General Dobbie stays as GOC Malaya

What if in 1939 as Britain concentrates on Europe it is decided not to replace General Dobbie in Malaya, and extend his position for another 2 years or so.

Would he be able to finish the fixed defences in Johore that he started? would he be able to influence the RAF and ensure airfields were built with ground defence in mind? With a GOC very experienced in the Far East would the defence of Malaya and Singapore be different?

His understanding for a fortified defence line in Johore keeping Singapore out of artillery range makes me think that following any early damaging exchanges in North Malaya, highlighting his forces inferiority against it's Japanese foes, he would likely be willing to order a swift withdrawal behind his Johore line and concentrate his forces where he can fight the static defence battle the British wanted.
 
Last edited:
The British outnumbered the Japanese attackers considerably, however, the Japanese were vastly superior numerically and qualitatively in airpower, allowing them to impede British redeployments and concentrate their strengths. The British were also lacking in modern communications equipment.

Building the airfields with defence against ground assault in mind will help matters, but it will only delay the inevitable unless Malaya receives significant reinforcements of modern aircraft and proper radar direction systems.

Given the PoD and General Dobbie's predicted changes to the defence strategy, this will only delay the inevitable. However, it will give significant breathing room to British forces in Burma.

One possibility is better coordination between the services, meaning that Force Z recieves the aircover whether Philips requests it or not but this I think, is a long shot. However, if Force Z survives this could leave open the possibility of an evacuation.
 
Top