Attap Valley Bunker Heritage Trail

Singapore, celebrating her jubilee 50th year of independence in the year 2015, had advanced and transformed beyond many peoples’ imagination. With her concrete jungle reputation due to the rapid urbanization of public housing and business offices, Singapore still has some secret locations that were only recently announced to the public in recent years. Singapore still has some secrets up her sleeve and we Singaporeans are only slowly getting to know more about them recently.

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In the northern area of Singapore, there is a bunker hidden in the lush green forest dating back to pre World War II when Singapore was under the British rule and Singapore was a major port/military base for the British armed forces. In this road called Attap Valley Road, a military bunker serving as an underground storage facility for weapons and ammunition used by the British armed forces.

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National Heritage Board recently opened the Attap Valley Bunker to the public to visit via organised tours and I was able to join my friend who got me into this tour on 22nd March 2015. It was a real eye opener to the hidden secrets of Singapore’s colonial history. It was a short walk from our drop off point, wearing knee high boots due to the ankle deep muddy water that greeted us when we reached the entrance to the Attap Valley Bunker.

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Dr John Kwok was there to lead the walk and he shared with the participants on the history and significance of the Attap Valley Bunker. The Attap Valley Bunker is around the size of two five-room HDB flats and the Japanese also used it during the Second World War. Most of the bunker interior remained intact, standing the test of time over the decades since the British Colonial days. During her heyday, there were 18 of those bombproof underground storage bunkers. At this location known as Talbots Hill, there were seven bunkers located there including the Attap Valley Bunker.

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It was amazing to discover more of Singapore’s hidden secrets and the northern area of Singapore, stretching from Sembawang Park/Sembawang shipyard to Woodlands, holds significant key history, strategic and military presence during the time when Singapore was a key British military base. There seemed to be more history and heritage to be discovered in the Northern part of Singapore dating back to her British military base days. I hope that I am able to explore more of this stretch in the Northern part of Singapore and share my adventures with all my followers/readers here!

Do keep a lookout on heritage walks organised by National Heritage Board! Check out their website for more details!


Created with flickr slideshow.

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