As we celebrate Singapore’s 57th birthday as a sovereign nation, it must not be forgotten the bloodshed and turmoils that many experienced during the world wars which plagued the country’s history.
Here are the top 5 historical war sites to visit to appreciate the sacrifices of the men and women that fought on our soil.
1. Cenotaph
Located in Esplanade Park, the Cenotaph is the only war memorial that commemorates the heroes who sacrificed their lives in World War I and World War II.
The memorial is inscribed with the words “They died so we might live” in the four official languages of Singapore: English, Malay, Chinese, and Tamil.
The cenotaph has been visited by many famous individuals and historical figures since its existence. On 15 November 1920, the Premier of France, Georges Clemenceau, witnessed the laying of the Cenotaph’s foundation stone. On 31 March 1922, Edward the VIII (formally The Prince of Wales) unveiled the memorial with Louis Mountbatten.
The war memorial was gazetted as a national monument on 28 December 2010.
Address: Connaught Dr, Singapore 179682
2. Battle Box
The Battle Box was the largest underground military operations complex in Singapore. Constructed in the late 1930s, the Battle Box was a bomb-proof bunker located approximately nine metres underground. The bunker served as the headquarters of British Far East Command that covered many regions including Singapore, Malaya, and Hong Kong.
The battle box made its mark in history as the site where Lieutenant-General Percival made the critical decision to surrender Singapore to the Japanese on 15 February 1942.
Address: 2 Cox Terrace, Fort Canning Park, Singapore 179622
3. Former Ford Factory
Opened in October 1941, the Former Ford Factory was the first motorcar assembly plant in Southeast Asia. The factory was located on Bukit Timah Road, which was a strategic choice to enable the factory’s products to be easily transported to other areas due to a major road connecting Singapore’s town centre to both the south and north parts of the country.
The Former Ford Factory is more historically remembered as the place where the British unconditionally surrendered Singapore to the Japanese in 1942. During the Japanese occupation, the Japanese used the Ford Factory to manufacture motor vehicles for the Japanese army.
In post-war years, the Ford Factory was returned to Ford Motor Company of Malaya, which resumed its production of Ford motorcars until 1980 when the firmed moved out of Singapore.
The Former Ford Factory was gazetted as a National Monument on 15 February 2006 and a permanent exhibition opened on the same day. It now houses extensive archives on the events surrounding the British surrender, the Japanese Occupation of Singapore and the memories of the war.
Address: 351 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588192
4. Labrador Battery
Now part of Labrador Park, Labrador Battery was a key line of attack during the fight for Pasir Panjang Ridge. The battery was under Faber Fire Command which had a pair of 6-inch guns manned by the 7th Coast Artillery Regiments, a multi-ethnic unit consisting of local Malays, Indians and British officers.
On 12 February 1942, Labrador Battery, together with its twin battery, Siloso Battery, sank the Japanese ammunition vessel in defence of the western sector. It fired on Japanese soldiers coming from West Coast Road and Jurong River the next day. To deny the utilisation of the Labrador Battery’s guns, the Japanese destroyed them.
Address: Address: 12 Port Rd, Labrador Park, Singapore 117630
5. Kranji War Cemetery
Opened on 2 March 1957, Kranji War Cemetery contained almost 4,500 burials in the form of headstones for all the men and women from the Commonwealth who died while serving in World War II.
The Kranji War Cemetery site used to be an ammunition depot prior to the war. During the Japanese Occupation, the site was turned into a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp and hospital.
On the Sunday closest to Remembrance Day on 11 November, a memorial service is held to pay tribute to those who gave their lives every year.
Address: 9 Woodlands Road, Singapore 738656
As the saying goes, “those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” These historical war sites will serve as a reminder that the peace we enjoy today is not without the bloodshed of many in the past.
