Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines
Location: Slim River
Period/ Conflict: World War II
Year: 1942
Date/s: 7th to 15th January 1942
A few days after the sinkings of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales , the 210 Royal Marines who were rescued, were formed into a Naval Battalion under Captain R.G.S. (Bob) Lang RM.
They were deployed to guard the Naval Base, Royal Navy Wireless Transmission Station at Kranji and the Royal Navy Armaments Depot.
On December 24th 1941, forty of the force were sent up-country into Malaya to join Major Angus Rose 2A and SH of Roseforce. They were to be involved in special operations behind the Japanese lines but the speed of the Japanese advance saw them employed in demolition work.
The forty marines fought a gallant delaying action in the North of Malaya before action at Slim River on January 7th 1942 saw them out maneuvered by the Japanese, leaving the allied troops to find their own way back in the long retreat to Singapore Island where they acted as a rearguard during the crossing of the Causeway.
More here: The Battle of the Slim River: Wikipedia