Naik Naurasab Khan MM, 22nd Mountain Regiment in Malaya

This article landed via Dr. Robert Lyman's circulation list and opens with:

From: Naik Naurasab Khan MM After the war ended he received the Military Medal.

The battery were posted to the 15th Indian Infantry Brigade, included the 1st Leicesters, 1/14th Punjabis and 2/9th Jats. Plus three companies of the 2/1st Gurkha Rifles, later 1/2nd Gurkha Rifles.

Their first battle was @ Jitra, then the Slim River, Bukit Timah and surrendered at Singapore. There area few threads here on the battle @ Jitra, none on the 22nd Mountain Regiment, except dryan67 did post:

From: 4th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment

I could not find anything of note online on the unit.

 

Not sure if this is of use, but here is his actual recommendation:

 

4th (Hazara) Battery was armed with four 3.7inch howitzers, and as addition to this, in September 1941, it received two 47mm Breda Anti-tank guns, just like 10th (Abbottabad) Mountain Battery, and 300 rounds per gun. They were not the only ones equipped with this gun, 27th Australian Brigade received some too, as shown on this image



Source

Battery CO was Major Edward Llewellyn Sawyer (whose some private papers were held by IWM) and 2inC was Captain Anthony Chenevix-Trench (his Wiki page). At Jitra, battery was in support of the 1/14th Punjab Regiment under 15th Indian Infantry Brigade. From The history of the Indian Mountain Artillery by Graham:

On the 10th the 4th Battery was in action south of Changlun cross-roads on the Alor Star-Singora road covering 1/14 Punjabi in a position through which our forward elements withdrew. Next morning the position received a frontal attack which was repulsed, but the right flank was eventually turned and the battalion had to retire. During the withdrawal the rear-guard was surprised by a sudden attack of tanks and lorried infantry and the Japanese penetrated several miles, cutting in two both the battalion and the battery, of which the sections were widely separated. Two Breda anti-tank guns were lost, the casualties being one man killed, one V.C.O. and two gunners wounded.

10th lost both of their Breda guns during the same battle. One of those Breda guns was found after the war in Gurun area (link). On 21st December, Breda detachment of 4th Battery was disbanded even tho it lost both guns on 12th (13th?) December. Interestingly those were not only guns operated by battery, once it retreated to Singapore, it shared its four 3.7 inch howitzers with 7th and 10th Battery, while itself got two old 6 inch howitzers, and then one 18 punder gun for shore defence. Unfortunately Naik Naurasab Khan is not mentioned in the book, but battery CO, Major Sawyer was awarded with MBE.