Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Captain William Gay Seaward, 2nd Battalion 1st Gurkha Rifles, who, evading capture by the Japanese, died in Malaya in April 1942

India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (2-Lt., 2-1 G.R.); 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, the last three unnamed, mounted court style for wear, nearly extremely fine (4) £500-600

As a 2nd Lieutenant, Seaward saw active service on the N.W. Frontier. The regimental history records:

‘Both Battalions closed in before dawn, and as the tanks approached through the Baluchi Battalion cordon on the plain, the Gurkhas almost literally fell on a number of tribesmen belatedly rousing themselves to stand-to in positions overlooking the villages. The two 2/1st companies "C" under 2nd Lieutenant W.G. Seaward, and "D" under Subedar Manikishen Newar, did some rapid execution, accounting for eight enemy and many more wounded (1/8th G.R. killed at least three more). The only casualties on our side were one man wounded in each Gurkha Battalion. To crown this successful action the Scouts combed the villages and arrested thirty long wanted bad-characters. Subedar Manikishen was later awarded an I.D.S.M. for his bold company leading’.

The 2/1st Gurkha Rifles joined the 28th Indian Infantry Brigade in April 1941, and embarked for Malaya in August 1941, arriving in Ipoh, Malaya in September. Seaward, then a Captain, was the Commander of “A” Company, 2/1st G.R. The 28th Indian Infantry Brigade formed part of the 11th Indian Division upon which the full-weight of the invading Imperial Japanese Army fell in the early weeks of the Malaya Campaign.

The first blooding of 2/1st Gurkha Rifles in the Malaya Campaign resulted in almost half the battalion’s effective strength being lost, in killed, wounded and missing when the battalion was repeatedly outflanked at the Battle of Asun. During the desperate fight for survival at Asun, Captain Seaward led several bayonet charges to repulse the Japanese (the regimental history refers). As a measure of the confused state of fighting, and the losses incurred, the 11th Indian Division History states:

‘The telephone buzzed. It was Captain Seaward, who commanded "A" Company, the flank and front of which was "protected" by the "impassable" marsh. "The Japs have infiltrated right into my area. What should I do?" "Kick em out and hang on," said Lt-Colonel Fulton. One of Captain Seaward's platoons fixed bayonets and went for a party of Japanese who fled. But the enemy kept coming on and in from front and flank, wading chest-deep through marsh in the gathering darkness......

Few survivors of this battalion ever rejoined the Division. On the 12th December before dawn Captain Seaward reached the 15th Indian Brigade's H.Q. with twenty men who had fought their way out with the bayonet’.

After it's initial baptism of fire, the 2/1st Gurkha Rifles was reduced to a skeleton H.Q., and two rifle companies, with very little equipment. Despite this, it regrouped and continued to take it's place in the line - only shortly to be destroyed at the Battle of Slim River on 7 January, 1941, at which place the battalion was attacked in it's rear by a column of 12 Japanese tanks, and where Captain Seaward and his men broke free of the outflanking Japanese to continue the struggle and fight, all on their own, from deep within the Malayan Jungles.

Evading capture in enemy held territory and still a free man, Captain Seaward died in the jungles of Malaya on 2 April 1942, aged 28 years. The remaining survivors of his group, in the last stages of exhaustion and starvation, were captured in September 1942. The name of Captain William Gay Seaward is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial. He was the son of William Stephen and Beatrice Seaward of Landford, Wiltshire.

With copied research.