Malaya Campaign 1941-1942

[David Thompson]

Well, after searching the internet for a few months without success, I thought I'd ask a couple of questions:

What are the various estimates of the manpower and equipment strengths of the Japanese and British imperial forces during the 1941-1942 Malayan campaign?

Is there a website or book with photographs, plans or maps of the British coastal fortifications at Singapore?

[Peter H]

David,
This might help on the coastal defences:

http://www.fortsiloso.com/history/1919.htm

http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/Malaya ... rtress.htm

The War.Org.Uk website has some many excellent articles on Malaya,Singapore 1941,1942.Just type into 'Search' such a name.

http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk


The activities of US TF14 might also be of interest:

http://www.historyarticles.com/ghost_ships.htm

Regards,
Moulded

[hisashi]

Japan deployed three infantry divisions to Malaysia campaign; 5th, 18th and Imperial Guard (later renumbered as Imperial Guard 2nd division after the campaign). Because of the shortage in ships, they landed/advanced one by one detachments. When they were ready for the attack against Singapore, they had 50,000 men, 140 artillery guns, and 135 tanks. These tanks were dispatched from tank divisions in China or Manchuria. See
http://maisov.oops.jp/e/lindc1.htm
The total number of tanks and personnels in Malaysia campaign was a little more; Liddel Hart (perhaps 'History of the Second World War ') states Japanese army deployed 70,000 men and 211 tanks. and 560 aircrafts. This number of aircrafts are army 3rd aviation group (459 aircrafts at the outset) and navy 1st aviation force (ad-hoc formation of air groups under Malaysia invasion fleet, mainly 22nd air squadron, 117 land-based aircrafts). It was the latter that sank HMS Prince of Wales.

[asiaticus]

25th Army in Malaya had these units:
5th Infantry Division (Square Division 1937-42)*
18th Infantry Division (Square Division 1937-42)*
56th Infantry Division
Guards Infantry Division
3rd Tank Brigade
3rd Field Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
34th Field Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
35th Field Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
51st Field Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
4th Separate Engineer Regiment
5th Separate Engineer Regiment
15th Separate Engineer Regiment
23rd Separate Engineer Regiment
21st Ind Fld Anti-Aircraft Company (Army Troop)
26th Ind Fld Anti-Aircraft Company (Army Troop)
31st Ind Fld Anti-Aircraft Company (Army Troop)
3rd Med Mortar Battalion (150mm Mtr - Army Troop)
5th Med Mortar Battalion (150mm Mtr - Army Troop)
14th Med Mortar Battalion (150mm Mtr - Army Troop)
21st Heavy Field Artillery Regiment
18th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Heavy Artillery Regiment
3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment
1st Ind Fld Artillery Battalion (75mm Fld Gun - Army Troop)
1st 75mm Gun Company
2nd 75mm Gun Company
4th 75mm Gun Company
5th 75mm Gun Company
6th 75mm Gun Company
7th 75mm Gun Company
11th 75mm Gun Company
12th 75mm Gun Company

* Square Divisions were one of 40 'Permanent divisions' that had been assigned four neighboring regimental districts. They supplied personnel for each of four infantry regiments in the division. In wartime, IJA raised another 'temporary division' from reserve personnel in the same districts for each permanent division. After 1937, a need for more divisions led IJA to raise three regiment 'triangular divisions', infantry divisions with only three infantry regiments. The Old 'square divisions' were converted one by one into triangular divisions. Though most temporary divisions were raised after 1937, some of them were at first square divisions, and eventually converted to triangular ones.

[David Thompson]

Moulded, maisov and asiaticus -- Thanks for your speedy and helpful assistance. I appreciate it.

[hisashi]

Japanese GHQ attached 56th (infantry) division to 25th army, the headquarter in Malaysia front, at Dec 27, 1941. They were, however, still in Japan. GHQ had a plan to attempt a landing at Mersing (160-170km north of Singapore) in January 1942 with 56ID, but Japanese advance in Malaysia was more rapid than planned. 56ID arrived to Vietnam in February to March 1942, but it was moved to 15th army invading Burma.

[Andy H]

Hi David

I highly reccomend Alan Warren's book 'Singapore 1942'.
ISBN 1 85285 328 X
This deals in depth with the various aspects & actions of the Malayan campaign and finishes with the battle for Singapore, from both sides.

Andy H

[Rahul]

Something wrong with the URL.

http://www.ean.co.uk/Data/Bygones/Histo ... malaya.htm

Ok its better!!

[asiaticus]

Yes Ive seen this. Decent site. Covers the campaign fairly well.

[Panzermahn]

Hi guys, just want to let you all know some interesting facts about the Malaya Campaign,

a) The Japanese landing at Kota Bharu, Kelantan, 8th Decmber 1941 was earlier than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on 7th December..The landing took place around 6.00 am and due to the International Date Line, the landing was indeed earlier than the attack on Pearl Harbour

b) The Australians only victory against the Japanese were at the Battle of Slim River, Perak when Japanese panzers were ambushed by Aussie's anti-tank weapons

My grandmother and granduncle, both who are still living now, told me that contrary to what most of the people think of the Japanese, Japanese civillians (especially teachers and traders) treated the local with sympathy no matter they were Chinese, Indians, or Malays..My granduncle who was in his teenage years remember that a Japanese teacher in the school he studied in Penang often bring food for the students because of the lack of food....

My grandma hide in a village deep inside Lumut (near Pangkor Island) with my greatgrandfather..When the Japanese soldiers came, a Japanese trader businessman in the village defended the village and asked the japanese troops to leave when he knew they had intention to pillage and loot and carried the local women away. My grandma was dressed up like a boy by her father..The bad ones were the Kempeitai and the local informer..Most of the local informers were either beaten up terribly before the British troops rescue them after the end of the war

[Anwar bin Zapari]

a) The Japanese landing at Kota Bharu, Kelantan, 8th Decmber 1941 was earlier than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on 7th December..The landing took place around 6.00 am and due to the International Date Line, the landing was indeed earlier than the attack on Pearl Harbour

I believe it was 42 minutes earlier than Pearl Harbour.

when Japanese panzers

The what?

My grandmother and granduncle, both who are still living now, told me that contrary to what most of the people think of the Japanese, Japanese civillians (especially teachers and traders) treated the local with sympathy no matter they were Chinese, Indians, or Malays..My granduncle who was in his teenage years remember that a Japanese teacher in the school he studied in Penang often bring food for the students because of the lack of food....

My grandma hide in a village deep inside Lumut (near Pangkor Island) with my greatgrandfather..When the Japanese soldiers came, a Japanese trader businessman in the village defended the village and asked the japanese troops to leave when he knew they had intention to pillage and loot and carried the local women away. My grandma was dressed up like a boy by her father..The bad ones were the Kempeitai and the local informer..Most of the local informers were either beaten up terribly before the British troops rescue them after the end of the war

Two weeks before the British came and restored order, the Communist guerillas went on a collobrator hunt. Many guilty and innocent people were killed, and racial relations are very tense.

[Michael Tapner]

Joachim Chan wrote:
when Japanese panzers

The what?

I think Joachim is meaning the Japanese medium tanks. The 2/4th Australian AT regiment set up a trap for the Japanese tanks at Bakri on 18th January. They knocked out 9 tanks without loss using 2 Pdr Anti tank guns. One of the few high points for the Allies in the campaign.