Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget
British Legion
The Royal British Legion

Singapore Mutiny 1915

At 3:30 p.m. on Monday 15th February, 1915, 815 men of the Indian Army's 5th Light Infantry Battalion with 100 men of the Malay States Guides Mule Battery mutinied. They broke out of their barracks and fired on a group of five British officers, killing three. The other two escaped and ran off to get help. They managed to get sufficient force together from other units in the barracks to drive off the mutineers.

A party of 100 mutineers went to Tanglin Barracks where 309 Germans were interned, including members of the Emden's crew. The mutineers fired on the guards without warning, killing all of them, but not before one brave guard managed to run across the courtyard under heavy fire to raise the alarm. The mutineers tried to persuade the Germans to join them but only 17 plus 3 Dutchmen joined them. The rest refused to have anything to do with what they considered a dishonourable act, and stayed where they were.

Other mutineers went on a killing spree at Keppel Harbour and Pasir Panjang killing many men and women including a judge. All white women and children were rowed out to boats as protection. It was getting dark by this time and the authorities finally were getting organised. Marines and crew from HMS Cadmus came ashore and were mobilised with other garrison troops who had not mutineed. A radio message was sent to India and any allied warship for help.

In the meantime, the mutineers were laying siege to the bungalow of the commander, Colonel Martin, which was effectively blocking the way into Singapore Town. The Colonel and some men held out all night until they were relieved at daybreak by armed volunteers and civilians. They were so successful that they captured a fair amount of the mutineers' artillery. This action cost one killed and five wounded. The mutineers scattered and despite heavy sniper fire from the mutineers, the general population stayed calm as the militia fought sporadic battles with the mutineers.

Fort Siloso defences played a role in the mutiny. Searchlights situated on Blakang Mati were used to illuminate parts of Singapore Island to aid loyal troops in quelling the mutiny.

On Wednesday 17th February, the French cruiser Montcalm followed by smaller Russian and Japanese warships arrived. They immediately unloaded a large number of Marines who immediately advanced on the mutineers. A sharp battle ensued in which the mutineers came off second best. A large number of them surrendered immediately, the rest scattered into the jungle. A large number tried to escape across the Strait of Johore but were immediately rounded up by the Sultan of Johore's army. In the meantime, the mutineers who had scattered continued to wage a sniping war on the allies.

On Saturday 20th February, six companies of the 4th (Territorial), Battalion, KSLI, arrived from Rangoon, relieving the sailors and Marines. They rounded up the last of mutineers in a short time.

Monday 22nd February saw the opening Courts Martial. These resulted in a large number of the mutineers being shot in public. Some mutineers escaped to mainland but were hunted down by Dayak headhunters. Of 915 mutineers many were later executed and the renmants of the battalion was moved to Africa. The largest of these executions saw a firing party of 110 shooting 22 mutineers. The mutineers who surrendered early were sent to fight in Africa against Von Lettow Vorbeck. A leading Indian merchant was implicated in the plot and was proved to have sent messages to the Turkish Consul in Rangoon offering him help by encouraging the Indian garrison in Singapore to mutiny. He was shot for his actions.

The first major involvement for the Singapore Volunteer Corps SVRC was the Mutiny their contribution being the retaking Alexandra Barracks from the mutineers, occupying the Tanglin Detention Barracks unopposed and taking charge of the German POWs.

Boy Scouts rendered valuable service by taking over from the police and army the duties of dispatch riders, telephone operators and clerks

Final casualties were:

British 33 military
14 civilians
French 1 wounded
Russian 3 wounded

The mutiny lead to the compulsory military training of all Britons aged 18 to 55 in Singapore.

There is a memorial in Queen's College, Cambridge to Cadet C V Dyson (DNM). He was killed in the Singapore Mutiny.

Memorials in
St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore

St Andrew's Cathedral is Singapore's oldest Anglican house of worship and is located within the Civic District which was formerly the seat of the colonial government in early Singapore. Within the Cathedral there are wall-mounted tablets which commemorate the victims of the Singapore Mutiny.

Photograph Copyright © Martin Edwards 2005

"To the glory of God and in sacred memory of the undermentioned officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Singapore Volunteer Corps, who lost their lives during the mutiny of the 5th Native Light Infantry in February 1915.

15th February
2nd Lieutnt J. Love-Montgomerie, Rifles
Sergeant G. Wald, (Reserve) Engineers
Corporal D. McGilvray, Rifles
Corporal G.O. Lawson, Cyclist Scouts
Lce Corporal J.G.E. Harper, Rifles
Private B.C. Cameron, Rifles
Private F.S. Drysdale, Rifles
Private A.J.G. Holt, Rifles

16th February
Lieutnt A.F. Legge, Field Ambulance

18th February
Gunner P. Walton, Artillery

19th February
Civilian F. Geddes, Armed Civilian

This memorial is erected by their comrades in the Singapore Volunteer Corps."
----------------------------

Photograph Copyright © Martin Edwards 2005

"In memory of
Stoker C.F. Anscombe
of HMS Cadmus
who was killed in action during the mutiny of the 5th Light Infantry
16th February 1915
Ready Aye Ready
Erected by the Association of Engineers, Singapore."
----------------------------

Photograph Copyright © Martin Edwards 2005

"To the glory of God and in memory of
Major R.H. Galwey
Captain F.V. Izard
Captain M.F.A. Maclean
Corporal R.V. Beagley
Gunner J. Barry
All of the Royal Garrison Artillery
who were killed in the mutiny at Singapore in February 1915
This tablet is erected by their comrades of the
Royal Garrison Artillery at Singpore."
----------------------------

Photograph Copyright © Martin Edwards 2005

"In memory of Captain & 2nd in Command
Horace Cullimore
Staff - Johore Military Forces
Late Royal Marine Artillery
Born 11 November 1869
Killed at Tanglin 15 Feby 1915
Erected by the Sergeants Mess RM Artillery."


Details of those who died

Gravestones photographed & copyright Ahmed Pasic (Singapore) 2009

ANSCOMBE

Charles Frederick

Stoker 1st Class K/11747, HMS Cadmus, Royal Navy. Killed in action 16th February 1915. Aged 23. Son of Charles and Elizabeth Anscombe, of 101, Graveney Rd., Tooting, London. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row E. Grave 3.

BARRY

John

Gunner 35514, 78th Company, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 17th February 1915. Born and resident Leeds, enlisted Stockton. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row E. Grave 4.

BEAGLEY

Reginald Victor

Corporal 8814, 80th Company, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 15th February 1915. Aged 30. Born and enlisted Portswouth. Son of James Evelyn and Mary Jane Beagley, of 4, Tredegar Rd., East Southsea, Portsmouth. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row E. Grave 15.

CAMERON

Bernard Cuthbert

Private 9, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Killed in action 15th February 1915. Aged 25. Son of David William and Hannah Cameron, of St. Michaels, Cadwell Rd., Paignton, Devon. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row E. Grave 19.

CULLIMORE

Horace

Captain and 2nd in Command, Staff - Johore Military Forces, late Royal Marine Artillery. Killed at Tanglin 15th February 1915. Born 11th November 1869. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 3.

DYSON

Cecil Venn

[Listed as Cadet] Private, Malay States Volunteers. Killed in Mutiny 15 February 1915. Born 7 August 1873, baptised 8 October 1873 in Kishnaghur, Bengal, son of Samuel and Matlilda Julia Dyson. There is a memorial in Queen's College, Cambridge to the Cadet (DNM).

Extract from De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1918, Volume 1, page 122:

DYSON, CECIL VENN, Private, Malay States Volunteers, yst. s. of the late Rev. Samuel Dyson, of Koilash, Stevenage, co. Herts, D.D., Vice-Principal Church Missionary College, Islington, by his 1st wife, Matilda Julia, dau. of the Rev. Charles Henry Blumhardt; b. Calcutta, 7 Aug. 1873; Merchant Taylors' School, and Queen's College, Cambridge (Senior Classical Scholar, Bell's Scholar); entered the Malay States Civil Service in 1898, and was District Judge of Singapore. He was killed while assisting to quell the riots there, 15 Feb. 1915 ; unm.

DRYSDALE

Frank Stuart

Private 10, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Killed in action 16th February 1915. Aged 18. Son of James Henderson Drysdale and Minnie Drysdale, of Singapore. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 8.

GALWEY

Reginald Hugh

Major, 80th Company, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 16th February 1915. Aged 42. Son of William and Maria Louisa Galwey, of 84, Ashley Gardens, Victoria St., London. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 4.

GEDDES

F

Civilian, Armed Civilian. Died 19th February 1915. Listed as a Clerk, aged 38, sailed from London to Singapore on the Arcadia 25 November 1914.

HARPER

J G E

Lance Corporal 28, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Killed in action 15th February 1915. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 14.

HOLT

Alexander John Grice

Private 36, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Died 15th February 1915. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 17.

The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 5 April 1915, Page 6
KILLED IN ACTION.
HOLT.
- Killed in action on the 15th Feb., in the Singapore Riot. ALEC JOHN GRICE HOLT, Singapore Volunteer Rifles, aged 27, eldest and dearly loved son of Arthur Holt, of Broomhill Lodge, Woodford Green, Essex.

IZARD

Francis Vallance

Captain, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 16th February 1915. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 16.

Frequent traveller from London to Singapore. Sailed from London 23 January 1913 on the Nyanza operated by Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. Also from London to Singapore 23 June 1914 aboard the Namur operated by Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co., aged 33, a soldier. In the 1911 census he was aged 30, Lieutenant in Royal Garrison Artillery, born Brighton, Sussex, nephew of Walter and Letitia Izard, of 10 the Paragon, Blackheath, London S E,

LAWSON

Gordon Onslow

Corporal, Cyclist Scouts, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Killed in action 15th February 1915. Aged 24. Son of William James and Mary Jane Lawson, of 140, Greenvale Rd., Eltham, London. Enlisted August, 1914. Born at Plumstead, Kent. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 20.

LEGGE

Angus Forsyth

Lieutenant, Field Ambulance, Singapore Volunteer Medical Company. Killed in action 16th February 1915. Aged 26. Son of James Wilson Legge and Mary Anne Eddie Legge, of 1, Braemar Place, Aberdeen. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row F. Grave 22.

MacLEAN

Moira Francis Allan

Captain, Royal Garrison Artillery attached Malay States Guides. Killed in action 15th February 1915. Aged 30. Son of Allan and Emily Elizabeth Maclean. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row G. Grave 2.

McGILVRAY

Donald

Corporal 27, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Killed in action 15th February 1915. Aged 25. Son of Donald and Jean McGilvray, of "Craigowan," Northampton Rd., Croydon. Born at Greenock. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row G. Grave 3.

MONTGOMERIE

John Love

Second Lieutenant, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Died 15th February 1915. Aged 37. Son of David and Agnes Montgomerie; husband of Katherine Jane Esther Fairweather Montgomerie, of Pitheavlis Bank, 98, Glasgow Rd., Perth. Born at Glasgow. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row G. Grave 12.

WALD

George

Sergeant, (Reserve) Engineers, Singapore Volunteer Rifles. Killed in action 15th February 1915. Aged 28. Son of Alexander Wald; husband of Amelia Christina Holland (formerly Wald). Born at Adalaide, South Australia. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row G. Grave 23.

WALTON

Philip

Gunner, Singapore Volunteer Artillery. Killed in action 18th February 1915. Barrister-at-Law. Son of the Hon. Mr. Justice Walton. Born at Adalaide, South Australia. Buried in KRANJI WAR CEMETERY, Kranji, Singapore. Plot 37. Row G. Grave 24.

Last updated 5 December, 2016

Friends of the War Memorials
War Memorials Trust
Main page
Commonweath War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Copyright © Roll-of-Honour.com 2002- | GDPR Cookies
Email: webmaster@roll-of-honour.com