Indian 12th Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 12th Indian Infantry Brigade (Secunderabad) was part of the Singapore
Fortress garrison during the Second World War.
before the Japanese invasion
in December 1942. During the Battle of Malaya which ended with the surrender of a British Army at Singapore
in February 1942, the 12th Brigade performed better than most units. One of its units, 2nd Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
, was considered to be the best jungle fighters at the time and the Argylls' commander, Lt.Col. Ian Stewart, one of the better leaders during the campaign. The brigade were among the first troops to face the Japanese when they landed on 7 December 1941 (See Japanese Invasion of Malaya
).
While the rest of the British and Indian forces were thrown in disarray by the rapid encircling and flanking attacks of the Japanese, the 12th Brigade under Brigadier Archie Paris
, was able to inflict casualties and slow down the Japanese forces during the fighting in Northern Malaya
.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
Fortress garrison during the Second World War.
History
The 12th Indian Brigade was one of the regular units based in MalayaBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
before the Japanese invasion
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
in December 1942. During the Battle of Malaya which ended with the surrender of a British Army at Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
in February 1942, the 12th Brigade performed better than most units. One of its units, 2nd Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
, was considered to be the best jungle fighters at the time and the Argylls' commander, Lt.Col. Ian Stewart, one of the better leaders during the campaign. The brigade were among the first troops to face the Japanese when they landed on 7 December 1941 (See Japanese Invasion of Malaya
Japanese Invasion of Malaya
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya, or Battle of Kota Bharu, began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor...
).
While the rest of the British and Indian forces were thrown in disarray by the rapid encircling and flanking attacks of the Japanese, the 12th Brigade under Brigadier Archie Paris
Archibald Paris
Brigadier Archibald Charles Melvill Paris DSO MC was a British Army officer.He was the son of Major-General Archibald Paris, KCB a Royal Marine officer who commanded the 63rd Division during the First World War, and of Lady Paris...
, was able to inflict casualties and slow down the Japanese forces during the fighting in Northern Malaya
Battle of Slim River
The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya.-Background:...
.
Component Units (December 1941)
- 5/2nd Punjab Regiment2nd Punjab RegimentThe 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:*1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry...
- Lt.Col.Charles Cecil Deakin - 4/19th Hyderabad Regiment19th Hyderabad RegimentThe 19th Hyderabad Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed following the post World War I reforms of the Indian Army when they moved from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
- Lt.Col.E.L.Wilson-Haffenden - 2nd Bn2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersThe 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were formed in 1881 when the 91st Regiment of Foot was amalgamated with the 93rd Regiment of Foot to form the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.-Early history:...
, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - Lt.Col.Ian MacAlister Stewart - 15th Field Company S&M
- 122nd Field Regiment RA - Lieut. Col.George St.John Armitage Dyson
Component Units (Battle of Slim River)
- 5/2nd Punjab Regiment2nd Punjab RegimentThe 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:*1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry...
- 4/19th Hyderabad Regiment19th Hyderabad RegimentThe 19th Hyderabad Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed following the post World War I reforms of the Indian Army when they moved from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
- 2nd Bn2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersThe 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were formed in 1881 when the 91st Regiment of Foot was amalgamated with the 93rd Regiment of Foot to form the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.-Early history:...
, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - 5/14th Punjabs
- 15th Field Company S&M
- 137th Field Regiment RA
Commanders
- Brig. Archibald ParisArchibald ParisBrigadier Archibald Charles Melvill Paris DSO MC was a British Army officer.He was the son of Major-General Archibald Paris, KCB a Royal Marine officer who commanded the 63rd Division during the First World War, and of Lady Paris...
- Lt.Col. Ian Stewart