Dalforce facts for kids

Dalforce was a special group of volunteer fighters during World War II. Its official name was the Singapore Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army. This group was made up of Chinese people living in Singapore. They fought alongside the British forces.

Dalforce was formed on December 25, 1941. It was led by Lieutenant Colonel John Dalley. The British called the group "Dalforce" after him. But the Chinese in Singapore knew it by its longer name. These brave volunteers fought fiercely against the Japanese during the Battle of Singapore. Their courage earned them the nickname Dalley's Desperadoes. Some members even continued to fight as guerrillas after the Japanese took over Singapore.

How Dalforce Started

In 1940, John Dalley first suggested creating a secret fighting group. But the British government didn't agree right away. It wasn't until late 1941, when the Japanese invasion was very close, that they realized they needed help from local Chinese people. So, on December 25, 1941, Dalforce was officially created.

John Dalley and other British officers started training about 200 men in Johore in January 1942. By the time the Japanese invaded, Dalforce had grown to about 4,000 fighters.

The Chinese volunteers had different political ideas. Because of this, the army was split into two main parts. One part was mostly made up of Communists. It was directly led by Dalley. The other part was smaller and led by Chinese Nationalist Major Hu Tie Jun. Both groups were trained by British officers.

Getting Ready to Fight

The SS Empress of Asia caught fire after being attacked by Japanese planes. Many supplies meant for Dalforce were lost when this ship sank.

Dalforce members did not wear regular army uniforms. Instead, they wore their own clothes. They also wore bandanas to help tell each other apart from the enemy. Some even wore red cloth on their arms and yellow cloth on their heads. This showed their unity with China and their traditions.

Most fighters received Lee–Enfield No.I Mk.III rifles and bayonets. They had only a small number of bullets. Some had grenades and Bren light machine guns. But many had to use hunting weapons like sporting rifles or large knives called parangs. Their training continued right up until the Japanese invaded Singapore. Women in Dalforce helped with important tasks like first aid, cooking, and sending messages.

The British had planned to give Dalforce more weapons and supplies. However, a ship carrying these supplies, the SS Empress of Asia, was sunk by Japanese planes. This happened while the ship was on its way to Singapore. This meant many Dalforce fighters went into battle with very little equipment.

One officer, Frank Brewer, said, "There weren't enough ordinary rifles to be handed out to them. I know one company had as many as three different types of sporting guns, this made it very difficult to try and teach [the men] how these things operate in a very short time."

Some Dalforce members also received special training for jungle warfare. This training was given by the Special Operations Executive (SOE).

Where Dalforce Companies Were Stationed

Dalforce had five companies, each with about a hundred troops, located in different parts of Singapore:

• One company was at Jurong 18th Milestone.
• Another company was with the 2/20 Battalion of the Australian 22nd Brigade at Sarimbun beach.
• One company was near the Causeway.
• Another company was between the Serangoon River and Pasir Ris.
• A smaller group, the Overseas Chinese Guard Platoon, was in Kranji.

Fighting the Japanese

Dalforce volunteers were sent to the front lines on February 5. They fought bravely in places like Sarimbun Beach, Bukit Timah, Woodlands, and Kranji. They often patrolled swampy areas where the enemy might try to land. A Dalforce unit also joined the 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade in the Battle of Pasir Panjang.

One company at Jurong Road fought Japanese patrol boats even before the main invasion. They made the boats retreat. On February 6, 1942, this company fought about thirty Japanese soldiers.

Another company also faced the Japanese on February 6, 1942. They managed to push back Japanese rubber boats. Later, over sixty men from this company survived the Japanese landings on February 8. They escaped by swimming across rivers to reach Choa Chu Kang Road.

A brave woman named Madam Cheng Seang Ho, known as the Passionaria of Malaya, fought the Japanese at Bukit Timah. She and her husband were over 60 years old when they volunteered. They fought until the end, hiding behind trees. Madam Cheng's husband was later captured and killed by the Japanese secret police, the Kempeitai. Madam Cheng and her husband were recognized for their bravery in 1948.

Dalforce suffered many losses. This was partly because they lacked training, equipment, and weapons. The Japanese disliked Dalforce greatly. They used Dalforce's actions as an excuse for their harsh treatment of the Chinese people in Singapore.

The End of Dalforce

On February 13, 1942, just two days before Singapore surrendered, John Dalley told the Dalforce troops to break up. The remaining members were each paid ten Straits dollars for their service.

It's thought that about 300 Dalforce members were killed or wounded. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission recorded 134 known deaths in 1956. Many men and women who were part of Dalforce were captured and killed in the Sook Ching massacre. This was a terrible event where many Chinese people were killed by the Japanese. Some Dalforce veterans managed to escape to India after Singapore fell. Others went into the jungles and joined other resistance groups.

After the war, General Arthur Ernest Percival, who commanded the British forces, first said the Chinese community didn't help enough. But after people in Singapore protested, he changed his mind in his book, The War in Malaya. He praised Dalforce but still believed they had little impact on the overall battle.

John Dalley himself was ordered to leave Singapore before it fell. He escaped on a boat called the Mary Rose. But his boat was caught by Japanese patrol vessels, and he was forced to surrender. Dalley survived the war. He later wrote a positive report about Dalforce in 1945–46.

Images for kids

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  The SS Empress of Asia caught fire after being attacked by Japanese planes. Many supplies meant for Dalforce were lost when this ship sank.