The Lion's Claws, the Unicorn's Horn, Shattered (February 1942)

Lieutenant Tom Wade

15th February 1942

Singapore, the 'city of lions' had fallen. The greatest military name in all Asia and Australasia had been humbled after a 70-day campaign and with it had fallen the richest country of the world, taking into account its population - the rubber and tin-bearing Malay States. The defenders and the world were awestruck: a giant had proved to have feet of clay. Singapore had surrendered.

Contrary to popular belief, Singapore was not a fortress in any sense of the word. Millions of pounds had been spent with the idea of making it one, but millions more would still be needed. The money spent had bought it a well-equipped naval base, a giant floating dock, five 15-inch guns set in the hills facing the sea and a number of 9.2- and 6-inch batteries guarding the sea approaches. It had also bought many large barracks, three airfields and a well-defended small island, Blakang Mati, next to the harbour. But it provided zero defences of any kind on the northern, western and even portions of the southern shore of the island.

The Japanese had command of the air and command of the sea and proved themselves superior on land. Command of the air and sea could scarcely have been avoided in the Far East at that time, and around a peninsula like Malaya their superiority in those areas proved decisive. But superiority on land was due to more thorough training and greater experience. The Japanese made themselves masters of jungle warfare and fought with efficiency, determination and speed which only perfect training brings. They used their three main weapons - mortars, infantry guns and tanks - to the best possible effect, and to this they added unflagging determination and breathtaking speed.

Compare this to us, the British. Some of us had three years of war experience in China, whereas most of us had none. The generalship of General Yamashita was brilliant; our generalship was almost always bad and wrong. It was weak and uninspiring; its existence was rarely felt. And we had dreadfully underestimated the Japanese. A few of us tried to offer excuses for our defeat. They said we ran out of aircraft or ammunition or water. The answer to this was best given by a Lancashire private of the Loyal Regiment: 'The only thing we run out of was land!'.

Why I had not contemplated getting onto a ship out to sea bound for Java was beyond me. And now Changi awaits.

The Rising Sun over the Lion City (February 1942)

William Henry Giles,

February 14, 1942.

All is lost now. The Japanese troops have reached the center of the Singapore. In less than 100days, the British has been pushed back all the way from northern Malaya to Singapore. How is this even possible? The Japanese army just seems too powerful and invincible, no matter how strongly the British defended or counterattack, all their actions seem futile and were easily swept away by advancing Japanese. At the beginning of the war, we were told that the Japanese soldiers were incapable of jungle warfare, half blind and feeble, but the ‘feeble’ enemy was hammering the British blows after blows of defeat. Even with the British numerical advantage in both men and heavy artillery by 3 to 1, they were not able to stop the Japanese. The Japanese made up the disadvantage in heavy guns by capturing British guns and use it against them.

The swiftness of the Japanese attack down south was staggering. Bicycle infantry troops were able to out-maneuver the British defensive position. Furthermore, the Japanese infantry were being supported by tanks and aircrafts. By comparison, the British had no tanks at all and planes they had, the Brewster buffalos were outclassed by the Japanese Zero fighters. Naval support for the British vanished after the sinking of the only 2 warships in the region on the 10^th Dec, 1941.

The last ship departed Singapore on the 12^th of Feb; escaping the colony now is impossible. Surrender is most likely going to happen soon as all the reservoirs on island, the only water supply to Singapore has been severed. British rule on the island is over and now begins Japanese rule.