Fall of Singapore — Historic War Tours

*Allied surrender negiotions, Ford Factory, Bukit Timah, Singapore*

*Japanese soldiers used bicycles to move quickly down the Malay Peninsula towards Singapore*

Within hours of the Japanese Navy’s attack on Pearl Harbour, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Malaya (now Malaysia) on the 8th December 1941, both through Thailand and by landing on its north-east coast at Kota Bahru. Allied airfields and aircraft were targeted and it wasn’t long before the Japanese had complete air superiority.

Two days later, the British warships, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sent from Singapore to repel the seaborne invasion but without aircover, were sunk. With significant numbers of well-trained solders, the use of bicycles to provide greater mobility and poor decisions by the allied forces, the Japanese Army made significant advances down the Malay Peninsula towards Singapore. On the 31st January 1942, the last of the allied soldiers had been withdrawn across the causeway which crossed the Straits of Johore between Malaya with Singapore. The causeway was then destroyed leaving a large hole that was intended to restrict access by Japanese forces.

*Map of the Japanese invasion of Singapore (click to enlarge)*

On the night of the 7th February, the Japanese conducted a raid on the small island of Palau Ubin on the north-east side of Singapore near Changi but were forced back. The British-led Allied High Command was convinced that this was the prelude to the main attack which would come from the same direction. Consequently, the fresh, full strength British 18th Division was placed in this area. And the Australian 8th Division, weakened after fighting in Malay campaign, was placed in the north-west side of Singapore Island.

On the night of the 8th February 1942 and after heavy bombardment, the Japanese 5th and 18th Divisions landed on the north-west coastline of Singapore, a large area which was sparsely defended by the Australian 22nd Brigade. The Allied High Command remained certain that this was only a diversionary attack and did not send in reinforcements.

*Soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Guard cross the repaired causeway between Johore (Malaya) and Singapore*

The Australians were outnumbered nearly four to one and after two hours of fighting, the Japanese had overrun their positions and established themselves on Singapore. Over the following week, the Japanese 5th and 18th Divisions pushed on to capture Tengah Airfield (the main airbase on Singapore) and then swept down to the south of the island towards the port area and the city of Singapore.

The following day (9th February), the Japanese Imperial Guard landed at Kranji Beach in an area primarily defended by the Australian 27th Brigade. Although the Japanese were initially repelled, the Australians withdrew after a miscommunication and feared being cut off from behind by elements of the Japanese Army which landed the day before. Consequently, the Imperial Guard was able to make a successful landing on Singapore also. Again, reinforcements were held back still expecting the main assault to come from the north-east. By the time the Allied High Command realised that there would be no attack from the north-east, it was too late. The Imperial Guard fought its way down through the centre of Singapore to capture the water supplies, ammunition stores and major military establishments.

With mounting civilian casualties, insufficient food and the water supply running low and in the hands of the Japanese, British Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, the Commander of the Allied Forces, made the fateful decision to surrender to the Japanese.

Late in the afternoon of the 15th February, just one week after the Japanese first landed on Singapore, Lt Gen Percival made his way to the Ford Factory at Bukit Timah where the Japanese Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita accepted his unconditional surrender. Over 100,000 allied soldiers, including some 14,000 Australians, became prisoners of war (POW).

Over the next three and a half years of Japanese occupation, allied POW’s endured deplorable conditions for living and work, and inadequate food rations. Many were sent to work on the Burma-Thailand Railway and later some would return to Singapore only to be sent to Japan to work in the coal mines. Others were sent to Sandarkan. Many would die.

The local Singaporean population did not fare any better. During the Sook Ching Massacres which occurred in the month after the surrender, in excess of 5,000 Chinese men considered sympathetic to the British, were rounded up and executed. Food was scarce and beatings and summary executions for trivial matters were common.

On 6th August 1945, an atomic bomb was exploded over Hiroshima followed by another over Nagasaki, three days later. The Japanese in Japan, surrendered unconditionally. The formal surrender of Singapore by the Japanese occurred on the 12th September 1945 at the Municipal Building (now the Old City Hall) in Singapore.

Fall of Singapore: An Overview

Nong Pladuc POW Camp

Operation Rimau