Historical Mobilisation of Federated Malaya States Volunteer Forces

 

Unit

Role

Place

Approx. day mob. completed

1

2

3

4

5

H.Q. F.M.S.V.F.

Armoured Car Coy (less detachments)

One Sec. Armd. C. Coy.

Light Battery (4 x 3.7” How.)

Signal Battalion

L. of C.

11 Ind. Div.

Part of Mobile Column

11 Ind. Div.

H.Q. and L. of C.

Kuala Lumpur

-

Kuala Lumpur

-

Kuala Lumpur

D7

-

D10

-

D10

6

7

8

9

10

1st (Perak) Battalion (less detachments)

One coy. & one M.G. Pl. (Perak Bn.)

One coy. & one M.G. Pl. (Perak Bn.)

One coy.(less one Pl.) & one M.G. Pl. (Pk Bn.)

One Pl. (Perak Bn.)

Reserve

Defence Ipoh Aerodrome

Def. Taiping Aerodrome

Def. Sitiawan  Aerodrome

Def. Niobong Tebal Bdg.

Ipoh

Ipoh

Taiping

Sitiawan

Niobong Tebal

D10

D10

D10

D10

D7

 

11

 

PERAK River Platoon (Perak Bn.)

Def. Chendroh Dam

Def. Malim Nawar  Power St

Def. Batu Gajah  Power St

Chendroh

Malim Nawar 

Batu Gajah 

D7

D7

D7

12

2nd (Selangor) Battalion (less detachments)

Reserve and Mobile Column

Mobil Column Composition:

One Sec.Armd. C.Coy.

One Coy. (less one Pl.)

One Det. 3” Mortars

Guard Cochrane Road W/T Station

Kuala Lumpur

D10

13

14

 

One coy. & one M.G. Pl. (Selangor Bn.)

One coy. & one M.G. Pl. (Selangor Bn.)

(alt. duty until Morib Aerodrome completed)

Def. K. Lumpur Aerodrome

Def. F.A.A.  Station Morib

Port Swettenham

Kuala Lumpur

Morib

Port Swettenham

D10

D10

D10

15

One Pl. (Selangor Bn.)

Def. Batu Arang coal field

Batu Arang

D7

      16

 

 

3rd (Sembilan) Battalion (less detachments)

 

 

Defence of dockyard

Guard A.P.C. Petrol Depot

Guard SCCON Petrol Depot

Port Swettenham

Port Swettenham

Port Swettenham

D10

D10

D10

17

18

Two coy. (Sembilan Bn.)

One Platoon (Sembilan Bn.)

Internee Camp Guard

Guard Petrol Depot

Port Swettenham

Port Dickson

D10

D7

19

4th (Pahang) Battalion (less detachments)

Mobil Def. railway L. of C. including K. Lipis to, but  excluding K. Krai

-

D10

 

 

20

21

22

23

24

24

25

One Coy. (less one Pl.)  (Pahang Bn.)

One Pl. (Pahang Bn.)

Two M.G. Pl. (Pahang Bn.)

One Sup. Sec. (supply - motor transport)

One Reserve Motor Trans. Coy.

One Mobil Field Ambulance

Railway Maint. & Operations Coy.

Local Security

Guard P.W. Cage

Beach Defence

Jerantut

Jerantut

Kelantan

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

D10

D10

D10

D10

D10

D10

D10

 

Historically regular forces were so thin on the ground (and the air and sea as well) that the Volunteer Forces represented disproportionately large in the responsibilities in the security of Malaya and Singapore. The same can also be said of the civil authorities who had to maintain the services to the civilian population and provide services to the military that would normally be expected to be a military function.

 

The mobilisation of the volunteer forces was hampered by the very large areas from which units drew their personnel and distances those volunteers had to travel to their mobilisation points. Also many volunteers could not be released from the essential civil duties until the close proximity of the Japanese ground forces made those duties redundant. For example two offices of the Singapore Volunteer Artillery were employed by the Singapore Harbour Board and as long as shipping was using the port could not join the unit.

 

Shortages of motor transport, equipment and labour resulted in the military relying requisitioning of civilian resources, this resulted in the military authorities to restrict requisitioning as it was removing from the civil authorities the very resources that were required to meet military needs.

 

The table represents the planed mobilisation of only the F.M.S.V.F. and does not include the forces of the Unfederated Malay States, and of the Strait Settlement Volunteer Forces. It is a tribute to the volunteers that the mobilisation of many units was quicker than anticipated. Other volunteers carried out their day duties and then sleep at their war station encase of an emergency. Well over 100 volunteers on leave in Australia (some even who were retired) had book and paid for their own passage back to Singapore on the “Aquitania” and arrived back in January 1942 just in time to fight in the defence of Singapore.

 

Also the final roles of some units were different when war did come. Some units are not listed in this table, unless they may fall under the title of another unit. For example almost the entire F.M.S. survey office made up the F.M.S.V.F. Survey Unit, with some becoming attached to regular artillery commands. Also one independent rifle company was raise of volunteers that remained on permanent duty.

 

Besides the Volunteer Forces over 18,000 received service medals for their roles carrying out essential services and the volunteers who supported them in the auxiliary civilian services as reserve police, ambulance, fire fighting, civil defence, air raid wardens, air craft spotters, canteen workers, coast watchers, and numerous other roles. It cannot be overstated the absolute importance the female telephone operators who remained at their posts despite the very real dangers, without whom the civil and military communication in Malaya would have collapsed.

 

****************************************************************************

 

From…

 

SECRETE

13 Aug.41

 

III Indian Corps Operational Instruction No. 7

 

POLICY FOR THE DEFENCE OF AERODROMES AND R.A.F. INSTALLATIONS IN MALAYA.

 

 “order of priority for aerodromes in III Indian Corps area:-

1.      Kuantan

2.      Kelantan Group – Kota Baharu, Gong Kedah, Machang

3.      Alor Star Group – Alor Star, Jabi (when started), Sungei Patani, Kuala Ketil, Lubok Kiap

Defence arrangements at the above are to be completed before Category II Aerodromes are taken in hand.

 

Classification of Aerodromes in III Corps Area.

State

Aerodrome

Type

Remarks and date of  completion

Classification

SELANGOR

Kuala Lumpur

Civil aerodrome & aircraft repair depot

Being extended

Class II

 

 

Port Swettenham

Morib

Civil aerodrome

F.A.A. Station

Completed

Under construction

Class III

Class II

PAHANG

Kuantan

Station

Complete

Class I

PERAK

Taiping

Ipoh

Sitiawan

Station

Station

Emergency Landing Ground

Being enlarged



Being enlarged


Being enlarged

Class III

Class III

Class III

PENANG & PROVINCE WELLESLEY

Penang

Butterwoth

Lubok Kiap

Sungei Bakup

Malakoff

Civil aerodrome

Station

Station

Satellite

Satellite

Completed

Completed

One strip completed

Mid Sept.41.

31.Oct.41.

Class III

Class II

Class I

Class II

Class II

KEDAH

Sungei Patani

Alor Star

Kual Ketil

Jabi

Station

Station

Satellite

Station

Completed

Being extended

 

Work not yet begun

Class I

Class I

Class I

Class I

KELANTAN

Kota Bharu

Gong Kedah

Machang

Station

Station

Station

Being enlarged

Under construction Under construction

Class I

Class I

Class I

 

 

Additional aerodromes not on the above list but included in list of aerodromes included as military responsibly.

STATE

Aerodrome

NEGRI SEMILAN

Serenban

Bahau

SELANGOR

Kerling

Tanjong Mailm

PERAK

Bernam

Gopeng

Kuala Kangsar

Telok Anson

KEDAH

Sungei Patani (civil)

 

On a 1940 Aeronautical Map of Malaya there is also reference to aerodrome at Slim River (light aircraft only).

 

It must be borne in mind that virtually every town in Malaya had a large open public area, and the more significant towns all had a “turf club” with its own race course. Also private landing strips existed for very small aircraft that would appear, and if unattended would rapidly become unusable and overgrown.


Last Edited By: Geoffrey MowbrayGg Jan 17 12 7:38 AM. Edited 1 times.