Major events of this period

The Straits Times, Feb 14, 1942 This report appeared in The Straits Times the day before Singapore fell to the Japanese. Although the report states that "Yesterday was probably Singapore’s worst day since fighting began in Malaya", it still stressed that "several Japanese tanks have been destroyed in Singapore." And it still carried the slogan "Singapore Must Stand; it SHALL Stand" - H.E. the Governor’ under its masthead. FIGHTING in Singapore is now taking place on a line running from about Ang Mo Kio Village, MacRitchie Reservoir and Pasir Panjang. This is revealed in the official communique issued at 5.30 pm yesterday. The communique says: "Severe enemy pressure has been maintained on the Western Front during the last 24 hours, and his attack is being supported by increased air and artillery support. "Shelling today has been frequent on forward areas on Singapore town. He has also carried out low level dive-bomb attacks on our forward areas, and there have been many high level bombing attacks in the town area by large formations of aircraft. "Fighting is now taking place about Ang Mo Kio Village, MacRitchie Reservoir, Pasir Panjang." The intense artillery barrages which British guns in Singapore put up during the past two nights had their effects on the enemy, it is understood. It is also learned from authoritative sources that several Japanese tanks have been destroyed in Singapore. Yesterday was probably Singapore’s worst day since fighting began in Malaya. There was almost continuous shelling of the area, while air bombardment was heavy. There was a tremendous surge of relief in London yesterday when a radio message gave the lie to the Axis reports of Japanese troops mopping up the Imperial forces in Singapore, and that the last phase had almost ended, declared Robert Johnson, broadcasting from London last night. Both strategically and symbolically, Singapore’s loss would be bad, said Mr. Wickham Steed during his talk on ‘World Affairs;, but we see no use in pretending that after all, it would not matter much. "It is not untrue that our resistance in the Malay Peninsula and Singapore has gained time for reinforcements to be sent, there or elsewhere," added Mr. Steed. General Percival’s forces including the Australians, are offering stout resistance against great odds, said a broadcast from Tokio, which added that hand to hand fighting was proceeding yesterday morning round the Singapore racecourse and there was energetic resistance, with uninterrupted British bombardments. The defiance of our general resistance was emphasised in other broadcasts. A Tokio announcer said in English: "The enemy is apparently determined to die in order to live up to the British Empire’s prestige." It is believed that six enemy aircraft were brought down on Thursday by our anti-aircraft batteries but yesterday’s enemy air losses are not yet known. Moses' start page Chee Beng's start page Nura's start page Leslie's start page Previous Copyright © 1998 Singapore Press Holdings. All Rights Reserved.