Type Barracks In use 1939–71 | Condition Re-purposed | |
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Battles/wars Battle of Malaya, Malayan Emergency, Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation Owner University of Science, Malaysia | ||
Swimming in minden barracks swimming pool 2008 usm penang
Minden Barracks was a military barracks located in the south-eastern town of Gelugor in Northeast Penang Island District, Penang, Malaysia. It was operational from 1939 to 1971 and the site now houses the main campus of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Contents
Early history
The site of the Minden Barracks was formerly occupied by Glugor House, a plantation house of the Browns, a wealthy Scottish family who owned a nutmeg and clove plantation in the area.
World War II
In 1939, Glugor House was converted into a barracks and renamed the Glugor Barracks and originally housed the 8th (Singapore) Heavy Battery of the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery.
The barracks was abandoned with the British withdrawal from Penang on December 17, 1941 during the Battle of Malaya of the Second World War and was occupied by the Japanese forces during the duration of the war.
Malayan Emergency
It was re-occupied by the West Yorkshire Regiment after the Surrender of Japan until 1948 when the 1st Battalion of the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was housed there during the onset of the Malayan Emergency. The barracks was renamed Minden Barracks in July 1950 in honor of the Battle of Minden, a 1759 battle of the Seven Years' War that saw the participation of 51st Regiment of Foot (the antecedent regiment of the 'KOYLIs').
In 1951, the barracks became the home of the 1st Battalion of the Manchester Regiment and in 1955 the barracks became the home of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment until the decommissioning of the barracks in 1971.
In 1957, the barracks was sold to the government of the newly independent Federation of Malaya for one Malayan Dollar but continued to house troops of the Overseas Commonwealth Land Forces (Malaya) including the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) from April 1962 to December 1964 which became the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets in 1966.
The barracks also housed the British Army Children's School until 1971.
Today
The barracks was de-commissioned in 1971 and the campus of Universiti Sains Malaysia was moved to the site. Today the main campus of the university remains in the same location (since renamed Minden).
Historical units
This is an incomplete list of units stationed in the Minden Barracks from 1939 to 1971.