Brushfire wars - Malaya, Brunei and Borneo
The Corps' first experiences of jungle warfare occurred in World War Two. Immediately following the war, unrest in the Far East meant that the Royal Marines maintained a presence there for the next few decades.
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Brushfire wars - Malaya, Brunei and Borneo
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Jungle Warfare - Malaya, Brunei and Borneo
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Jungle training
During their time in the jungle the Corps re-learned valuable lessons from World War Two on how jungle tours could affect the health of the men.
In the early years of jungle tours of duty many would develop foot rot and other diseases from the conditions in the jungle. As a result officers and SNCOs went on hygiene courses and men learned how to stay fit and which food and waterways to avoid.
The Corps recognised that acclimatisation and specific jungle training were needed for the Commandos to adapt to the specific needs of such warfare.
The troops would have to patrol large areas, which meant that communication with commanding officers was scarce and stealth and independent operation was at a premium.
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Malaya
In May 1950 3 Commando Brigade began what would turn out to be a two-year tour of duty in Malaya.
Their role was to aid the civil administration and police to quell anti terrorist activity. The Chinese terrorists of the Malayan Communist Party were trying to recruit other Chinese settlers, many illegal immigrants squatting in Malayan villages, in the country to overthrow the government.
The Brigade disembarked at Penang. After six-week's jungle training, the Brigade travelled for duty in the state of Perak, a region about the size of Wales, on the border with Thailand.
The area had plenty of dense jungle and swamp land in which the insurgents hid. Brigade HQ and 42 Commando based themselves in Ipoh, the state capital of Perak whilst 40 settled in Kuala Kangsar in the North and 45 in Tapah, in the South.
The Brigade’s initial task was to split the Chinese squatters from contact with the Malayan Communist Party’s underground army and resettle them in new, guarded villages.
Re-settling the squatters also had the impact of drawing the terrorists out further from their jungle hideouts in their attempts to obtain supplies and money.
By the summer of 1951 around 91 000 of these Chinese illegal immigrants would be re-housed in new, defended, villages.
The other task for the Commandos was in anti-bandit operations. Each unit had a large area to cover and therefore it was broken down so that each troop would have their own area to patrol. As a result, some troops found themselves operating in an area 60 miles away from their unit headquarters.
The troops would carry out arduous patrols of their area, many lasting from a whole day, up to two or three weeks at a time.
Leeches, mosquitoes and giant ants plagued these patrols as the troops marched through the dense jungle, often having to wade in mangrove swamps.
Ambushes were set upon prowling terrorists, many lasting for days at a time as Commandos remained concealed in the same positions waiting to pounce.
In addition to patrolling and ambushing, the Commandos also provided assistance to the police in searches and screenings for terrorists in the local towns and villages.
During these searches it was important to win the hearts and minds of the locals in order to dissuade any potential uprisers and also to gather intelligence on the whereabouts and activities of the bandits in hiding.
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The Limbang Raid, Sarawak
The Limbang Raid, Sarawak
In December 1962 40 and 42 Commando deployed to Brunei in North Borneo. Their mission was to quell unrest in the area following plans to unite the territories along the north Borneo coast under the new Malay Federation.
40 and 42 Commandos were aboard the Commando carrier HMS Albion when the trouble broke out. During the revolt terrorists had seized the British Resident and his wife along with twelve others in the Limbang region of Sarawak.
Elements of 42 Commando executed daring raid in order to save them on December 12 1962.
L Company of 42 Commando, led by Captain Jeremy Moore, arrived in the area captured by the rebels only three days earlier and immediately planned for the rescue operation.
Moore recognised that the most effective way to surprise the rebels was to be a direct attack on their headquarters. He assessed that it was most likely to be the police station in Limbang.
Moore procured two lighters for the journey up the river and into the heart of the rebel territory. Royal Naval personnel from the minesweepers HMS Fiskerton and HMS Chawton prepared and crewed the lighters. During the raid the Marines lost their element of surprise by the noise of the lighters’ engines.
The rescuers were met with a barrage of gunfire from the estimated 150 rebels armed with guns raided from the local police station.
The raid was highly successful with the Commandos finding all the hostages. Five marines died and eight were wounded in a raid that earned Captain Moore a bar on his Military Cross (where he distinguished himself during the Malayan Emergency) and two Corporals the Military Medal.
Jungle operations in Borneo continued for another three and a half years in what became known as the Borneo Confrontation.