The British Battalion (20th December)

PWRR and Royal Anglian ....

The British Battalion (20th December 1941)
During the operations in Malaya in 1941/42, the 2nd Battalion The East Surrey Regiment became so reduced in number that they were combined with the similarly depleted Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. The single unit this formed was called the British Battalion, doing valiant service during the latter part of the campaign. The companionship which lasted through the years of captivity became permanent and the Officers, Warrant Officers and Sergeants, of the two Battalions were Honorary Members of each others Messes. The toast to "The British Battalion" was drunk standing, on 20th December annually. It commemorated the amalgamation in 1941, before the fall of Singapore, of the battle-worn 2nd Bn The East Surrey Regiment and 1st Bn The Royal Leicestershire Regiment into what became known as The British Battalion.

A framed list of the members of the British Battalion hangs in the Regimental Museum.

It is worthy of note that the 2nd Bn The Queen’s Royal Regiment and 2nd Bn The Royal Leicestershire Regiment also fought side-by-side in the same brigade for the greater part of World War II.

Telegrams were exchanged annually with The Royal Leicestershire Regiment, later with The Royal Anglian Regiment.

mod edit: moved to mil history

 

My great uncle Pte George Reed was with the 2nd Bn The East Surreys and the British Bn. And went in to the Bag with the rest of the Bn when Singapore fell. Sadly he died in a Japanese Pow camp. My Nan (George’s sister) still hates the Jap’s with a passion for killing her brother yet has absolutely no animosity at all towards the Germans who bombed her nearly every day during the Blitz. Rest in peace George and all the other lads of the British Battalion who gave their tomorrow for my today.

 

Chaps,

You might be interested to know that we are running several pilgrimages to this area of the world in 2007. These allow people to visit the graveyards and find out about the battles.

Singapore 11-18th February 2007, which will be the 65th anniversary of the fall of Singapore.

Malaysia 29 Aug- 9 Sep 2007 to co-incide with the 50th Anniversary of Malaysian independence

Far East Prisoners of War sites in Singapore and Thailand 6-19th Nov 2007.

There are places on all of these tours at the moment.

Contact remembrancetravel@britishlegion.org for further details.

 

Falklands aside there no oppurtunities for younger veterans(That is anyone under 45 right?), to travel and remember places they have been on tour, posted too etc etc.... Younger veterans would like to go back and remember too!

 

Our tours are open to all. You don't have to have been a veteran and there is no age limit, as long as you are fit to travel. Our pilgrimages are accompanied by medical staff.

We don't currently tour places where the FCO advises against visiting. So that excludes Iraq and Afganistan.

We might consider touring Northern Ireland Bosnia Kosovo and Germany for ex National Services and BAOR warriors.

 

Don't give Des Browne any ideas.

 

hells teeth
I am on the cusp of being an "older veteran"!

 

Be great if Northern Ireland, Bosnia, germany came online. I want to go back to these places before i peg off!

 

Good day to bump this.

 

Beware of Nov monsoon!