The Malaya Command was a
formation of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of
British Malaya, which comprised the
Straits Settlements, the
Federated Malay States and the
Unfederated Malay States. It consisted mainly of small
garrison forces in
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
,
Penang,
Taiping,
Seremban and
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
.
With the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in 1939, the command reinforced its strength in anticipation of an attack. With the bulk of
British forces being tied down in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and
North Africa
North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
, the command was mainly augmented by units from
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
.
On 18 November 1940, the command was placed under the command of the
British Far East Command 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, through Singapore and the southernmost islands of the
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
. The command was disbanded on 15 February 1942 with the surrender of all Commonwealth forces in the conclusion of the
Battle of Singapore.
With the
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...
, 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.
With the
independence of Malaya on 31 August 1957, the command was disbanded and succeeded by
Overseas Commonwealth Land Forces (Malaya).
Formation and structure
In November 1940, the total strength of Malaya Command was 17
battalions. The
Indian Army contingent was mainly organised as
III Corps with their HQ based in
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
.
When Japanese forces
invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941,
Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, 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 under the command of
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
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
*
Indian 9th Infantry Division
:Maj-Gen
Arthur Barstow (, 28 January 1942 at Layang-Layang near
Bota)
:HQ:
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
:*
8th Indian Infantry Brigade
::Brig
Bethold Key
::HQ:
Kota Bharu
::*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 – Major John Bertram Sopper
::*19th Field Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners) - Major M. Delmé Radcliffe RE
:*
22nd Indian Infantry Brigade
::Brig
Gordon Painter
::HQ:
Kuantan
::*5th Battalion,
11th Sikh Regiment – 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) - 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)- Major Thomas Wilfried Nash
*
Indian 11th Infantry Division
:Maj-Gen
David Murray-Lyon/Brig
Archibald Paris/Maj-Gen Berthold Wells Key
:HQ:
Sungai Petani
:*
6th Indian Infantry Brigade
::Brig
William Oswald Lay/Lt. Col. Henry Sloane Larkin
::HQ:
Jitra
Jitra is a town and a mukim in Kubang Pasu District, in northern Kedah, Malaysia. It is the seat for the district. Jitra is the fourth-largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim.
History
During World War II, when the Japane ...
::*2nd Battalion,
East Surrey Regiment – Lt. Col. George Edward Swinton
::*1st Battalion,
8th Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Ronald Charles Sidney Bates (, 12 December 1941)
::*2nd Battalion,
16th Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Henry Sloane Larkin (Died as a
POW 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 is a town and a mukim in Kubang Pasu District, in northern Kedah, Malaysia. It is the seat for the district. Jitra is the fourth-largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim.
History
During World War II, when the Japane ...
::*1st Battalion,
Leicestershire Regiment – Lt. Col. Charles Esmond Morrison
::*2nd Battalion,
9th Jat Regiment – Lt. Col. Charles Knowler Tester
::*1st Battalion,
14th Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Leslie Vernon "James" Fitzpatrick
::*23rd Field Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners) - Major John Eglington Bate RE
:*
28th (Gurkha) Infantry Brigade
::Brig William St J. Carpendale/Lt. Col. Wallace Raymond Selby
::HQ:
Ipoh
::*2nd Battalion,
1st Gurkha Rifles – Lt. Col. John Oswald "Jack" Fulton (, 8 January 1942 at
Slim River)
::*2nd Battalion,
2nd Gurkha Rifles – Lt. Col. Geoffrey Harley Douglas Woollcombe (Died Indian Ocean, 28 Feb. 1942)
::*2nd Battalion,
9th Gurkha Rifles – Lt. Col. Wallace Raymond Selby/Lt. Col. Maurice Bryer Allsebrook DSO MC
::*17th Field Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners) - 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)
::*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
::*Light Battery, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Equipped 4 x 3.7" How) - Major R. Wilshaw
::*Armoured Car Company, 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
::*D Company, 5th Battalion,
14th Punjab Regiment - Lieutenant Edward John Ellis
::*3rd Battalion,
Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (
Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps) - Lt. Col. The Hon Ernest De Buriatte
::*11th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery – Lt. Col. M.L. More
::*2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment,
Indian Artillery
* 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)
::*3rd Battalion,
16th Punjab Regiment (assigned to ''Krohcol'') – Lt. Col. Henry Moorhead ( at Battle of Muar)
::*1st Battalion,
Mysore Infantry (
Indian States Forces) – 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)
::*11th Indian Division Signal Regiment
* Corps troops
:*45 Army Troops Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners)
:*46 Army Troops Company (Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners)
:*1 Artisan Works Company (
Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners)
:
:
Australian 8th Division
*
Australian 8th Division
:Maj Gen
Gordon Bennett
:HQ:
Kluang
::*
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
::*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
::HQ:
Mersing –
Endau
::*
2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col.
Arthur Varley (Died as
POW 13 September 1944)
::*
2/19th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col.
Charles Anderson VC
::*
2/20th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Charles Frederick Assheton (12 February 1942)
*
Australian 27th Brigade
::Brig
Duncan Maxwell
::HQ:
Kluang
::*
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)/ Lt. Col. Pond
::*
2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col.
Frederick Gallagher "Jack" Galleghan
Fortress Singapore
Commanding Officer – Maj Gen
Frank Keith Simmons
HQ:
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
* Fortress Singapore Division
:Maj Gen F. K. Simmons
:*
1st Malaya Brigade
::Brig George Giffard Rawson Williams
::*2nd Battalion,
Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) – Lt. Col. Mordaunt Elrington
::*1st Battalion,
Malay Regiment – Lt. Col. James Richard Glencoe André
::*2nd Battalion, Malay Regiment – Lt. Col. Frederick Walter Young
:*
2nd Malaya Brigade
::Brig Francis Hugh Fraser
::*1st Battalion,
Manchester Regiment – Lt. Col. Edward Barclay Holmes
::*2nd Battalion,
Gordon Highlanders – 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) – 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
::*30th Fortress Company,
Royal Engineers
::*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 - 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 – 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 Battalion (
Indian States Forces) (½ Strength) – Lt. Col.
Gurbaksh Singh
::*Half Strength
Kapurthala Infantry Battalion (Indian States Forces) (½ Strength) - Major Aziz Ahmad
::*
Dalforce – Lt. Col. John Dalley
Malaya Command Reserve
Commanding Officer: Brig.
A.C.M. Paris/Lt. Col.
I.M. Stewart
HQ:
Port Dickson
:*
12th Indian Infantry Brigade – Brig.
A.C.M. Paris/Lt. Col.
I.M. Stewart
::HQ:
Port Dickson
::*2nd Battalion,
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders – 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 Ri ...
:*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 Ri ...
::*2nd Battalion,
15th Punjab Regiment – (this battalion took part in the
Battle of Borneo where it surrendered).
::*
Sarawak Coastal Marine Service
::*
Sarawak Volunteer Corps
::*
Sarawak Rangers
::*
Sarawak Armed Police
::*35th Fortress Company,
Royal Engineers
::*6" Guns Battery,
Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery
::*
Brunei State Police
::*
Brunei Volunteer Force
Christmas Island
Commanding Officer: Capt Leonard Walter Thomas Williams
HQ:
Christmas Island
* 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 – Lt. Col. James Dow Sainter MC
::*7th Battalion,
8th Punjab Regiment – Lt. Col. Willis Southern
::*6th Battalion,
14th Punjab Regiment - Lt. Col. Louis Sobaux Ingle MC
:*
45th Indian Infantry Brigade - (Arrived 3-Jan-1942 Convoy BM9A) – Brigadier
Herbert Cecil Duncan ( at
Battle of Muar)
::*7th Battalion,
6th Rajputana Rifles - Lt. Col. James Albert Lewis ( at Battle of Muar)
::*4th Battalion,
9th Jat Regiment – 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
::*
53rd Infantry Brigade - (Arrived 13 January 1942 Convoy DM1) – Brig. Cecil Leonard Basil Duke
:::*5th Battalion,
Royal Norfolk Regiment – Lt. Col. Eric Charles Prattley
:::*6th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment – Lt. Col. Ian Conway Gilford Lywood ( at Alexandra Hospital Massacre)
:::*2nd Battalion,
Cambridgeshire Regiment – 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 – 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 – Lt. Col. Douglas Rhys Thomas
:::*1/5th Battalion,
Sherwood Foresters – Lt. Col. Harold Hutchinson Lilly
:::*1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment – Lt. Col. Gerald Goodwin Carpenter
::*Divisional troops
:::*
9th Battalion,
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Machine Gun Battalion) - (Arrived 5-Feb-1942 Convoy BM12) – Lt. Col. Lechmere Cay Thomas
:::*18th Reconnaissance Battalion,
Reconnaissance Corps 5th Battalion
Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) - (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
:::*
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 (part) (Arrived 13 January 1942 Convoy DM1)– Lt. Col. G.W.G Baass
::*
Royal Army Medical Corps
:::*186th Field Ambulance
:::*196th Field Ambulance
:::*197th Field Ambulance (Arrived 5 February 1942 Convoy BM12)
::*
Royal Engineers
:::*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 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) 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;
*
No. 36 Squadron RAF – 6 ×
Vickers Vildebeest
*
No. 100 Squadron RAF – 12 × Vickers Vildebeest
*
No. 205 Squadron RAF – 3 ×
PBY Catalina
*
RAF Tengah;
*
No. 34 Squadron RAF – 16 ×
Bristol Blenheim IV
*
RAF Sembawang;
*
No. 453 Squadron RAAF – 16 ×
Brewster Buffalo
*
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 – 12 × Bristol Blenheim I
*
RAF Kota Bharu;
*
No. 1 Squadron RAAF – 12 ×
Lockheed Hudson
* Detachment from No. 243 Squadron RAF – 2 × Brewster Buffalo
* Gong Kedak;
* Detachment from No. 36 Squadron RAF
– 6 × Vickers Videbeest
*
RAF Kuantan;
*
No. 8 Squadron RAAF – 12 × Lockheed Hudson
*
No. 60 Squadron RAF – 8 × Bristol Blenheim
* Alor Star;
*
No. 62 Squadron RAF – 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
* 1905–1907 Major-General
Inigo Jones
* 1907–1910 Major-General
Thomas Perrott
* 1910–1914 Major-General
Theodore Stephenson
* 1914–1915 Major-General
Raymond Reade
* 1915–1921 Major-General Sir
Dudley Ridout
* 1921–1924 Major-General Sir
Neill Malcolm
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
* 1939–1941 Lieutenant-General Sir
Lionel Bond
* 1941–1942 Lieutenant-General
Arthur Percival
:''Note from 1943 to 1945 Malaya was under
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
ese control''
* Nov–Dec 1945 Lieutenant-General Sir
Miles Dempsey
* 1945–1946 Lieutenant-General Sir
Frank Messervy
* 1946–1947 Lieutenant-General Sir
Alexander Galloway
GOC Malaya District
* 1947–1948 Major-General
Ashton Wade
* 1948–1950 Major-General Sir
Charles Boucher
GOC Malaya
* 1950–1952 Major-General
Roy Urquhart
* 1952–1954 Major-General Sir
Hugh Stockwell
* 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 CommandTracesOfWar.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