Historical Sites In Singapore

Historical Sites in Singapore

This page contains information about the surviving sites in Singapore from World War II. Learn about the history of Singapore during its rise as Britain’s lead outpost in Southeast Asia, its capture by the Japanese and the recapture of Singapore which eventually led to its independence. Today many tourists visit some of these historic sites. See below for a sample of a good tourism website that teaches foreign visitors about life in Singapore for the duration of World War II from the perspective of the different nationalities living in Singapore at the time.

Fortress Singapore (The Centre of British Power in Southeast Asia)

Singapore was very important to the British. It was the key to the rest of Southeast Asia and their very profitable trading port. Because of these two very important factors, Britain would do everything it could to protect Singapore from hostile nations. 3 sites from this period that we can still see today are: The Ford Factory, Labrador Park and Fort Siloso.

Figure 1: Ford Cars Coming Off
The Production Line

The Ford Factory was the first motor car assembly plant in Southeast Asia before World War II.

Figure 2: Labrador Park World War II Battery

Labrador Park back in Colonial times was part of Fort Pasir Panjang, which was a former defence battery in the Bukit Merah area. It was one of the 11 different coastal artillery forts built at this time to defend Singapore. In 1938, when the world was on the brink of World War II, Britain upgraded the Labrador Battery to 2 six-inch (16 cm) 37-ton (38000kg) guns that could fire 102lb shells (around 204kg) 10 miles (around 18km). Unfortunately everybody thought that Singapore would be attacked at its coasts so the guns were directed at the sea, luckily the guns could be turned around so when the Japanese attacked they were turned around 180 degrees to fire on the Japanese but proved ineffective against advancing Japanese land forces because of their flat trajectory. 4 of the original gun platforms still exist to today (See Figure 2).

Figure 3: Fort Siloso Coastal Gun
Emplacements

Another one of the 11 coastal artillery forts was Fort Siloso. Located at the northwestern tip of present day Sentosa. It was built in the early 1880s to protect the port and by then had 7-inch (18cm) RML guns and two 64-pounder (32kg), electromagnetic mines, which were powered by an underground electric powerhouse, were laid across the narrow straits. In the 1890s, five 10-inch (25cm) guns were added. These guns were operated electrically from the extended underground powerhouse. Further additions were added in the 1930s, particular with the reports of impending war. They include a twin 6-pounder (3kg), quick firing anti torpedo boat guns, five searchlights, an operational tower, two machine guns and two twin Lewis anti-aircraft machine guns. The guns were also used to fire on Japanese troops in the western sector of Singapore during the invasion.

Invasion (January-February 1942)

The invasion of Singapore happened so quickly that there weren’t many battle sites created and therefore not many left to this day. Examples include the Ford Factory, The Battle Box and one of the last battle sites, Bukit Chandu.

Figure 4: Surrender of Singapore 
At The Ford Factory

During World War II the Ford Factory was abandoned by Ford and used by the RAF to assemble fighter planes. However the planes were World War I vintage and half were destroyed in the first battle and the rest were flown out of Singapore before all hope was lost. It also was where the British surrendered to the Japanese on 15^th February 1942. It was a significant place as it was one of the highest places in Singapore and many lives were lost there, both Japanese and Commonwealth forces.

The Battle Box 
Lieutenant General A. E. Percival mainly used the Battle Box during the final phase of the battle. From the 11^th of February 1942 onwards, Percival shifted his HQ from Sime Road to the Fort Canning Bunker to work out battle plans to repel the invading Japanese. Thus the bunker came to be known as Headquarters Malay Command Operations Bunker. The decisions made here would affect all of the British Colonies in the Far East, which not only included Singapore and Malaya but Hong Kong as well. There wasn’t much space because the Headquarters Southern Area and anti-aircraft defences were also located in the Battle Box. Ventilation was inadequate and consequently staff worked under bad conditions. Percival disliked the bunker because of its poor ventilation and preferred to work from his office at Headquarters of British Strategic Command nearby. Although soldiers nicknamed the bunker the Battle Box, which is what we call it now, the only battle fought was the decision of surrender to the Japanese.

Bukit Chandu
Bukit Chandu, a hill in Kent Ridge Park formerly known as Pasir Panjang Park, was the site of one of the last battles in Singapore. The battle lasted 48 hours and the Malay Regiment bravely forced the Japanese to retreat and regroup. It is possibly the closest war site to UWCSEA still surviving to today.

Occupation

The occupation of Singapore had many effects on the people living there. The Japanese were ruthless, if you supported the British, they would kill you, if you were Chinese, they would kill you, if you conspired against them, they would kill you. They came to Singapore with a plan to execute the Chinese known now as The Sook Ching Massacre.

The Sook Ching massacre

A series of massacres, which included massacres at Changi Beach, Punggol Beach and Tanah Merah are collectively known as The Sook Ching Massacre. It claimed between 50,000 to 100,000 ethnic Chinese living in Singapore and Malaya. The men were rounded up all around Singapore and taken to deserted beaches and killed systematically. The Kempeitai  (Japanese secret military police) hired informers all around the island to help identify who was anti-Japanese. These informers had no risk of being arrested by the Kempeitai and they were well paid as well. If you saw a Japanese soldier on the street you had to bow to them, if you failed to do so, you would be beaten up and maybe even taken away.

Changi Chapel
Otherwise known as St Luke’s Chapel, the Changi Chapel was a source of comfort for the Allied POWs in Changi during WWII. It was located in the Dysentery Wing of the Military Barracks.

Japanese surrender

Figure 5: The Union Jack 

Is Raised Again Signalling 

The Surrender Of Japan To 

The British Forces

The final grouping of historic sites is where the Japanese surrendered to the British at City Hall (now Municipal Hall). The formal surrender in Southeast Asia took place on 12 September 1945 whilst the actual one between Japan and the Allied forces took place in Japan on 15^th August 1945.

Bibliography:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/34064109: John Muzi

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_14_2005-01-25.html: Vernon Cornelius-Takahama

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_875_2004-12-10.html: Wong Heng

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_8_2004-12-10.html: Vernon Cornelius-Takahama

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_858_2004-12-15.html: Wong Heng

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1587_2009-10-26.html: Rachel Chang

http://s1942.org.sg

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_918_2004-12-15.html: Vernon Cornelius-Takahama

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/world_war2/v1209_history.html: Vickna S K Anandarajah

Tourism Website:
http://www.trailsofwar.com/tours.htm