Efforts made by the British to defend Singapore

In order to defend its empire in the Far East, Britain decided on the 'Main Fleet to Singapore' Strategy. This meant that Britain would send ships from Europe if there was trouble in Asia. However, to maintain the fleet, a huge naval base had to be built in the Far East. Singapore was chosen for the naval base and construction of the base was completed in 1938. To defend the naval base in Singapore, 15-inch guns, usually mounted on ships, were installed facing the sea to prevent any attacks from the sea. Military airfields were built in several places like Fort Canning, Labrador and Sembawang. It was generally thought that Singapore was protected from the north.

 Heroes in World War II in Singapore

Elizabeth Choy - She along with a husband Choy Khun Heng supplied medicine, money and messages to affected British civilians interned at Changi Prison during the Japanese Occupation in World War 2. Unfortunately her actions soon got caught up by the Japanese and was captured. She was tortured by the Japanese for critical information at Kempeitai headquarters in Stamford Road for 193 days.

  Lim Bo Seng - Who can we forget the hero who never gave out critical information who was none other then Lim Bo Seng. Whom was captured by the Japanese and was tortured for information about his squad till his death and people of Singapore recognized him as a hero.

Mamoru Shinozaki - Despite being once a spy for the Japanese, we was imprisoned by the British till the Fall of Singapore to the Japanese. He then joined the Japanese army as the 1st adviser in Singapore under the Japanese but he was not like the other Japanese soldiers who were cruel. His single act of mercy was that he issued a huge number of good citizen pass to the Chinese and Eurasians so they would not be affected by the Sook Ching Operation which killed a lot of innocent Chinese men and torture of innocent men for critical information.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinozaki_Mamoru
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Choy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lim_Bo_Seng
Date accessed : 15 Feb 2013