Singapore commemorations
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Indian Forces The Singapore Cremation Memorial – immediately behind the main memorial – commemorates almost 800 dead, mostly from the Indian forces, whose remains were cremated in accordance with their religious beliefs. The Singapore (Unmaintainable Graves) Memorial, at the western end of the main memorial, bears the names of a further 250 casualties of the campaigns in Singapore and Malaysia. Hospital Victims In excess of 400 civilians and servicemen were buried in an emergency water tank on the grounds of a civil hospital in Singapore, having been brought there by the Japanese. The 107 Commonwealth servicemen buried in the grave are commemorated on the Singapore Civil Hospital Grave Memorial which stands at the eastern end of the main memorial. Adjoining Kranji War Cemetery is Kranji Military Cemetery, a substantial non-world war cemetery of almost 1,500 burials created in 1975. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is responsible for the commemoration of almost 1,700,000 members of the Commonwealth forces who gave their lives in the two world wars. The graves and memorials of these men and women, who came from all parts of the Commonwealth and who were of many faiths and of none, are found around the globe in 153 countries. Enquiries on the location of individual burials or commemorations can be directed to the offices below or to the Commission’s website at www.cwgc.org where there is an online searchable database. Commonwealth War Graves Commission 2 Marlow Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 7DX Tel: +44 (0) 1628 507200 Fax: +44 (0) 1628 771208 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cwgc.org A Guide To Singapore’s World War Memorials
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Remembering the World Wars, in Singapore
Transcript of Singapore commemorations
Indian Forces
The Singapore Cremation Memorial –immediately behind the main memorial –commemorates almost 800 dead, mostlyfrom the Indian forces, whose remainswere cremated in accordance with theirreligious beliefs. The Singapore(Unmaintainable Graves) Memorial, at thewestern end of the main memorial, bearsthe names of a further 250 casualties ofthe campaigns in Singapore and Malaysia.
Hospital Victims
In excess of 400 civilians and servicemenwere buried in an emergency water tankon the grounds of a civil hospital inSingapore, having been brought there bythe Japanese. The 107 Commonwealthservicemen buried in the grave arecommemorated on the Singapore CivilHospital Grave Memorial which stands atthe eastern end of the main memorial.
Adjoining Kranji War Cemetery is KranjiMilitary Cemetery, a substantial non-worldwar cemetery of almost 1,500 burialscreated in 1975.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission(CWGC) is responsible for the commemoration ofalmost 1,700,000 members of the Commonwealthforces who gave their lives in the two world wars. Thegraves and memorials of these men and women, whocame from all parts of the Commonwealth and whowere of many faiths and of none, are found around theglobe in 153 countries.
Enquiries on the location of individual burials orcommemorations can be directed to the offices belowor to the Commission’s website at www.cwgc.orgwhere there is an online searchable database.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission2 Marlow Road MaidenheadBerkshireSL6 7DXTel: +44 (0) 1628 507200Fax: +44 (0) 1628 771208E-mail: [email protected]: www.cwgc.org
A Guide To Singapore’s W
orld War M
emorials
Changi, in the east of Singapore, had been the siteof the main prisoner of war camp in Singaporeduring the Second World War and a large hospitalwas established there by the Australian InfantryForce. In 1946 the graves of those who died weremoved from Changi to Kranji, as were those fromthe Buona Vista prisoner of war camp and manyothers from across the island. Later, Second WorldWar burials from Saigon Military Cemetery inVietnam (formerly French Indo-China) and gravesof both world wars from Bidadari ChristianCemetery, Singapore, were also brought to Kranji.
There are 4,500 Commonwealth burials at Kranji.The Chinese Memorial in Plot 44, meanwhile,marks a collective grave for 69 Chineseservicemen, all members of the Commonwealthforces who were killed during the occupation inFebruary 1942.
T H E I R N A M E L I V E T H F O R E V E R M O R E
Land and Air Force Casualties
Along with the graves, Kranji is home to theSingapore Memorial, which bears the names ofover 24,000 casualties of the Commonwealth landand air forces who died during the Second WorldWar but have no known grave. Those from theland forces died during the campaigns in Malaysiaand Indonesia or in subsequent captivity, many ofthem during the construction of theBurma-Thailand railway, or at sea while beingtransported into captivity elsewhere. The airmendied during operations over the whole of southernand eastern Asia and in the surrounding seas andoceans.
At Kranji War Cemetery, in the north ofSingapore, just 14 miles from SingaporeCity, it’s possible to visit the graves andmemorials commemoratingCommonwealth forces who lost theirlives fighting in Singapore, Malaysia andVietnam. This occurred primarily duringthe Second World War but also in WorldWar One.
Kranji War Cemetery
Kranji War Cemetery is one of the mostimportant and evocative landmarks on theisland of Singapore. It was designed by theesteemed Scottish architect Colin St ClairOakes but it was begun byCommonwealth prisoners of war held bythe Japanese in Kranji, a small suburb.
