This division orginally bound for the North African desert was diverted to Singapore when Japan entered the war. One brigade (53rd) was sent on ahead whilst the other two brigades 54th & 55th went to India before moving to Singapore. 53 brigade fought on the malay mainland but the rest of the division only arrived after the British withdrawal to Singapore Island. To make matters worse, the division was placed on a part of Singapore island that was "not" attacked by the Japanese. Many soldiers in this division found themselves being ordered to surrender on 15th February 1942 having seen very little or indeed no combat at all.
http://www.far-eastern-heroes.org.uk/alberts_war/html/18th_division.htm The units of the Division are on the link. A very unlucky group of men. Trained for the desert, and en-route to North Africa in December 1941, and the obvious formation to be sent to Singapore. Too late to save the situation but politics dictated that help must be sent, if the entire division had gone straight to Singapore maybe a different result? probably not. Japan planned to take Singapore in 100 days. In the end they did it in 70.
