Year 1963

Places

Queenstown Library Opened

Thursday, 30th April 1970

Queenstown Library was officially opened by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Queenstown Library was the first public library to be located in a HDB Neighborhood. 12,600 nearby residents registered themselves as library members on opening day.


Fifth Singapore Grand Prix

Sunday, 29th March 1970

The event was sponsored by Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA). MSA took the initiative to fly in top drivers from Asia-Pacific. With foreign talent was dominating the circuit, Clubman racing was introduced for the first time. The Clubman race was opened to Singapore and Malaysian racers to use their road-going cars. Miss Anne Wong, daughter of Newton Enterprises’ PH Wong, had her first racing experience in her Hillman Imp. The Clubman race saw 29 cars fighting it out with Tommy Koh in his Alfa Romeo GTV 1750 as the eventual winner. The main event was won again by Graeme Lawrence won in his V6 Ferrari Dino 246T.


National Junior College Opened

Friday, 2nd January 1970

National Junior College (NJC), Singapore's first junior college, opens. NJC was officially opened on 14 May 1970.


Hewlett-Packard Office Opened

Thursday, 1st January 1970

Hewlett-Packard Company of Palo Alto (Califonia, USA) has established its Far East Regional Office in Singapore. The office is headed by Mr. Al Hannmann, a graduate of Cornell University. Hewlett-Packard is a major manufacturer of electronic products for medical and computing instrumentation. The office was named Hewlett-Packard Singapore Private Limited (UEN: 197000137C).


Most Of Singapore Flooded

Wednesday, 10th December 1969

A monster flood that affected much of the island because of 12 inches (300 millimetres) of rain fell in a 24 hour period leaving many parts of Singapore submerged up to chest levels, with waters in the worst hit areas rising over 2 metres, in the worst flooding in some 35 years. Some 3000 people were left homeless as a result and five people were killed. Potong Pasir was one of the worst hit areas with the attap and zinc roofs of houses were visible with the rest submersed under water. Vegetable farms were destroyed and much of the livestock kept in the pig and poultry farms, drowned.


First Batch Of Fighter Pilot

Wednesday, 15th October 1969

The first batch of four fighter pilot return home from UK. They have gone through a tough and demanding course in UK. It started when 6 training pilots were made to go through their basic flying course in RAF Leeming, then advanced flying training at RAF Valley (in Holyhead, Gwynedd , Isle Of Anglesey, United Kingdom) and finally to type-training on the Hawker Hunter at RAF Chivenor. Only 4 managed to complete the course - 2LT Gary Yeo, 2LT John Norfor, 2LT Timothy De Souza and OCT Hoe Kim Bock - graduated and received their "wings".


First Helicopter Squadron Formed

Wednesday, 1st October 1969

The Alouette Squadron (now known as 120 squadron) was formed. The helicopter squadron was located at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Seletar Airfield and came under the command of the Flying Training School.


First Helicopter Squadron Formed

Tuesday, 30th September 1969

SADC (RSAF) 120 Squadron was formed. It is based in Seletar Air Base.


Princess Alexandra Visited Singapore

Wednesday, 6th August 1969

Exactly 150 years after Stamford Raffles of the British Empire founded Singapore, another another lesser known, Princess Alexandra, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, flew into the city as the Queen’s special envoy for the 150th anniversary celebrations for the founding of modern Singapore. Waiting on the tarmac to greet her were Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew; the British High Commissioner, Sir Arthur de la Mare; and their wives. At the reception committee for the Princess, the attendees included the who’s who of Singapore; the Chief Justice, cabinet ministers, MPs, statutory board heads, as well as Commonwealth leaders. Hordes of local islanders could only watch the pomp and pageantry from outside the fence-up compound.


The Flying Training School Inaugurated

Friday, 1st August 1969

Minister for the Interior and Defence, Lim Kim San, inaugurated the Flying Training School (FTS) at Tengah Air Base (then known as RAF Tengah). The inauguration of FTS brought SADC (RSAF) closer to its goal of fulfilling the heavy responsibility of defending Singapore's airspace. The school uses BAC Strikemasters (No. 130 Squadron) for advance phase flying training, meant that jet fighter pilot trainees are able to earn their wings in Singapore instead of overseas. The basic phase flying using Cessna, propeller driven aircraft, is at conducted at Seletar.


Newer Entries  |  Older Entries