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Jan 17 12 7:31 AM
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
H.Q. and L. of C.
Kuala Lumpur
-
D7
D10
6
7
8
9
10
1st (Perak) Battalion (less detachments)
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
Taiping
Sitiawan
Niobong Tebal
11
PERAK River Platoon (Perak Bn.)
Def. Chendroh Dam
Def. Malim Nawar Power St
Def. Batu Gajah Power St
Chendroh
Malim Nawar
Batu Gajah
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
13
14
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
Morib
15
One Pl. (Selangor Bn.)
Def. Batu Arang coal field
Batu Arang
3rd (Sembilan) Battalion (less detachments)
Defence of dockyard
Guard A.P.C. Petrol Depot
Guard SCCON Petrol Depot
17
18
Two coy. (Sembilan Bn.)
One Platoon (Sembilan Bn.)
Internee Camp Guard
Guard Petrol Depot
Port Dickson
19
4th (Pahang) Battalion (less detachments)
Mobil Def. railway L. of C. including K. Lipis to, but excluding K. Krai
20
21
22
23
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
Kelantan
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
Civil aerodrome & aircraft repair depot
Being extended
Class II
Civil aerodrome
F.A.A. Station
Completed
Under construction
Class III
PAHANG
Kuantan
Station
Complete
Class I
PERAK
Emergency Landing Ground
Being enlarged Being enlarged Being enlarged
PENANG & PROVINCE WELLESLEY
Penang
Butterwoth
Lubok Kiap
Sungei Bakup
Malakoff
Satellite
One strip completed
Mid Sept.41.
31.Oct.41.
KEDAH
Sungei Patani
Alor Star
Kual Ketil
Jabi
Work not yet begun
KELANTAN
Kota Bharu
Gong Kedah
Machang
Being enlarged
Under construction Under construction
Additional aerodromes not on the above list but included in list of aerodromes included as military responsibly.
STATE
NEGRI SEMILAN
Serenban
Bahau
Kerling
Tanjong Mailm
Bernam
Gopeng
Kuala Kangsar
Telok Anson
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.
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