Singapore fortress

Singapore was the most important British naval base in the Far East. The island itself was heavily defended by many type of coastal artillery guns from frontal assault.

There were a number of pillboxes on the island defending from an invasion

Opposite the island at Pengerang on the mainland in Johore there were some bunkers to defend the entrance to the Naval Base

Kota Tinggi was a back door to Singapore from Johore in Malaya the were a number of bunkers to defend the island from this sector

Several pillboxes defended the road from Mersing on the east coast beach to Kota Tinggi which would lead to Johore Bharu and Singapore

Penang fortress

Penang was an important air and naval base. It was also an island fortress which guarded the entrance to the Straits of Malacca from the north. This 6-inch coastal gun bay battery defended the island.

The island was defended by many bunkers the beach

 The roads on the island were defended by large bunkers

The pillbox to defend the Bayan Lepas airfield on the island

The Butterworth airfield on the mainland opposite the island was defended by the pillbox at Kepala Batas near Muda River

Pillboxes in northern Malayan airfields

The Alor Star and Sungei Petani airfields in Kedah were the most important British airfields in northern Malaya. This pillbox defended the Alor Star airfield

The pillbox near Sungei Petani

6th and 15th Indian Brigade

The 6th and 15th Indian Brigades of the 11th Indian Division was tasked to defend the road junction at Jitra, north of Alor Star airfield.

The pillboxes of the Jitra Line defended the road to Jitra coming from Singora Thailand in the north and Kodiang in Perlis in the north-west

22nd Indian Brigade

The 22nd Indian Brigade, with the 2/15th Royal Garhwal Rifles and 5/11th Sikh Regiment defended the Kuantan airfield. A number of these pillboxes were manned by the troops at Balok beach near Kuantan.

The pillbox beside the Kuantan River protecting former ferry crossing on the road to Kuantan airfield

8th Indian Brigade- airfield defences in Kelantan

The 1st Hyderabad Indian State Forces defended the Kota Bharu airfield in Kelantan. This pillbox is located near a junction at Pengkalan Chepa road near the airport.

A pillbox located beside the main runway of the Kota Bharu airport.

A well of the Hyderabad company near Kota Bharu airport

The Mysore Indian State Force defended Machang and Gong Kedak airfields. This pillbox is located on a field formerly the Machang airfield.

The airfield at Gong Kedak

8th Indian Brigade-right sector Kelantan beach defence

The right sector of the Kelantan beach defence was from Bachok beach to Kuala Besut on the Terengganu border. The 2/10th Baluchistan Regt defended this sector which covered the beach near Gong Kedak airfield.

This pillbox is located at Melawi beach

This pillbox is located at Kampong Ger

A well of a Baluchi company at Bachok beach

8th Indian Brigade- central sector Kelantan beach defence

The central sector of the beach defence in Kelantan was from the Kota Bharu town on the right bank of the Kelantan River to Bachok beach. It covered the Kota Bharu beach near the airfield and was defended by the 3/17th Dogra Regt. This pillbox is located at Pulau Kundur near Badang beach

This pillbox is located facing the Kelantan River in Kota Bharu town.

This is a well for one company of the 3/17th Dogras near Kemasin beach

8th Indian Brigade-left sector Kelantan beach defence

The left sector of the 8th Indian Brigade is on the left bank of the Kelantan River.The beach defence in this sector  was manned by the 2/12th Frontier Force Rifles. There is one pillbox left on this sector at Tumpat near the Thai border

 

A well of the 1/13th  Frontier Force Regiment on this sector was relocated to the World War 2 Memorial.in Kota Bharu