Fall of Singapore in WWII — Historic War Tours

*Allied surrender negiotions, Ford Factory, Bukit Timah, 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 set sail 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 over a short period of time, 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 On the 31st January 1942, the last of the allied soldiers had been withdrawn across the Causeway which crossed the Straits of Johore between Malaya with Singapore. To restrict the Japanese's access to Singapore, the Causeway, the only crossing between Malaya to Singapore, was destroyed.

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

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 the Malay campaign, was placed in the north-west side of Singapore.

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. 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 Singapore towards the port area and the city of Singapore.

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

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 fearing they would be cut off from behind by elements of the Japanese Army. 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 (POWs).

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

Over the next three and a half years of Japanese occupation, allied POWs 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 in Northern Borneo. 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 who were considered sympathetic to the British, were rounded up and executed. Food became scarce and beatings and summary executions for trivial matters were common.

The war with Japan would continue until on 6th August 1945, an atomic bomb was detonated 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 City Hall (now part of the National Gallery Singapore) in Singapore.

Fall of Singapore in WWII: An Overview

Nong Pladuc POW Camp

Operation Rimau