Robin Thomas

@warsmatter @JaneFranklin99 I assume he never claimed it for whatever reason

@JaneFranklin99 I have done a little digging. David Newton does appear on the muster list for HMS Revenge for Trafalgar and on 2 prize money rolls for the battle. Why he isn't on the medal roll is quite odd, considering his date of death.

The grave of Trafalgar veteran David Newton in our local churchyard in Cholesbury. “.. in his youth a Royal Marine who fought in the ship Revenge at the Battle of Trafalgar”. He was one of 50 men from Buckinghamshire who fought at Trafalgar. He died in 1878 aged 99.⚓️ #Chilterns

I’m highlighting a book I purchased at the Penang bookshelf. The Singapore Volunteer Corps 1854 - 1937, a foundational unit that later became part of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (#SSVF), a direct ancestor and predecessor of the Singapore Armed Forces (#SAF). It’s sad to see a bookstore die. I paid another visit to the Penang Bookshelf in Batu Ferringghi to collect another hoard of books that I’m interested in. The business partner of William Knox is desperate to sell the business.

@MalayaSingapore @robert_lyman This is the other one on the Argylls, but I don’t think it’s been reprinted

You never stop learning about (military) history @robert_lyman I felt inspired by @RobinThomas1000 to buy up a copy of “Moon over Malaya” in Penang today. Who were the "Plymouth Argylls"? What really happened during the #MalayanCampaign in Malaya and Singapore during the dark days of December 1941 to February 1942? Another book I have to get is “Who Dies Fighting” by Angus Rose. The "Plymouth Argylls" were a 210-member Royal Marines battalion formed from survivors of sunken ships in Dec 1941, who fought a gallant, desperate rearguard action during the fall of Singapore. Key leaders included Captain R.G.S. (Bob) Lang and others, who helped guard naval facilities and fought in Malaya 🙏🏻 The (Super) Grok animation is not completely accurate but I like it 👍🏻

Dipang Bridge, on the old road from Ipoh, a must to understand the #BattleOfKampar The weather conditions similar to the actual time of battle in December 1941. The #British thought the Japanese wouldn’t invade during the monsoon season, the #IJA thought the Allies would be disadvantaged by the rain. After #Ipoh fell on December 27 1941, the #Japanese army from the 41st Infantry Regiment, 5th Division advanced to #Kampar Their main goal was to capture the Kuala Dipang IRON Bridge (now concrete). The bridge spans Kampar River and was one of the important strategic locations in the Battle of Kampar. This position was defended by the 2nd Battalion of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Regiment along with the 15th Anti-tank Battery from the 12th Indian Brigade. On the south side of the bridge, the position was defended by the 2/2nd Gurkha Rifles unit from the 28th Indian Brigade on the right and D Company of the British Battalion from the 6/15th Indian Brigade on the left which was also supported by artillery units from the 155th Field Regiment. At 3 pm on December 29, 1941, the Japanese army with eight tanks began to attack the Kuala Dipang Bridge. Argyll troops took cover on the side of the main road. Anti-tank gun fire was found to be ineffective on Japanese tanks. With the help of armoured cars and 5/2nd Punjab Battalion, they managed to block the advance of the Japanese army before retreating across the Kuala Dipang Bridge at 6.15 pm Chaos ensued during the retreat when explosives installed by British troops from the 23rd Field Company did not detonate. The situation was exacerbated by the explosives being exposed to rain. The British troops from the 2/2nd Gurkha and D Company of the British Battalion immediately protected the sappers trying to demolish this bridge. The Kuala Dipang Bridge was finally blown up in the fourth attempt. After the bridge was blown up, the British army with the effective help of artillery fire from 155th Field Regiment managed to thwart efforts of the Japanese army to repair the bridge. On the night of 30/31 December 1941, the 2/2nd Gurkha and D Company of the British Battalion retreated from here. This bridge was later repaired by the Japanese army for advance to Kampar on January 1st, 1942.

@Hindu_Stan @AndrewBamford10 @Helionbooks Mine hasn’t arrived either Phil, but I was late giving my address

@AndrewBamford10 @Helionbooks Thanks Andrew🤪

So gratifying to at last have this in my hands in hard copy. Thanks again to all who contributed. Available from @Helionbooks helion.co.uk/military-histo…

@coinsandmedals You’re lucky Phil, mine went up by 41%!!!

We’ve taken a storage unit in Exeter for nearly 10 years. It’s a box with a door in it. That’s it. Not temperature controlled or anything fancy. The cost this year went up 50%. I negotiated and got it “down” to 21% but what a ripoff. I know energy/wages have gone up but 21%?

@MalayaSingapore @RossWCable @robert_lyman There are no battlefield tours in Malaysia that I’ve heard of. There are in Singapore, but the distances are much shorter and access much easier

@MalayaSingapore @RossWCable @robert_lyman The reason is the local population is generally very diffident about WW2. It’s seen as a colonial conflict and therefore not so relevant. Yes the Malay Regiment took a heroic part, but that was largely in Singapore (i.e ‘there’ & not ‘here’).

We just had to make a stop en route in #Kampar. I’m baffled, #Greenridge the most well preserved battlefield in Malaya, a rare #British tactical victory over the #IJA in the #MalayanCampaign and yet no battlefield tours come here @RobinThomas1000 @RossWCable @robert_lyman A quick run through of the battle site, this is my fourth visit. My better half waited in the car for me.

@MalayaSingapore Wish I could have been there! There used to be a monument (in fact a large roadside sign) marking the Kampar battlefield site that KL Chye persuaded the authorities to put up, but they removed it after his death unfortunately

Today I had the honour and pleasure to meet Major B (retd), a Sikh and a gentleman, ex-MAF at the Royal Selangor Club or spotted dog. His charming wife came along as well. We talked #BattleOfKampar, the Major feels passionate about a monument to the heroes of the British Battalion @RobinThomas1000 (merged 1st Leicesters & 2nd East Surreys) and Indian Army units like the 1/8th Punjab, 2/9th Jat (forming a composite Jat-Punjab Regiment), 1/14th Punjab, 5/14th Punjab, 2/16th Punjab, plus Gurkha battalions from the 28th Gurkha Brigade, all under the 11th Indian Division. The Major’s wife gave me a nice poetry book which includes a poem on Kampar, I gave the major @ghazarika70 book on forgotten Indian POW’s in return @philmcraig

Mr better half & I revisited #Kampar last Wednesday. I would argue that Kampar is the only #SWW battlefield worth visiting in Malaya, a must for anyone interested in the #MalayanCampaign @robert_lyman Not only was #BattleOfKampar a rare #British tactical victory against the #IJA, albeit short lived, it’s one of the last #SWW battle sights remaining in Malaysia where the trenches are still in place. Jitra, Gurun, Gemas and Muar and others have changed beyond recognition.

@MalayaSingapore Sqn Ldr Arthur Scarfe, VC, is buried there. A truly heroic man who managed to take off, perform his mission and return before succumbing on the operating table. One of the theatre nurses was his wife.

Good afternoon from Taiping War Cemetery. A special place full of brave men KIA in the #MalayanCampaign Taiping holds a special place in my heart next to Kranji in Singapore. My third visit, I’m here for Captain Graham of the 8th Punjab Regiment who died of his wounds in Kampar🙏🏻

Good morning from Taiping Max and I are on a road trip in our new car. The #TaipingLakeGardens, originally a mining ground before it was established as a public garden in 1880, are beautiful, the first public garden established during British rule in Malaya. The garden is located near Bukit Larut, and is equidistant to the town centre and the Taiping Zoo.

@MalayaSingapore I have both editions of the book signed by Chye. The one you illustrate is the 2nd ed

@RobinThomas1000 You’re too modest Robert. Not only did you meet Chye, who must have been a real character. Your father served in the British Battalion 🫡 and you have visited Kampar battlefield before Thompson & Cemetery Ridge were developed in 1997? I’m super jealous! You must have the book?

Robin, I stumbled across this photo of a Dr. Robin Thomas in Chye Kooi Loong’s book on the British Battalion and did a double take. Is this you @RobinThomas1000? A striking resemblance if I ever saw one and I’ve always been good at facial recognition even though the photo is unsharp.

@kingceleryman @Cat_S_Beck @boydellbrewer I haven’t got round to reading it yet, but will soon. There’s not much written on this subject

@RobinThomas1000 @Cat_S_Beck @boydellbrewer This looks fascinating.

I’m excited to have received this @Cat_S_Beck, courtesy of the recent @boydellbrewer sale. Patronage networks have received so little treatment in studies of the 18C navy

@theknightirish Well done! SGP Ward wrote an article in JSAHR on the identity of the author. I’ll see if I can find it if you don’t have it

Old, battered, missing a couple of plates, and ready to fall apart (but not quite yet) but I’m still delighted with this 1796 edition of a Guards Officer in 1793-1794. 💂 📚

@MalayaSingapore Yes agree, though I stayed there over a decade ago. I spent the time holed up in my room writing my consultancy report. I couldn’t go anywhere in case MAS found me a seat on the next flight

@RobinThomas1000 Five days? Not a bad hotel to be stuck in and the staff are very friendly and nice.

We have arrived at KLIA, KL International Airport. Normally I would just transfer straight to Penang but I have to consider my 86 year old mum, she’s knackered. We’re staying the night at the Sama Sama airport hotel 🔝

@Hindu_Stan @hartleyspecialc @1812andallthat @ZwhiteHistory @RMB_History @lureynol @historykevin @GloverGareth @1815fletcher @AndrewBamford10 @RBlackmanRogers @AngersSeverine Yep me too!

@hartleyspecialc @1812andallthat @ZwhiteHistory @RMB_History @lureynol @historykevin @GloverGareth @1815fletcher @AndrewBamford10 @RBlackmanRogers @AngersSeverine ... and me! @Hindu_Stan

Want to hear these fabulous people speak? Well, you've just got to book for our Wellington Congress! buff.ly/4juc21N @1812andallthat @ZwhiteHistory @RMB_History @lureynol @historykevin @GloverGareth @1815fletcher @AndrewBamford10 @RBlackmanRogers @AngersSeverine

@RMB_History @Bempton_Cliffs Even then, only occasionally

@Bempton_Cliffs I think @RobinThomas1000 only sings post-dinner though?

Bought these two last week for less than the cost of a pint at one of my old haunts in London

@RMB_History Well done!

Well that's some fun news! My 1st article on #18thC history is now live: doi.org/10.1177/096834…. I argue that the fencibles' relationship with authority was fundamentally shaped by their limited service: in how justice was done and how men engaged with their officers /1