Welcome Whilloer
The 1st Battalion The Manchester Regiment were spread around Malaya (as it was then) with their HQ in Penang, I was there with my parents but being only 11 when I arrived with my mother in February 1952 it is most unlikely that I came into contact with your grandfather.
I will make someone who was serving there at the time aware of your post.
Try to get hold of a copy of Cpt Robert Bonner's book Jungle Bashers it will give you a very good insight to the situation your grandfather was in. I have checked my copy but cannot see your grandfather mentioned but he may be in one or more of the photos in it. You may find copies for sale on line at ridiculous prices, check out second hand book shops for a copy or see if your local library can get a copy for you to borrow.
Take a look at the following sections of the Forum:
Scroll down the home page to Photos and Postcard Project, click on photos by Battalion then down to Far East Photos and look at the photos in the 1st Battalion Malaya section. This is the link direct to them:
https://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php?topic=627.0Best of luck.
Cliff (rafboy)
PS: I forgot to add the ISBN for Jungle Bashers, it is: 1873907125