Someone send me a link to remind me of the glorious Battle of Singapore. With all due respect to the platoon of brave Malay Regiment, I think they were volunteers, this so called Battle was a joke in military terms but fondly remembered by Singaporeans as the Battle of Singapore. Why was the Battle of Singapore best remembered by this event? Did the British put up a fight or none at all? There were 70,000 to 85,000 soldiers according to Singapore Infopedia.
What happened in the Battle of Singapore was a platoon of volunteers, poorly armed with outdated rifles, maybe no machine guns at all, taking the brunt of the attack from the main force of the Japanese invading Army, two divisions according to historical records. The rest of the fighting was really just aerial bombings by the Japs.
During those days, the locals, especially the volunteers, would not be issued with the latest weapons, mostly old weapons or rejects that the British would not use. What a mismatch, and the poor soldiers of the Malay Regiment were left there to be slaughtered by the Japanese. Outgun, out man and with no British soldiers around to provide any form of fire support. The British soldiers were hiding safely in their bunkers. The area was supposedly to be defended by Australian soldiers. Where were they, did they fight or hide or fled?
The Brits had been withdrawing their main forces from the Malay Peninsular all the way back to Singapore for safety, not engaging or barely engaging the Japanese Army. And they let a platoon of volunteers to take on two divisions of the Japanese Army, nearly 20,000 men! This is first degree betrayal, first degree murder!
It was a ridiculous battle. The Brits should have the decency to pull back the Malay Regiment from the slaughter. How could they keep a platoon of Malay Regiment there to fight the Japanese Imperial Army? The British commander should be charged for causing the unnecessary death of the brave Malay soldiers. How many British or Allied soldiers were killed in the Battle of Singapore? The numbers would revealed how bravely they fought or how cowardly they hid in their bunkers.
Does anyone feel sorry for the unnecessary death of the brave soldiers of the Malay Regiment? Did anyone apologise for it, give every one of the brave men a medal of valour? They deserved the highest military honours for putting up a senseless fight in vain.
The British Empire had forgotten about these brave men. Their story is only of interest to Singapore.
What do you think?
25 comments:
Rb. What do I think? I think those responsible should be sodomized jialat jialat for causing untold suffering and damages to those who bravely fought
The Universal Law of Cause and Effect or Karma shall be unto these Brits colonial rulers, that's why after the WWII they came back to rule but noboli hue them even right now their royal prince descendants r on a breaking up its Heavens got eye to punish to evildoers.
The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater of World War II. It was the first major land offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan.
What were the truths about this Battle of Singapore? Very likely the British forgot about their existence altogether while they were running for their lives. And the platoon was left manning their positions, no order to withdraw. And when they were attacked by the Japanese, no reinforcement or support fire from the fleeing Brit soldiers.
Now what would the historians say about this?
A proper perspective about battles in the military sense.
When we talk about a battle, we often tend to talk like Singapore is as big as America or China when the truth is that we are just a little red dot.
We must not confuse the meaning of a battle with a little skirmish in the vocabulary of wars. There was no battle to talk about in Singapore. Period. The British gave up fighting despite having more soldiers than the Japanese.
Battles are those fought in Europe, in China, in Korea. The only battle fought in Vietnam was Dien Bien Phu. There were no real battles fought during the Vietnam War. Battles involved big number of forces, battalions versus battalions, divisions versus division and could go on for days or months when two military forces clashed with their full might.
In Singapore's case, the whole 'battle' was in Kranji Beach and all the casualites in Singapore, other than a few Brit soldiers killed by bombings, were from this Malay Platoon. That was how pathetic and embarrassing in the history of Singapore, in the history of the British Empire.
BTW, our 2 SIRs hardly had a clash with the Indonesian forces during confrontation. Maybe a skirmish or two involving a handful of Indonesian commando stragglers in the jungles. A few were caught just like they were searching for Mas Selamat.
They were not tested in any real fighting against an equivalent size force. I don't think there was even a face to face exchange of fire for more than 2 minutes or more than 5 Indonesian commandos.
He was hired to join the Japanese civilian police, with which he stayed for the rest of the war until the Japanese surrendered.
Some gave up their lives heroically fighting the invaders; some better their lives joining the invaders to control the invaded.
in reference to the 3rd comment/post above: The Thin Red Line is a 1998 American epic war film written and directed by Terrence Malick. It is the second screen adaptation of the 1962 novel of the same name by James Jones, following the 1964 film; however, this film is not considered a remake. Telling a fictionalized version of the Battle of Mount Austen, which was part of the Guadalcanal Campaign in the Pacific Theater of World War II, it portrays soldiers of C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division,
Awards - The Thin Red Line was nominated for 7 Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Picture, Best Sound and Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. It failed to win any of these awards. However, the film was awarded the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival in 1999.
Yes during those time the jap were very sex hungry. Many of the angmoh were sodomized jialat jialat then
I believe there was one famous Singaporean who was in cahoot with the Japanese invaders. Cannot remember his name. Can someone enlighten me please?
I thought there were two. Even one is difficult to remember his name. Two? nah! Forget it!
I read the memoirs of the two dead men some time ago.
I think one was a banana and the other was a mangosteen.
They were the collaborators of the Japanese invaders and after the war become great supporters of Japanese businessmen in Sinkieland.
But Sinkies are all lan lan people. Until today still never think of bringing them to justice posthumously.
I am now a bit senile, lost memory easily. Cannot remember their names already.
By the end of April, a total of 40 vaccination centres will be established in Singapore, each with the capacity to administer at least 2,000 shots a day, Ho Ching said in a Facebook post.
Why the Minister for Health did not announce it?
Why the COVID-19 Task Force did not announce it?
Why the PM did not announce it?
Why President of Singapore did not announce it?
Why Ho Ching announced it?
Of course logically and according to imperial protocol, the Empress Dowager holds all the power behind the throne. Who dares to take the credit? The head will fall off the body.
this old woman can now relax because she will be retiring from her ceo job on 30 Sept this year.
I served as an NSmen in 2SIR, then 1SIR in 1968 & 1969. There was a library in 2SIR with a display of the Indon Uniforms, arm patch, SBO's, boots, hand pistol and a AR15 rifle. The difference is that the hand guard and butt were camouflaged instead of black like what we were issued then. I think the displayed items were from captured Indon Commandos.
Just some details regarding The 2SIR and Confrontasi incident at Kota Tinggi.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/konfrontasi-a-key-episode-for-ex-soldier-and-spore
https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/konfrantasi-hero-recounts-tragedy-they-were-caught-guard-and-shot
Might probably know you. I was in 2SIR Bravo Coy too, 5th Platoon from Sept 68 till Oct 69. Prior to this spent 9 mths in SAFTI SBMT and Section Leader's Course. B Coy was transferred to 1SIR before I ROD Dec 69. Yes, Staff SGT Salleh was Coy SGT Major.
Why nobody remember the names of the two traitors who were working for the Japanese invaders? Don't say only, frighten to be Changi Hotel guests? Right?
2SIR was disbanded because it has tarnished its name during the Indonesian Konfrontasi. Their soldiers were mercilessly massacred because they went bathing in a river without posting any guards to watch and be alert. This was an unpardonable mistake. They paid with their lives.
On Sunday noon (21 Mar), the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed an additional 12 cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore.
This increased the total number of infection cases to more than 60,196. Another 87,000 dormitories infections went undetected earlier and therefore conveniently excluded from this total.
All of the new cases today are happily and willfully imported, and had been expediently placed on Stay-Home Notice or isolated at hotels in Singapore but not in quarantined at the Centre for Communicable Diseases.
Singapore has been happily importing new COVID-19 and COVID-20 diseased cases from other countries relentlessly everyday with open arms and open legs without fail.
Singapore's military history went as far as the 2 SIRs. Before them it was all about the British and Force 136, anti Japanese Resistance Movement working with the British. Lta Anan's platoon was part of the British Forces.
There was hardly any resistance from the British when the Japanese attacked, mainly from the air and subsequently the beach landing at Kranji. Were there any fighting between the British soldiers and the Japanese in Singapore? I don't think so.
During the Confrontation, it was skirmishes and the biggest event was probably the ambush in Kota Tinggi. The other operations conducted by Singapore soldiers were mopped up operation to catch the commandos that were scattered in the jungle in Johore and Sarawak. No real face to face fighting like a real battle, both sides taking positions and firing at each other to defend or take a ground.
Some commandos were captured and some executed. That was the closest encounter the Singapore soldiers ever had in a war ie Confrontation.
No big fighting between our soldiers or British soldiers against an enemy force happened in Singapore. Kranji was perhaps the biggest fight ever occurred in our island
Malaysia so proud to act as the hatchet man of the USA, just like little boy Canadian PM.
Now so garang, gave NK diplomats 48 hours to pack and leave Malaysia. For no reason making an enemy out of NK to please the evil Americans.
Got potential to become a colony of the evil Empire or aspiring to be one, just like Najib playing golf with Emperor Obama only to be screwed in the 1MDB scandal.
Still want to crawl to the Emperor to do his bidding.
You have to download to read the History of The 2SIR.
https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15040coll2/id/2369/
Lieutenant Adnan and the Battle at Bukit Chandu
https://www.roots.gov.sg/stories-landing/stories/lieutenant-adnan-and-the-battle-of-bukit-chandu/story
It is good to know that they are many ex SIR comrades here relating their stories of their former regiment. This kind of pride of belonging to an unit is something to be proud of. This is like being a citizen and proud to be a citizen and would stand by the country when needed. This is a culture that must be encouraged and promoted and respected.
Without a sense of belonging, without a sense of pride, then everything would be meaningless, can be bought or sold. This intangible quality of belonging to 2SIR is something that we cannot place a value on, cannot be bought.
Post a Comment