Year 1953

People

Lord Mountbatten in Singapore

Wednesday, 12th September 1945

The city commemerates the end of the war and Japanese rule in Singapore with Admiral Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of the Southeast Asia Theatre, arrived in Singapore. Admiral Mountbatten later read the Japanese surrender address on the steps of the City Hall in front of the Padang. Lord Louis Mountbatten acted as the British High Command in Singapore from 12 September 1945 to 1 April 1946. Sir Shenton Thomas was the Governor of the Straits Settlements during the same period.


The British Arrived

Wednesday, 5th September 1945

The British warships arrived at the Tanjong Pagar docks and troops of the 5th Indian Division took over Singapore.  All over the town, there was cheering and rejoicing. The mood was tumultuous but jubilant.


Allied planes dropping leaflets

Thursday, 30th August 1945

The Allied planes were flying low, dropping leaflets telling the people to wait for the arrival of the liberation forces. As the news spread and added to the general state of confusion and disorder, people in town started to go wild with many hunting down informers and collaborators, locals who had betrayed their own during the Occupation. In the bedlam, the various races also began fighting one another.


Japanese General Gathers His Soldier

Saturday, 18th August 1945

General Itagaki, commander-in-chief of the 7th Area Japanese Army, ordered all officers and civil officers to his headquarters in Raffles College. He warned them to remain passive and not cause trouble. And to prepare themselves for the coming of the British. They were ordered to build for themselves a concentration camp in Jurong. The Japanese community in Singapore had kept the news to themselves as they prepare to leave Singapore.


End of WW2 in Singapore

Wednesday, 15th August 1945

On 15 August 1945 at 12 noon, the Japanese Forces surrendered unconditionally to the Allies bringing an end to the East Asian front of World War II. In Singapore, Japanese troops laid down their arms. The surrender comes after the atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagaasaki on the 6th and the 8th of August, 1945.


Japanese Operation Sook Ching

Wednesday, 18th February 1942

Many Chinese were ordered to assemble at various centres for screening by the occupying Japanese Imperial Army in Operation Sook Ching - A massacre that claimed about 50,000 lives. Operation Sook Ching was a systematic extermination of perceived hostile elements.


Japanese Bombers Pounded Singapore

Sunday, 8th February 1942

Japanese Bombers begin drop bombs in populated area throughout the island. Massive damage was caused by a Japanese air assault. Many civilians were killed in these air raids.


Amelia Earhart In Singapore

Monday, 21st June 1937

Miss Amelia Earhart, 40-year-old American aviation pioneer, and her navigator Mr Fred Noonan left at 6:15am for Bandung (Java, Indonesia) from Kallang Airport in her plane named "Electra" to continue their 1937 Round The World Flight.


Amy Johnson Landed At Seletar

Thursday, 1st May 1930

200 people gathering at the Seletar Aerodrome to welcome the arrival of Miss Amy Johnson, age 27, in her de Havilland Gypsy Moth aircraft en route to Australia. Amy became the 1st woman aviator to fly solo from England to Australia.


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