Home > Military Nuts

Revive the memory of Dalforce, heroic Singapore defenders.

idwar
29 Aug 04, 01:45

Singapore should revive the name of Dalforce and rename I SIR, 2 SIR as 1 Dalforce and 2 Dalforce etc
Or maybe 1st Commando Btn should be given the honour of the name of Dalforce

Why? Because Dalforce was the only local unit apart from the Malay Regiment that fought the Japs hand to hand., and paid for their valour with their lives. The name of Dalforce is thus more historical that that of SIR, and should not be forgotten. http://www.myfareast.org/SingaporeMemorials/dalforce.html

By the way, the memory of Lt Adnan of the Malay Regiment has already been appropiated by the Malaysian Armed Forces. Singapore cannot use him again as a model........so sorry.........http://menj.tripod.com/Pejuang_Bangsa/lt_adnan.htm

( Note the unfortunate comments of the website about immigrant peoples not defending the homeland......) By reviving the name of Dalforce, such misconceptions could be changed for the better.

.
Sardaukar
29 Aug 04, 15:57

I support that.We should have a unit named Dalforce to commerorate these defenders of Singapore.a part of our heritage.
Moxie
30 Aug 04, 18:11

I'm sorry to burst any bubble but DALFORCE (a) was a (hastenly-formed) guerrilla force, & (b) fought on behalf of the colonialists. Also, lots of locals went upcountry & joined the communist MPAJA in resisting the Japs.

Adnan Saidi was "appropriated" (more) by Malaysia, as you suggest, cuz the Malay Regiment during the war was initially formed in & by the mainland. On the whole, they were fighting a retreating battle all the way down the Peninsula until their surrender at Pasir Panjang. It's our neighbor's Royal Malay Regiment, rather than any SAF unit, who correctly claims the direct lineage from that outfit, even as we celebrate their heroics.

1 SIR (1957) was formed against a backdrop of impending self-government; it was even renamed 1 MIR during merger. 2 SIR (1962) was formed due to increased defence needs; the period between merger & independence was socially tumultous, with internal racial riots & external Indonesian Confrontation against the then-new Malaysia.

[If you know your history, there was even an awkward 6 months for both governments when, still fresh from Singapore leaving Malaysia, 2 SIR found the 1st Royal Malay Regiment bunking at its base in Holland Road!]

There is no misconception: it's a big time gap (the "British Military Administration" or BMA period) between the Occupation years & self-government in 1959, when our State arms, flag & national anthem was unveiled. Our SAF crest, introduced in 1961, was even purposely designed with the pioneering 1 SIR in mind.

1 SIR & 2 SIR were also regular armies, separate from conscripted outfits like the Singapore Volunteer Corps, Vigilante Corps & Singapore Military Force who were the true forefathers of national service.
idwar
30 Aug 04, 18:56

Thank You, Moxie , for the most informative post above. Perjaps you can help me further:

I would like to know a little more about the history of the SAF which is not on recorded history.

I have heard that in 1965/66, one of SAF's unit actually disarmed a MAF unit based in Singapore. It was probably to prevant a coup against the new Spore Govt.

Is this true? Any historical references?

Thanks
Moxie
31 Aug 04, 17:49

idwar,
I'm more of a history buff than a military fanatic, so give me some time. I'm gonna email your question to some of my departmental lecturers at NUS, & let's see if they can enlighten us.

It may have been the 2 SIR-1 RMR "standoff" I mentioned earlier. Here's how the Mindef website described that historical episode:

"A week after Singapore's separation from the Federation of Malaysia in Aug 1965, 2 SIR was sent to Sabah for some operational duties. Meanwhile, in Jan 1966, the Singapore Government assumed command over 2 SIR.

After a six-month tour of duty in Sabah, the men of 2 SIR returned in Feb 1966 to find their barracks at Camp Temasek occupied by the 1st Royal Malay Regiment (1 RMR) of the Malaysian Armed Forces. 2 SIR had to be housed in tents at Farrer Park Sports Field. After some negotiations between the Singapore and Malaysian governments, it was agreed that 1 RMR would move to Khatib Camp. 2 SIR only returned to Camp Temasek in Sep 1966."

I myself could partly recall it cuz one of my old neighbors in the Jalan Besar area used to regale the then-bunch of us kids - I was born in '66 itself - about how he could sneak home from Farrer Park at night (for supper).
Moxie
1 Sep 04, 15:24

Then again, maybe no need. Found the following passage from Alex Josey's "Lee Kuan Yew" when I browsed thru my bookshelves; it was one of the 2 military-tense incidents on the local ground upon Separation (the other being 2 SIR-1 MIR at Camp Temasek):

February [1966) started badly. There was a riot with strong racial undertones at a training depot, sparked off my misunderstanding over an order. Lee [Kuan Yew] handled this himself, & the danger passed. There was more tension a few days later when the Tunku refused to move Malaysian troops from barracks [at Holland Road] ...

LKY's memoirs provided a more vivid narrative. Too long to quote, so here's a summary: The training depot was at Shenton Way. Goh Keng Swee had earlier ordered ceasing of all recruitment/training, upon learning 80% of recent recruits were Malays. Misinterpreting, a major ordered a parade & told his Malay soldiers they were dismissed (i.e. no jobs). Bedlam broke out, attracting crowds. Anti-riot squad brought everyone down to CID. LKY forewarned the British that local police/army may racially side with the communal agitators; they said they wouldn't interfere if it's a internal-security mater. LKY, GKS & Othman Wok went down to CID, explained the mix-up to the rioters & told the Singapore citizens to report for duty again (Malaysians to seek employment with the Federal army). Everyone except the ringleaders were allowed to return home, though in the end the AG didn't press charges.

Is this the mutiny you inferred to?

All in all, the general context is that 700 of the 2,000 combined SIR personnel were non-locals; ditto its officer ranks, inc. both COs. LKY even alluded to the 4 MIB brigadier acting like a CIC (ala MacArthur), & was persuaded for a spell to live in the Gurkha-guarded Istana against any coup attempt.

I'll see if I can write down a chronological timeline, to show how that generation was as feng yun ren wu ("men of the hour") as the 1940's anti-Jap resistance groups. By comparison, the LHL's, TCH's, & George Yeo's were just starting their secondary education in '65.

There was really quite a superb can-do spirit at play, turning a (roughly) 3,000-4,000 SMF in '65 that's heavily subordinated to British & Federal forces, into an Independent/conscripted-based SAF that LKY numbered as 27,000 upon the announced British-withdrawal deadline for '71.
idwar
1 Sep 04, 16:10

Thanks moxie, this should be the incident.

I first heard of it from a old soldier who had fought in the Indon Confrontation. Up till today, he maintains his silence, except to say that it was one of the most unpleasant experience he had as a soldier, having to disarm the Malaysian soldiers almost at gunpoint..............imagine the consequences had the Malaysian troops resisted.................could Singapore be snuffed out there and then had the Malaysians decided to send reinforcements?

And then there was the incident when PM Lee KY found out during the merger with Malaysia that one of his own PAP MPs was a spy for the Malaysian Special Branch, and that the spy's vote was vital to the survival of the govt................subversion at both politcal and army operational levels......you got anything on this ? ..................It is sad students are fed only a sanitised version of Singapore's history, minus the unseen struggles/battles....
Moxie
1 Sep 04, 16:13

1950s - Singapore/Malaya resisting colonialism. British forces still around & needed (Malayan Emergency), but natives wanna manage internal security. Local defence forces, largely volunteer reserve batteries or squadrons (various combat arms), reorganized under SMF - from SVC - & many served upcountry as frontline as well as freeing up Federal troops for jungle patrolling.

1954-5 - Part-time conscription introduced here. Commie-agitated student riots broke out. NS policy quietly dropped.

1957 - New tack to revived scaling-back of volunteer service: creation of a local regular unit (1 SIR). SMF-SVC-'54 NS vets provided experience. Malaya gained independence, signed AMDA with Britain to mutually protect each other's territories. Singapore's main remained providing naval/airbase facilities, though no more "impregnable fortress."

1959 - Singapore gained self-government. LKY eyed Merger, wary of commies even as Emergency was almost over upcountry. Malaya was receptive, d/n want Singapore as SE Asian "Cuba" ideologically.

1961-2 - Commies agigated over Merger referendum. Barisan Socialis formed. 1 SIR mobilized to help maintain order. 2 SIR formed, but via Malaya-wide recruitment & also staffed by Federal Army troops. Referendum passed.

1963 - Malaysia created. The SIR units joined 7 mainland units to form Federal army of 9 infantry BNs, among other outfits. Malaysia established command structure here (4 MILB) to take control of all local forces from SMF. But AMDA remained primary defence against external threats, as Indonesia declared Confrontation.

1964-5 - Both SIR units sent on 6-month tours to Johor/Sabah to check Indonesian infiltration. 1 SIR would return home barely 4 months before Separation; 2 SIR just 2 months (before redeployed again in August '65 to Sabah for another 6 months).

1965 - Singapore becomes Republic. Military limbo: Counterinsurgency actions continue; ditto British presence despite AMDA invalidated. But internal turmoil too: many Malaysians & Malays transferred to Federal army, for citizenship purposes &/or disinclination to serve a Chinese-majority state. Malaysia also withdrew police riot squad. New MID, under GKS, mobilized for a voluntary PDF for internal security & also recruited regular personnel to offset shortfall.

Early 1966 - SIB created to succeed 4 MIB as command of local forces. Malaysian COs in SIR units also replaced. SAFTI set up. Israeli sent military mission to develop ops & training syllabus. Malaysia refused to leave 2 SIR's base, insisting on right to remain here (as power play). Singapore improvised a logistic contingency, but ended formal bilateral defence cooperation, at least until FPDA in '71.

Later 1966 - Confrontation was fizzling out, leaving Singapore-Malaysia to face off each other without a common enemy, & also Britain publicly hinting about reduction of its SE Asian presence (despite regional persuasion). Escalation of Vietnam conflict & Commie-domino theory amplified regional security fears. Coupled with the need for nation building, Singapore bought wholeheartedly into the citizen-army concept, knowing only conscription could furnish an expanded, credible army.

Early 1967 - All young male civil servants had to attend military training(!). Tabulated National Service bill in Parliament.

Later 1967 - 1st batch of conscripts inducted, trained by newly-graduated instructors & led by SAFTI's pioneering officer batch to form 3 SIR & 4 SIR.

Early 1968 - Britain backtracked on pace of troop withdrawal, opting for a quicker/accelerated pullout. Deadline was brought forward to early '71 (they eventually overshot it), meaning SIngapore had 4 years to take complete control of own defences.

In response, Singapore increased military spending, institutionalized NS at 2 & 2.5 years &, as the units ROD'd, organized them to co-exist alongside active ones & also PDF units at the brigade level. LKY said in his memoirs we had 17 active battalions (16,000 men) & 14 reservist (11,000 men) by 1971. Next phase is the evolution into a professional officer corps, which saw SAF scholarships being awarded to groom future military leaders. LHL was the 1st receipent, slightly ahead of the other Big 4 (TCH, GY, Lim Hng Kiang, Lim Swee Say).
Dr Who
2 Sep 04, 00:14

SAF units really untested in battle conditions, at lest Dalforce fought and died on the shores of Kranji and hills of Bukit Timah/Bukit Panjang. Their political outlook should not feature in our assessment as they were patriots in their own way.
Moxie
2 Sep 04, 16:41

As per my reponse to the Lim Bo Seng-Singapore's greatest general thread, they belong to a different time. You don't see the SAF itself claiming LBS or Adnan Saidi or Dalforce as its own, simply cuz they weren't. But MINDEF & the Heritage Board & the Chinese guilds do, as part of our nation-building.

That said, I don't think you can highlight Dalforce without bringing up the MPAJA, & that's awkward even today due to the latter's communist ties. Those irregular units, together with the British's own SOE groups, functioned more as marriage of conveniences in their common anti-Jap resistance, but at the real cost of losing lives. LBS, for example, was tortured to death for not revealing his MPAJA partners' names.

Go back to the message behind the original post again. I object to officially linking 1 SIR/2SIR with Dalforce, but that doesn't mean I overlooked their patriotism.
idwar
2 Sep 04, 17:29

The core members of the MPAJA were trained by the British at Singapore's Training School 101 (STS 101) at Tanjong Kling near Boon Lay.

Dalforce was trained by Col Dalley. I don't think they can be 'legally' connected, although the majority of Dalforce were leftist elements, no doubt.

It's also sad that some Dalforce chaps were victims of friendly fire when Aussie troops shot at them at the frontlines....................hope the historians will be subject them to friendly fire, too!
Moxie
3 Sep 04, 12:39

Well, the history books say many Dalforce locals were sympathetic leftists on the side (beyond the patriotism), & those who survived the fall of Singapore melted into the Malaysian jungles to join the MPAJA or KMT irregulars as resistance fighters.

IMO That's why the PAP Government hasn't embraced them fully, even as they recognized their sacrifices via the school textbooks. There was a postwar ideological dogfight for the soul of Singapore &, to put it bruntly, the winners got to write the history. Even a tycoon-community leader like Tan Lark Sye (also founder of Nantah University) has been largely sidelined in the national consciousness - compared with the likes of Tan Kah Kee or Lee Kong Chian - after he supported the populist but "wrong side" in the 1950's.

Let me dramatize the differing loyalties thus. You know the SAF pledge - the one about bearing truth faith & allegiance, supporting & defending with our lives, etc.? Now imagine a roomful of the following military representatives as they take their oath.

1967 National serviceman (Separation)

1965 PDF volunteer ( " )

1963 2 SIR regular (Merger)

1959 1 SIR regular (Self-government)

1957 1 SIR regular (Rendel Constitution/Malaya Independence)

1954 SMF conscript (Colonial Constitution/Malayanisation)

1949 SVC volunteer ( " /Malaya Federation/Emergency)

1943 SOE/Force 136 agent (WWII)
1943 MPAJA fighter ( " )
1943 KMT guerrilla ( " )

1942 Dalforce patriot (Colonial Constitution)
1942 Malay Regiment native ( " )
1942 Malaya Command trooper ( " )
1942 Commonwealth Battalion trooper ( " )

Q: Nationalism aside, do they all formally swear steadfast devotion to the same constitution (i.e. the body for democractic principles from which a State is organized/governed) or associate body politic? A: Of course not.
idwar
5 Sep 04, 22:29

Ah - the beauty of cosmopolitian Singapura......you did not mention the KMT types in Force 136 ........

A correction on my earlier post here- I have since found out that the incident involving Spore troops disarming malaysian troops in 1965/66 actually involved the SVC and a combined unit called Ops Boxer. The victims were the Malaysian Local Defence Corp who were guarding important installations. The action was carried out without bloodshed, or fanfare, and has been ignored by historians.... ...perhaps you can help fill in more info on Ops Boxer ?