With the whole Malay Peninsula firmly in their grasp, the full force of the 25th Japanese Army stood poised to seize Singapore from their stronghold in Johor Bahru. The invasion of Singapore, preceded by bombing raids to "soften" the island, took place on the night of 8 December 1942. Rapidly and single-mindedly, the Japanese forces moved inland from their landing points in the northwestern sector of Singapore, with the capture of the city clearly etched in their minds. British, Australian, New Zealand and Indian troops, and local forces such as the Malay Regiment and Dalforce valiantly fought to repel the enemy, but the Japanese gained foothold after foothold on Singapore soil. On 15 February 1942, the British surrendered to the Japanese and the island's guns fell silent. Singapore had fallen. ^^^
