a pre-emptive move, before any Japanese landings took place. The Malaya Command was responsible for the planning of Operation Matador. When the Allied governments appointed General Sir Archibald Wavell as supreme commander of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), British Far East Command became redundant because its functions would in future be carried out by ABDACOM. So when Wavell arrived in Singapore, where the British Far East Command was based, on 7 January 1942, ABDACOM absorbed the British command in its entirety and C-in-C Far East Command Henry Royds Pownall became Wavell's Chief of Staff. On 15 January, Wavell moved his headquarters to Lembang near Bandung on Java and assumed control of Allied operations. Commanders-in-Chief Commanders-in-Chief have included: After the Far East came under the jurisdiction, from August 1943, of South East Asia Command ('SEAC'). The initial land forces operational area for SEAC had been India, Burma, Ceylon, British Malaya, Sumatra, and, for offensive operations, Siam (Thailand) and French Indochina. On 15 August 1945 this was expanded to include the Dutch East Indies and French Indochina. SEAC was disbanded in 1946 and in 1947 the Army Command was reformed under the name Far East Land Forces. General Officers Commanding included: 1947 – 1948 General Sir Neil Ritchie 1948 – 1951 General Sir John Harding 1951 – 1953 General Sir Charles Keightley 1953 – 1956 General Sir Charles Loewen 1956 – 1958 General Sir Francis Festing 1958 – 1961 General Sir Richard Hull 1961 – 1963 Lieutenant General Sir Nigel Poett 1963–1971 1963 Far East Command was established, covering the region covered China, Hong Kong, British Commonwealth Occupation Force, Japan and Singapore. Major bases included Hong Kong (HMS Tamar) and Singapore. It was organised as an interservice command: Far East Fleet Far East Land Forces [British] Australian Army Force Far East Air Force On 11 January 1971, Far East Command was disbanded at Singapore, succeeded by ANZUK Force. Commanders-in-Chief Commanders-in-Chief have included: British Commander-in-Chief, Far East Command 24 April 1963 Admiral Sir Varyl Begg 28 May 1965 Air Chief Marshal Sir John Grandy 1 February 1967 General Sir Michael Carver 7 March 1969 Admiral Sir Peter Hill-Norton 1970 Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burnett Commander, British Far East Land Forces 10 April 1963 Lieutenant General Sir Reginald Hewetson 8 June 1964 Lieutenant General Sir Alan Jolly 28 July 1966 Lieutenant General Sir Michael Carver 31 January 1967 Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Pearson 16 November