Arthur Hogg

n January 1942, the 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment arrived in the Far East and plunged straight into the disastrous Malayan Campaign. As part of the 53rd Infantry Brigade, 18th (East Anglian) Division, the territorial battalion had originally trained for North Africa but was hurriedly diverted to counter the rapid Japanese invasion of Malaya.Timeline of Actions: January 194213 January 1942 (Arrival): The battalion disembarked in pouring rain at the Singapore Naval Base from their transport ship. They initially set up base at Woodlands Camp.

6–20 January 1942 (Deployment to Johore): Lacking time to acclimatise or undergo proper jungle warfare training, the battalion was rushed north onto the Malayan mainland into Johore. By 20 January, they took up positions just west of Ayer Hitam.26–31 January 1942 (The Battle of Batu Pahat & Senggarang): The 5th Royal Norfolks faced their baptism of fire on the west coast road near Batu Pahat and Senggarang. Alongside the 2nd Cambridgeshires, they held off aggressive Japanese advances for over a week.

Heavily outmanoeuvred, cut off by enemy roadblocks, and facing intense aerial bombardment, the battalion suffered heavy casualties and had to desperately fight its way back south towards Singapore.The survivors crossed back onto Singapore Island just before the causeway was blown, only to face the siege and final surrender of the fortress the following month.

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