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Commissioned a temporary [[second lieutenant]] in the [[Seaforth Highlanders]] in 1914, Duncan received a permanent commission in the [[British Indian Army]] as a [[lieutenant]] in 1918. His service in the [[First World War]] earned him a [[Mention in Despatches]]. Having the [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]] as his maternal British Indian Army unit, he eventually served from 1931 onwards as a [[General Staff Officer]] in various gradations. Duncan would earn a second Mention in Despatches during the [[Waziristan campaign (1936–1939)|Waziristan campaign of 1936–1939]]. He took command of the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade in June 1941.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ordersofbattle.com/Units/UnitAppointments?UniX=6162 |title=45 Indian Infantry Brigade: Command Appointments |work=Orders of Battle.com |access-date=22 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080958/http://www.ordersofbattle.com/Units/UnitAppointments?UniX=6162 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | Commissioned a temporary [[second lieutenant]] in the [[Seaforth Highlanders]] in 1914, Duncan received a permanent commission in the [[British Indian Army]] as a [[lieutenant]] in 1918. His service in the [[First World War]] earned him a [[Mention in Despatches]]. Having the [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]] as his maternal British Indian Army unit, he eventually served from 1931 onwards as a [[General Staff Officer]] in various gradations. Duncan would earn a second Mention in Despatches during the [[Waziristan campaign (1936–1939)|Waziristan campaign of 1936–1939]]. He took command of the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade in June 1941.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ordersofbattle.com/Units/UnitAppointments?UniX=6162 |title=45 Indian Infantry Brigade: Command Appointments |work=Orders of Battle.com |access-date=22 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080958/http://www.ordersofbattle.com/Units/UnitAppointments?UniX=6162 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ||
During the [[Battle of Muar|retreat from the Muar River]] in Malaya on 19 January 1941, Duncan was concussed during an air attack on his headquarters. The following day, during an attempt to break out of a Japanese encirclement in concert with Australian forces, he was killed while mounting a bayonet charge against a Japanese attack on the brigade's rear.<ref>{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Peter |title=Pacific Fury: How Australia and Her Allies Defeated the Japanese Scourge |year=2008 |publisher=William Heinemann |location=North Sydney, New South Wales |pages=229–230}}</ref> Duncan is buried in the [[Kranji War Cemetery]] in Singapore.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/Cemeteries/Kranji_War_Cemetery/D/html/du.htm |title=Kranji War Cemetery Roll of Honour: Du |work=Roll of Honour.org.uk |access-date=22 December | During the [[Battle of Muar|retreat from the Muar River]] in Malaya on 19 January 1941, Duncan was concussed during an air attack on his headquarters. The following day, during an attempt to break out of a Japanese encirclement in concert with Australian forces, he was killed while mounting a bayonet charge against a Japanese attack on the brigade's rear.<ref>{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Peter |title=Pacific Fury: How Australia and Her Allies Defeated the Japanese Scourge |year=2008 |publisher=William Heinemann |location=North Sydney, New South Wales |pages=229–230}}</ref> Duncan is buried in the [[Kranji War Cemetery]] in Singapore.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/Cemeteries/Kranji_War_Cemetery/D/html/du.htm |title=Kranji War Cemetery Roll of Honour: Du |work=Roll of Honour.org.uk |access-date=22 December 2012}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Latest revision as of 07:54, 11 June 2022
Herbert Cecil Duncan | |
|---|---|
 Brigadier Herbert Cecil Duncan | |
| Born | 19 August 1895 Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Died | 20 January 1942 (aged 46) Singapore |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | British Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1914–1942 |
| Rank | Brigadier |
| Unit | The Seaforth Highlanders 13th Frontier Force Rifles |
| Commands held | 45th Indian Infantry Brigade (1941–42) |
| Battles/wars | First World War Third Anglo-Afghan War Waziristan campaign of 1936–1939 Second World War |
| Awards | Mentioned in Despatches (2) |
Brigadier Herbert Cecil Duncan (19 August 1895 – 20 January 1942) was a British Indian Army officer who commanded the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade during the Battle of Malaya prior to the Fall of Singapore.
Military career[edit | edit source]
Commissioned a temporary second lieutenant in the Seaforth Highlanders in 1914, Duncan received a permanent commission in the British Indian Army as a lieutenant in 1918. His service in the First World War earned him a Mention in Despatches. Having the 13th Frontier Force Rifles as his maternal British Indian Army unit, he eventually served from 1931 onwards as a General Staff Officer in various gradations. Duncan would earn a second Mention in Despatches during the Waziristan campaign of 1936–1939. He took command of the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade in June 1941.[1]
During the retreat from the Muar River in Malaya on 19 January 1941, Duncan was concussed during an air attack on his headquarters. The following day, during an attempt to break out of a Japanese encirclement in concert with Australian forces, he was killed while mounting a bayonet charge against a Japanese attack on the brigade's rear.[2] Duncan is buried in the Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore.[3]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "45 Indian Infantry Brigade: Command Appointments". Orders of Battle.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ↑ Thompson, Peter (2008). Pacific Fury: How Australia and Her Allies Defeated the Japanese Scourge. North Sydney, New South Wales: William Heinemann. pp. 229–230.
- ↑ "Kranji War Cemetery Roll of Honour: Du". Roll of Honour.org.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2012.