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Manchester Regiment
1st Battalion
History
From The Manchester Regiment Gazette
Japanese Attack
8th December 1941 - 15th February 1942
Singapore was subjected to a surprise air attack by nine enemy planes, about 4 a.m. on the 8th December, and we all knew then that at long last the balloon had gone up! On the same day all Japanese nationals in Malaya were rounded up and placed in custody. It was, to most of us, our first experience of attack from the air, and gave us an insight into the future. The bombs fell in the town, and except for personnel of the Anti-Aircraft defences, no troops were involved.
Fighting by ground troops in the early stages was confined to Northern Malaya, the Japanese having filtered in via Siam, and also by sea. As time went on, however, our forces were steadily pushed back towards Johore, the southernmost tip of the mainland of Malaya, and the fortress of Singapore was threatened. It is worthy of note that the Battalion by now was the only unit of the original beach defence forces remaining on the island. East Sector had been our special province from 1938 onwards. Other regiments, who with the Battalion had formed the original Malaya Infantry Brigade, had been moved from their beach positions and sent up the line in Malaya, to the bitter envy of most of our men who were fairly itching to take an active part in the battle. However, the powers that be decreed that we were to remain in possession of the East coast. In addition, the Battalion had also to take over certain defence posts in other sectors, e.g. Blakang Mati Island (covering the entrance to Singapore Harbour) and the Naval Base. " B " Company was entrusted with both these tasks until relieved eventually by other units.
From 31st January to 7th February, Singapore was tense and expectant. All Allied troops were now on the Island and Johore Causeway had been blown up to impede the Japanese advance. " B " Company, in the Naval Base, came in for some fairly heavy shelling. On the 5th February we sustained our first battle casualties of the war during an air raid over Telok Paku Beach, which was manned by " D " Company. Two N.C.O.s were killed and several N.C.O.s and men wounded. On the 8th February the Japanese launched a large-scale landing operation on the West and North-West coast of the island, and soon gained a footing. The Battalion still remained in occupation of the East coast and awaited developments, and it was not until 10th February that orders were received to move into inland positions on the outskirts of Singapore Town to face the continued advance of the Japs from the West and North-West. By this time our air force was to all intents and purposes non-existent, and Jap bombers and dive-bombers continually raided the island, the only opposition they encountered being from Anti-Aircraft positions and all available Light Anti-Aircraft automatic weapons.
Much damage and many casualties were daily inflicted upon the city of Singapore, and fires were numerous. Detachments of the Battalion came into the battle proper on 13th February in the Geylang area. Casualties were sustained on the 14th and 15th February, on the latter day two M.G. posts of " B " Company being completely wiped out, not a member surviving. Their guns were kept firing until they were completely overrun by the enemy on all sides. Enemy aircraft raided Singapore Town at about 2 p.m. on 15th February, causing very heavy casualties and a great deal of damage. Oil storage tanks were ablaze in the Naval Base and also on adjacent islands, and a heavy pall of thick black smoke hung low over the whole island; a very depressing and gloomy picture to us all. As the day proceeded, events moved from bad to worse, and on the evening of the 15th February came the disastrous news of the capitulation of the forces in Malaya. Even though the situation had been deteriorating so rapidly, there had been little thought in the minds of the troops of any possibility of surrender, and the news was stunning in its effect. Among the troops were mingled feelings of disappointment, rage and humiliation. We all felt that the fall of Singapore Fortress was bound to have detrimental and far-reaching effects upon the people at home, and also on the Allied Forces who were busily occupied in other theatres of war. When the initial shock had worn off however, the situation was accepted as such, and the troops regained something of that cheery optimism which is always associated with British troops in their darkest hours. The Battalion marched from Singapore into the PoW Concentration Area at Changi on 17th February, led by the Commanding Officer with a huge picture of H.M. the King on his back, and the men singing "There'll Always be an England” to the accompaniment of an accordion. Altogether a memorable sight, and one which must have completely amazed and mystified our captors.
The reader is no doubt wondering what had happened to the families stationed in Singapore at the outbreak of the war, and it would be well to digress a little from the main theme to unfold the following details. Quite a number of our ladies were employed in military offices as clerks, etc., as auxiliary nurses in hospitals, and also on P.A.D. duties in the Tanglin Barrack Area, and remained at their duties until evacuated from the island. The evacuation of married families to Australia, South Africa, India and England had commenced at the end of December and continued up to 8th February (approx.) when the last of the families were safely evacuated from the island. It was a great relief to all concerned when this object was achieved, because the presence of women and children on the island was a source of much worry and concern to the authorities.
Another evacuation took place on the night 13th-14th February with more disastrous results. A specialist party of 26 members of the Battalion and three attached R.A.O.C. personnel, together with a similar party from 2nd Battalion The East Surrey Regiment, embarked at Singapore on H.M.S. Dragonfly for an unknown destination. The Dragonfly, a small river gunboat, when a few hours out from Singapore was attacked by nine enemy planes. The first stick of bombs scored a direct hit on the mess deck, and she quickly sank with very few survivors. Of our original party of 29, only four were saved. Many of the survivors were in the water for very long periods (in some cases nearly 36 hours) before finally reaching the coast of Sumatra. This news was conveyed to us in Changi P.O.W. camp by Lt. Shellard, R.N., when he was transferred to Singapore from Sumatra as a prisoner of war. Until this news was received the whereabouts or safety of this party was unknown, and when news of their fate reached us it was indeed a sorry day in the history of the Battalion. Many old and trusted members of the Regiment were lost to us forever.
Death Roll
Defence of Malaya and Singapore
8th December 1941 - 15th February 1942
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Died
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Name
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Service/No
|
 |
1942/01/19
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Jackson, John
|
3528007
|
|
1942/01/26
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Latham, Fred
|
3527467
|
|
1942/01/31
|
Keating, James
|
3523252
|
|
1942/02/05
|
Durward, Quentin Longshaw
|
3518143
|
|
1942/02/11-1942/02/15
|
McGlynn, Martin
|
3524972
|
|
1942/02/12
|
Hogg, Alfred
|
3534748
|
|
1942/02/12
|
Martin, James Walter
|
3536562
|
|
1942/02/12-1942/02/14
|
Kinchin, Norman
|
3525962
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Meredith, Ernest
|
3511718
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Middleton, William
|
3529147
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Mitchell, Donald
|
3528870
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Noble, Leslie
|
3526838
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Olsson, Richard
|
3523990
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Maskery, Joseph
|
3525898
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Quinn, Thomas
|
89781
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Farnell, Norman
|
3524258
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Openshaw, Arthur Stanard
|
3524069
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Lucy, Joseph
|
3521762
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Le Page, Edward
|
3514357
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Hepworth, Sidney
|
3526054
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Fellowes, Herbert Frank
|
724269
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Stilwell, Sidney William George
|
3526908
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Dooley, James William
|
3525853
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Daniels, Ronald Leonard
|
3534710
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Bray, Arthur Frederick
|
3534741
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Bennett, Samuel Alexander
|
2034499
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Hake, Stanley Arthur
|
3523133
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Sturch, Albert
|
3514765
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Windsor, Stanley
|
3517970
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Robinson, Albert
|
3442837
|
|
1942/02/14
|
Spencer, Arthur
|
3525760
|
|
1942/02/14-1942/02/15
|
Mould, John
|
3534696
|
|
1942/02/14-1942/02/15
|
Crookes, Thomas Henry
|
3533842
|
|
1942/02/14-1942/02/15
|
Harkiss, Elmer Cecil
|
3528162
|
|
1942/02/14-1942/02/15
|
Howe, Dudley Melville
|
121943
|
|
1942/02/14-1942/02/15
|
Lawton, William
|
3526159
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Nuttall, Arthur
|
3526120
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Parr, Richard
|
3534686
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Roberts, William Anthony
|
3530225
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Rushton, Nicholas
|
3533928
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Mitchell, Joseph
|
3528935
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Scott, Bernard Patrick Joseph
|
3533997
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Harrison, George Edward
|
3534108
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Walton, John
|
3529793
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Schofield, Ernest
|
3528781
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Mckinley, Francis
|
3535939
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Lloyd, John
|
3524312
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Kershaw, Vincent
|
3533371
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Holdsworth, George
|
6210430
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Fensome, Ronald James
|
3526518
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Brooks, Harold
|
3535952
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Brockley, Charles
|
3527523
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Boyne, Patrick
|
3527514
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Wilson, Squire
|
3528349
|
|
1942/02/15
|
Howe, Ronald
|
3529690
|
|
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