Malaya Command

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The Malaya Command was a command of British Commonwealth forces formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of Malaya and Singapore.

Contents 1 History 2 Formation and Structure 3 Allied Land Forces (December 8 1941) 3.1 Indian III Corps 3.2 Australia Imperial Force 3.3 Fortress Singapore 3.4 Malaya Command Reserve 3.5 Sarawak Force (SARFOR) 3.6 Christmas Island 4 Commanding Officers 5 External links

[edit] History

The command was first formed in the 1920s and was tasked with the defence of Malaya and Singapore with units and formations consisting mainly of small garrison forces in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Taiping, Seremban and Singapore.

With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the command reinforced its strength in anticipation. With the bulk of British forces being tied down in the war in Europe, the command was mainly augmented by units from India.

In November 18, 1940, the command was placed under the command of the British Far East Command and later in January 7, 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 Dutch East Indies.

The command was disbanded on February 15, 1942 with the surrender of all Commonwealth forces in the conclusion of the Battle of Singapore.

With the Surrender of Japan, the command was re-formed from the 14th Army with its HQ based in Singapore on November 1, 1945. The command was divided and downgraded to two separate military districts; 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 August 31, 1957 the command was disbanded and succeeded by Overseas Commonwealth Land Forces (Malaya).

[edit] Formation and Structure

In November 1940, the total strength of Malaya Command was at 17 battalions. The Indian Army contingent was mainly organised as III Corps with their HQ based in Kuala Lumpur.

When Japanese forces invaded Malaya on December 8, 1942, 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 Tomoyuki Yamashita.

[edit] Allied Land Forces (December 8 1941)

As of December 8, 1941

[edit] Indian III Corps

• As of 7 December 1941

Commanding Officer Indian III Corps - Lt.Gen.Lewis Heath

• Indian 9th Infantry Division Under Maj.Gen.A.E.Barstow, HQ at Kuala Lumpur
  • 8th Indian Infantry Brigade - Brig Billy Key with HQ at Kota Bahru
    • 2nd Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment - Lt.Col.James Frith
    • 3rd Battalion, 17th Dogra Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles
    • 2nd Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment - Lt.Col.A.E.Cumming
    • 21st Mountain Artillery Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • 22nd Indian Infantry Brigade - under Brig.G.W.A.Painter with HQ at Kuantan
    • 5th Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles
    • 5th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• Indian 11th Infantry Division - Maj.Gen.D.M.Murray-Lyon / Brig.A.Paris / Maj Gen Billy Key with HQ at Sungai Petani
  • 6th Indian Infantry Brigade - Brig.W.O.Lay / Lt.Col.H.S.Larkin, HQ at Jitra
    • 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, 8th Punjab Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment
    • 22nd Mountain Artillery Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • 15th Indian Infantry Brigade (III Corps Reserve)

Brig K. A. Garrett

HQ : Jitra

• 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment - Lt.Col.C.Esmond Morrison
• 2nd Battalion, 9th Jat Regiment
• 1st Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment - Lt.Col.James Fitzpatrick

• • 28th (Gurkha) Infantry Brigade

Brig W. St J. Carpendale / Lt Col W. R. Selby

HQ : Ipoh

• 2nd Battalion, 1st Gurkha Rifles - Lt.Col.Jack Fulton
• 2nd Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles
• 2nd Battalion, 9th Gurkha Rifles - Lt.Col.W.R.Selby

• • Krohcol

Lt Col H. D. Moorhead

• 3rd Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment - Lt.Col.Henry Dawson Moorehead
• 5th Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment - Lt.Col. Cyril Stokes (KIA)
• 2/3 Australian Motor Company

• Line of Communications Brigade

Brig R. G. Moir

• 1st Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Perak)
• 2nd Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Selangor)
• 3rd Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Negeri Sembilan)
• 4th Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces (Pahang)
• 1st (Light) Field Regiment, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces
• Armoured Car Squadron, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces
• Signals Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces

• Fortress Penang

Brig C. A. Lyon

HQ : Penang

• 5th Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment (assigned to Krohcol)
• 11th Coastal Regiment, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery
• 3rd Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps)
• 2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Indian Artillery

• Support Units

• 3rd Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment (assigned to Krohcol)
• 5th Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment (assigned to Krohcol)
• 1st Battalion Mysore Infantry (Indian States Forces)
• 1st Battalion Bahawalpur Infantry (Indian States Forces)
• 1st Battalion, Hyderabad Regiment ((Indian States Forces) - Lt.Col. Clive Hendricks
• 11th Indian Division Signal Regiment

[edit] Australia Imperial Force

Commanding Officer Australia Imperial Force - Maj Gen Gordon Bennett HQ : Kluang

• Australian 8th Division

Maj Gen Gordon Bennett

HQ : Kluang

• • Australian 22nd Brigade

Brig H. B. Taylor

HQ : Mersing - Endau

• 2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion - Lt.Col.Albert Varley
• 2/19th Australian Infantry Battalion - Lt.Col.Charles Anderson

2/20th Australian Infantry Battalion - Lt.Col.Charles Assheton

• Australian 27th Brigade

Brig D S Maxwell

HQ : Kluang

• 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion - Lt.Col.Albert Boyes/Richard Oakes
• 2/29th Australian Infantry Battalion - Lt.Col.Pond
• 2/30th Australian Infantry Battalion - Lt.Col.Jack Galleghan

[edit] Fortress Singapore

Commanding Officer - Maj Gen F. K. Simmons HQ : Singapore

• Fortress Singapore Division

Maj Gen F. K. Simmons

• 1st Malaya Brigade

Brig G. C. R. Williams

• 2nd Battalion Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) - Lt.Col.Mordaunt Elrington
• 1st Battalion Malay Regiment
• 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment

• 2nd Malaya Brigade

Brig F. H. Fraser

• 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment - Lt.Col.Edward Barclay Holmes
• 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders - Lt.Col.Richard Gilbert Lees
• 2nd Battalion 17th Dogra Regiment

• Straits Settlements Volunteer Force Brigade

Col R G Grimwood

• 1st Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (Singapore Volunteer Corps)
• 2nd Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (Singapore Volunteer Corps)
• 4th Battalion, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (Malacca Volunteer Corps)
• Singapore Armoured Car Company, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force

• Royal Engineers Brigade

Brig I. Simson

• 30th Fortress Company, Royal Engineers
• 34th Fortress Company, Royal Engineers
• 35th Fortress Company, Royal Engineers
• 41st Fortress Company, Royal Engineers

• Artillery Brigade

Brig W.G. Wildey

• 1st Indian Regiment, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery
• 1st Anti-Aircraft Battery, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery
• 2nd Anti-Aircraft Battery, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery
• 3rd (Light) Anti-Aircraft Battery, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery
• 3rd (Heavy) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
• 35th (Light) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
• 7th Coastal Regiment, Royal Artillery
• 9th Coastal Regiment, Royal Artillery
• 16th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery

• Support Units

• Half Strength Jind Infantry Battalion (Indian States Forces) (½ Strength)
• Half Strength Karapurthala Infantry Battalion (Indian States Forces) (½ Strength)
• Dalforce - Lt.Col.John Dalley

[edit] Malaya Command Reserve

Commanding Officer : Brig.A.C.M.Paris / Lt.Col.I. M. Stewart HQ : Port Dickson

• Indian 12th Infantry Brigade - Brig.A.C.M.Paris / Lt.Col.I.M.Stewart

HQ : Port Dickson

• 5th Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment - Lt.Col.Cecil Deakin
• 4th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment - Lt.Col.Wilson Haffenden
• 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - Lt Col I.M.Stewart

[edit] Sarawak Force (SARFOR)

Commanding Officer : Maj C. M. Lane HQ : Kuching

• SARFOR

Maj C. M. Lane

HQ : Kuching

• 2nd Battalion, 15th Punjab Regiment
• 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

[edit] Christmas Island

Commanding Officer : Capt J. Williams HQ : Christmas Island

• 6" Guns Battery, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery

[edit] Commanding Officers

• 1915 - 1921

Major-General Sir Dudley Howard Ridout, KBE, CB, CMG

• 1924 - 1927

Major-General Sir Theodore Fraser, KCB, CSI, CMG

• 1927 - 1929

Major-General Sir Casimir Cartwright van Straubenzee, KBE, CB, CMG

• 1929 - 1934

Major-General Sir H. L. Pritchard, CB, CMG, DSO

• 1934 - 1935

Major-General Sir E. O. Lewin, CB, CMG, DSO

• 1935 - 1939

Major-General Sir William George Shedden Dobbie, CB, CMG, DSO

• 1939 - 1941

Lieutenant-General Sir Lionel Vivian Bond, KBE, CB, GOC

• 1941 - 1942

Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival

• 1945 - 1948

(unknown)

• 1948 - 1950

Major-General Sir Charles Hamilton Boucher, KBE, CB, DSO (GOC Malaya District)

• 1950 - 1952

Major-General Sir Robert Elliott Urquhart, CB, DSO

• 1952 - 1954

Major-General Sir Hugh Charles Stockwell, KBE, CB, DSO

• 1954 - 1956

Lieutenant-General Sir Geoffrey Kemp Bourne, KBE, CB, CMG

• 1956 - 1957

Lieutenant-General Sir Roger Herbert Bower, KBE, CB

[edit] External links

• Order of Battle Site for Malaya Command
• 2nd Site Malaya Order of Battle
• The War In Malaya - Lt General A E Percival
• Regiments.org - Malaya Command
• The Mystery of Christmas Island - March 1942
• Go2War2.nl - Malaya Command