LEST WE FORGET : S/LT MOHD ZAIN BIN HUSSAIN

S/Lt Mohd Zain Bin Hussain

• Joined the Malayan Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1940.
• Served on HMS Pangkor and HMS Matahari during World War II.
• Joined Force 136 when ships retreated to Colombo due to Japanese Military attacks.
• Participated in the Victory Parade in London in 1946.
• Awarded the Member of the Most Excellent of the British Empire (MBE) medal after the war, a prestigious British order of chivalry awarded for outstanding service to the community or meritorious local achievements. 
• Commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in 1946, making him the first Malay to receive a commission in the Navy.
• Formerly served as the Director of Filem Negara and also worked at RISDA.
• Passed away on March 10, 1978.

FORCE 136

Force 136 was a top-secret Far East branch of the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) formed during World War II. Following the fall of Malaya and Singapore to the Japanese in 1942, British personnel retreated to India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to organize clandestine resistance movements.

Key Elements of Force 136 in Malaya

• The Mission: To infiltrate Japanese-occupied Malaya via submarine and parachute drop. Operatives conducted espionage, gathered intelligence, and executed sabotage behind enemy lines.
• Local Alliances: Because Caucasian officers could not easily blend in, Force 136 recruited and trained indigenous populations. They formed a strategic alliance with the Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA), providing them with arms, funds, and military training in exchange for guerrilla manpower.
• Diverse Units: The Malayan Section consisted of multiple sub-units. While the Chinese section famously included prominent figures like Lim Bo Seng, Force 136 also heavily recruited and utilized Malay and Indian soldiers—such as S/Lt Mohd Zain Bin Hussain—to coordinate regional resistance grids and prepare for the eventual Allied re-occupation.

HMS PANGKOR & HMS MATAHARI

A vital ships manned by the Malayan Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (MRNVR) and Allied Forces during WWII in Malaya.

After the Fall of Singapore in 1942, HMS Pangkor successfully evaded Japanese forces and sailed across the Indian Ocean to Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). While HMS Matahari together with HMS Larut were heavily attacked and sunk by the Japanese near Sabang Island. The survivors were later rescued by HMS Kedah.

1946 - LONDON VICTORY PARADE

The London Victory Celebrations of 1946 were held on June 8, 1946, to commemorate the Allied victory over Nazi Germany and Japan in World War II. Millions of spectators lined the streets of London to watch a massive military procession salute King George VI and the Royal Family.

The Malayan Contingent

The parade heavily featured colonial forces from across the British Empire, including a dedicated Malayan Contingent. Prior to the parade, the troops were camped at Kensington Gardens, where they were personally inspected by Supreme Allied Commander Lord Louis Mountbatten.

The Royal Malay Navy and volunteer reserve units were represented by handpicked personnel who survived the grueling Pacific campaigns, including Sub-Lieutenant Mohd Zain bin Hussain, Chief Petty Officer Ismail bin Hassan, and Leading Seaman Yaakob bin Hj Ahmad.

Key Highlights of the Parade

• The Royal Presence: King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret took the salute from a special dais built on the Mall.
• The Marching Column: A massive 21-mile mechanized and marching column wound through the city, passing blitz-damaged areas, Parliament Square, and Trafalgar Square.
• The Flypast: The grand finale featured a massive aerial parade of 300 fighter jets, bombers, and gliders soaring over Buckingham Palace.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

26 July 2026: 11.55 p.m