Straits Settlements Volunteer Force
{{Distinguish|Straits Settlements Volunteer Air Force}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Straits Settlements Volunteer Force
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| dates = 1922–1942{{cite web |title=33rd Newsletter March 2013 |url=http://www.btrma.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/33-Newsletter-March-2013.pdf |website=Burma Thailand Railway Memorial Association |accessdate=27 April 2020 |page=3 |language=en |date=24 March 2013}};
1948–1954
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| country = {{flagicon image|Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1904–1925).svg}} Straits Settlements
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| branch = {{flagicon image|Flag of the British Army (1938-present).svg}} Volunteer Reserves
| type = Reserve rifle infantry
| role = Infantry
| size = 4 battalions
| command_structure = {{flagicon image|Flag of Malaya (1896–1950).svg}} Malaya Command
| garrison = Singapore
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| battles = World War II
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The Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (SSVF) was a military reserve force in the Straits Settlements, while they were under British rule. While the majority of the personnel were from Singapore, some lived in other parts of the Settlements, including Penang, Province Wellesley, Malacca and Labuan.
History
File:Singapore Volunteer Force training November 1941.jpg, November 1941]]
The SSVF had its origins in the [https://www.mindef.gov.sg/oms/safti/one-of-kind-2nd-ed2015/chp/021_brief-history-volunteer.pdf Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps] (SVRC), formed in 1854. The SVRC was disbanded in 1887 and an artillery corps named, the Singapore Volunteer Artillery Corps (SVA) was formed in 1888. In 1915 it helped suppress the mutiny of Sepoys in Singapore. The SSVF was officially formed in 1922, following the amalgamation of the Singapore Volunteer Corps, Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps, Malacca Volunteer Corps, and Labuan Volunteer Defence Detachment. In 1928, the SSVF infantry was re-organised into 4 battalions. The 1st and 2nd battalions consisted of members of the Singapore Volunteer Corps (1,250 men), the 3rd battalion consisted of the Penang & Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps (916 men) and the 4th Battalion consisted of the Malacca Volunteer Corps (675 men). Besides the infantry, the rest of the SSVF consisted of the Singapore Royal Artillery, Singapore Royal Engineers, Singapore Armoured Car Company and 3 ambulance units.{{cite news|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19290824-1.2.91|title=The History of The Volunteers|work=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser|date=24 August 1929|page=13|accessdate=8 November 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19570601-1.2.107|title=Singapore Volunteer Corps was first in Empire|work=The Straits Times|date=1 June 1957|page=9|accessdate=8 November 2018}}
=World War II=
As international tensions heightened during the 1930s, an increasing number of men of the various nationalities in the Settlements — predominantly European, Malay, Chinese, Indian and Eurasian — joined the SSVF. It included naval, air force, special operations, irregular units (such as Dalforce) and home guard units. The SSVF — including four infantry battalions — took part in the Battle of Singapore in 1942, and most of its members were captured on 15 February 1942 when their positions were overrun. The SSVF was reconstituted in 1948. In 1954, the Singapore Volunteer Corps was absorbed into the Singapore Military Forces when the SSVF was disbanded.
Formation
By World War II, there were four infantry battalions under SSVF.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cofepow.org.uk/armed-forces-stories-list/the-malayan-volunteer-forces-2 |title=The Malayan Volunteer Forces |last=Fell |first=Rosemary |website=COFEPOW |access-date=2020-04-27}} The battalions were :
| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+Units under Straits Settlements Volunteer Force !Battalion !Unit's crest !Unit's Name !Headquarters !Strength |
| 1st Battalion SSVF
| rowspan="2" |File:Badge of the Singapore Volunteer Corps.svg | rowspan="2" |Singapore Volunteer Corps | rowspan="2" |Beach Road, Singapore | rowspan="2" |1,250 men |
| 2nd Battalion SSVF |
| 3rd Battalion SSVF
|File:Badge of the Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps.svg |Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps |916 men |
| 4th Battalion SSVF
|File:Badge of the Malacca Volunteer Corps.svg |675 men |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
= Bibliography =
{{refbegin}}
- Eternal Vigilance, the Price of Freedom; compiled by Foong Choon Hon, translated by Yuen Chen Ching; Asiapac Books, Singapore; 2006
- Lee Geok Boi; The Syonan Years - Singapore under Japanese Rule 1942 - 1945; National Archives of Singapore; 2005
{{refend}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1922
Category:British colonial regiments