G3 Production

 What is Force 136?

Force 136 was the general cover name for a branch of the British World War II organisation, the Special Operations Executive. Force 136 operated in the regions of the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II which were occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945.

Although the top command of Force 136 were British officers and civilians, most of those it trained and employed as agents were indigenous to the regions in which they operated. British, Americans or other Europeans could not operate clandestinely in cities or populated areas in Asia, but once the resistance movements engaged in open rebellion, Allied armed forces personnel who knew the local languages and peoples became invaluable for liaison with conventional forces.

What is the purpose of it?

SOE was formed in 1940, by the merger of existing Departments of the War Office and the Ministry of Economic Warfare. Its purpose was to incite, organise and supply indigenous resistance forces in enemy-occupied territory. Initially, the enemy was Nazi Germany and Italy, but from late 1940, it became clear that conflict with Japan was also inevitable.

Two missions were sent to set up (and assume political control of) the SOE in the Far East. The first was led by a former businessman, Valentine Killery of Imperial Chemical Industries, who set up his HQ in Singapore. A resistance organisation was set up in Malaya, but Singapore was captured soon after Japan entered the war on December 7, 1941.

A second mission was set up in India by another former businessman, Colin Mackenzie of J. and P. Coats, a clothing manufacturer. Mackenzie’s India Mission originally operated from Meerut in North West India. Its location was governed by the fear that the Germans might overrun the Middle East and Caucasus, in which case resistance movements would be established in Afghanistan, Persia and Iraq. When this threat was removed late in 1942, the focus was switched to South East Asia.

The India Mission’s first cover name was GS I(k), which made it appear to be a mere record-keeping branch of GHQ India. The name, Force 136 was adopted in March 1944. From December 1944, it moved to Kandy in Ceylon, and cooperated closely with South East Asia Command.

Force 136 was wound up in 1946, along with the rest of SOE.

Where did it operates in?

It operates in countries such as :

Problems they face to carry out mission

Until mid-1944, Force 136’s operations were hampered by the great distances involved; for example, from Ceylon to Malaya and back required a flight of 2,800 miles (4,480 km). Such distances also made it difficult to use small clandestine craft to deliver supplies or personnel by sea (although such craft were used to supply the MPAJA in Perak late in the war). The Royal Navy made few submarines available to Force 136. Eventually, converted B-24 nLiberator aircraft were made available to parachute agents and stores.

In Burma, where the distances involved were not so great, C-47 Dakota transport aircraft could be used. Lysander liaison aircraft could also be used over shorter distances.

Members of Force 136 had to undergone so many difficulties in order to reach their own mission.Although they failed some missions,their act of heroism are recorded down in the history of Singapore.