Malayan Emergency 1948 - 1960

A commander's experience

In the Private Records collection at the Australian War Memorial is a folder containing a series of letters from Wing Commander Hugh Moore to his wife, Lorrell.

Army operations

The Australian Army was involved in the Malayan Emergency from 1955, and Australian soldiers remained in the region until 1963, three years after the conflict's official end.

Artillery and engineers

Australia's commitment to the Malayan Emergency comprised naval and air forces as well as an infantry battalion with supporting arms that included an artillery battery.

Australia's allies

During the Malayan Emergency and the Indonesian Confrontation Australians cooperated with British forces, locally raised units, and military personnel from various British Commonwealth countries including New Zealand.

Australians arrive in Malaya

In April 1950 the British Government asked whether some Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) units could be sent to assist in the Malayan Emergency.

Australians on operations

Naval operations In April 1955 Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that Australian forces would be part of the newly formed British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve (BCFESR).

Brigadier Hassett 28 Brigade Malaysia (Video)

Chin Peng

During the Second World War Chin Peng, a young Chinese-Malayan, fought with the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army, a period of service for which he received an OBE for his contribution to the Bri

Commemorating the Malayan Emergency and Indonesian Confrontation: Wartime Snapshots No.17 (Fact sheet)

Joint operation against communist terrorists

In the latter stages of the Malayan Emergency, members of 3RAR (Old Faithful) continued to carry out patrols against the Communist Terrorists.

Malaya Patrol - The Story of Australian Troops in Malaya (Video)

This lengthy piece of film was produced by Defence Public Relations and shows the work of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, in Malaya. [AWM F11436]

Minesweeper patrols during Indonesian Confrontation

Friction between Indonesia and the newly created Malaysia forced the Australian Government to come out in support of Malaysia in 1963. Australia introduced high-speed patrol boats to intercept any seaborne infiltrators.

National servicemen took part in undeclared war

Private Michael O'Dea was called up for National Service in 1965 when his birth date was pulled out of the hat. But unlike many of his colleagues he didn't go to Vietnam. Instead he went to Borneo where Indonesian guerillas were infiltrating Malaysia.

No. 2 Airfield Construction Squadron

The No.

Norman Lee and Bob Macintosh - Meteors vs MiGs (Video)

Norman Lee and Bob Macintosh - The leans (Video)

Offensive operations

Arriving in Malaya in July 1950, just one month after the Dakotas of No. 38 Squadron, the six Lincoln aircraft of No.

Operation Termite (Video)

This film is a fascinating look at July 1954's Operation Termite in which the RAAF targeted two communist camps east of Ipoh in the state of Perak. [AWM F02784]

RAAF Butterworth upgraded by No 2 Airfield Construction Squadron

Australia's major area of strategic concern in 1953-54 changed from the Middle East to South-East Asia with the threat of communism and the domino theory uppermost in the minds of the government.

RAAF operations

The use of air power was an important part of the Commonwealth strategy in Malaya.

Remembrance Day Posters 2015 (Poster)

The Remembrance Day posters for this year feature images of Australian soldiers on patrol during the Malayan Emergency and Indonesian Confrontation.

Templer of Malaya

As British High Commissioner and Director of Operations in Malaya from January 1952, General Sir Gerald Templer was invested with what Winston Churchill called 'full power'.

The Malayan Communist Party

Origins of the MCP The guerrillas who fought against the Commonwealth forces during the Malayan Emergency were mostly members of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP).

The Malayan Emergency 1948-1960

The Malayan Emergency was a conflict between communist guerrillas and British Commonwealth forces including Australians.

The Pipeline Ambush

The 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) arrived in Malaya during October 1955 having become the first troops to experience the rigours of Canungra's Jungle Training Centre since the end

Transport operations

When Cabinet decided to commit Australian military personnel to Malaya in 1950, the RAAF was able to respond quickly because No.

War correspondents without a war!

It's a dangerous business covering wars and for journalists it is never easy, but when the war isn't a war but an anti-terrorist action, they find things even tougher.
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