3/17th Dogra Regiment in Malaya

Thank you very much sol! I appreciates this! How can I obtain a copy and send to me in Malaysia?

You can order them from TNA but that will cost you a little fortune. Some members of this forum can copy doc for much cheaper, you can try contact Andy (Drew5233) or Lee (PsyWar.Org) via PM for more details.

Is it closed for 29 years?

That means that doc was closed for 29 years after the end of ww2. Now they are available for use.

This is my post on the Axis History Forum Axis History Forum • View topic - 70 Minutes Before Pearl Harbor: Kota Bharu 1941

Yes, that is a very good thread. Well done.

 

Thank you very much sol, I appreciates it

 

Another citation to go with Lt-Col Preston's: Havildar Rattan Singh MM.

There's also a MID citation for 2/Lt Badrul Ghani of 1 HYDERABAD (Indian State Forces). They were defending the airfield at Kota Bharu.

 

There's at least one other: an MC for Major North gazetted March 1942 from memory. Not checked to see if it's in the WO 373 index (probably not if you haven't found it), I suppose the citations for the contemporaneous awards were lost with Singapore.
His citation isn't in WO 373/47 file, and I couldn't find him in mentioned in the London Gazette. I think that those citation in the WO 373/47, for Malaya and Singapore, were (re)written after the war.
I have since found Maj North's MC in the LG.

The Gallant Dogras has a photo of Subedar Narain Singh receiving his Indian Order of Merit "for bravery on the Kota Bharu beaches, the first decoration won in the war against Japan". LG entry here with an IOM for Havildar Dille Ram of the Dogras plus three 1 Hyderabads with an IOM and two IDSMs between them.

(nb. a couple of other notables on that last page: Anthony Deane-Drummond's MC and Bertie Bell's (4 RWK) MM).

 

Thank you very much idler for these information.

Regards

Zaf

 

This is not on the 3/17th Dogras but I found some buried parts of Pattern 1937 webbing part of the Mysore ISF guarding the Machang airfield south of Kota Bharu

Regards

Zaf

 

Another citation to go with Lt-Col Preston's: Havildar Rattan Singh MM.

There's also a MID citation for 2/Lt Badrul Ghani of 1 HYDERABAD (Indian State Forces). They were defending the airfield at Kota Bharu.

I have since found Maj North's MC in the LG.

The Gallant Dogras has a photo of Subedar Narain Singh receiving his Indian Order of Merit "for bravery on the Kota Bharu beaches, the first decoration won in the war against Japan". LG entry here with an IOM for Havildar Dille Ram of the Dogras plus three 1 Hyderabads with an IOM and two IDSMs between them.

(nb. a couple of other notables on that last page: Anthony Deane-Drummond's MC and Bertie Bell's (4 RWK) MM).

Well done Andrew. I guess that their citations were lost with the fall of Singapore.

 

This is not on the 3/17th Dogras but I found some buried parts of Pattern 1937 webbing part of the Mysore ISF guarding the Machang airfield south of Kota Bharu

Regards

Zaf

Nice found Zaf.

 

Thank you Sol

 

It's the 70th anniversary of the landing tomorrow: 0100 hrs 8 Dec 1941 local time was 1730 hrs 7 Dec GMT.

For the Japanese, the war was already some 16 hours old when they landed. Around 0845 7 Dec local (0115 7 Dec GMT) they shot down a Catalina from RAF Seletar, and around 1800 7 Dec local (0830 7 Dec GMT) a destroyer opened fire on a recce Hudson from RAF Kota Bharu.

45-or-so minutes after the battle for Kota Bharu began, USS Ward started America's war on the other side of the Pacific (0640 7 Dec local, 1810 7 Dec GMT).

3/17 Dogra casualties for 8 Dec 1941 are:


Sepoy Bakhshi Ram
Sepoy Banka
Sepoy Bansi
Sepoy Bhagat Chand
Sepoy Bhagwan Das
Sepoy Duni Chand
Naik Gian Singh
Sepoy Gulu
Sepoy Kali Das
Jemadar Kesar Singh
Sepoy Maghi Ram
Lance Naik Munshi Ram
Sepoy Murhtiyar Singh
Sepoy Nand Lal
Captain Nawin Chandra
Havildar Prabhu
Sepoy Ratan Singh
Naik Sahib Singh
Sepoy Sali Ram
Sepoy Sant Ram
Sepoy Sant Ram
Sepoy Shiv Das
Sepoy Sohan Singh


Coincidently, Lt Col C A Hendrick, a 3/17 Dogra officer, was CO of 1 Hyderabad Infantry (Indian State Forces) who were guarding RAF Kota Bharu itself. His date of death is given as 10 Dec but he was last seen on 8 Dec. No other 1 Hyd Inf casualties are listed on Geoff's SE.

 

Thank you very much for these information idler. I appreciates it very much! How did Lt-Col Hendrick of the Dogras became the CO of the 1st Hyderabad ISF force? From the 25th Japanese Army record it was stated that Lt-Col Hendrick and nearly one hundred others were captured near the Kota Bharu airfield. I read some book mentioned he was shot by his own mutinous troops but that seems unlikely and the Hydrabad's war diary mentioned that in the confusion of the retreat they lost thier CO.

I went to the 3/17th Dogra's pillbox at Kota Bharu town this afternoon on the 70th anniversary the Japanese occupied Kota Bharu town.

Regards

Zaf

 

Regarding Hendrick, I've also read that he was murdered but can't remember the source. Datuk Salleh's book mentions it and references Elphick's Singapore: The Pregnable Fortress which, in turn references his earlier book Odd Man Out which I haven't got!

Hendrick's role was the Senior Special Service Officer. The SSOs seem to have been regular officers attached to the state forces in some sort of advisory or training role. He took over the battalion when the CO went on a month's leave at the end of November 41 - great timing.

The view down the river...

 

Aldrich in his "Intelligence and the war against Japan" mention that he was killed by his own troops

Once the Japanese attacked in December 1941 some units quickly disintegrated. Lt Colonel C. A. Hendricks, Commander of the 1st Battalion of the Hyderabads, had to be given an escort for his own protection. But he was soon shot by his own troops, along with the battalion's Adjutant. The Hyderabads were eventually disarmed by a special provost unit on 14 December 1941 and turned into an unarmed labour battalion.

In Warren's "Britain's Greatest Defeat: Singapore 1942" stays only that he was killed during retirement:

As the retirement was getting under way, the petrol dump at Kota Bharu aerodrome was set alight by British artillery fire to prevent it falling into Japanese hands. Japanese troops nearing the aerodrome opened fire on the figures outlined by the red and white glare. The commanding officer of the 1st Hyderabads, Lieutenant-Colonel C.A. Hendricks, and his adjutant were killed amidst the tumult, and their battalion quickly fell apart.

 

The CO's escort is referred to in the WD. The strange thing is that the adjutant, a Captain (not Major, sorry) D R Munro, isn't on CWGC; but then I still can't find any 1 HYDs on there and they couldn't all have survived the battle and captivity.
The battalion must have been considered unreliable as they were disarmed and moved back even faster than the withdrawal.

 

Some progress on 1 HYD INF thanks to Clive: they had no fatal casualties at Kota Bharu and only 1 IO and 18 IORs during the whole campaign.

 

From Bell's "Besieged: seven cities under siege"

Following orders from Singapore, the British planes and the ground staff suddenly evacuated Kota Bharu airdrome. In their haste they left the bomb dumps, runways, and gasoline supplies undestroyed. Although the Japanese were still a mile away, struggling through the mud, the Hyderabad infantry defending the airstrip became very uneasy. When the Japanese reached the defence perimeter, their first volleys killed the British commanding officer and his adjutant, and the battalion quickly disintegrated. The other British and Indian troops had to fall back.

 

Whether by accident or design, the Hyderabads did not kill their adjutant: Capt D R Munro received an MBE for gallant and distinguished services whilst a FEPOW, as did Lt-Col Syed Mohammed Ishaq, also 1 HYD INF. LG entry here.

Looking at his service number, Munro was commissioned into the ISF, he wasn't attached from the Indian Army.

Have now found their citations which relate to their anti-INA stance. For Munro to be in that position, he must have been Anglo-Indian?

Edit: The apparent loyalty of the 1 HYD INF mentioned in the citations could imply that the death of Hendrick was an accident rather than design?

 

Well found Andrew. I wonder if he is the Munro mentioned in Crasta's "Eaten by the Japanese"

On 1 October 1945, I was taken on the staff of the War Crimes Committee. Capt. McLillian and Capt. Foster of Auxiliary (India) Force, Capt. Munro, 1st Hyderabad Infantry, and I, comprised the staff.

 

The apparent loyalty of the 1 HYD INF mentioned in the citations could imply that the death of Hendrick was an accident rather than design?

From "Campaigns in South-East Asia, 1941-42"

Increased Japanese activity was reported across the S. Pengkalan Chepa and to the north-east of the airfield. This resulted in some desertions from 1 Hydearabad State Infantry which necessitated the use of Signallers to cover artillery gun position.
I guess it's possible that he was killed while trying to stop those who tried to desert.

From "Hostages to freedom"

Major G.A. Waheed, 1st Battalion Hyderabad Infantry remembers, "A message of innumerable promises was sent by Premier Tojo on behalf of the Japanese Nation, which to a sane man is unbelievable. Promises of high rank was made to those who were hesitant to join. Much propaganda with our own newspaper Azad Hindustan. Not all Indians were persuaded to change allegiance but there was treachery within the Indian ranks. Several Indians were force marched and shot by rebel Indian officers." Non volunteers were placed in a camps of about 12,000 on Singapore at Tenga and Karanji, with deplorable conditions, little food and no medicine. Dysentery was rife. Many died. Conditions at these Hell Camps influenced many to "... join I.N.A. and make merry - or die". Those who chose not to cross to the INA were thus referred to as the "Loyal First Hyderabad".

 

Little more about already mentioned Captain (Major) North of 3/17th Dogras

Selby could not get into communication either with the Dogras or the Gurkhas that afternoon. The enemy was in strength between Choh and the 2/2nd Gurkha Rifles and there was no wireless communication, the losses of wireless sets at Slim not having been made good.

It was now that Captain North of the 3rd Dogra Regt who was at brigade H.Q. volunteered to try to get into touch with his battalion. The 2/2nd Gurkha Rifles were engaged by this time and the only chance for Captain North to reach Choh or Serendah was by carrier. Lieut-Colonel Woollcombe called for volunteers from his Gurkhas; Naik Berman and Rifleman Lalbahadur stepped forward. The three men drove into the enemy through a storm of fire and right through into the village of Choh where the carrier overturned. Naik Berman was killed; Captain North and Rifleman Lalbahadur survived. They crawled out, saw a Japanese light automatic in action 20 yards away, crawled back under the carrier and remained there all day in a wet ditch. When darkness fell they found some clothes in the village from which they walked out as a Pathan and a coolie. Five days later on their way south they were captured by a party of Japanese, put against the wall and shot.

On January 16th Captain Pathan North recovered consciousness to find that he was only wounded. He sat up and looked to see Rifleman Coolie Lalbahadur wounded but also sitting up and looking round. Lalbahadur happened to know rubber estate near Kuala Lumpur which was worked by Gurkha coolies; and to this estate the two wounded fugitives made their way. Here the Gurkha coolies hid them and fed them until after a week North was fit to travel. He set off southwards again by himself and was crossing the Gemas golf-course, 106 miles south of Kuala Lumpur, when he was taken prisoner by the Japanese. This gallant officer survived captivity.