At the peak of the Emergency, several years before the BCFESR commitment, there were some 8,000 CT and an estimated 50,000 sympathisers within the Malayan population. The CT movement was primarily Chinese-based. The Security Forces (SF) at the same period included 23 infantry battalions, over 60,000 police and 250,000 home guards.¹⁴⁷

2RAR, with its supporting artillery battery, deployed to Malaya in October 1955. It was relieved by 3RAR and its battery in October 1957, which in turn was relieved by 1RAR and battery in October 1959. The battalions were used almost continually on patrolling, ambushing, food denial and cordon-and-search operations in northern Malaya, except for short periods of leave and retraining. Australian Army losses in the Emergency, from approximately 7,000 who served in theatre, were 13 killed in action (KIA) and 24 wounded (WIA), with 21 non-operational deaths and 111 cases of non-operational other casualties. The Emergency was declared officially ended on 31 July 1960.¹⁴⁸