Hj. Zulheimy Ma'amor: PHOTO OF MALAYSIA IN HISTORY : MILITARY & POLICE (1)

Saturday, 31 January 2026

PHOTO OF MALAYSIA IN HISTORY : MILITARY & POLICE (1)

1 MARCH 1933: The Malay Regiment offcially formed at Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The Regiment begas as an "Experimental Squad" by the British to see if local Malays could adapt to modern military discipline. Out of over 1,000 applicants, only 25 were chosen for the first squad. The unit was led by Major G.S. Bruce and Captain K.G.Exham.

By 1935, the experiment squad was deem a massive success, the unit was expanded from a company into a full regiment. Their bravery during the World War II, particularly in defending Singapore, solidified their place in history.

The most celebrated hero was Lieutenand Adnan Saidi (1915-1942), legendary for his "last stand" against Japanese forces at the Battle of Bukit Candu at Singapore in 1942. His motto was "Biar Putih Tulang, Jangan Putih Mata" (Better to die than to live in shame".

27 April 1934: the birth of the Straits Settlements Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (SSRNVR) at Telok Air Basin in Singapore. It was commanded by Lt.Cmdr L.A.W. Johnson assisted by CPO Adnan Raji, a former Sergeant Major who played a massive role in training the local recruits.

1935: British Admiralty presented the HMS Laburnum to the SSRNVR. The ship was sunk in February 1942.

1939-1940: The Royal Navy (Malay Section) was formed at HMS Pelandok. By 1945, at the end of WW2, 600 personnel or the Malay Navy reported for muster.

Post-war: Malay Navy merged into the Malayan Naval Force (MNF).

8 December 1941: The Malayan Campaign, a pivotal early conflict in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The Japanese troops landed at Kota Bharu, often overshadowed by Pearl Harbor despite occuring 70 to 90 minutes earlier. It was true opening blow of the Pacific War.

At 00.30 hours, around 5,200 battle-hardened troops of the Japanese 18th Division (Takumi Detachment) arrived at Pantai Sabak, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, on three transport ships the Awarisan Maru, Ayatosn Maru dan Sakura Maru.

Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the commander of the Japanese 25th Army, earned the nicknamed "The Tiger of Malaya" for his swift and decisive conquest of the Malay Peninsula and Singapore in just 70 days.

Soldier of the Dogra Regiment, part of the British Indian Army during the Malayan Campaign in 1941. The Dogras are a "Martial Race" from the Himalayan Region of Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, known for their resilience and bravery. Wearing a standard Khaki Drill uniform and holding a Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk III rifle.

This Regiment maintained a reputation for being incredibly disciplined and tough.

HMS Prince of Wales

HMS Repulse

10 December 1941 : The sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse in the South China Sea, off the east coast of Kuantan, Pahang. Both ships, part of Naval Squadron known as Force Z, were sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy Bombers and torpedo bombers.

A total of 840 were lost, HMS Repulse with 508 to 513 men lost and HMS Prince of Wales with 327 to 330 men lost, including Admiral Sir Tom Philips and Captain John Leach.

The Image of the three of the only six Australian to survive the Sandakan Death Marches in North Borneo during the World War II.

These men wer part of a group of four who escaped from the Ranau jungle Camp in July 1945. They survived through the incredible bravery of local Kadazandusun villagers, who hid and fed them at great personal risk until Allied forces could reach them.

In 1945, Japanese captors forced nearly 2,400 Australia and British POWs to march over 260 km of brutal jungle terrain from Sandakan to Ranau in Sabah.

Only six Australian survived, all of whom were escapees. No British prisoners survived.

This image captures a group of Australian Nurses in Malaya during World War II in 1942. These women were part of the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) and served under incredibly challenging conditions during the Japanese invasion of the Malay Peninsula and the subsequent fall of Singapore.

As Singapore fell in February 1942, nurses were orderee to evacuate on ships like the SS Vyner Brooke. Many of these ships were bombed by Japanese aircraft..

Some nurses who survived the sinking of their ships reached Banka Island in Indonesia, only to be captured by the Japanese. 22 nurses were marched into the sea and machine-gunned. One of the nurses, Vivian Bullwinkel was the sole surivor of that massacre.

Those who were not excuted spend the remainder of the war - over three years as POWs in camps across Sumatra and Malaya, facing starvation and disease.

8 June 1946: Solider and Sailors from Malaya were sent to London to march alongside Allies from across the globe to participate in the London Victory Parade. Malayan contingen6 played a significant role in representing the British Empire's forces from Southeast Asia.

1948 - 1960 : FOREIGN MILITARY SERVING IN MALAYA

Commonwealth contribution during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960). During this period it saw a massive mobilization of troops from across the globe to support the British and Malayan forces against the Malayan Race Liberation Army (MRLA).

1. The Fiji Infantry Regiment :The 1st Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment arrived in 1952. They were legendary for their jungle warfare skills. They were often cited as the best trackers in the conflict. Their ability to move silently and live off the land made them a nightmare for insurgents. By the time they left in 1956, they had accounted for over 200 insurgents killed or captured.

2. King African Rifles : Recruited from East Africa Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika), they were hardy soldiers accustomed to long-range patrolling.

3. Australia Infantry Regiment: While Australia provided Air and Naval support, their infantry regiments arrived in Malaya in the mid-1950's. They were primarily based in Northern Malaya, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, Royal Australian Infantry Regiments were taksed with "flushing out" the remaining hardline insurgents near the Thailand border.

4. RAAF Butterworth, Penang: The "Crown Jewel" of the Commonwealth Air power during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960). It served as primary hub for the Royal Australian Air Force and remains a significant piece of shared military hitory between Australia and Malaysia today. The squadrons involved were No. 1 Squadron (Lincold Bombers), No. 3 & 77 Squadrons (CA-27 Sabres) and No. 2 Squadron (Canberra Jets).

5. Rhodesian African Rifles: These soldiers were known for their discipline and endurance in the harsh Malayan interior.

6. Rhodesian Special Air Services:The C Squadron of the Rhodesian Special Air Service or "Malayan Scouts" was formed specifically for Malaya, largely comprising Rhodesian volunteers. They eventually became the foundation for the modern 22nd SAS Regiments.

7. New Zealand Forces: The New Zealand SAS, the elite Trackers was deployed from 1955-1957, while the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiments took over the "mopping up" operations in Perak. The Royal New Zealand Airforce No. 14 Squadron and No. 41 Squadron operated alongside the RAAF at Langkat and Butterworth.

8. British Forces :

1st Battalion (1st Inniskillings) : the first reinforcement units to arrive after the Emergency was declared in August 1948. They arrived in Singapore from Hong Kong, assigned to South East Johore.
Other Infantry Units: Over 50 different British Regiments served during the 12-year conflict, including the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, the Suffolk Regiments and the Somerset Light Infantry.

8. The Gurkhas: The "Backbone" of the British Army, credited for the reason the British didn's lose the war in the first two years (1948-49). The Gurkha battalions served for the entire 12 years of the Emergency. The 2nd, 6th, 7th and 10th Gurkha Rifles were all deployed.

A wonderful historical picture, a significant period in both military and medical history in Malaysia.

Timeline of British Military Hospital Kinrara

1949 – Pamela Marjorie Baird: This image captures a nurse at the hospital during the early years of the Malayan Emergency. At this time, the hospital was a primary site for treating British and Commonwealth forces. She began nursing in 1938 at age 16 in Oxford and nursed through the war years in Nottingham, even tending to German POWs.She joined the Queen Alexanders's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) in 1945. By 1949, she was promoted to Captain and posted to Malaya. She married in 1952 and continued her nursing career in Taiping, Perak as a civilian before going back to London.
1956 – Sgt. Michael Douglas: This photo shows a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) standing by a helicopter. By the mid-1950s, Kinrara was heavily involved in CASEVAC (Casualty Evacuation) operations, using helicopters to transport wounded soldiers directly from the jungle to the hospital grounds.
1979 – Hospital Angkatan Tentera (HAT) Kinrara: This color photo shows the facility after it was handed over to the Malaysian government. It became the Hospital Angkatan Tentera (Armed Forces Hospital), continuing its medical legacy for the Malaysian military until the site was eventually decommissioned and demolished around 2015-2017, and replaced by the Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital at Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur.

1951: JCLO Tan Hock Hin, alongside a British soldier from the 4th Queen's Own Hussars, on a Daimler Scout Car. JCLO stand for Junior Officer Liaison Officer, who played a critical role as intermediaries between the British military and the local Chinese population. They were essential for gathering intelligence, conducting psychological warfare, and navigating the complex social landscape of the "New Village".

JCLO Tan Hock Hin was commissioned as officer in the Territorial Army in 1961 and was absorbed to Royal Rangers Regiments and retired with the rank Major in 1983.

The striking photo of the first batch of Woman Police Inspectors in Malaya, around mid-1950's.

The first intake of 7 women who were commissioned as inspectors in August 1955. The 7 traiblazers were:

YM Raja Nor Jasmin binti Raja Hj Shahar Shah (first woman ASP)
Irene Lee Saw Leng - key figure in the Special Branch
Emily Koshy - first Indian woman in the force.
Ng Leng Sim
Zaharah binti Rautin
Blossom Wong Kooi Fong
Lee Bee Phang

They were trained at the Police Depot, Kuala Lumpur under ASP Barbara Wentworth, a British officer sent from London specifically to help establishf the Malayan Policewoman unit.

1954: Under the Briggs Plan which involved moving rural population into "New Village", the Government raised a massive part-time militia known as "Home Guard".

While the Home Guard was predominantly male, specific units of women were formed to take over security during the day while the man were out working in rubber estates or tin mines.

The Home Guard eventually reached a strength of over 250,000 personnel before being disbanded as "White Areas" expanded toward Malaya's independence in 1957.

1954: The Malayan Federation Regiment, the first multi-racial infantry unit in the Federation of Malaya. The regiment was deployed to Congo in 1960 as part of the United Nations Operations in the Congo, Africa (ONUC).

1956 : Malayan Police Band tour to London. The band was invited to perform at the Royal Tournament at Earls Court, London, one of the world's most prestigious military tattoos.

The Malaysian Police Band was and remains one of the finest in Southeast Asia.

1960-1963: The Malayan Special Force (MSF) deployed to Congo as part of the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC).

The MSF served in the Congo from October 1960 to April 1963. The unit involved is the Royal Malay Regiments and the Reconnaissance Regiment.

August 1960: UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold requests troops from Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman to assist in the Republic of Congo.

November 1961: the Kindu Incident - the tragic massacre of 13 Italian UN Airmen by Congolese mutineers.

12 September 1962: The "Martini Junction" skirmish - Lt. Lee Ah Pow from the Reconnaisance Regiment lead a troop of Ferret Scout cars to rescure a Gurkha patrol surrounded by 100 Katangese Gerdarmes. His restraint and bravery earned his the "Panglima Gagah Berani", Malaysia's second highest gallangry award.

April 1963: The MSF completes its mission and departs for Malaya.

1957: The establishment of the Singapore Women's Auxilliary Naval Service (SWANS) as a volunteer wing of the Malayan Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (MRNVR). The first group started training under the 2nd Officer Barbara McIntyre and 3rd Officer Lau Siew Har.

1958: The SWANS began Sea training onboard HMS Panglima (later RSS Panglima).

1963-1965:Singapore merger with Malaysia. SWANS became part of the Malaysian Naval Structure and was on active-duty during the Malaysian-Indonesian Confrontation (1963-1965).

1967 : The birth of the Republic of Singapore Navy.

1963-1965: The Malaysian-Indonesian Confrontation, a pivotal undeclared war that shaped the modern borders and political landscape of Southeast Asia.

20 January 1963: Indonesian Foreign Minister Subandrio officially announces the policy of Konfrontasi.

12 April 1963 : the first military strike occurs when Indonesian 'volunteers' attack a Police Station at Tebedu, Sarawak.

16 September 1963: The Federation of Malaysia is officially formed comprising Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak.

25 September 1963: President Sukarno famously declares his "Ganyang Malaysia" campaign.

11 August 1966: A Peace Treaty signed in Jakarta, officially ending the Confrontation.

1963 : The Sarawak Border Scout a paramilitary force created by the British colonial administration. The scouts were primarily recruited from the inditenous tribes of Sarawak's interior-groups like the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah and Kelabit.

1970's : as the immediate threat of the Confrontation ended, the Border Scouts gradually integrated into the Police Field Force and the unit was officially disbanded in 1986, with many members retiring and others continuing their service as regular police officers.

3 October 1993: the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT).

During the Battle of Mogadishu, about 70 U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Forces were trapped deep in the Bakara Market after two Black Hawk Helicopters were shot down. The Malaysian MALBATT, specifically the 19th Battalion Royal Malay Regiment, a massive convoy of over 100 vehicles including 32 Malaysian Condor Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) drove into the "kill zone" at night. They weren't just "drivers", they fought through heavy RPG and machine-gun fire to reach the crash sites and extract the trapped Americans.

In the process of saving those 70 rangers, Corporal Mat Aznan Awang was killed when an RPG struck his APC. Nine other Malaysia soldiers were wounded.

In 2023, Malaysian MALBATT: Misi Bakara was produced specifically to tell the story from the perspective of the men in MALBATT.

Reference: