THE BRITISH FORCES

Grey River Argus, 18 February 1942, Page 5

THE BRITISH FORCES

IN SINGAPORE, LONDON, February 16. The Japanese reported that the British forces in Singapore at the time of the surrender, numbered 60,000, including the campaigning forces, and also 15,000 British fortress guards and volunteers, also 13.000 Australians. The remainder are Indians. The War Office has disclosed that British and Imperial forces which took part in the Malayan campaign and defence of Singapore, included the following:— The 18th. British Division. comprising the 53rd., 54th. and 55th. Infantry Brigades. This included battalions of the following infantry regiments: Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Norfolk Regiment, Cambridgeshire Regiment, Suffolk Regiment, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiments, and Wood Foresters. The Bth. Australian Division, of the 22nd. z and 27th. A.I.F. Brigades. The 9th. and 11th. Indian. Divisions, which contained battalions ot the following British regiments: Fiflst Surrey Regiment, Leicestershire Regiment, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, as well as battalions of the following Indian regiments: Punjab Regiment, Jat Regiment, Rajputana Rifles, Royal Garhwal Rifles, Dogra Regiment, Baluchi Regiment, Frontier lorce Rifles, Gurkha Rifles, and battalions of the Indian State Forces. The Ist. and 2nd. Malay Infantry Brigades, containing battalions ot the following British regiments, as well as Indian and Malayan battalions: Royal Regiment Gordon Highlanders, and Manchester Regini Besides the artillery regiments included in the above field formations, there were a number of coast artillery units, anti-aircraft regiments anti-tank regiments, and searchlight units. In addition to engineer units Included in the field formations, there were a number of fortress companies. The foregoing also includes the Royal Corps of Signals, Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, and auxiliary services. A number of local battalions also took part in the defence of the island.

TOTAL PRISONERS UNCERTAIN.

(Rec. 1.20.) LONDON, Feb. 17. No fresh news has been received as to events in Singapore, or as to the precise number taken prisoners. One report estimates the number of prisoners at nearly thirty thousand. . , „ Evacuees now reaching places ot safety say that the scene was an inferno. The landscape was red from the flames of burning oil tanks. The incessant roar of the artillery was heard over a wide area far from thft battleground. CELEBES CAMPAIGN. DUTCH SUCCESS. LONDON, Feb. 16. A Dutch communique stated: In South Celebes, fighting is continuing uninterruptedly. A Japanese Unit was ambushed and lost two .officers and 30 to 40 men, without loss to our side.