WW2 - Burma Campaign company/division help

[LJBeastie]

Good afternoon,

My grandfather served in Singapore during WW2. I'm in the process of getting his military record, but in the meantime I've found his application to join the Burma Star Association.

Like many, my grandfather never spoke to us about his war, but we like to think he was able to share his experiences with the other veterans in the Association and he was a proud member right up to his death.

I'm posting to ask if anyone could share any info about the companies/division he listed on his application form - the transcript and image are below:

419 & 436 Company India
Cross Keys 2nd div Malaya Cinc Staff S E Asia Singapore



Many thanks in advance for your help!

[ShaunJ]

 "Cross Keys" was the divisional insignia of 2nd Division.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)

"CinC" stands for Commander in Chief.

The Malaya and Singapore service was presumably after the Japanese surrender in September 1945.

[LJBeastie]

"Cross Keys" was the divisional insignia of 2nd Division.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)

"CinC" stands for Commander in Chief.

The Malaya and Singapore service was presumably after the Japanese surrender in September 1945.

Thanks very much for those details, we know he was a driver for a high-ranking officer, and he did stay in Singapore after the surrender, he thought about joining the military police there but instead decided to come back home and returned to the UK in 1947.

[Andy J2022]

Just to expand the units he served with, 419 and 436 would have been Royal Army Service Corps Transport Companies. It is likely that while he was posted to them he was employed on general driving duties (More details here: https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2020/06/RASC-M.T.-Company-1944-1945.pdf )
However if, later on, he was posted to HQ 2 Infantry Division, then in all probability he will have been attached to the Headquarters and Signal Regiment, and working within the MT troop which provided the staff car drivers for the senior officers in the Divisional Headquarters.
This unit deployed to Burma in April 1944 and conducted operations there for a year, before being withdrawn back to India in preparation for a planned operation to retake Malaysia from the Japanese. However this operation was cancelled due to the Japanese surrender and 2 Infantry Division moved to Singapore in August 1945. The unit was gradually reduced in size during 1946.