Singapore Royal Engineers (Volunteer) a sub-unit of the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC)

The photograph above “shows a group of military-age males in a non-Australian uniform. The uniform appears to be that of the Singapore Royal Engineers (Volunteer) a sub-unit of the Singapore Volunteer Corps (SVC) who were a unit consisting of volunteer expatriates (predominately from the UK and British Empire) who were living and working there in Singapore. They used to man the many fortifications in and around Singapore to protect the significant harbour and the immense amount of wealth that was generated there through trade and the local production of tin and rubber.

The rifles which these men are holding are the No.1 MkIII Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) rifle which was introduced into British Empire service from 1907. This same rifle was used by the Australian Army in both the First and Second World Wars. JP Williamson served for one year with the “Singapore Royal Engineers” prior to his enlistment with the AIF in 1916. Armed with this information and combined with the tropical uniforms and the correct rifle for this pre-1916 period I conclude that this image is a rare image of Engineers from the Singapore Volunteer Corps circa 1910-1915.” [Garth O'Connell (Curator Military Heraldry and Technology Australian War Memorial) to Sandra Williamson, email, 28 September 2017, Original in Sandra Williamson's possession]