Australian involvement in South-East Asian Conflicts

The Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) and the Indonesian-Malaysian Confrontation (Konfrontasi) (1962-1966)

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The Malayan Emergency (1948-1960): Australians on Operations

Army Operations: Artillery and Engineers

Members of the 105th Field Battery in Malaya in 1956. Silhouetted by the muzzle flash of their 25-pounder gun, they are firing into areas that the communist guerrillas are suspected of moving through at night. The 105th Field Battery was raised specifically for service in Malaya when the Australian Government decided to commit ground troops to the conflict. [AWM HOB/56/0658/MC]

Members of the 105th Field Battery in Malaya in 1956. Silhouetted by the muzzle flash of their 25-pounder gun, they are firing into areas that the communist guerrillas are suspected of moving through at night. The 105th Field Battery was raised specifically for service in Malaya when the Australian Government decided to commit ground troops to the conflict. [AWM HOB/56/0658/MC]

Australia’s commitment to the Malayan Emergency comprised naval and air forces as well as an infantry battalion with supporting arms that included an artillery battery. The 105th Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, equipped with eight 25 pound artillery pieces arrived at Penang in October 1955.

Australian artillery had operated in jungle conditions during the Second World War, but since then had trained mainly for open warfare. Now, facing a jungle-based insurgency, the artillery was in an environment in which the enemy consisted of scattered, small groups of insurgents, often located deep in the jungle and who seldom offered themselves as a target for concentrated fire.

During the early stages of the Australian artillery’s involvement in the Emergency, one troop was used to support a British and a Malay battalion while the other supported the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. For the most part the Australian batteries were engaged in providing harassing fire into areas where the communists were thought to be. Sometimes the fire was observed by forward observers or from the air; more often, however, the Australian gunners engaged predicted targets.

Artillerymen also found themselves acting as infantry during the Emergency. On occasions they manned roadblocks, engaged in patrolling, acted as a tactical reserve and performed garrison and security duties.

The battery served in Malaya until October 1957, losing one man – the victim of a road accident. They were replaced by the 100th (A) Battery which performed broadly similar duties, this time in support of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, as well as other British, Gurkha and Malay battalions. By the end of their tour, two members of the battery had lost their lives, one in a vehicle accident.

The 101st Field Battery relieved A Battery in October 1959, less than a year before the Emergency was declared over. Firing in support of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment among other units, the battery also carried out ambush and patrolling tasks.

Bridge building at Lubok Segintah in northern Malaya in 1955. The work is being done by 4 Troop Royal Australian Engineers. The new bridge will replace a Bailey bridge, the end of which is visible on the right of the image. Pre-fabricated Bailey bridges, named after their inventor Donald Bailey, were developed during the Second World War as easily transportable temporary structures. Infrastructure such as the permanent bridge the Australian engineers are building continued to be used by the locals long after the Malayan Emergency. [AWM P01325.012]

Bridge building at Lubok Segintah in northern Malaya in 1955. The work is being done by 4 Troop Royal Australian Engineers. The new bridge will replace a Bailey bridge, the end of which is visible on the right of the image. Pre-fabricated Bailey bridges, named after their inventor Donald Bailey, were developed during the Second World War as easily transportable temporary structures. Infrastructure such as the permanent bridge the Australian engineers are building continued to be used by the locals long after the Malayan Emergency. [AWM P01325.012]

Engineers

4 Τroop, Royal Australian Engineers, arrived in Malay in the latter part of 1955 and by January 1956 were engaged in road and bridge construction to assist the security forces needing to move into remote areas as well as to assist local economic development. In July the troop were moved to Butterworth to undertake bomb disposal work before moving again, this time to carry out construction work in the Ayer Kring area. The Troop’s tour ended after a period of road construction in northern Kedah Province.

The work in northern Kedah was continued by the Troop’s successors, 2 Troop. For much of its tour 2 Troop were involved in bridge and road construction. Australian engineers, during their time in Malaya, made a significant contribution to the transport infrastructure in the north of the country.