25 Pounder Gun Crew, Malaya

Malaya – 25 pounder gun crew

‘We are not in disgrace for letting Singapore be captured so easily, as we have feared we might be. Possibly it is now accepted that we were never given a chance to fight properly, never had the weapons and support which we should have had. To that we would add that political interference and ineptitude, coupled with military incompetence at high level in certain places, is a combination which the ordinary soldier cannot overcome. All he can do is fight and die or, as in our case, become a prisoner, while those responsible retire on undeserved pensions.’
Source: One Fourteenth of an Elephant, by Ian Denys Peek, 2005, Pg 490

Extracts from One Fourteenth of an Elephant by Ian Denys Peek reprinted by permission of Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd. Copyright © Ian Denys Peek 2003

‘Lieutenant Colonel D’Aubuz clearly felt that no stigma applied to the 88^th, and one must agree that at the very least they had proved themselves well above the average in the Malayan campaign. He stated the following:

“The regiment, apart from the East Coast operations, had fought a delaying action over 400 miles of country which has well been described as a ‘Gunner’s Nightmare’, and had taken part in 14 seperate engagements on the mainland, including two which could be dignified by the name of ‘battles’. It was probably unique in being the only regiment to bring all its guns back to the Island.”’

Source: Lancashire Gunners at War – The 88th Field Regiment, 199 – 1945 by Stephen Bull, Pgs 80