<000090#The British Command made use of prominent Chinese such as Tan Kah Kee to mobilize locals <001076#for Singapore's defence efforts in the later days of the Malayan campaign.*<002052 Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry<003000<004083#Chinese students selling flowers to raise funds for the anti-aggression movement. <005052 Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry<006000<007091#In the very early hours of Dec 8 1941, Japanese transports packed with troops approached <008030#the coastline of Kota Bahru. <009034 National Archives of Singapore<010000<011039#Japanese troops landed at Kota Bahru. <012034 National Archives of Singapore<013000<014087#Commander of the 25th Army of Japanese Imperial Forces, Lt. Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita.*<015092 Mamoru Shinozaki, Syonan - My Story: The Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Asia Pacific <016005Press<017000<018085#British forces trekking through the Malayan jungles to take up their defence posts.*<019027 Australian War Memorial<020000<021048#Reinforcements from India arrive in Singapore.*<022023 Imperial War Museum<023000<024093#Armed with a lack of understanding of the foe he is about to face, this Australian soldier <025082#characterizes the high spirits of the British defenders at the start of the war. <026023 Imperial War Museum<027000<028087#Japanese forces employed strategic coastal hooks to outflank the British defenders by <029051#landing behind their defence lines, Dec 10, 1942.*<030020 Mainichi Shimbun<031000<032092#While British defenders retreated behind a trail of demolished bridges, Japanese engineers <033092#industriously repaired them to allow the rest of the Japanese army to advance further into <034020#British territory.*<035017 Asahi Shimbun<036000<037090#Japanese troops and transports awaiting the signal to resume their inexorable march down <038022#the Malay Peninsula.*<039091 Tan Yeok Seong, 1947, The Extortion by Japanese Military Administration of $50,000,000 <040061from the Chinese in Malaya, Singapore: Nanyang Book Co., Ltd.<041000<042098#Heavy artillery advanced as rapidly as the infantry in order to shell the enemy into submission.*<043091 Tan Yeok Seong, 1947, The Extortion by Japanese Military Administration of $50,000,000 <044061from the Chinese in Malaya, Singapore: Nanyang Book Co., Ltd.<045000<046087#British air defence consisted of technologically inferior planes such as the Brewster <047035#Buffaloes, and Bleinheim Bombers.*<048033 Richard Holmes & Anthony Kemp<049000<050059#RAAF Brewster Buffaloes of No. 453 Squadron in Singapore.*<051027 Australian War Memorial<052000<053097#A British soldier stands proudly in front of his Brewster Buffalo at Kluang Airfield in Malaya.*<054043 George Aspinall, courtesy of Tim Bowden<055000<056094#The arrival of the state-of-the-art H.M.S Prince of Wales further inflated the confidence of <057036#the locals and the British troops.*<058023 Imperial War Museum<059000<060086#Cruising alongside the HMS Prince of Wales was the venerable yet still effective HMS <061010#Repulse.*<062023 Imperial War Museum<063000<064087#With a complete lack of air support, the hapless HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse <065089#were bombarded by torpedoes off Kuantan. They were sunk within an hour of contact with <066015#the Japanese. <067023 Imperial War Museum<068000<069092#The crew of the HMS Prince of Wales abandoning the ship as it sank. The fleet commander, <070048#Admiral Tom Phillips, went down with the ship. <071023 Imperial War Museum<072000<073089#This painting from the Cheong Yew Kee collection, graphically depicted the devastating <074065#efficiency of the Japanese planes against the British warships.*<075073 Cheong Yew Kee Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore<076000<077091#Meanwhile, the land battle continues. An Australian anti-tank unit covers a roadblock of <078071#felled trees, and destroy the Japanese tanks before they get across.*<079012 Keystone<080000<081045#Wrecked Japanese tanks burning on the road.*<082012 Keystone<083000<084057#Japanese soldier lying dead next to his destroyed tank.*<085027 Australian War Memorial<086000<087077#More burning wrecks after ambushes set up by the retreating British forces.*<088027 Australian War Memorial<089000<090087#Retreating south, Royal Engineers prepare to blow up a bridge to hamper the pursuing <091011#Japanese.*<092023 Imperial War Museum<093000<094084#The Naval Base in Sembawang was sabotaged by the retreating British to prevent the <095092#Japanese forces from using it. The smoke from its destruction and the gap in the Causeway <096035#were clearly visible from Johore.*<097092 Mamoru Shinozaki, Syonan - My Story: The Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Asia Pacific <098005Press<099000<100087#The Causeway was partially blown up by the retreating British defenders. However, the <101088#Japanese easily forded this obstacle after repairs were done by the efficient Japanese <102017#engineer corps.*<103018 Syonan Shimbun<104000<105062#Lt Gen. Arthur E. Percival, G.O.C British Forces in Malaya.*<106023 Imperial War Museum<107000<108089#Barb wire obstacles were hastily constructed by the British Command to delay and impede <109024#the Japanese landings. <110020 Mainichi Shimbun<111000<112088#Firefighters try to extinguish the fire after the bombing runs by the Japanese planes.*<113046 Australian War Memorial (neg. P1182/16/10)<114000<115086#The Japanese soldiers entering Singapore in the final pursuit of the British forces. <116020 Mainichi Shimbun<117000<118091#Chinatown bombed and in ruins. The original OCBC building can be seen in the background.*<119052 Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry<120000<121088#An old lady crying over the death of her grandchild after a bombing raid on Chinatown. <122027 Australian War Memorial<123000<124086#Australian 27th Brigade anti-tank gunners guarded the Causeway prior to the Japanese <125024#invasion of Singapore. <126052 Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry<127000<128091#A detachment of the invading Japanese troops landing in the northeast coast of Singapore.*<129020 Syonan Shimbun <130000<131096#Japanese military vehicles crossing an improvized bridge built across the gap in the Causeway.*<132000<133018 Syonan Shimbun<134000<135094#Japanese troops advancing up the slopes of Bukit Timah for their assault on the last defence <136033#position of the British forces.*<137041 Australian War Memorial (neg. 127901)<138000<139093#Locals were only mobilized at the very last minute. These included the Singapore Volunteer <140048#Corps (above) and the Dalforce amongst others.*<141023 Imperial War Museum<142000<143094#The Malay Regiment fought a heroic battle at Pasir Panjang Ridge but were annihilated by the <144011#Japanese.*<145023 Imperial War Museum<146000<147097#Finally realising that the Malayan Campaign is not going well for the British, expatriates and <148062#wealthier locals try desperately to evacuate from Singapore.*<149034 National Archives of Singapore<150000<151083#Women and children embarking ships that will evacuate them to India or Australia.*<152023 Imperial War Museum<153000<154077#The Japanese infantry creeping behind a tank in the outskirts of Singapore.*<155012 Keystone<156000<157083#A Japanese soldier surveys the battle for Singapore from a hill outside the city.*<158012 Keystone<159000<160060#Houses and shops were destroyed by the Japanese air raids. <161052 Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry<162000<163081#The British marching towards the Ford Motor Factory for the surrender ceremony.*<164032 Imperial War Museum (HU2781)<165000<166083#The British commanders marching to Ford Motor Factory off Upper Bukit Timah Road.*<167023 Imperial War Museum<168000<169096#The British Command under Lt. Gen. Percival formally surrendering to Lt. Gen. Yamashita of the <170011#3rd Army.*<171091 Tan Yeok Seong, 1947, The Extortion by Japanese Military Administration of $50,000,000 <172061from the Chinese in Malaya, Singapore: Nanyang Book Co., Ltd.<173000<174091#The much taller British soldiers surrendered to the Japanese soldiers who were objects of <175058#their ridicule prior to the actual military engagements.*<176017 Asahi Shimbun<177000<178034#The surrendering British forces.*<179023 Imperial War Museum<180000<181081#A Syonan Shimbun pictorial review of the last days of the Battle for Singapore. <182018 Syonan Shimbun<183000<184090#A lone figure walking along the beach near Keppel Harbour on the morning after Singapore <185020#fell, Feb 16 1942.*<186043 George Aspinall, courtesy of Tim Bowden<187000<188097#Under heavy Japanese shellings from the Johore shore, British forces failed to hold the line. <189087#By the dawn of February 9, the Japanese occupied the northwest shore of Singapore and <190016#pushed inland.*<191034 National Archives of Singapore<192000<193096#When the Jurong Line and Bukit Panjang Village fell on February 10, the British set alight the <194070#petrol depot behind the Bukit Timah Village. It burned for 48 hours.*<195034 National Archives of Singapore<196000<197088#Japanese soldiers celebrating the British Surrender which signalled the end of a tough <198011#campaign. <199091 Tan Yeok Seong, 1947, The Extortion by Japanese Military Administration of $50,000,000 <200061from the Chinese in Malaya, Singapore: Nanyang Book Co., Ltd.<201000<202082#Japanese troops in a victory parade celebrating the successful Malayan Campaign.*<203020 Mainichi Shimbun<204000<205059#Japanese tanks in a victory parade outside the City Hall. <206018 Syonan Shimbun
