Commemoration Ceremony for the 80th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore

Today, 15 February, is the 80th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore.

Eighty years ago on this date, Malaya Command, the Allied army which defended Malaya and Singapore during World War II, surrendered unconditionally to the Japanese 25th Army.

It was my honour to emcee the Commemoration Ceremony at Kranji War Cemetery this morning.

Credit: Andrew West / Singapore History Consultants Pte Ltd.

The Ceremony honoured those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of Malaya and Singapore, and sought to foster a spirit of peace and reconciliation among former combatant nations.

It brought together diplomats and representatives from seven nations - Singapore, Japan, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Poppy wreaths and tsuru (Japanese paper cranes) were laid at Kranji War Cemetery's Singapore Memorial.

Members of the Japanese community laid tsuru made by students of The Japanese School Singapore, to reflect the universal wish to heal the wounds of war and continue on the road of reconciliation.

Watch the Facebook livestream of the 50-minute Ceremony here.

Lest We Forget

A Valentine jigsaw

Our idea of a Valentine’s Day activity - putting together the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) map jigsaw puzzle I bought in December.

We’ve reached the stage where most of the remaining loose pieces are completely white.

Uh huh.

Happy Valentine’s Day, my lovely wife!

2021 in 12 photos

2021 is coming to an end, so here’s my year-end tradition of posting 12 photos, one for every month of the year that has just passed.

January: The Old Holland Plain.

February: Another forest lost.

March: Another addition to the family!

April: Paying respects.

May: A lost railway.

June: A forgotten cemetery.

July: Walking up Lim Chu Kang Road.

August: New line, new connections.

September: Ninety years old.

October: Hell’s Museum, four years in the making.

November: Soon, it will be as if it had never existed.

December: Unlocking the gates of history.

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What will 2022 bring?