14th February, 1941

AN article I wrote about 2nd Lt Adnan, which was featured in Defence Advisor Magazine 2006.

Colours of Courage: Real Story of Men of C Company, 1st Royal Malay Regt at Point 226 During Battle of Bukit Chandu 13-14th February, 1942

“The bloods of patriots needs to nourish the tree of liberty from time to time”                                                 Thomas Jefferson

The trenches on the hill of Bukit Chandu humid and damp, air filled with stench of decomposing bodies, cordite stink and acrid smoke. The gloomy atmosphere and temporary silence which seems deafening does not help to ease the anxiety faced by the men of 7th Platoon, C Coy 1st Battalion Royal Malay Regiment. 

The index finger of the remaining men held tightly firm around the trigger of the venerable Enfield 303 the standard infantry rifle of World War 2. These men have been without ration or replenishment for two days in a row but they stood their ground.  The Japanese have systematically cut off vital supply line to this unit and currently choking the men of C Coy 1st Malay into submission. The heat is unbearable, sweating profusely, each salty drops stings the eyes blurring temporarily their vigilance. Amidst these unforgiving conditions the soldiers held on, accurately firing rounds of shot burst in order to conserve ammunition to any enemy movement, and inflicting heavy tolls on the Japs. Around 700 yards from their post the Japanese pleaded them to surrender, later taunted them of what they will do with their distinctively razor sharp samurai sword if they don’t. However nothing deterred the resolve and high spirit of these formidable men in defending this patch of land. Each soldiers peering through the canopy of the jungle, aware of their area of responsibility, through “stand to” procedures in tight perimeter defense. 

Amongst these men stood a lone figure, distinguishable by a single pip on each shoulder straps of his khaki uniform, denoting an officer of the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Disregarding his safety and constantly exposed to enemy fire he was moving around the perimeter to each soldier giving words of encouragement and assuring his men he will not abandon them.

His name will forever be etched in history an epitome of patriotism, he is 2nd Lt Adnan Saidi born 1915 in a small village in Kajang to a poor but loving family.  Educated to be a teacher but later opted to join the army at the tender age of 18 to answer the call for few good men to fill up the ranks of newly formed Malay Regiment Experimental Company in Port Dickson. 

The Malay Regiment was founded in 1933 an according to its first Commanding Officer Major S Bruce OBE, MC with the objective of “to find out how Malays would react to military discipline”.  By 1937 the performance of Malay Experimental Company was so impressive that it was expanded into a full fledged regular battalion staffed by Malays officers at Platoon level. Six days before the Japanese invasion of Malaya, a 2nd Battalion was formed. Both this battalions were rushed off to Singapore to form the Malay Infantry Brigade together with Bedfordshire Regiment of British Army. 

The Malay Regiment baptism of fire came on the 13th of February, 1942 when contact was made with the crack 18th “Chrysanthemum” Division of Japanese Imperial Army at 1400hrs along the Pasir Panjang Ridge. The Japanese supported up by aerial and artillery bombardment penetrated the area held by B Coy of 1st Malay. However the Japs breakthrough was at a high cost and only successful when tanks were brought in to penetrate the line. B Coy later retreated with some troops captured the majority perished fighting till the end. 

The Japs encroached further inland, the task of holding them was given to C Coy commanded by Capt Rix. In light of this new development C Coy was ordered to move to a new defense position Point 226 Opium Hill (Bukit Chandu). Bukit Chandu was a key defense position for two important reasons. It was situated on high ground overlooking the island to the north; and secondly, if the Japanese gained control of the ridge, it gave 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.

It was here C Coy of 1st Malay found itself, in the most precarious position completely surrounded on all flanks, C Coy was tasked with the dreaded mission of all “rear guard” action, which is to hold off Japanese onslaught long enough to enable the British & Commonwealth troops to make good of their escape. The Japanese have finally met their match, used to seeing fleeing Commonwealth troops in a hasty retreat, since their landing in Kota Bahru on 6th of December, 1941, the Japanese commander were dumbfounded to find stiff resistance beyond human endurance. Bombed and strafed by aircraft, pounded by barrage of continuous artillery fire, the men of C Coy did not falter.

The Japanese 18th Chrysanthemum Division commander Lt General Renya Mutaguchi sent out a recon element to probe the defenses of the Malay Regt, peering through his binocular the recon leader could see the grim faces of the men of C Coy, and a peculiar insignia on their collar tab of which the Japanese have not seen in their intelligence dossier, 2 tigers flanking a circle and topped with a crown, and he could barely read the word “taat setia” the motto of The Royal Malay Regiment. The Japanese knew it would be impossible to launch a head on assault against these formidable troops that they are facing for the first time, they resorted to the most unchivalrious method of all, deception. The Japanese disguised as Indian troops moved within striking distance of the Malays defensive position however unknown to the Japs the Malays were aware of the ploy. 2nd Lt Adnan a cool headed leader who do not crack under pressure was able to sense something was amiss when these Indian soldiers were marching in a file of 4 (standard Japanese infantry march) instead of 3 of the British & Commonwealth soldiers. 2nd Lt Adnan now manning the infantry support weapon Lewis machine gun capable of firing 600 rounds a minute waited patiently for the disguised Japs to enter its “kill zone”. Once they were in the zone, Adnan ordered “serang” (attack) followed by intense crackle of gunfire, each soldiers given a field of view by virtue of “stand to” mowed the Japanese. Adnan rapidly firing the Lewis machine gun made a mince meat of the Japs, combined with the accurate firing from the rest of the platoon, they rained down hell on the Japanese with devastating precision.  

There was no way for Japs to return fire, complete shaken by that ordeal the survivors retreated, some sliding down the slope others limped back to their position. However most of the Japs were decimated in a matter of minutes, it was the single highest casualties yet for the Japanese in Malaya. 

The barrel of the Lewis gun is glowing in red after firing hundreds of rounds without a pause under the scorching heat. The rest of the platoon took time to clear jammed rounds in the chambers of their rifle as fast as they could while their comrades kept guard. The men could now see a plume of black smoke arising in between the canal separating them from D Company,1st Malay the Japs in their desperate attempt to subdue the Malays have resorted to flooding the oil in the canal and setting them on fire. Choking and desperately grasping for air, their lungs filled with burning sensation, the men of C Coy knew the next attack by the Japs is imminent.

After 2 hours of lull in the fire fight and being beaten by C Coy, the Japs are filled with incessant rage on the heavy casualties this troops atop of Bukit Chandu has inflicted on them. The Japs counter attacked with intensity throwing in everything they got. The battle was raging in utter madness, the first line of advancing Japanese troops were cut down by Malays returning fire, the second , the third as well, still the Japanese due to numerical superiority pressed on, supported as usual by air strikes and artillery fire. The situation is hellish atop Pt 266 Bukit Chandu, the C Coy commander Capt Rix perished along with some of his troops. 2nd Lt Adnan is now the overall commander of what is left of the company, the Japs closing in from every direction swarm into their perimeters. The Malay having expended every single round did not retreat instead engaged in a bloody close in hand to hand combat. Sometime during this period while men of C coy was fighting feverishly, two well aimed shots lodged into Adnan, while he was busy beating off the Japs with bayonet. He fell shouting the words his platoon adopted as motto just before the war, “biar putih mata, jangan putih tulang” (death before dishonour). The men on seeing their gallant leader fall, fought on but fatigued by sheer physical exhaustion of bayoneting the Japs continuously, most fell where they stood, others a handful of them surrendered. 

The ordeal of the men did not stop there the surviving 6 men were stripped of their uniform and taken POW. Adnan lying mortally wounded was dragged earth gravels ripping the skins which was not covered by his uniform, kicked repeatedly in the ribs with the pointed end of the combat boots it punctured his lungs, heaving and panting heavily disorientation sets in, all while his head was battered with rifle butt again and again, Adnan could barely hear his men urging him “mengucap tuan” (say his final words to god), he uttered the sacred words choking and vommiting blood before finally passing out. The scavenging Japanese soldiers raged by the casualties Adnan has inflicted, pulled his head backwards and slit his throat repeatedly in a final act of savagery before manhandling his body into a gunny sack. Tied upside down on a cherry tree near where he fell, his motionless body was bayoneted for 2 days by every Japanese soldier who passed Pt 226. 

The Malay Regiment fought on for 2 days without supply, completely surrounded on all flanks, pounded from both land and air against daunting odds, unwearied by constant challenge and mortal danger, they held on and fought till the last bullets. Out of ammunition they did not abandon their post instead chose to engage in a bitter hand to hand combat, all but 6 made the ultimate sacrifice. 

The men of D Company fought on as well but disengaged when orders came from Lt Gen Perceival (Far Eastern General Officer Commanding) to surrender. Here to exemplary courage and honour was displayed by the Malay Regiment, Lt Ibrahim Sidek, 11th Platoon Leader of D Company, 1st Malay, ordered by the Japanese to strip his uniform, refused even under threat of death, the young Lieutenant was later executed for refusing the second time.

C Coy of 1st Malay numbering less than 100 men faced the crack 18th Chrysanthemum Division totaling 8000 men. 2nd Lt Adnan inspiring initiative, indomitable courage conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity during the battle was above and beyond the call of duty. His actions and of his men on that fateful day will forever be remembered in the annals of military history as defiance in the face of impossible odds. Legend has it that Lt Gen Renya Mutaguchi uttered “if there were 10 men like him (Adnan) we might need 10 more divisions”

History might have been different if more battalions of these men were formed before World War 2, this is evidenced in the words of Noel Barber, the author of Sinister Twilight, the Malay Regiment was described thus:

“ it was a living and dying illustration of the folly of not having raised more such local forces before the war in which men could defend what was their homeland”

2nd Lt Adnan would have been proud to know that his beloved regiment has grown into 25 battalions out of which 2 battalions (12th & 19th) are Mechanized Infantry and another 2 Airborne (9th & 17th). The battle honours of this regiment since Bukit Chandu is a testament to the dedication of men who fill up its rank Congo, Bosnia, Somalia, First Emergency and Second Emergency. His name was aptly applied to the latest Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) used by the Mechanized Infantry. The spirit and legacy of 2nd Lt Adnan Saidi lives on and forever embodied in the colours (panji) of Royal Malay Regiment, the colours of courage.