. . . . . . . . . . . . . . "129"^^ . . . . . . "18th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)"@en . . . . . "134"^^ . . . . . . . . . . . "Far East: ~15,000 men" . . . . . . . . . . . . "4475137"^^ . . . . . . "\"It is certain that our troops on Singapore Island heavily outnumber any Japanese, who have crossed the straits. We must destroy them. Our whole fighting reputation is at stake and the honour of the British Empire. The Americans have held out in the Bataan Peninsula against far heavier odds. The Russians are turning back the picked strength of the Germans. The Chinese with an almost complete lack of modern equipment have held the Japanese for four and a half years. It will be disgraceful if we yield our boasted fortress of Singapore to inferior enemy forces.\n\nThere must be no thought of sparing the troops or civil population and no mercy must be shown to weakness in any shape or form. Commanders and senior officers must lead their troops and if necessary die with them. There must be no question or thought of surrender. Every unit must fight it out to the end and in close contact with the enemy.\n\nPlease see that the above is brought to the notice of all senior officers and by them to the troops. I look to you and your men to fight to the end to prove that the fighting spirit that won our Empire still exists to enable us to defend it.\""@en . . . . . . "War establishment strength: 17,298 men"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . "2012"^^ . . . "Felton"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Far East: ~15,000 men"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "1942"^^ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "\u2013 Special Order of the Day, 10 Feb 1942, by Archibald Wavell."@en . . . . . . . . "18th Infantry Division"@en . . "Division insignia: a black windmill symbol on a brown background"@en . . "Infantry"@en . . . . . . . "Infantry" . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Davies"@en . . "35.0"^^ . . . . . . . . . . "1984"^^ . . . . . . . . . "1939"^^ . . . . . . . . . . "The 18th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army which fought briefly in the Malayan Campaign of the Second World War. In March 1939, after the re-emergence of Germany as a European power and its occupation of Czechoslovakia, the British Army increased the number of divisions in the Territorial Army (TA) by duplicating existing units. The 18th Infantry Division was formed in September 1939 as a second-line duplicate of the 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division, with men from Essex and the East Anglian counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The division was based in Britain from 1939 to 1941, undergoing training and being moved around the country. This included an anti-invasion role in East Anglia, training in Scotland, and redeployment to the North West where the division also helped unload merchant ships during the Liverpool Blitz. Towards the end of 1941, the British government sought to reinforce the British Army in North Africa to demonstrate to the Dominions that the United Kingdom was doing its fair share of fighting in the Middle East and to prepare for Operation Crusader. The division left Britain during October bound for Egypt. By December, the convoy had reached South Africa and was preparing for the final stretch of its journey when news of the Japanese entry into the war was received. This resulted in most of the 18th Infantry Division being diverted to India to reinforce British forces facing the Japanese. The 53rd Brigade was sent to Singapore, from where it was deployed north to Johore and became embroiled in the Battle of Muar. After several short engagements with Japanese forces, the brigade was withdrawn to Singapore Island. Between 29 January and 5 February, the rest of the division arrived in Singapore having sailed from India. Shortly afterwards, the entire division participated in the Battle of Singapore. Initially deployed to northeastern Singapore Island, the division remained largely inactive while the Japanese attacked the north-west sector. Following the establishment of a Japanese beachhead, the division was broken up and deployed piecemeal in the battle. One battalion was assigned to a different formation and several units formed two battlegroups. After the initial engagements, the division was regrouped for a final stand in the city of Singapore and repulsed several Japanese attacks. The division, with the rest of the garrison, surrendered to the Japanese on 15 February 1942. It was not reconstituted. Over one-third of the division's personnel died in captivity, including divisional commander Major-General Merton Beckwith-Smith."@en . "2008"^^ . . . . "--09-30"^^ . . . . "1117579474"^^ . . "According to the historian Michael Chappell, \"the map-reading conventional sign for a windmill\u2014an apt device for an East Anglian formation\" was only worn on uniforms in Britain."@en . "left"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "59341"^^ . . . . . . . "Bradley"@en . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "209"^^ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "\u2013 Arthur Percival, press statement end of January"@en . . . . "The 18th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army which fought briefly in the Malayan Campaign of the Second World War. In March 1939, after the re-emergence of Germany as a European power and its occupation of Czechoslovakia, the British Army increased the number of divisions in the Territorial Army (TA) by duplicating existing units. The 18th Infantry Division was formed in September 1939 as a second-line duplicate of the 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division, with men from Essex and the East Anglian counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire."@en . "\"The battle of Malaya has come to an end and the battle of Singapore has started.... Our task is to hold this fortress until help can come\u2014as assuredly it will come. This we are determined to do. In carrying out this task we want the help of every man and woman in the fortress. There is work for all to do. Any enemy who sets foot in our fortress must be dealt with immediately. The enemy within our gates must be ruthlessly weeded out. There must be no more loose talk and rumour mongering. Our duty is clear. With firm resolve and fixed determination we shall win through.\""@en . . . . . "18"^^ . . . . . . . . . . . "War establishment strength: 17,298 men" . . . .