*1st Battalion, Hyderabad Regiment (Indian States Forces) – Lt. Col. Charles Albert Hendrick (, 10 December 1941 at
Kota Bharu Kota Bharu, colloquially referred to as KB, is a town in Malaysia that serves as the state capital and royal seat of Kelantan. It is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia and lies near the mouth of the Kelantan River. The ...
) ::*11th Indian Division Signal Regiment * Corps Troops :* 45 Army Troops Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...
) :*46 Army Troops Company (Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners) :*1 Artisan Works Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...
) : :


Australian 8th Division

*
Australian 8th Division The 8th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army, formed during World War II as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. The 8th Division was raised from volunteers for overseas service from July 1940 onwards. ...
:Maj Gen Gordon Bennett :HQ:
Kluang Kluang ( Jawi: كلواڠ), formerly Keluang, is a town in Kluang District, Johor, Malaysia. Kluang was founded in 1915 as the administrative capital of central Johor by the British. It is located in the centre of the state and is within 90 min ...
::* 2/10th Field Regiment (Equipped 8 × 18-Pdr and 16 × 4.5" How. / re-equipped with 24 × 25-Pdr between 9–12 January 1942) - Lt.Col. A.W. Walsh ::* 2/15th Field Regiment (Equipped 24 × 25-Pdr) - Lt. Col. J.W. Wright ::*4th Anti-Tank Regiment (Equipped 12 × 2-Pdr / 24 × 75mm) – Lt. Col.
Cranston Albury McEachern Colonel Cranston Albury McEachern DSO (9 September 1905 – 15 October 1983) was an Australian army officer and solicitor. He was born at Dongara in Western Australia to tailor Archibald Hector Cranston McEachern and Lillian Emma, ''née'' D ...
::*2/10th Field Company - Major K.P.H Lawrence ::*2/12th Field Company - Major J.A.L. Shaw ::*2/6th Field Park Company - Capt. T.T. Lewis * Australian 22nd Brigade ::Brig
Harold Burfield Taylor Brigadier Harold Burfield Taylor, (10 August 1890 – 15 March 1966) was an analytical chemist and an Australian Army officer who served in the First and the Second World Wars. A junior officer in the First World War, during the Second World Wa ...
::HQ:
Mersing Mersing (Terengganu Malay: ''Merecing'' or ''Ngesing'') is a town, mukim and the capital of Mersing District, Johor, Malaysia. As of 2010, the town has an estimated population of 70,894. Mersing town, is particularly significant for a number ...
Endau Endau is a small town in Mersing District, Johor, Malaysia. It lies on the northern tip of east Johor, on the border with Pahang. Name The town was named ''Endau'' after a peranakan Indian who resided in the area. In the 19th century it was known ...
::* 2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Arthur Varley (Died as
POW A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...
13 September 1944) ::* 2/19th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Charles Anderson ::* 2/20th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Charles Frederick Assheton (12 February 1942) * Australian 27th Brigade ::Brig Duncan Maxwell ::HQ:
Kluang Kluang ( Jawi: كلواڠ), formerly Keluang, is a town in Kluang District, Johor, Malaysia. Kluang was founded in 1915 as the administrative capital of central Johor by the British. It is located in the centre of the state and is within 90 min ...
::* 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Arthur Harold Boyes (12 February 1942)/Richard Oakes ::* 2/29th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. John Charles Robertson (18 Jan. 1942 during
Battle of Muar The Battle of Muar was the last major battle of the Malayan Campaign during the Second World War. It took place from 14–22 January 1942 around Gemensah Bridge and on the Muar River. After the British defeat at Slim River, General Archibald W ...
)/ Lt. Col. Pond ::* 2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Frederick Gallagher "Jack" Galleghan


Fortress Singapore

Commanding Officer – Maj Gen
Frank Keith Simmons 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 Imperial Japanese Army in Februar ...
HQ:
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 ...
* Fortress Singapore Division :Maj Gen F. K. Simmons :* 1st Malaya Brigade ::Brig George Giffard Rawson Williams ::*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 ...
– Lt. Col. Mordaunt Elrington ::*1st Battalion,
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 ...
– Lt. Col. James Richard Glencoe André ::*2nd Battalion, Malay Regiment – Lt. Col. Frederick Walter Young :*
2nd Malaya Brigade The 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade was a regular infantry brigade formed in 1940 with its headquarters in Singapore following the wartime expansion and reinforcement of Malaya Command. The Brigade participated in the Malayan Campaign and the Battl ...
::Brig Francis Hugh Fraser ::*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 ...
– Lt. Col. Edward Barclay Holmes ::*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, ...
– Lt. Col. John Heslop Stitt/Richard Gilbert Lees ::*2nd Battalion, 17th Dogra Regiment – Lt. Col. Sidney Clermont Scott :*Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Brigade ::Col Francis Reginald Grimwood ::*1st Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (
Singapore Volunteer Corps The Singapore Volunteer Corps or the Singapore Special Constabulary, was a militia unit established in 1854 as the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps. The Corps underwent several reorganisations and was known by various names throughout its histor ...
) – Lt. Col. Thomas Henry Newey ::*2nd Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (Singapore Volunteer Corps) - Lt. Col. Donald G. Macleod ::*4th Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force ( Malacca Volunteer Corps) – Lt. Col. Charles Alexander Scott ::*Singapore Armoured Car Company, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force :*Royal Engineers Brigade ::Brig
Ivan Simson Brigadier Ivan Simson, (14 August 1890 – 4 February 1971) was a British Army officer and the Chief Engineer A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "ChEng" or "Chief", is the most senior engine officer of an engine department on a ship, t ...
::*30th Fortress Company,
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
::*34th Fortress Company, Royal Engineers ::*35th Fortress Company, Royal Engineers ::*41st Fortress Company, Royal Engineers :*Artillery ::Commander, Air Defences, Singapore – Brig Alec Warren Greenlaw Wildey ::*1st (Heavy) Anti-Aircraft Regiment,
Indian Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is a combat/fighting arm of the Indian Army, which provides massive firepower during all ground operations of the Indian Army. It is a successor to the Royal Indian Artillery (RIA) of British Indian Army, which itsel ...
- Lt. Col. John Rowley Williamson DSO ::*1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery - Lt. Col. Archer Edwards Tawney ::*2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. Howard Wincent Allpres ::*3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery - Lt. Col. Denis Vivian Hill ::*3rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment,
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
- Lt. Col. Francis Edgar Hugonin ::*
5th Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery The 5th Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery (5th S/L Rgt) was a short-lived air defence unit of the British Army during World War II. Formed to defend Singapore in 1941, the regiment was captured less than a year later when the fortress surrende ...
– Lt. Col. R.A.O. Clarke ::Commander, Fixed Defences, Singapore – Brigadier A.D. Curtis ::*7th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. Hereward Douglas St. George Cardew ::*9th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. Charles Philip Heath ::*16th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. M.S.H. Maxwell-Gumbleton :*Support Units ::*Half Strength
Jind Infantry Jind is one of the largest and oldest city in Jind district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is administrative headquarter of Jind district. Rani Talab is the main destination for tourists while Pandu-Pindara and Ramrai are the main religio ...
Battalion (
Indian States Forces The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the princely states of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government. At the beginning of ...
) (½ Strength) – Lt. Col. Gurbaksh Singh ::*Half Strength Kapurthala Infantry Battalion (Indian States Forces) (½ Strength) - Major Aziz Ahmad ::*
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 ...
– Lt. Col. John Dalley


Malaya Command Reserve

Commanding Officer: Brig. A.C.M. Paris/Lt. Col. I.M. Stewart HQ:
Port Dickson Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Podeksen'', Jawi: ) is a beach resort in Port Dickson District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It is the second largest urban area in Negeri Sembilan after Seremban, its state capital. The town's admin ...
:* 12th Indian Infantry Brigade – Brig. A.C.M. Paris/Lt. Col. I.M. Stewart ::HQ:
Port Dickson Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Podeksen'', Jawi: ) is a beach resort in Port Dickson District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It is the second largest urban area in Negeri Sembilan after Seremban, its state capital. The town's admin ...
::*2nd Battalion,
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
– Lt. Col. I.M.Stewart/ Lt. Col. Lindsay Robertson ( 20 January 1942) ::*5th Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Cecil Deakin ::*4th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment – Lt. Col. Eric Lawrence Wilson-Haffenden/Lt. Col. Herbert Lawrence Hill ::*122nd (West Riding) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. George St.John Armitage Dyson ( 22 November 1942) ::*15 Field Company (Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners) - Major R. B. Muir RE


Sarawak Force (SARFOR)

Commanding Officer: Lt-Col Charles Malet Lane HQ:
Kuching Kuching (), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River ...
:*SARFOR ::Lt-Col C. M. Lane ::HQ:
Kuching Kuching (), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River ...
::*2nd Battalion, 15th Punjab Regiment – (this battalion took part in the Battle of Borneo where it surrendered). ::*
Sarawak Coastal Marine Service Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
::* Sarawak Volunteer Corps ::*
Sarawak Rangers The Sarawak Rangers were a para-military force founded in 1862 by the second White Rajahs, White Rajah of the Raj of Sarawak, Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Brooke. They evolved from the fortmen which were raised to defend Kuching in ...
::*
Sarawak Armed Police Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
::*35th Fortress Company,
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
::*6" Guns Battery, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery


Christmas Island

Commanding Officer: Capt Leonard Walter Thomas Williams HQ:
Christmas Island Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. It is located in the Indian Ocean, around south of Java and Sumatra and around north-west of the ...
* 6" Gun, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery


Reinforcements


Arrived January 3rd 1942 – February 5th 1942

:In addition to the units listed below a number of replacement drafts were sent to Singapore on convoys MS2 from Melbourne arriving 24/1/1942 and BM12 from Bombay arriving 5/2/1942 : :* 44th Indian Infantry Brigade - (Arrived 25-Jan-1942 Convoy BM10) – Brigadier George Cecil Ballentine ::*6th Battalion,
1st Punjab Regiment The 1st Punjab Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. Upon the Partition of India, it was transferred to the newly-raised Pakistan Army. It ceased to exist in this form in 1956, when it was amalgamate ...
– Lt. Col. James Dow Sainter MC ::*7th Battalion,
8th Punjab Regiment The 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947 and merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956. History Madras Infantry The 8th Punjab Regim ...
– Lt. Col. Willis Southern ::*6th Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment - Lt. Col. Louis Sobaux Ingle MC :*
45th Indian Infantry Brigade The 45th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in June 1941, at Ahmednagar in India and assigned to the 17th Indian Infantry Division. It was transferred to Malaya Comm ...
- (Arrived 3-Jan-1942 Convoy BM9A) – Brigadier Herbert Cecil Duncan ( at
Battle of Muar The Battle of Muar was the last major battle of the Malayan Campaign during the Second World War. It took place from 14–22 January 1942 around Gemensah Bridge and on the Muar River. After the British defeat at Slim River, General Archibald W ...
) ::*7th Battalion,
6th Rajputana Rifles The 6th Rajputana Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They were formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army. They moved away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment se ...
- Lt. Col. James Albert Lewis ( at Battle of Muar) ::*4th Battalion,
9th Jat Regiment The 9th Jat Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army, moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. World War II The Regiment saw a g ...
– Lt. Col. John Whittaker Williams ( at Battle of Muar) ::*5th Battalion, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles – Lt. Col. James H.C. Woolridge ( at Battle of Muar) ::*13th Indian Auxiliary Pioneer Battalion :* 13th Indian Field Company (Madras Sappers and Miners) (Arrived 3-Jan-1942 Convoy BM9A) - Major B.E. Whitman RE :* 100th Light Tank Squadron (Arrived 29-Jan-1942 Convoy BM11) – Major Jack Alford ( 12 Feb 1942) equipped Carden Lloyd Tankettes :* 18th Infantry Division – Major-General
Merton Beckwith-Smith Major-General Merton Beckwith-Smith, (11 July 1890 – 11 November 1942) was a senior British Army officer during both the First and Second World Wars. Early life and military career Beckwith-Smith was born on 11 July 1890 at 24 Walton Street, ...
::* 53rd Infantry Brigade - (Arrived 13 January 1942 Convoy DM1) – Brig. Cecil Leonard Basil Duke :::*5th Battalion,
Royal Norfolk Regiment The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...
– Lt. Col. Eric Charles Prattley :::*6th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment – Lt. Col. Ian Conway Gilford Lywood ( at Alexandra Hospital Massacre) :::*2nd Battalion,
Cambridgeshire Regiment The Cambridgeshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, and was part of the Territorial Army. Originating in units of rifle volunteers formed in 1860, the regiment served in the Second Anglo-Boer War and the First and Secon ...
– Lt. Col. Gordon Calthorpe Thorne (Died, Indian Ocean while attempting to escape) ::* 54th Infantry Brigade - (Arrived 29 January 1942 Convoy BM11) – Brig. Edward Henry Walford Backhouse :::*4th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment – Lt. Col. Alfred Ernest Knights :::*4th Battalion,
Suffolk Regiment The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, participating in many wars and conflicts, including the First and Second World Wars, before bein ...
– Lt. Col. Alec Albert Johnson :::*5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment – Lt. Col. Lionel John Baker ::* 55th Infantry Brigade - (Arrived 29 January 1942 Convoy BM11) – Brig. Tristram Hugh "Tim" Massy-Beresford :::*5th Battalion,
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was originally formed in 1688. After centuries of service in many conflicts and wars, including both the First and Second World W ...
– Lt. Col. Douglas Rhys Thomas :::*1/5th Battalion,
Sherwood Foresters The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to f ...
– Lt. Col. Harold Hutchinson Lilly :::*1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment – Lt. Col. Gerald Goodwin Carpenter ::*Divisional Troops :::* 9th Battalion,
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution an ...
(Machine Gun Battalion) - (Arrived 5-Feb-1942 Convoy BM12) – Lt. Col. Lechmere Cay Thomas :::*18th Reconnaissance Battalion,
Reconnaissance Corps The Reconnaissance Corps, or simply Recce Corps, was a corps of the British Army, formed during the Second World War whose units provided reconnaissance for infantry divisions. It was formed from infantry brigade reconnaissance groups on 14 Janu ...
5th 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 ...
- (Arrived 5 February 1942 Convoy BM12) – Lt. Col. Henry Arnold Fitt ::*
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
:::*118th (8th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA) - (Arrived 29 January 1942 Convoy BM11) – Lt. Col. C.E.Mackellar :::* 135th (East Anglian) (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery - (Arrived 13 January 1942 Convoy DM1) – Lt. Col.
Philip Toosey Brigadier Sir Philip John Denton Toosey (12 August 1904 – 22 December 1975) was, as a Lieutenant Colonel, the senior Allied officer in the Japanese prisoner-of-war camp at Tha Maa Kham (known as Tamarkan) in Thailand during World War II. Th ...
:::* 148th (Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery - (Arrived 29 January 1942 Convoy BM11) – Lt. Col. S.W.Harris :::* 85th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery - (Arrived 13 January 1942 Convoy DM1) – Lt. Col. Andrew John Lardner-Clarke :::*125th (Northumbrian) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery - (Arrived 5 February 1942 Convoy BM12) – Lt. Col. James Dean :::* 35th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (144th Battery and part of 89th Battery) (Arrived 13 January 1942 Convoy DM1) – Lt. Col. John Bassett :::*
6th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery 6th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was an air defence unit of the British Army raised in the years leading up to World War II. It served in the Battle of France and was evacuated from Dunkirk. Re-equipped, it defended London and ...
(part) (Arrived 13 January 1942 Convoy DM1)– Lt. Col. G.W.G Baass ::*
Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...
:::*186th Field Ambulance :::*196th Field Ambulance :::*197th Field Ambulance (Arrived 5 February 1942 Convoy BM12) ::*
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
:::*287th Field Company :::*288th Field Company :::*560th Field Company :::*251st Field Park Company (Arrived 5-Feb-1942 Convoy BM12) :* Australian :** 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion (Arrived 24 January 1942 Convoy MS2) – Lt. Col. M.J.Anketell (Feb. 1942) :


Allied Air Force units in Malaya December 1941

There were 161 front line aircraft, including three
Royal Netherlands Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = ''Parade March of the Royal Netherlands Air Force'' , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...
Catalina flying boats, based in Malaya and on Singapore Island on 8 December 1941. These units came under the control of
Far East Air Force (Royal Air Force) The former Royal Air Force Far East Air Force, more simply known as RAF Far East Air Force, was the Command organisation that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the east of Asia (Far East). It was originally formed as Air Command, South Ea ...
under the command of Air Vice Marshal C.W.H.Pulford until February 1942 when Air Vice Marshal P.C.Maltby took command.


Based on Singapore Island

*
RAF Seletar Seletar Airport is a civilian international airport serving the north-east region of Singapore. It is located approximately northwest from Changi Airport, the country's main airport, and about north from the main commercial city-centre. ...
; * No. 36 Squadron RAF – 6 ×
Vickers Vildebeest The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as light bombers, torpedo bombers and in army cooperation roles. First flown i ...
*
No. 100 Squadron RAF Number 100 Squadron is a former Royal Air Force squadron. It last operated the British Aerospace Hawk T1, providing 'aggressor' aircraft for air combat training from RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, UK. History First World War No. 100 was est ...
– 12 × Vickers Vildebeest *
No. 205 Squadron RAF No. 205 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit formed on 1 April 1918. Prior to this it had existed as No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). In 1929, it became the first RAF squadron to be permanently based in Singapore, taking as i ...
– 3 ×
PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served w ...
*
RAF Tengah ''Tengah'' is an Indonesian and Malay word meaning "Central". It can be found in topography, e.g. *Kalimantan Tengah *Tengah Islands or Central Archipelago. *Tengah, Singapore *Tengah Air Base The Tengah Air Base is a military airbase of ...
; *
No. 34 Squadron RAF ("Wolf wishes, wolf flies") , dates=7 Jan 1916 – 25 Sept 19193 Dec 1935 – Feb 19421 Apr 1942 – 15 Oct 19451 Aug 1946 – 31 July 194711 Feb 1949 – 24 June 19521 Aug 1954 – 10 Jan 19581 Oct 1960 – 31 Dec 1967 , country= United ...
– 16 × Bristol Blenheim IV *
RAF Sembawang Semba is a traditional type of music and dance from Angola. Semba comes from the singular Massemba, meaning "a touch of the bellies" - one of the most recognizable and entertaining movements in semba.History of Semba , Kizombalove Academy Chara ...
; *
No. 453 Squadron RAAF No. 453 Squadron is an air traffic control unit of the Royal Australian Air Force. It was established at Bankstown, New South Wales, in 1941 as a fighter squadron, in accordance with Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme for overseas se ...
– 16 ×
Brewster Buffalo The Brewster F2A Buffalo is an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modifications ...
* RAF Kallang; * No. 243 Squadron RAF – 14 × Brewster Buffalo * No. 488 Squadron RNZAF – 16 × Brewster Buffalo


Based in Northern Malaya

* Sungei Patani; * No. 21 Squadron RAAF – 12 × Brewster Buffalo *
No. 27 Squadron RAF No. 27 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook from RAF Odiham. History First World War 27 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps formed at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome on , being split off from 24 Squadron. Initially using air ...
– 12 × Bristol Blenheim I * RAF Kota Bharu; * No. 1 Squadron RAAF – 12 ×
Lockheed Hudson The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and prim ...
* Detachment from No. 243 Squadron RAF – 2 × Brewster Buffalo * Gong Kedak; * Detachment from No. 36 Squadron RAF – 6 × Vickers Videbeest *
RAF Kuantan Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Penin ...
; * No. 8 Squadron RAAF – 12 × Lockheed Hudson *
No. 60 Squadron RAF No. 60 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at Gosport. It is currently part of No. 1 Flying Training School RAF, No. 1 Flying Training School based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire flying the Eurocopter EC135, Airbus H135 Juno HT1. ...
– 8 × Bristol Blenheim * Alor Star; *
No. 62 Squadron RAF No. 62 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was originally established as a Royal Flying Corps squadron in 1916 and operated the Bristol F2B fighter in France during the last year of the First World War. After the war the squadron was disbanded and it ...
– 11 × Bristol Blenheim


Commanders-in-Chief

Commanders-in-Chief have included:
GOC Troops in the Straits Settlements * until early 1900: Major-General John Baillie Ballantyne Dickson * 1903–1905 Major-General
Arthur Dorward Arthur Fairgrieve Dorward (3 March 1925 – 4 August 2015) was a Scottish international rugby union player who played fifteen matches between 1950 – 1957. Rugby Union career Amateur career Dorward was born in 1925 in Galashiels. He ...
* 1905–1907 Major-General
Inigo Jones Inigo Jones (; 15 July 1573 – 21 June 1652) was the first significant architect in England and Wales in the early modern period, and the first to employ Vitruvian rules of proportion and symmetry in his buildings. As the most notable archit ...
* 1907–1910 Major-General Thomas Perrott * 1910–1914 Major-General Theodore Stephenson * 1914–1915 Major-General
Raymond Reade Major General Raymond Northland Revell Reade, ( – 18 October 1943) was a British Army general and Commandant of the Royal Military College of Canada. Background Born in Chelsea, London, he was the son of John Page Reade and his wife Lady Mary ...
* 1915–1921 Major-General Sir Dudley Ridout * 1921–1924 Major-General Sir
Neill Malcolm Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm, KCB, DSO (8 October 1869 – 21 December 1953) was a British Army officer who served as Chief of Staff to Fifth Army in the First World War and later commanded the Troops in the Straits Settlements. Military ...
GOC Malaya Command * 1924–1927 Major-General Sir Theodore Fraser * 1927–1929 Major-General Sir Casimir van Straubenzee * 1929–1931 Major-General Harry Pritchard * 1931–1934 Major-General Sir Louis Oldfield * 1934–1935 Major-General Ernest Lewin * 1935–1939 Major-General Sir
William Dobbie Lieutenant General Sir William George Shedden Dobbie, (12 July 1879 – 3 October 1964) was a British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and the First and Second World Wars. Early life William was born in Madras to a civil servant ...
* 1939–1941 Lieutenant-General Sir
Lionel Bond Lieutenant-General Sir Lionel Vivian Bond, (16 June 1884 – 4 October 1961) was a senior officer in the British Army. Military career Bond was the son of Major-General Sir Francis George Bond (1856–1930), and elder brother of Major-General ...
* 1941–1942 Lieutenant-General
Arthur Percival Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a senior British Army officer. He saw service in the First World War and built a successful military career during the interwar period but is most noted fo ...
:''Note from 1943 to 1945 Malaya was under
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese control'' * Nov–Dec 1945 Lieutenant-General Sir
Miles Dempsey General Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey, (15 December 1896 – 5 June 1969) was a senior British Army officer who served in both world wars. During the Second World War he commanded the Second Army in north west Europe. A highly professional an ...
* 1945–1946 Lieutenant-General Sir
Frank Messervy General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, (9 December 1893 – 2 February 1974) was a British Indian Army officer in the First and Second World Wars. Following its independence, he was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army (15 August 1947 ...
* 1946–1947 Lieutenant-General Sir
Alexander Galloway Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander Galloway, (3 November 1895 – 28 January 1977) was a senior British Army officer. During the Second World War, he was particularly highly regarded as a staff officer and, as such, had an influential role in the ...
GOC Malaya District * 1947–1948 Major-General Ashton Wade * 1948–1950 Major-General Sir Charles Boucher GOC Malaya * 1950–1952 Major-General
Roy Urquhart Major General Robert Elliot "Roy" Urquhart, (28 November 1901 – 13 December 1988) was a British Army officer who saw service during the Second World War and Malayan Emergency. He became prominent for his role as General Officer Commanding th ...
* 1952–1954 Major-General Sir
Hugh Stockwell General Sir Hugh Charles Stockwell, (16 June 1903 – 27 November 1986) was a senior British Army officer most remembered for commanding the Anglo-French ground forces during the Suez Crisis and his service as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander ...
* 1954–1956 Lieutenant-General Sir Geoffrey Bourne * 1956–1957 Lieutenant-General Sir Roger Bower


See also

* Japanese Order of Battle, Malayan Campaign


Notes


References

* * * *


Further reading


Order of Battle Site for Malaya Command





TracesOfWar.com – Malaya Command


{{British armies, commands, and corps during the Second World War British Malaya Commands of the British Army Military of Singapore under British rule Military history of Malaysia Military units and formations established in 1924 Military units and formations disestablished in 1957 1924 establishments in British Malaya 1957 disestablishments in Malaya British Malaya in World War II Military history of Malaya during World War II Military history of Singapore during World War II World War II orders of battle