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Killed in Action
Royal Norfolk Regiment
6th Battalion
History
Compiled by Ron Taylor
The 18th Division
by Mary Michael
"For their country they did serve and recognition do so deserve"
On the William Sail they came
Proud and longing to fight with hearts aflame
To the Far Eastern Shores of Singapore
Where many a man would be the same no more
Oh how hard they fought
But victory was not to be bought
The Battle of Bukit Road raged
Til it was realized it just couldn't be saved
Young and brave the fear crept in
Why were we sent too late to win
For the men of the 18th this was their fame
Did they deserve to take history's blame
For they were trained for the desert not over here
Why they were there they sure weren't clear
The men of the 18th try as they might
There was no way they could win this fight
The fight over there sure wasn't fair
What's a Jap, what does he wear
How could they know about jungle warfare
This was their first battle but who did care
Alas no victory for the 18th would there be
Instead part of the Singapore surrender history
With all of the rest of the brave heroes over there
With no chance or hope to escape the Jap's brutal care
Why were our men left over there
With not a thought or a care
Where were the planes and rest of the supplies
Nothing appeared from out of the skies
In these words the truth can be seen
How unfair and unjust it all has been
Time now to honour and acclaim
And give these brave men finally their fame
August 1939 - 8th December 1941
September 1st 1939 in Norwich saw the battalion mobilised with 24 officers, 27 warrant officers and sergeants, and 483 other ranks. Lt.-Col. D.C.Buxton was in command and Maj. H.S.Ling MC was second in command. The battalion was organised into three rifle companies at the outbreak of war with a further “D” company being formed on November 30th when the battalion reached a strength of 785 in all ranks. At the end of 1939 they were moved to Sheringham and were billeted in the town. They were then brigaded with the 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolks and the 2nd Battalion, Cambridgeshires to form the 53 Infantry Brigade which was part of the 18th Division.
During the bad winter of early 1940 the brigade helped the Norfolk County Council with snow clearing in the area, it was very cold work with high drifts of snow. The bad weather made out door training difficult and there was not many halls big enough for them, their training suffered. The dining room of the Sheringham Hotel came to the rescue and helped the men train in the warmer conditions. The main training was the handling of rifles, bren gun and anti-tank rifle.
When the weather improved, training begun outside in ernist, with route marches up to 15 miles, but equipment was still short with only six bren guns and one 2 inch mortar within the battalion.
As the spring came night patrols were performed and the Sheringham golf course became their training ground with a rifle range in Upper Sheringham. With the invasions of Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg the battalion was given the task of guarding West Raynham aerodrome and Cromer Pier. The battalion manned the coast from Overstrand to Sheringham in four places Overstrand, Cromer, East & West Runton, and Sheringham.
When a roundsman reported seeing parachutists at Felbrigg on May 14th, a platoon from “D” company was sent out to search the area. They had no luck in their search and when cross examined again it was found the roundsman was lying.
On May 22nd, Lt.-Col. Buxton was relieved in command by Lt.-Col. F.L.Cubitt. Further coastal defences were laid. With the invasion threat now over in July and although still manning the coastal defences, serious training begun with larger scaled exercises with the 5th battalion. In August they were relieved of their coastal duties by the 2nd Cambridgeshires and moved to the Gresham School at Holt for a month of training. During this period Lt.-Col. J.F.Ross took over command and Maj. F.M.E.D.Drake was put as second-in-command from the 1st Battalion.
The 6th Battalion relieved the 5th Battalion at Weybourne on September 21st, training continued till October when the battalion was relieved by the 9 Lincolns, this took the whole of the 18 Division into reserve with quarters at Swaffham in Houses and farms.
In January 1941 a move to Scotland for the 18th Division saw more advanced training, the 6th Battalion being entrained for Dumfries. The day before their departure a German bomber dropped its bombs on the Swaffham Railway station, causing the death of six privates who were loading the train.
February saw the Scottish weather prove hostile with snow on most days, training continued in the companies and it wasn’t till the weather improved during March that battalion, Brigade and Divisional exercises could take place. The hills helped develop the men physically, and by the beginning of April 1941 the battalion looked in shape.
A move to Hartford saw more specialised training with large scale exercises and assault crossings of the Rivers Weaver, Teme and Severn. Each rifle company was put through a three day march covering 60 miles which finished with a night attack.
Lt.-Col. I.C.G.Lywood took over command on July 15th and in August the division was moved to Lancaster with the battalion being accommodated at Knowsley Park. They were put under canvas until wooden buildings were erected. An attack on Carlisle was carried out at the end of the month, testing its defences. A further attack, this time on Otley in Yorkshire, was carried out at the beginning of September.
The battalion, division and brigade were then given news that they were ready for posting abroad and on October 27th the battalion embarked from Gourock on the Duchess of Atholl for Halifax.
US Mount Vernon
At Halifax the whole of the 53 Brigade was transshipped to the Mount Vernon. After a brief visit to Trinidad to refuel, Cape Town was reached on December 9th only to find Japan had entered the war the day before, attacking Pearl Harbour and Malaya.
Acknowledgements
This information was collated using
The Royal Norfolk Regiment by P.K.Kemps - 1919 to 1951 - Voume 3
The Royal Norfolk Regiment by Tom Care
To Singapore and Beyond by Neil Storey
Private 5776807 by Frederick Noel Taylor
Hell in Five by Jack Symon
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