The Malaya Command was a formation 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, which comprised the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States 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 forces in

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...

, Penang, Taiping,

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. Se ...

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, bor ...

. 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 opposi ...

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 subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

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 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 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 command was re-formed from the

14th Army Fourteenth Army or 14th Army may refer to: * 14th Army (German Empire), a World War I field Army * 14th Army (Wehrmacht), a World War II field army * Italian Fourteenth Army * Japanese Fourteenth Army, a World War II field army, in 1944 converted ...

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 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 a ...

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 = , sub ...

. When Japanese forces invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941, 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 ...

, 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 of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

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 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 = , sub ...

:* 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 The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After independence, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments. During more ...

– Lt. Col. John Griffeth Frith ::*2nd Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment – Lt. Col. Arthur Cumming ::*1st Battalion,

13th Frontier Force Rifles The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions. History The 13th Frontier Force Rifles' ...

– Lt. Col. Clarence Gilbert ::*3rd 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 partit ...

– Lt. Col. George Allen Preston ::*21st Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery – 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 Peni ...

::*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 The 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles 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. They were th ...

– 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 (

) - 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 (

)- Major Thomas Wilfried Nash * Indian 11th Infantry Division :Maj-Gen

David Murray-Lyon 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 Indian Infantry Division in Malaya until h ...

/Brig Archibald Paris/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 Regimen ...

– 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,

– 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:

::*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 The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on independence in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regi ...

– Lt. Col. Leslie Vernon "James" Fitzpatrick ::*23rd Field Company (

) - 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 The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Ba ...

– Lt. Col. Geoffrey Harley Douglas Woollcombe (Died Indian Ocean, 28 Feb. 1942) ::*2nd Battalion,

9th Gurkha Rifles The 9th Gorkha Rifles is a 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 Indian Army after independe ...

– Lt. Col. Wallace Raymond Selby/Lt. Col. Maurice Bryer Allsebrook DSO MC ::*17th Field Company (

) - 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,

(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 ::*D Company, 5th Battalion,

- 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 * Support Units ::*5th Battalion,

(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) – 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

) ::*11th Indian Division Signal Regiment * Corps Troops :* 45 Army Troops Company (

) :*46 Army Troops Company (Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners) :*1 Artisan Works Company (

) : :

Australian 8th Division

* Australian 8th Division :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 ::*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 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 ::* 2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Arthur Varley (Died as POW 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:

::* 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

)/ Lt. Col. Pond ::* 2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion – Lt. Col. Frederick Gallagher "Jack" Galleghan

Fortress Singapore

Commanding Officer – Maj Gen Frank Keith Simmons HQ:

* 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 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 Gord ...

– Lt. Col. John Heslop Stitt/Richard Gilbert Lees ::*2nd Battalion,

– 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 ::*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,

- 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 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) (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 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:

::*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 The 19th Hyderabad Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed at the time of reforms of the Indian Army after the First World War, when it moved from single-battalion regiments to multi-battalion regiments. The reg ...

– 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 :*SARFOR ::Lt-Col C. M. Lane ::HQ: Kuching ::*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 Rajah of the Raj of Sarawak, Charles Brooke. They evolved from the fortmen which were raised to defend Kuching in 1846. The Sarawak Rangers were first commande ...

::*

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 ::*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 amalgamated w ...

– Lt. Col. James Dow Sainter MC ::*7th Battalion,

– Lt. Col. Willis Southern ::*6th Battalion,

- Lt. Col. Louis Sobaux Ingle MC :* 45th Indian Infantry Brigade - (Arrived 3-Jan-1942 Convoy BM9A) – Brigadier Herbert Cecil Duncan ( at

) ::*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,

– Lt. Col. John Whittaker Williams ( at Battle of Muar) ::*5th Battalion,

– 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 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 – 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 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 ...

– 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) - (Arrived 5 February 1942 Convoy BM12) – Lt. Col. Henry Arnold Fitt ::*

:::*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 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 :::*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

BrewsterBuffalosMkIRAAFSingaporeOctober1941

* RAF Seletar; * 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 ...

* No. 100 Squadron RAF – 12 × Vickers Vildebeest * No. 205 Squadron RAF – 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; * 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 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 p ...

* 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 – 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 * 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 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 * 1941–1942 Lieutenant-General

:''Note from 1943 to 1945 Malaya was under Japanese 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 * 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 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

Notes

References

* * * *

Formation and Structure

Allied Land Forces (8 December 1941)

Indian III Corps

Australian 8th Division

Fortress Singapore

Malaya Command Reserve

Sarawak Force (SARFOR)

Christmas Island

Reinforcements

Arrived January 3rd 1942 – February 5th 1942

Allied Air Force units in Malaya December 1941

Based on Singapore Island

Based in Northern Malaya

Commanders-in-Chief

See also

Notes

References

Further reading