Preparing The Position – Kluang, Malaya – 24 – 27 Jan 1942

Preparing the Position - Kluang MalayaPreparing The Position – Kluang, Malaya – 24 to 27 Jan 1942

‘The 88th Field Regiment, RA, which had just been in action for three consecutive days, in three different places, under three different brigadiers, had been hoping that the end of the action around Yong Peng would mean a brief respite. Whatever rest there was was brief indeed, for within seven hours of halting orders had come through for them to move north west to Kluang where they would support a counter attack by 22nd Infantry Brigade. Matters were somewhat complicated by the fact that 5th Field Regiment was already in the locality; and the commanding officers of the two regiments therefore agreed to leave the communication cables laid by the 5th Field Regiment in place, their cable being made up  from an equivalent amount that the 88th signallers had on their drums.’

Source: Lancashire Gunners at War – The 88th Field Regiment, 199 – 1945 by Stephen Bull, Pgs 72

‘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