The British Battalion was an ad hoc formation created on 20 December 1941 during the Battle of Malaya. It was amalgamated from two regular British Army battalions * 2nd Bn, East Surrey Regiment under Lieut-Col. G E Swinton MC and * 1st Bn, The Leicestershire Regiment under Lieut-Col. Charles Esmond Morrison, OBE, MC Both battalions suffered heavy casualties in North West Malaya during the early stages of the Japanese invasion so it was decided to amalgamate the two battalions.