Royal Malay Regiment

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(Redirected from Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja)

The Royal Malay Regiment (Malay: Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja) is one of two infantry regiments in the Royal Malaysian Army. The regiment is the premier unit in the Malaysian Army. At its height, 27 battalions of the Malay Regiment were formed. At present, two battalions of the Malay Regiment are parachute trained and forms a component of the Malaysian Army Rapid Deployment Force. Another battalion has converted into a mechanized infantry battalion. The remaining battalions are roled as standard light infantry battalions.

The 1st Battalion Royal Malay Regiment is the ceremonial battalion for the King and is usually accompanied by the Central Band of the Malay Regiment.

As its name suggests, it only recruits Malays to its ranks.

1 History
2 Battle Honours
3 Alliances
- 3.1 Current
- 3.2 Former
4 See Also

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History

The regiment can trace its origins back to the 1st Experimental Company in 1933. This was a company of native Malays established as the beginnings of a native military force in Malaya. Formed on 1 March 1933 in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, this Experimental Company started off with 25 recruits. It was designated "Experimental" because at this stage, the "Company" was only an attempt to "find out how the Malays would react to military discipline." On 1 January 1935, the Experimental Company became The Malay Regiment with a complement of 150 men. Recruitment speeded up. With another 232 recruits, two rifle companies were started and a HQ wing that included a Vickers machine-gun Platoon, a Signalling Section and a Corps of Drums.

As the shadow of war loomed larger, training was intensified. Long route marches and exercises at battalion and brigade levels became frequent. The Regiment also began training with mortars and anti-tank weapons. In August 1941, a ten- Bren gun carriers Platoon was formed. Under Captain R.R.C. Carter, it trained with the British 2nd Loyals Regiment.

In March 1941, the Colonial Governor of the Straits Settlements, authorised the increase of the Regiment's strength to two battalions. The 2nd Battalion was established in 1941, and the two battalions of the Malay Regiment along with the 2nd battalion The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) formed the 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade and went on to play a major role in the defence of Malaya during the Second World War.

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Battle of Pasir Panjang Ridge

In the Battle of Pasir Panjang, one of the frequently championed in the Malay Regiment Adnan bin Saidi, who is often viewed as the personification of patriotism and honourable death in duty for the country.

The first battle between the Malay Regiment and Japanese soldiers occurred on 13 February at around 1400 hrs. The Japanese 18th Division started to attack the south-western coast along the Pasir Panjang ridge and astride of Raja Road. The Japanese 56th Infantry Regiment, supported by a considerable force of artillery, attacked the ridge during the morning. One of the units defending the line was the B Company of 1 Malay. Under the heavy fire of the Japanese troops supported by artillery and tanks, the B Company was forced to retreat to the rear. But before all of them could retreat, the Japanese army succeeded in breaking through B Company's position. In the battle, B Coy troops fought hand-to-hand combat using bayonets against the Japanese. A few from B Company managed to save themselves while others were caught as prisoners-of-war. This penetration led to the withdrawal after dark of both 44th Indian and 1st Malaya Brigade to the general line Mount Echo (junction of Raja and Depot Road)Buona Vista.

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Battle of Bukit Chandu

On 14 February, the Japanese again launched a heavy attack at 0830 hours, supported by intense mortar and artillery fire, on the front held by the 1st Malaya infantry Brigade. The fighting included bitter hand-to-hand combat, and losses from both sides were heavy. At 1600 hours an attack supported by tanks eventually succeeded in penetrating the left, and the defenders on this flank were forced back to a line from the junction of the Ayer Raja and Depot Road through the Brick Works and along the canal to Bukit Chermin. Owing to the failure of units on both its flanks to hold their ground, the 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade withdrew at 1430 hours. It was at this point that C Company of the Malay Regiment received instructions to move to a new defence position Pt. 226, Bukit Chandu (Opium Hill).

This was also where C Company of the Malay Regiment made their famous final stand against the Japanese attack. Opium Hill was situated on high ground overlooking the island to the north and should the Japanese gain control of the ridge, it would give them direct passage to the Alexandra area. The British army had its main ammunition and supply depots, military hospital and other key installations located in the Alexandra area.

C Company's position was separated from D Company by a big canal. Oil was burning in the canal, which flowed from Normanton Depot. The burning oil prevented C Coy soldiers from retreating further south. C Company was under the command of CPT Rix who encouraged the soldiers to defend Opium Hill down to the last man. His bravery was exemplified in the battle and he was killed together with many of his Malay Regiment soldiers in the last defence battle at Pasir Panjang.

The Japanese troops pressed their attack on Opium Hill in the afternoon under the guise of a deception. They sent a group of soldiers, dressed in Punjabi uniforms, passing themselves off as Punjabi soldiers from the British army. But C Company saw through this trick. When the disguised soldiers reached the Malay Regiment's defence line, C Company's squad opened fire on them with their Lewis machine guns. Some of the Japanese troops were killed and the rest badly wounded. Those who survived rolled and crawled downhill to save themselves.

Two hours later, the Japanese launched an all-out assault in great numbers. The attack overwhelmed the Malay Regiment. Greatly outnumbered and short of ammunition and supplies, the Malay Regiment continued to resist the Japanese troops. It was reported that 2LT Adnan manned a Lewis machine gun against the Japanese troops. Some soldiers engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat using bayonets. Yet, they stood their ground frustrating their enemy. 2LT Adnan was seriously wounded but he refused to retreat and instead encouraged his men to fight to the last. It was this disregard of danger that inspired the company to stand up gallantly. 2LT Adnan was captured and tortured before being bayonetted to death.

For the entire Malayan Campaign, but largely on 12, 13 and 14 February 1942 in Singapore, the Malay Regiment suffered a total of 159 killed (six British officers, seven Malay officers, and 146 other ranks) and a large but unspecified number wounded.

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Post War

The regiment also played a major role against the Communists during the Malayan Emergency when an eventual 7 battalions served during the Emergency, with the 3rd battalion raised in 1948. In 1960, the regiment gained the 'royal' prefix, becoming the Royal Malay Regiment.

The Regiment's crest was designed with a pair of tigers, supporting an Oriental Crown. Within the circle of the crest are a kris and a scabbard with the Regimental motto "Ta'at Setia" written in Jawi, meaning "Loyal and True".

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