Descent into Hell: The fall of Singapore - Pudu and Changi - the Thai Burma railway by Peter Brune

Author:Peter Brune
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw3, epub
Published: 2014-08-01T07:00:00+00:00

Having covered General Bennett’s Westforce operation (27th Brigade AIF) along the Trunk Road during the period 24–30 January 1942, we now turn to Westforce’s other task: the parallel withdrawal along the nearby railway by the 9th Indian Division (General Barstow) during the same period. At this time the Division was composed of two brigades. The first was the 8th Indian Brigade (Brigadier Lay), which consisted of the 1/13th Frontier Rifles and the 2/10th Baluch (plus one company of the 3/17th Dogras). The 22nd Indian Brigade (Brigadier Painter) was the second, and was composed of the 5/11th Sikhs and an amalgamated battalion consisting of one company of the 2/12th Frontier Force Regiment and the 2/18th Garhwalis.

On 23 January, the 22nd Indian Brigade had been deployed to guard the Kluang airfield, with its 2/18th Garhwal to the north at Paloh, where a road ran westwards to join the Trunk Road near Yong Peng. When the Japanese attacked, the Garhwalis withdrew and during that process, its HQ lost contact with its four rifle companies. Lionel Wigmore:

Lacking this contact, the companies continued their withdrawal and reached Kluang that night—by which time the Kluang airfield also had been abandoned by the air force. The 8th Indian Brigade, on the main road covering the approach from the north, held off the enemy during the day and at night passed through Yong Peng. It was then transported to the Rengam area, on the railway line south of Kluang.35

The withdrawal by the Garhwalis created an opportunity for the Japanese to gain ground. As a consequence, the 22nd Brigade was ordered to stage a counterattack (by the 5/11th Sikhs), which was to be facilitated by the rearward 8th Brigade moving forward from Rengam. After spending the night three kilometres south of Niyor, the 5/11th Sikhs put in a spirited action against a Japanese force forming up on their front, and then withdrew. During the night of 25/26 January, the 22nd Brigade pulled out to Rengam, to be joined by the Sikhs the next morning, and the 8th Brigade arrived at Sayong Halt that same night.

The following afternoon (26 January), General Heath held another conference to formulate a timetable for the complete withdrawal to Singapore Island on the night 31 January/1 February 1942. That timetable saw General Bennett issue his Westforce schedule at 12.20 am on the 27th. His orders for the 27th Brigade (Brigadier Maxwell) on the Trunk Road and the 9th Indian Division (General Barstow) on the railway were to hold their present positions that night. On the second night (27/28 January), the 27th Brigade was to withdraw to the 44-mile peg and the 9th Division to railway mile 440. On the third night, 27th Brigade was to withdraw to the 32-mile peg. On the fourth night, they were to reach road mile 25 and railway mile 450 respectively. And on the fifth night (31 January/1st February), both formations were to cross the causeway to Singapore Island.36

We now come to a tragic train of events. When the above Westforce timetable was released it contained a mistake for the night 27/28 January.

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