Battle for Singapore 2023 will take participants on a journey through time and Singapore’s history, heritage, and hidden stories about various WWII sites, a journey tracing the roots of Singapore’s wartime past. Participants can embark on tours of sites such as Bukit Brown and Fort Canning Hill. They can also dive and learn deeper into Singapore’s history, courage and resilience of Singapore’s war heroes and pioneers during the Japanese Occupation from NHB’s Museum Roundtable (MR) partners, such as Battlebox, Eurasian Heritage Centre, MINT Museum of Toys, Navy Museum, as well as National Museum of Singapore (NMS), the Changi Chapel and Museum and Reflections at Bukit Chandu, they are WWII Interpretative centres under NMS. 

Mr Gerald Wee, Director of International & Museum Relations, NHB, said, “The Fall of Singapore may have been an event from 81 years ago, but the experiences of our forefathers and the lessons learnt during that tumultuous period continue to have an important role in shaping our nation’s identity and charting our course ahead. Through Battle for Singapore 2023, we hope that Singaporeans will gain a deeper understanding of our WWII history and how it has impacted our lives today and be inspired by the spirit of resilience and solidarity of our war pioneers” 

Battle for Singapore 2023 Programmes

There is a wide range of programmes on offer during Battle for Singapore 2023 taking place from 10th February to 5th March 2023. NHB together with MR members, academics, heritage enthusiasts and interest groups, is offering more than 30 unique programmes and over 100 tour runs that cover various aspects of Singapore’s WWII history. 

The Battle for Singapore 2023 programmes diverse line-up also includes 19 new programmes, including

• Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour (NEW)
• Second World War Vintage Toy Collection Guided Tour with Special Feature on General MacArthur (New)
• Exclusive Sneak Peek Tour of the Revamped Navy Museum (NEW)
• Special Twinned Tour: Changi Chapel and Museum and Eurasian Heritage Gallery (NEW)
• Special Twinned Tour: Kent Ridge Nature Walk and Reflections at Bukit Chandu (NEW)
• Defence and Fall of Singapore – From the 14th Century to 1945: A Fort Canning Hill and Battlebox Walking Tour (NEW)

Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour (NEW)

For this year 2023, participants will get a chance to explore the grounds of Fort Connaught through a special access tour. This is the first-ever public tour since Fort Connaught was constructed in 1878 for the defence of Keppel Harbour, a crucial ship-building and ship-repair facility in Singapore. 

Fort Connaught was armed with 9.2-inch guns, they were the largest on Sentosa, and were used to engage invading Japanese troops during the Battle for Singapore. Through this Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour (NEW), participants can get a glimpse into the abandoned Fort Connaught history, construction and its role in Singapore’s defence during the Japanese invasion of Singapore during WWII.

How much do you know about the history of the guns of Singapore’s military forts? How often have you heard about that quip that the guns of Singapore’s military first were pointed “the wrong way” during the Battle of Singapore? During WWII, was Singapore’s guns pointing the wrong direction? Where is Fort Connaught located on Sentosa? Did Fort Connaught see WWII military action against the Japanese armed forces? 

When you go on the Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour, you can get the answers to the questions above. This tour is presented in partnership with Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).

Here are some of the remains that you can see today during this special access Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour. 

One of the three 9.2-inch gun emplacements 

Battery observation post

Tips/Things to take note

• Be careful and be safe when trekking up Fort Connaught 
• Wear sturdy shoes (hiking boots highly recommended)
• Wear long pants and long sleeve shirt
• Bring a hat
• Bring your water bottle and stay hydrated
• Mosquito/Insect repellent is highly recommended 
• Please do not visit on your own as it is a restricted site and it’s for your own safety as well

Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour Information

Dates: 11 February; 12 February; 19 February; 25 February; 26 February 2023

Time: 9am to 1130am; 1pm to 330pm 

Tickets are priced at $20 per participant, you can find ticketing and more details here at https://bsg2023.peatix.com 

Notes:

• The Fort Connaught Rediscovery Tour is recommended for ages 13 and up. Minors under the age of 16 have to be accompanied by an adult/guardian.
• Transport will be provided from Harbourfront MRT station to the site and back. Further details on the gathering point will be sent to participants upon registration.

For more information on Battle of Singapore 2023 

Please visit https://go.gov.sg/bsg2023 for more information and details on to sign up for Battle for Singapore 2023 programmes.

Registration for tours and programmes commences on Wednesday 8th February 2023, at 10am, on a first-come first-served basis. 

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For those that went through wartime experience, their first-hand personal accounts and experiences are vivid, enriching and frightening for those who never experienced it. That’s why it is very crucial and important that memories and stories of World War Two must be continued to be passed down to the current and future generations, on the horrors of war and why we must not take our peace and stability for granted.

Dislocations: Memory and Meaning of the Fall of Singapore, 1942, is the first exhibition that looks deep into the impacts of war memories on subsequent generations of Singaporeans up to the present generation. They will bring together different personal accounts, we can see how the World War Two had and continues to leave a lasting impact on Singapore consciousness in our nation building over the decades.

Chung May Khuen, Director of the National Museum of Singapore, said, “World War Two may be a distant memory for many of us, but it is a significant chapter in the story of Singapore’s history, and it is important that we continue to remember it. By piecing together diverse accounts from multiple voices and perspectives, we hope that Dislocations will spark conversations and intergenerational exchanges of memories and experiences on the devastating impact of the war, reminding us how the Fall of Singapore and its aftermath remains relevant today, and also serving as a reminder to never take peace for granted.”

To some people, this might just be another World War Two history exhibition on the Fall of Singapore. Dislocations: Memory and Meaning of the Fall of Singapore, 1942 is more than just another typical exhibition about the history of Singapore during World War Two. When you visit this exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore, the amount of personal stories, artefacts and collections, will bring you into the World War Two survivors world through their personal vivid stories, on what it was like for them living through the days during the Fall of Singapore, using a variety of AR technology, gamification video projections, immersive experiences and digital touch points, accompanying the historical artefacts on display. 

Let me bring you on a short journey into Dislocations: Memory and Meaning of the Fall of Singapore, 1942 

Section 1A: Prologue

You begin your visit with stories from the voices of people who were evacuated from Singapore, as well as from those who could not escape or did not manage to escape. The oral history recordings were taken from the National Archives of Singapore.

It’s pretty dark and moody, listen to the vivid stories, read some of their excerpts and you can begin to slowly and better understand and feel what it was like back then. 

Observe the Chronometer from HMS Bulan (c. 1918-1919) on display at this section, from the collection of the National Museum of Singapore, it kind of brings you back in time to 1942.

Section 1B: Evacuations 

Evacuations began before the Japanese invasion, how much do we know about the fear and chaos at that point in time, that was heightened in the week before the Fall of Singapore? The footages speak a thousand words. 

You can’t miss the French Grandfather Clock from the early 19th Century, gift of Mrs Elisabeth Chan, from the collection of the National Museum of Singapore. Observe the details and read its story behind it.

Section 2: Preparing for War

Through our history lessons, we learnt about the preparations undertaken by the Allied troops and local’s defence preparations before the war. This section also highlights British military strategy against the Japanese forces.

This is a very enriching section, the photographs on display showed Singapore’s preparations from different perspectives and locations. There were some artefacts on display that blew me away such identify discs for civilians, something that you and me had never heard before in our history books.

For the digitally and technology savvy folks, have a go at the Defence Preparations Game on how you plan to defend Singapore against the Japanese invasion, if you were in their position at that juncture in time, what would you have done?

Section 3: The Battle of Singapore

We learnt about the fierce fighting that took place during the Battle of Singapore, the futility of the battle that led to the chaos in the first section prologue and evacuations. 

How much do we know about the actual happenings on the ground level at that time? Every artefact on display tells its own story during the Battle of Singapore. Take your time to view, observe and read each story behind it.

For the digitally and technology savvy folks, there is an Augmented Reality (AR) experience waiting for you to learn more about eight of the items on board the Empress of Asia (1942) on loan from the UK Department of Transport. 

Section 4: The Surrender 

For us who never experienced the war, the Surrender might just be a date and time in history. For different communities in Singapore, the Surrender meant different things to them. Take a walk into the diverse emotions and perspectives on the Fall of Singapore, marking a day in Singapore that changed the course of history. 

Similar to the Ford Factory settings where Singapore surrendered to Japan, take a seat, have a read of the various first-hand and personal experiences, diary entries, memoirs and oral history history interviews via an interactive experience through fragments of the surrender table. 

The Deafening Silence 

In between Section 4 and Section 5, there is a short “tunnel” that signifies the deafening silence when Singapore fell to the Japanese. Why not take the time to have a moment of silence, read the quote on the wall, reflect on the first few sections that you visited and feel the deafening silence on the Surrender and Fall of Singapore?

You just have to bear with the oral audio projections in Section 1A.

Section 5: The Aftermath 

A section that offers a glimpse into the immediate impact of the Fall of Singapore on various communities, the human cost involved in the week-long battle and the experiences of the civilians during the war. 

There is a display of many different artefacts at this special glass cabinet. Your initial impression might be, this is just another archaeological excavation and discovery. Observe each artefact closely, they belonged to the remains of Sook Ching victims in 1942. There are over 200 personal artefacts from Sook Ching burial site at Jalan Puay Poon on display. 

Section 6: Memories

How have we and how do we remembered the Fall of Singapore? Through this section, the stories and experiences of the Surrender of Singapore were retold over time through culture and oral histories. 

Look out for the photo scrapbook by Peter Chong (1942-1949), from the collection of the National Museum of Singapore and Geoffrey Tan’s typewriter on loan from Monica Tan for this exhibition, this typewriter was used by Geoffrey Tan who was 15 years old at the time of the war, recording this experiences with it.

Section 7: Inheriting the War

What does the Fall of Singapore means to the current and future generations of Singapore? In 20 years time, it would be the centennial of the Fall of Singapore. This interactive section encourages visitors to reflect on how they have commemorated the war in Singapore, they can also contribute ideas and stories on how they have remembered the war through their families. 

Check out the National Museum’s Student Archivist Project, bringing together seniors shared accounts of the Fall of Singapore and 147 students from 11 secondary schools. The students recorded the seniors’ accounts of how the war and the events that followed affected subsequent generations born during or after the war. At this exhibition, three accounts were shortlisted and they will be featured in it.

AMX-13 SM1 Tank on display at the National Museum’s Front Lawn

A decommissioned and surviving AMX-13 SM1 tank is also on display at the National Museum’s Front Lawn. The Japanese Army paraded past City Hall to commemorate the occupation of Singapore with a procession of its Japanese Army tanks, a day after the British Surrender.

In 1969, 27 years after the Fall of Singapore, four years after Singapore’s independence, the first tanks of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) paraded past City Hall during the National Day Parade 1969. 

Those tanks signified the fortitude, indomitable will and fighting spirting of our fledging nation, it also demonstrated SAF defence capabilities and the role of national servicemen during this period of Singapore’s newly independent history. 

Remember, everyone has a part to play in the security and defence of Singapore.

Battle for Singapore 2022

Battle for Singapore 2022 is coming soon in February 2022, do keep a look for a series of public programmes across Dislocations, Changi Chapel and Museum (CCM) as well as Reflections at Bukit Chandu (RBC) that will provide a more holistic understanding of World War Two experiences in Singapore. 

For more information and updates, please visit the National Museums’s website, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook Page. 

More than just another WWII and Fall of Singapore exhibition

Dislocations: Memory and Meaning of the Fall of Singapore, 1942, is more than just another World War Two and Fall of Singapore history exhibition. They have gone deeper into the memories and meanings from the people that survived the war, the impacts on the subsequent generations of Singapore till today.

I would like to encourage you to make a visit to Dislocations: Memory and Meaning of the Fall of Singapore, 1942 exhibition taking place at the National Museum of Singapore. Observe each and every artefact, they all had their own unique stories to be told and shared, for us to remember, Lest We Forget. Last but not least, we must not take for granted, our peace and stability that we in Singapore are enjoying today. 

* Information courtesy of the National Museum of Singapore and Tate Anzur * 

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This rare Japanese Surrender Agreement document is a timely addition to the exhibition at CCM this September as Singapore commemorates the Imperial Japanese forces’ unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers 76 years ago in the year 1945. This rare document displayed at CCM is on a six-month loan from National Museums Scotland, which received it through a donation.

From our history books and lessons, we would learn about the official surrender ceremony that took place at the Municipal Building (now known as City Hall) on 12th September 1945. The Instrument of Surrender signed by Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia, officially marked the end of the Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia.

However, the terms of surrender for Singapore had been negotiated and signed a week earlier on 4th September 1945 onboard HMS Sussex at Keppel Harbour, that effectively marked the end of the Occupation in Singapore and Malaya. Within 24 hours of the signing, Allied troops had reoccupied Singapore and clocks were set once again to Malayan time. This document was signed by Japanese representatives General Seishito Itagaki and Vice Admiral Shigeru Fukudome, as well as Allied representatives Rear Admiral Cedric Holland and Lieutenant General Sir Philip Christison, the document outlines a set of instructions to be adhered to, as part of the surrender agreement.

Discovery of the Surrender Agreement by the National Museum of Singapore’s curator

This Surrender Agreement was previously thought to be lost, it was a chance discovery by Rachel Eng, an assistant curator with the National Museum of Singapore, who was conducting research on Singapore’s history in the National Museums Scotland’s collection.

The original documents were often said to be challenging to locate and only copies of the various texts could be found. This discovery is a testament to the research that curators undertake when piecing Singapore’s history together. The National Museum of Singapore, which manages CCM, is also exploring the possibility of presenting a reproduction of the surrender agreement at CCM after its loan period.

CCM reopened its doors in May 2021 after it was closed in 2018 for a major redevelopment to enhance the museum’s infrastructure and content. This Surrender Agreement artefact is available for viewing at CCM, if you are planning to visit, you are required to pre-book your museum admission tickets ahead of your visit in view of limited gallery capacity.

For more information on CCM, please visit www.changichapelmusuem.gov.sg or CCM’s Facebook Page and CCM Instagram Page to book your museum tickets or for more information on CCM.

* Information and pictures courtesy of National Museum of Singapore, Changi Chapel and Museum and Tate Anzur *

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I last visited RBC during 2017, on the the 75th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore. I went for a Battle for Singapore tour organised by NHB, titled Battle of Pasir Panjang Trail. Starting off from Kent Ridge Park, a guided walking trail to RBC for another guided tour inside RBC, using the Southern Ridges Trail. 

There were significant renovations and revamp to RBC, taking on an expanded role in the narrative segment of site-specific Pasir Panjang and Bukit Chandu before WWII. How many of us knew that RBC that was first opened in 2002, was a bungalow that was originally built in 1930 for senior British staff of an Opium Packing Plant down the hill?

Chung May Khuen, Director of the National Museum of Singapore, said: “Reflections at Bukit Chandu commemorates the tenacity and heroism of the Malay Regiment in the battle of Pasir Panjang, a key moment in Singapore’s World War Two history. With this revamp, we also hope to share with visitors more insights into the pre-war character of Pasir Panjang and Bukit Chandu. RBC complements the National Museum’s World War Two galleries and the recently revamped Changi Chapel and Museum’s story of the prisoners of war and civilians interned at Changi prison camp – together, these interlinked narratives piece together the story of World War Two in Singapore. The stories of courage and resilience shared in these three institutions remain relevant to our lives today and we hope that they will continue to inspire and resonate with visitors, especially as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore in February next year.”

Immersive Experience in Bukit Chandu: Battle Point 226

Upon entering into RBC, an immersive and learning experience awaits you.

The RBC bungalow stands close to Battle Point 226, a military position that was the Malay Regiment’s last stand against the Imperial Japanese Army on 14th February 1942.  The galleries on the first floor of the revamped RBC charts the regiment’s beginnings and pays homage to the courage and sacrifice by the Malay Regiment during the Battle of Pasir Panjang in the exhibition Bukit Chandu: Battle Point 226.

There are three sections inside this exhibition:

1. The Malay Regiment

In this section, you can learn more about the Malay Regiment, tracing their origins, from the equipment that they used, to the specially designed uniform that they wore. 

2) Into Battle

An immersive multimedia display and experience awaits you in this section whereby you can trace the regiment’s story during the defence of Malaya and Singapore against the Japanese invasion and finally the Battle of Bukit Chandu on 14th February 1942 where the story of “C” Company’s defence of Point 226.

3) Aftermath 

By the time Singapore surrendered, more than 100 men of the Malay Regiment had been killed in action. There were about 600 members of the Malay Regiment who were detained, they were ordered to remove their uniforms and join the Japanese forces or be released as civilians. A number of them were executed for refusing to take off their uniforms. In this section, a special tribute is paid to these men who embodied the regimental motto, Ta’at Setia (“faithful and true” in Malay), to the very end.

When you are viewing the various sections inside the exhibition, keep a lookout for the artefacts on display such as 

• Bullets from the Battle of Pasir Panjang that were found around Pasir Panjang Ridge in the 1970s
• Bullet cases recovered from the eastern side of the bungalow’s compound during an archaeological excavation in 2019.
• Rare archival pre-war film footage featuring Lieutenant Adnan at a ceremonial parade
• A tin cup belonging to Lieutenant Ibrahim Sidek, who was detained after the surrender and killed by the Japanese for refusing to remove his uniform, is also featured alongside an excerpt of an interview with his widow

Learning about and tracing the legacy of Bukit Chandu

The revamped RBC has taken on a new narrative to allow visitors to know more about the region and surroundings through the galleries on the second floor as well as on the grounds of RBC, informing visitors of the history behind Bukit Chandu (“Opium Hill” in Malay) and Pasir Panjang (“Long Beach” or “Long Sand” in Malay). 

1. Packing Chandu

How much do you know about the history of opium production in Singapore? Have you heard of the Opium Packing Plant was located at the foot of the hill? Raw opium was first processed in a factory at Telok Blangah after which it was sent to Pasir Panjang to be packed, before it was being sold to opium smokers in Singapore, Malaya and other countries in the region.

2) The Lounge

When you are at the second floor of the RBC bungalow, look out through the windows, experience how former occupants of the house would feel when they looked out at the view of the Singapore Strait and the sea breeze. 

3) On the Lawn

There are outdoor installations on the lawn whereby visitors can learn about the local landmark 龙牙门 (“Dragon’s teeth gate in Mandarin” ) at Labrador Park and the pineapple plantations which used to be in this area.

Opening Weekend programmes at RBC

The opening weekend for RBC will take place from 11th to 12th September, this also coincides with the anniversary of the surrender of the Japanese on 12th September 1945. Visitors can look forward to a self-guided scavenger hunt through the RBC galleries and complimentary live-streamed tours by the curators of RBC and Changi Chapel and Museum on Facebook Live.

To commemorate the reopening of RBC, all visitors will enjoy free admission from 9th to 26th September 2021. For Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, they will continue to enjoy complimentary admission beyond this period. 

If you are planning to visit RBC, you are encouraged to pre-book your museum admission tickets and sign up for the weekend programmes ahead of your visit.

Planning a visit to Reflections at Bukit Chandu with a DIY short walking trail of Battle of Pasir Panjang 

In 2017, on the 75th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore, I went for a Battle for Singapore tour organised by NHB, titled Battle of Pasir Panjang Trail. Starting off from Kent Ridge Park, a guided walking trail to Reflections at Bukit Chandu, using the Southern Ridges Trail.

You may choose to start off first by visiting Reflections at Bukit Chandu, learning and understanding more about the heroic battles that took place during WWII, as well as the early history of this region before WWII. After that, you can go on a short walking trail using the Southern Ridges to Kent Ridge Park, the entrance to the the Southern Ridges trail is just in front of the main gate of RBC. You will be walking along the battleground – The Battle of Bukit Panjang that took place during WWII.    

Year 2022 would be the 80th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore, I feel that the Battle for Singapore tour – Battle of Pasir Panjang Trail would make a comeback, a guided walking trail from Kent Ridge Park to Reflections at Bukit Chandu where a guided tour would take place inside before you can explore more on your own. 

Reflections at Bukit Chandu Visiter Information

Reflections at Bukit Chandu

31-K Pepys Road

Singapore 118458

Opening Hours

9:30am to 5pm (Tuesdays to Sundays)

Closed every Monday except Public Holidays

Last admission at 4:30pm

Website: https://www.nhb.gov.sg/bukitchandu 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reflectionsatbukitchandu/ 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsatbukitchandu 

YouTube: Reflections at Bukit Chandu 

* Information courtesy of National Museum of Singapore and Tate Anzur *

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