The regiment sailed on 6 December aboard Convoy WS14 to join Middle East Forces, but on 9 January 1942, while still at sea, it was diverted to the Far East following the Japanese invasion of Malaya. The convoy arrived at Singapore on 13 January, but most of the regiment's equipment went on to the Middle East, and it had to be re-equipped from the stockpile at Singapore. The airbases at Singapore were under heavy attack and the RAF redeployed its aircraft to the Dutch East Indies: the AA units aboard WS14 were diverted again, sailing on 30 January and arriving at Batavia on Java on 3/4 February.