Singapore, september 1941
 

The Empire sends reinforcements to its possesions in the Far East.
An artillery batallion seems to have landed. One battery in the foreground is ready to march: tractors, limbers and howitzers are ready to roll. In the background howitzers wait for their tractors and limbers that still have to be disembarked.

Overvalwagens!

staffcars
 

Some light staffcars are among the vehicles parked on the quays:

howitzer/limber/Morris tractor
 

what type of howitzer is this?
All pics from Orient Magazine, Dutch East Indies, 1941

Re: staffcars
 

Looks like an Austin Eight Staff Car.

Re: howitzer/limber/Morris tractor
 

By the shortness of the barrel, I'd say it was a 4.5-inch howitzer.

Cheers :)

A 4.5" howitzer

vehicle colours
 

Thanks, Mark,

The troops are already wearing sunhats and shorts, but the vehicles still have there England camo scheme?

Regards,
Nuyt

Re: Singapore, september 1941
 

Nuyt;

This could very well be the landing at Singapore of "B" and "C" Batteries, 155th (Lanarkshire) Field Regiment, R.A., who arrived at Singapore on 3rd September, 1941, joining the 11th Indian Division, and who were equipped with the 4.5-inch howitzer. The 155th Field Regiment, R.A. was lost at Singapore on 15 February, 1942.

Source: History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, The Far East Theatre 1941-46

Cheers :)

Re: vehicle colours
 

Nuyt;

The 155th (Lanarkshire) Field Regiment, R.A., arrived in Bombay from the UK on 5th May, 1941, and on to Singapore on 3rd September, 1941 (less "A" Bty).

Cheers :)

Lanarkshires
 

Hi Mark, found a website to day that says B and C batteries had between them no less than 16 howitzers, but before Singapore they were equipped with 25pdrs.

Cheers,
Nuyt

Re: Lanarkshires
 

Hi Nuyt;

I had forgot to mention that "B" and "C" Batteries went into Singapore with 16x 4.5" howitzers total (8x per Bty), I'll see if I can find anything on the 25pdrs, the way I read it, is that, they arrived in India (from the UK) w/4.5" howitzers, "A" Bty staying in India (w/8x 4.5" how.) to form the base of a new Field Regiment while "B" and "C" went on to Singapore.

Cheers :)

Re: 25pdr
 

Hi Nuyt;

According to the history of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, the 155th Field Regiment (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) were equipped with 24x 4.5" howitzers from their formation in February 1940 (conversion of the Lanarkshire Yeomanry to a Fd Regt, RA), until "C" Bty was re-equipped with 25pdrs in January 1942, while "B" Bty retained the 4.5" how.. This is the only reference I can find to any of the three original batteries ("A", "B" and "C") of the Regiment being equipped with 25pdrs.

Cheers :)