The revolt began to break down within hours, having failed to achieve key objectives such as the capture of Brunei Town and Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III.

Oil was discovered in 1929 near Seria and the Brunei Shell Petroleum Company concession provided the Sultanate with a huge income.

Between 1959 and 1962, the United Kingdom, Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak were involved in negotiations to form a new Malaysian Federation.

It was thought that the resultant sultanate would be strong enough to resist domination by Malaya or Singapore, Malay administrators or Chinese merchants.

[2] Local opposition and sentiments against the Malaysian Federation plan have often been under-represented in historical writings on the Brunei rebellion and the subsequent Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation.

[2] Hints of brewing trouble came in early November 1962 when the Resident for the 5th Division of Sarawak, Richard Morris (an Australian), who was based in Limbang (sandwiched between the two parts of Brunei) received information.

However, the Chief of Staff in the British Far East Headquarters in Singapore did review and update the contingency plan, PALE ALE, for Brunei.

The next day similar information reached John Fisher, the resident of the 4th Division of Sarawak, who was based in Miri some 20 miles (30 km) west of Brunei.

Signals from Brunei to British Far East Headquarters reported rebel attacks on police stations, the Sultan's Istana (Istana Darul Hana), the Chief Minister's house (Rumah Jerambak) and the power station, and that another rebel force was approaching the capital by water.

Far East Headquarters ordered ALE YELLOW, which placed a force of two Gurkha infantry companies on 48 hours notice to move.

At this stage it was not known that rebels had attacked police stations throughout Brunei, in the 5th Division of Sarawak and on the western edge of North Borneo.

An advance to Seria met strong opposition and returned to Brunei to counter a rebel threat to its centre and the airfield.

[6] On 9 December, John Fisher called on the Dayak tribes for help by sending a boat with the traditional Red Feather of War up the Baram River.

Tom Harrisson, the Curator of the Sarawak Museum in Kuching and leader of resistance to the Japanese in the Second World War also arrived in Brunei.

This force reached some 2,000 strong, and with excellent knowledge of the tracks through the interior (there were no roads), helped contain the rebels and cut off their escape route to Indonesia.

However, there appeared to be a potential landing site for light aircraft west of Seria and east of the town – the runway at Anduki Airfield had been cleared by a small group of western civilians who had managed to escape the rebels.

One escapee, Hugh McDonald, a Shell contractor and WWII veteran, made contact with Singapore installations to confirm a safe landing.

After the meeting, the Sultan made a radio declaration condemning TNKU, the armed wing of the Brunei People's Party, for treason.

The rebels then obtained the surrender of British official R.H. Morris, his wife, four other Europeans and an American Peace Corps worker, and took the remaining police officers hostage.

Eighty-nine Marines of 42 Commando had arrived in Brunei on 11 December, led by Captain Jeremy Moore (who later commanded the British Forces during the Falklands War).

After acquiring two landing craft, the Marines were transported to Limbang by Royal Navy crews led by Captain Jeremy Black (who later commanded HMS Invincible (R05) during the Falklands War) and staged their arrival at dawn, 13 December.

[citation needed] The Marines lost the element of surprise due to the loud noise of their boats, but succeeded nevertheless in suppressing the rebels' machine guns and landed.

The attackers started their search for the hostages who, on hearing shots, began singing the American song "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain", allowing the first rescue party to quickly locate them.

About 200 rebels, who had little if any military training and a paltry assortment of weapons (about a dozen Bren light machine guns and Lee–Enfield rifles, but mainly shotguns, muskets and daggers), tried to resist, but were beaten back.

[9][page needed] By 17 December 42 Commando was complete in Brunei and 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) had landed from the cruiser HMS Tiger (C20) in Miri.