2 R W F on Parade in Selkirk

This is one of four photos of the 2nd Battalion on parade in Selkirk prior to leaving  for Madagascar. The others would not scan properly.It shows Lt Col Stockwell,Captain Demetriadi,Major Gwydyr Jones,Major Lyle and C S M Purcell. It appeared that after the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse off Singapore also the defeat of the British U S and Dutch cruisers in the battle of the Java sea, had stripped the whole area of allied sea power.How ever in Madagascar lay a magnificent harbour at Diego Suarez which lay the opportunity for which the Axis powers were searching. A hostile U boat base established there could cause a complete dislocation of the supply routes to the middle east.