Captured Arms (Origin)

HC Deb 17 November 1948 vol 458 cc365-6

37. Mr. Erroll

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the countries of origin of the arms captured from the Malayan terrorists.

Mr. Rees-Williams

The majority of the arms captured from the bandits in Malaya are of British, though some are of Japanese, origin. In addition, a few Dutch and American weapons, the former from the campaigns of 1941–42, the latter from Force 136, have also been recovered and one old Bren gun made in Czechoslovakia bearing the emblem of Nationalist China from which it probably came.

Mr. Awbery

Is my hon. Friend aware that we dropped arms to these insurgents when they were resisters, and is he satisfied that the arms now captured are the arms dropped to them from the air?

Mr. Rees-Williams

Yes, Sir, substantially I am.

Mr. Piratin

Can the Under-Secretary also say whether he is satisfied that these men put up a good fight with the arms they got from the British authorities during the war?

Mr. Rees-Williams

That is another question.