One of a Kind (2nd Edition)

APPENDIX I

355

APPENDIX I

opened and many of the original members re-enlisted. The role of the SSVF was definitively

stipulated as primarily internal security and secondly, assistance to, or relief of, the regular

garrison in case of external aggression.

The SVC acquired a Scottish Company in 1922 when enough Scots joined. In February

1922, King George V approved the grant of the title ‘Royal’ to the SVA and the SVE (Field

Engineers). This brought about a re-designation of these units as the Singapore Royal

Artillery (Volunteers) or SRA (v) and the Singapore Royal Engineers (Volunteers) or SRE

(v). However, there is a confusing note in

A History of the Singapore Volunteer Corps 1854

– 1937

that the Engineers were first given the warrant in 1902, which was the year of their

formation itself.

Several organisational structures were tried out over the years for the SVC and the other

Straits Settlements corps. In particular, the SRA (v) units variously operated Maxim, Vickers

and Lewis machine guns, 4.5 inch field howitzers, 3.7 inch mountain howitzers and in 1933,

the 3 inch (20 cwt) anti-aircraft gun. Additional units included a Defence Electric Light

Unit (Auxiliaries), originally formed from the Malay Volunteers in 1919, which evolved into

the SRE (v) Fortress Company and an Asiatic Signal Unit; an Intelligence Platoon (1926)

as part of the cyclist unit; the Eurasian Infantry Company incorporated a band; following

experiments from 1927 with a Morris six-wheeler, an Armoured Car Section was set up in

1931 when the Singapore Harbour Board configured a body for a 4-ton, six-wheel Albion

lorry. There also appeared in 1930 a Traffic Control Section which became a Provost Section

in 1937. The biggest structural change came in 1928 when the infantry units were regrouped

into the 1

Battalion and 2

Battalion SSVF. The 1st Battalion included all the European

companies and the Eurasian Company; the 2

Battalion (under-strength) included the

Chinese and Malay companies, plus a Eurasian Machine Gun Platoon. At the end of 1934,

command of ‘D’ Company of the 1

Battalion, which was the Eurasian Company, was given

Volunteer Air Force ground elements at Seletar Camp.