Malaya and SingaporeThe Japanese planned to occupy Malaya to gain its natural resources, this task was given to General Yamashita and his Twenty-fifth Army, a combat strength of 70,000.

The British relied on the virgin jungle of Malaya as a defense for Singapore from the north, but they were proved wrong by the preparations of Colonel Masanobu Tsuji. The Japanese campaign was launched in December 1941 and finished with the fall of Singapore early in February 1942.

This is the story of the battle for Malaya and the 60,000 allied soldiers that had to survive for three and a half years as Japanese prisoners of war. 

 

Cause of Jananese Attack 

Cause of Japanese Attack - In 1939 Malaya produced 40 per cent of the worlds rubber and nearly 60 per cent of its tin, most of this went to America.

 

 

Singapore Defences 

Singapore Defences by Lieut.-General Sir Henry Pownall

 

 

Japanese Preparations 

Japanese Preparations - The Japanese started preparations for the attack on Malaya twleve months before they entered the war.

 

 

British Preparations 

British Preparations - Singapore was proteced from the sea and observation of the north could be carried out, but the 1,000 miles of Malayan coast was unprotected.

 

 

Malaya Command 

Malaya Command - Battle Order on 8th December, 1941.

 

 

Attack on Malaya 

Attack on Malaya - At 2.15am on the 8th December 1941, Yamishita received a message saying Takumi had succeeded in the landing. Yamishita was now aboard ship in Singora harbour.

 

 

Attack on Malaya 

Siege of Singapore - The Singapore fortress was Britain’s stronghold in the Far East, but she fell too quickly for Churchill.

 

 

Death Railway 

Death Railway - As prisoners of the Japanese, defeat and surrender were humiliation but the horrors of the Death Railway would never leave the survivors.

 

 

 

Dispatches and Reports

Air Operarations in Malaya & NEI 

Air Operarations in Malaya & NEI - the complete dispatch as compiled by Vice-Marshal Sir Paul Maltby

Force Z 

Force Z. - dispatch on the sinking of the Prince of Wales and Repulse by Admiral Sir G.Layton

London Gazette 1948 

Operations of Malaya Command - the complete dispatch as compiled in Changi POW Camp 1942-45 and printed in the London Gazette 1948 by Lieut.-General. A.E. Percival

Pownall´s Report 

Pownall´s Report by Lieut.-General Sir Henry Pownall

War Diary 

War Diary by Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton

Wavell Report to War Cabinet 

Wavell Report  - Report drawn up by Major H.P. Thomas, O.B.E. I.A. This report is intended to give a general outline of the conditions under which the campaign was conducted. Supplied to the War Cabinet by General A.P. Wavell.

 

 

 

Timeline

Chronology of the Malayan and Singapore War 

Chronology of the Malayan and Singapore War - Taken from Media Masters World War II Battlefield Guide of The Japanese Conquest of Malaya and Singapore.

 

By Ron Taylor, dedicated to my father, Private 5776807, who fought in Singapore with the 18th Division and worked on the Death Railway, so we do not forget.

 

Taken from:

Defeat in Malaya and the fall of Singapore by Arthur Swinson

The Second World War by Winston Churchill

Knights of Bushido by Lord Russell of Liverpool

The Rising Sun by Arthur Zich

Malayan Postcript by Ian Morrison

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