18th Battalion was the first unit of the new Recce Corps to see action. Along with 18th Division it had been shipped from England bound for Middle East Command, but while in the Indian Ocean it was diverted to the Far East following the Japanese invasion of Malaya. After staging in India, it followed the main body of the division to Singapore, landing on 5 February 1942. Having lost the bulk of its weapons and equipment when Japanese dive-bombers attacked its troopship "Empress of Asia", the unit hastily re-equipped as an infantry battalion and moved into the northern sector of the defences of Singapore Island. Two companies were detached to 54th Bde, the remainder were with divisional HQ.