Hong Kong Singapore Royal Artillery
Bruce D. Sinclair
In Orbat listing of British forces in the Far East I have found
reference to a formation known as the Hong Kong Singapore Royal
Artillery. The context in which it is used suggests that it is a
Regular formation, but distinct from the Royal Artillery Regiment of the
British Army.
I surmise that the Hong Kong Singapore Royal Artillery was a locally
raised corps of Chinese other ranks under British officers and NCOs.
Does anyone have more definite information regarding this corps?
Thanks,
BDS
TSofian
For information on Hong Kong artillery Units see
The Guns and Gunners of Hong Kong
Denis Rollo
Gunner's Roll of Hong Kong
undated about 1991
I'll see what else I can dig up.
Terry
Pat Brennan
Unfortunately, I only have very limited information on the Hong Kong
and Singapore Royal Artillery. It is so limited that I can quote all
of it in this post without any need to summarize it. The main
information is contained in two lines in the main section and a
comprehensive footnote on page 113 of "The War Against Japan" ,
Volume I by S. Woodburn Kirby. This is part of the official British
"History of the Second World War". Page 113 is in the section
concerning the defense of Hong Kong in 1941.
The comment contained in the main part of the page is as follows:
"The mobile artillery of the garrison comprised two mountain and three
medium batteries of the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery.2
These batteries were much below strength and therefore included a
number of locally enlisted Chinese."
The footnote is as follows:
" 2. The H.K. and S.R.A. was a regular unit raised to man certain
coastal, anti-aircraft and mobile artillery units in Hong Kong and
Singapore. Officers and some N.C.O.s were British and there were
Indian Viceroy’s Commissioned Officers. Other ranks were recruited in
India by special arrangement with G.H.Q., India, and some Chinese
locally enlisted. The mobile batteries in Hong Kong were all H.K. and
S.R.A. Each mountain battery had the unusual composition of two
troops, one of which was a four gun 3.7 howitzer troop on pack, the
other a four gun 4.5 howitzer troop on wheels. The medium batteries
consisted of four 6-inch howitzers."
There are occasional references to the actions of individual
batteries during the battle but nothing more substantive of a general
nature.
Appendix 10 of the book gives the order of battle for Malaya Command
on December 7, 1942. References to the H.K. and S.R.A. in this order
of battle include 1st Heavy A.A. Regiment, 2nd Heavy A.A. Regiment and
3rd Light A.A. Regiment at Singapore; detachment under command of O.
C. Troops Sarawak & Brunei (two 6-inch guns) (location unclear); and
detachment on Christmas Island (one 6-inch gun).
I wish I had more to give you.
Pat Brennan