Pasir Panjang Heritage

A bit about Pasir Panjang

2011-02-15T01:42:00.001+08:00

"the "Long Sand Road" and it's history," by Leo Fabre. my life in Singapore, 06 Jan 2011.

Kent Ridge trail stamps

2010-10-14T02:57:00.003+08:00

See Interesting Green's report on the stamp series from September 2010 - Stamp - Heritage Trial: Kent Ridge Park Trial (Date of Issue: 22 September 2010)

Gap Hill Climb

2009-10-05T17:20:00.004+08:00

Visited Eli Solomon's Singapore Rare Books last Saturday. Eli is famous for Snakes & Devils, a book about the old Singapore Grand Prix at Thomson.

He's working on a few new books now, one of which is about motor racing in South East Asia. One of the events which might make it into the book is the Gap Hill Climb.

This took place along South Buona Vista Road. In the photo above, you can see programmes from the Gap Hill Climb from 1951 and 1952.

Pasir Panjang under water

2009-08-05T11:46:00.004+08:00

Mayo Martin writes in Today (article no longer available) about a photo submitted to the My Life: Then & Now competition.

It is a scene that young Singaporeans will not find very familiar because it's in a kampong (village) setting. Also, when was the last time anyone experienced a flood that reached above waist level in Singapore?

If you are interested in photos like these, there is an exhibition of some of the competition entries. Orchard Central (next to Somerset MRT, former site of Specialists Centre) from 10 to 21 August.

LIFE photo - remains of the Duke of Kent

2008-12-08T19:00:00.001+08:00

When Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent visited Singapore in 1952, the Duke who accompanied her was her son, not husband.

Her husband, Prince George had died in an aircraft accident in 1942.

Amongst LIFE magazine's released images hosted by Google are these two by Hans Wild taken in 1942 in London.

"An RAF ambulance transporting the remains of the Duke of Kent, George Albert Nichlas Kent."

"RAF officers saluting Duke George Albert Nicholas Kent's casket as the paulbearers pass by."

The Battle at Pasir Panjang - by Cris

2008-10-10T15:07:00.005+08:00

Blogger Cris took time off on the eve of Hari Raya to visit Reflections at Bukit Chandu. He blogged about it and concludes:

I am definitely glad that I had made some time to visit this museum because I have learnt many things. I always have this one sided minded thinking that the only Chinese and Indians fought and sacrificed to protect the country, but the visit to Reflections to Bukit Chandu, has really opened up my eyes and the way I think because the Malays had also done their part in protecting Singapore, just as much as the Chinese and the Indians. That is why racial harmony is very important in Singapore because we cannot afford to be divided in times of war, but be united to protect our very own country till the very end. It was the sacrifice that our forefathers gave, in exchange for a better Singapore in the future, and this is why we have a prosperous nation today.

Read the rest of Cris' detailed post here (blog no longer available).

Another Pasir Panjang Pillbox post

2008-10-03T11:15:00.002+08:00

Zermine, blogging at abandonedplaces, has a short photo spread of the Pasir Panjang Pillbox. More photos of her exploration here.

The Pasir Panjang Pillbox

2008-09-09T10:17:00.004+08:00

RongC passes by the Pasir Panjang pillbox often and wonders what it was like to have been there during the Battle of Pasir Panjang:

This particular WWII monument certainly had seen its fair share of action; I can picture the scenes some 60+ years ago, with enemy forces creeping around the area and fighters from the Malay Regiment inside the pillbox manning the machine guns and gunning down whoever had approached it on one hand, and worrying that they might be surprised by the sheer numbers of the enemy force on the other hand.

Clementi labelled as Pasir Panjang?

2008-06-20T10:38:00.001+08:00

Lam Chun See, at Good Morning Yesterday, asks a question based on a 1980s street directory: Why is Clementi labelled as Pasir Panjang?

As you can see from Chun See's scan (above) the area around Clementi Road and Ulu Pandan Road is labelled thus.

IceMoon, having read Chun See's post, comes up with two possible answers: electoral boundaries or postal districts.

However, he notes that there are issues with both theories.

How big is (or was) the Pasir Panjang vicinity and how was the area demarcated?

Southern Ridges Visual Guide

2008-05-19T11:36:00.005+08:00

I made the long walk through the Southern Ridges last Saturday. Here is my visual guide to the walk.

Telok Blangah Hill Park now linked with Mount Faber, Kent Ridge Park

2008-05-12T10:55:00.004+08:00

This nice infographic in yesterday's Sunday Times heralds the linking of the Southern Ridges via two bridges. Rather than letting it disappear in archives, we are reproducing it here. (Click to see it full size.)

The Pasir Panjang Guides are familiar with the eastern section of this walk, from the University Cultural Centre at NUS' Kent Ridge Campus to Reflections at Bukit Chandu in Kent Ridge Park. The unmarked road in NUS on the map is Kent Ridge Road. The short section indicated without any greenery - which is inaccurate as there are rain trees and tembusus - is part of Kent Ridge Crescent, leading to a short section of Clementi Road before turning into Clementi Woods Park.

Looks like it's time to whip out those walking shoes!

----------

Sunday Times, May 11, 2008

Two new bridges = a 9km scenic walk

Telok Blangah Hill Park now linked with Mount Faber, Kent Ridge Park

By Teo Cheng Wee

Spanning 274m across Henderson Road, the 36m-high wave-shaped Henderson Waves is Singapore's highest pedestrain bridge. The other bridge, Alexandra Arch, is located in Alexandra Road. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM

The wet morning yesterday did not dampen the excitement of Telok Blangah resident Habib Ismail.

He was among 500 residents who watched Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong officially open two pedestrian bridges - Henderson Waves and Alexandra Arch.

With these bridges, Telok Blangah Hill Park is now linked to Mount Faber on one side and Kent Ridge Park on the other.

An avid walker, Mr Habib, 44, a father of two, joined Mr Lee and the other residents on a tour of the bridges.

The bridges complete a 9km chain of greenery in the Southern Ridges, which consist primarily of three large hill parks - Mount Faber, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park.

Henderson Waves, at a height of 36m, is Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge. A wave-shaped, steel-and-timber structure, it spans 274m across Henderson Road. The other bridge, Alexandra Arch, spans 80m across Alexandra Road.

Bridging Ridges

The parks were previously separated by roads and wooded vegetation. Now, one can walk ridge-to-ridge, starting from HarbourFront MRT and ending at West Coast Park.

In 2002, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said it would link up parks in the Southern Ridges as part of the Parks and Waterbodies and Identity Plans.

The project, which took two years to complete, cost $25.5 million.

Apart from the two bridges, the Southern Ridges now also boast the Forest Walk, a 1.3km-long elevated walkway that cuts through secondary forest at Telok Blangah Hill Park; and Marang Trail, which links HarbourFront MRT to Mount Faber.

Mr Lee also officiated the opening of the $13 million Horticulture Park - or HortPark for short.

With 20 theme gardens, HortPark is South-east Asia's first one-stop gardening and lifestyle hub.

The 23ha park, which has been open since December last year, took two years to build and also serves as a park connector between Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park.

In his speech, Mr Lee noted that such projects 'provide a first-class living environment for all Singaporeans'.

He also announced upcoming plans to link the Southern Ridges to the Keppel Waterfront as part of a broader plan to develop a recreational and leisure hub in the south.

This includes having a park connector from Alexandra Arch to Labrador Park, building a mangrove boardwalk at Berlayer Creek and having a waterfront boardwalk that connects Bukit Chermin to VivoCity, with waterfront views along the entire stretch of Keppel Bay.

Details of these plans will be released soon, the URA said.

About 1 million visitors to the Southern Ridges are expected annually, and with the bridges open 24 hours a day, lovebirds might be expected to make a beeline for them after dark, especially as Henderson Waves offers panoramic views of the city and southern islands.

Mr Habib, a senior research supervisor, had stopped his daily jogs at Telok Blangah Hill Park due to work commitments. He is digging out his sneakers again.

'I'm making plans to walk along the new walk with friends,' he said with a smile.

chengwee@sph.com.sg

Bricks from Alexandra Brickworks

2008-04-04T14:26:00.005+08:00

Alvin, over at the Tiong Bahru Estate blog, spotted bricks from Alexandra Brickworks. These came from a chimney (yes, you read that right) of a flat, which the owner had hacked.

As you can see from the map* above, the brickworks was located at the south eastern portion of Pasir Panjang, near the corner of Pasir Panjang Road and Alexandra Road, approximately where the PSA Building currently stands.

You can view a painting of the Alexandra Brickworks by Mr Ng Eng Teng at The Literature, Culture and Society of Singapore.

Alvin also points out that bricks from Alexandra were used in our now demolished National Library.

* Dol, Ramli . The Malay Regiment, 1933-1942. Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 38(1):199-243, 1965.

The fire and death on 'Opium Hill'

2008-03-22T11:12:00.002+08:00

Note: I saw a reference to this article in Fortress Singapore - The Battlefield Guide. Having found the original article in the microfilm archives at the National Library, I made a copy. However, the quality of the reproduction is poor. So, I have transcribed the text of this article for posterity.

The Straits Times, p 6
Monday, 13 February 1967

Tomorrow the Malay Regiment commemorates the 25th anniversary of its
gallant defence of the western salient in the Battle of Singapore.
From war despatches and memories of the few who survived this brutal engagement. This story is told by Haji Mubin Sheppard.

The fire and death on 'Opium Hill'

Lt. General A. F. Percival's long awaited despatch on the Operations of Malaya Command from Dec. 8, 1941 to Feb. 15, 1942. was published in the Second Supplement of the London Gazette of Friday Feb. 20, 1948.

The despatch covered 100 pages of print and gave a detailed account of the campaign which ended with the surrender of Singapore to Lt. General Yamashita.

Two sections of the Despatch made special commendatory references to the Malay Regiment, and are quoted below:

"Section LIV. Events of Feb 13 1942: The main Japanese offensive during Feb 13 developed along Pasir Panjang Ridge on the left of our position [Labrador Fire Command]. Here the Japanese 18th Division, which had fought in the Mersing area and later taken part in the initial attack against Singapore island, came into action.

Mortars

"After two hours of heavy shelling and mortaring, it attacked the Malay Regiment which was holding this feature. The latter fought magnificently, but suffered heavy casualties, and by the afternoon the enemy had reached the Gap, a dominating position where Buona Vista Road crosses the ride..."

Section LV: Events of Feb 14, 1942: During the day the Japanese renewed their attacks. Their main thrust was again made against the western front of the southern area.

"Here heavy fighting at close quarters went on throughout the day, in which the Loyals and the Malay Regiment especially distinguished themselves.

"By the end of the day our troops had been driven back by the weight of the enemy attack to the line Alexandra -- Gillman Barracks -- Keppel Golf Course."

The Battle of Opium Hill is one of the examples of heavy fighting at close quarters, to which General Percival referred, and tomorrow is its 25th anniversary.

In this battle, 'C' Company, 1st Battalion, the Malay Regiment, though depleted by casualties on the previous day and heavily outnumbered, stubbornly held a low hill at the eastern edge of Pasir Panjang Ridge, near the Government Opium Factory, throughout the day.

Shock troops

The hill was only captured when all the officers except one had been killed and the majority of the men had either been killed or wounded.

The Japanese had succeeded in landing about 13,000 shock troops on the north west shore of Singapore island on the night of Feb. 8. They quickly doubled their strength the next day, although they were prevented from repairing the 70-foot gap in the Johore Causeway by artillery fire.

Japanese light artillery and over 150 light and medium tanks were ferried across the narrow straits in landing craft to assist the offensive.

The Japanese Air Force was in complete control of the air.

The initial Japanese assault was directed at Tengah Air Base and was continued along the western side of the island.

Advance

Their rapid advance inland made it necessary for the Malay Regiment, which consisted of two battalions, the second of which was only formed on Dec. 1 1941, and was very much under strength, to take up new positions facing inland.

They had originally been alloted the South Western sector of the Coastal Defence, in the event of a sea-borne attack. They now defended the line of Ayer Raja Road and later the Pasir Panjang ridge which ran almost due east to west, separating Ayer Rajah Road and Pasir Panjang (Coast) Road.

The ridge had no prepared positions and the officers and men lay in the open along low scrub, day and night.

Friday, Feb. 13, 1942 opened with aerial bombing and a heavy mortar artillery barrage. Artillery fire continued throughout the day. The whole sky was clouded with smoke from the burning Normanton oil depot, which lay a short distance to the north of the ridge. Many patches of dry undergrowth also caught fire.

The first battalion headquarters at the Gap received a direct hit, which seriously wounded the Adjustant Capt. Wort, and three other officers.

Direct hit

Another direct hit wrecked the signal H.Q. of the 1st. Batallion. To maintain contact with his companies, Lt. Col. Andre, the Commanding officer and his second in command Major Denaro, made frequent personal visits to the forward troops.

Part of Mataguchi's 18th. Division made a frontal attackon the Ridge during the afternoon, and eventually gained control of the central feature, -- point 270. They then turned west to Pasir Panjang Village, which was defended by 'C' Company, 1st. Bn.

C. Coy was supplemented by remnants of 'A' Company, 1st. Bn. which had been shattered earlier in the day and by two Bren carriers of the Loyal Regiment.

Though outnumbered and almost isolated, they stubbornly held their positions. The Japanese finally withdrew late at night.

Casualties

During this engagement, Private Ya'acob bin Bidin of 'C' Coy. and another Malay soldier stalked an enemy mortar position, from which the company had suffered a number of casualties. After crawling through burning undergrowth they silenced the mortar with their Bren gun.

Pte. Ya'acob was later awarded the Military Medal.

At midnight, 'C' Coy. was extricated from their isolated position by ten Bren carriers and were alloted a new area of defence on a low feature near the eastern edge of Pasir Panjang Ridge -- Point 226. This has become known as Opium Hill because of its proximity to the Government opium factory.

It is with this background of unrelieved pressure and mounting casualties that 'C' Company's gallantry can be fully appreciated.

Capt. H.R. Rix, 'C' Company Commander, held a commission in the Peral Bn. of the F.M.S. Volunteer Force and had joined the Malay Regiment in August 1941.

He arranged his four platoons in the darkness, to provide all round defence. He had taken over the command of one platoon, after the death in action of its commander. He sited this with Company headquarters, facing north west.

Lieut. Adnan bin Saidi and his platoon faced due north. Lieut. Stephen faced south west, and Lieut. Abbas bin Abdul Manan and his platoon faced south east.

There were no trenches and no protection of any kind. The company had a Bofors anti-tank gun, a 2-inch mortar, Lewis guns, hand grenades and rifles, but the Bren gun which Pte. Ya'acob had used so effectively the previous day had been put out of action.

No sleep

No one had any sleep that night. The only food or water which was available was the hard biscuit and the contents of the water-bottles which each man carried.

The Japanese began to advance along the ridge soon after first light on Feb. 14, but they were soon made aware of the presence of 'C' Coy on point 226.

An enemy barrage of artillery and mortar fire followed, which further depleted the defenders' number, but failed to affect their morale.

Capt. Rix visited his other platoons at intervals, and his personal bravery helped to sustain the determination to resist the enemy. Second Lieut. Nordin, operating the Bofors anti-tank gun prevented an advance by Japanese light tanks along the coast road. The enemy decided to attack on foot.

Assault

The assault on Opium Hill began early in the afternoon. It opened with a ruse. A detachment of Japanese were dressed up as Punjabi troops and advanced in close order, pretending to be friends, in front of the northern sector. Lieut Adnan quickly decided that there could be no genuine Punjabi stragglers in that area and he personally operated a Lewis Gun, which in one long burst, killed or wounded more than 20 of the enemy.

The remainder fled. Describing the incident to Lieut. Abbas soon afterwards, Lieut. Adnan said, 'After that, I shall not mind if I die here.'

An interval followed, during which the Japanese prepared for an all round attack in overwhelming strength. When it came, the enemy advanced along the ridge from the west, and up the slopes 'crawling like monkeys'.

They were held back for a time with Lewis gun fire and grenades, but the three western platoons were finally overrun by sheer weight of numbers.

Captain Rix was shot and his body was later found with the bodies of 12 Malay soldiers who had died fighting beside him.

Bayonetted

Lieut. Adnan was shot in hand to hand fighting and then bayonetted. His body was hung up by the Japanese from a nearby tree. No one was allowed to cut it down. Six other ranks, including Corporal Din who was captured in the final assault, were tied up and bayonetted.

The other five died, but Corporal Din, though badly injured, succeeded in crawling away after dark.

At the eastern edge of the ridge, 2 Lieut. Abbas (now Brigadier) and his platoon fought until only about half a dozen men survived uninjured.

He then, led them in a desperate attempt to withdraw to Battalion H.Q.

Burning oil, from Normanton Oil Depot which flowed down a wide drain running past his flank, had served as a partial shield from the Japanese attack, but it now presented a fiery obstacle in the line of his withdrawal.

Burned

Japanese bullets left the men no option but to jump. Four of the exhausted soldiers failed to clear the drain. Two men fell into the flaming oil and were burnt to death. Two others, though they had reached the edge had to be pulled out by Lieut. Abbas and another soldier and wer unable to continue owing to burns.

Lieut. Abbas and three of his men eventually reached Col. Andre's H.Q. on a low hill near Alexandra Brickworks, after dark and reported the action in which 'C' Company had been virtually wiped out.

Many regiments include the names of famous engagements in which they played a prominent part in the list of their Battle Honours.

The Battle of Pasir Panjang Ridge, which culminated in the Battle of Opium Hill, on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14 1942 deserves to be held in honoured memory for all time in the archives of the Malay Regiment and in the history of the nation.

Wikipedia: Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent

2008-03-04T18:56:00.001+08:00

According to Wikipedia, this painting is by Philip Alexius de László, 1934. She was in Singapore in 1952.

Haw Par Villa

2008-01-28T12:16:00.000+08:00

This may not be part of the Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk we do each February or the July Heritage Trails. However, as a child, one of my memories of Pasir Panjang (PP) was of Haw Par Villa. There really was not much of a reason for me to traipse over to PP unless we had some relatives from the USA or Anambas Islands who came to visit. This was on my mom's list of 'TO-SEE' places for our guests. Much to my chagrin, I often had to go along with her to Haw Par Villa, especially when the rellies from Anambas came over.

What was it about Haw Par Villa that I hated? Let's see, it had to be the Seven Chambers of Hell. No trip was ever complete without moral lessons from my mom about why I shouldn't misbehave. The first time I was old enough to remember the Seven Chambers, I had nightmares 2 nights in a row. As I got to primary school, I told my mom I would wait for her elsewhere when she went to that ghoulish sector.I am sure every kid felt the same.

Everything else about Haw Par Villa seems so retro and kitschy in today's context. I have never re-visited it since it became the short-lived amusement-theme park in the late 1990s. As one website put it, it is 'serene and creepy' at the same time. I agree. It's as if ghosts from the pasts are going to pop out any minute and sneak up on an unsuspecting visitor. Today, when one drives past it, it seems so out of place, amidst the condominiums and expressway that has grown around it.

We do tend to forget that the park had an illustrious past. I remember as a kid that it was the one of two similar parks in Asia, built by the Aw Brothers of Tiger Balm fame. The other one was in Hong Kong, which, if memory serves me well, was demolished sometime in the 1980s. I remember too, hearing from my dad, a taxi driver and Oi Yee that the Aw family also had a swimming pool in the area, that was opened to members of the public.

I found some photos from the 60s of my parents and cousins at Haw Par Villa on a picnic. When I get a break, I'll scan some of it here. I have been wondering since I became a part of the PPHG, if the gardens were built in 1937, would it not have seen much of the battles of WWII in the area? Any comments on that anyone?

Back to School!

2008-01-25T13:17:00.001+08:00

Pasir Panjang Guides re-examine ridge plants. See "Plants of Pasir Panjang," by Kenneth Pinto. Toddycats, 13 Nov 2007.

We have had two sessions on plants late last year, and one session on history and the map last night. All this in preparation for the 2008 walks.

Musings of a PPHG newbie

2008-01-25T08:59:00.000+08:00

Till today, I still don't quite know how I stumbled into the group. Kenneth will probably attribute it to my 'too nice and can't say no' ways while Siva will say it's due to my 'aunty and kay poh' nature. It's just one of life's little mysteries. I suppose I have always wanted to carry on with some heritage and public education gig, though I have left both fields for quite awhile now.

My first 'encounter' with Siva was after some awards thing at the Grassroots Club. I had been trying to reach him as I had to get the logistics going for RBC's July Heritage Trail. He didn't seem to respond to my emails, which got me into quite a quandary with my higher ups. I sure felt like a sandwich then! When we did meet, Siva mumbled something like 'you are the kancheong person' and that's when things got rolling. I met everyone else thereafter when we ran the the trails and the rest is history!

I have never been a sciencey person, don't think I will. Maybe except when it comes to baking. But the first time I pounded the pavements during 2006' trails, I was impressed by this dedicated group of volunteers. They were friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about their craft. The faces of the most jaded participant at the end of each walk was enough to see they had successfully told their stories. So 2 successful runs of Heritage Trails, 1 September WWII Commemorative later, I find myself a probabtionary guide with the PPGH. Don't even remember how I ended up here!

Regardless, being a part of the group gets me out of my shell, which is in danger of being focused on only work (or lack there of) and job hunting at the moment. As I get older, I realise I don't really hang out with many friends or club or party or do social stuff. Volunteering with PPHG keeps my mind active and my social life from dying out.

More importantly, I think I have come to enjoy the friendships made with the rest of the PPGH. I must say I was extremely touched when Airani,Anand, Oi Yee and Kenneth took time off from their busy schedules to pop by my dad's wake. They lifted my spirits during some very dark days for me. So if there was a silver lining from my previous (work)life, it would have been invited to be a part of PPHG.

Guiding dates in 2008

2008-01-23T00:58:00.001+08:00

Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk
Sun 10 Feb 2008: 7am
Passive advertisement on Habitatnews.

International Museum Day
Sat 24 May 2008: 5.30pm, 6.30pm
To update 2007 webpage. We will not be including MOFF this year as participants are too tired to really explore the gallery, which does not do it credit.

Heritage Fest
Sat 19 Jul 2008 & Sat 26 Jul 2008: 8am - 12pm
To update the 2007 webpage.

Talking about Pasir Panjang Heritage

2008-01-23T00:55:00.001+08:00

I was at a workshop for teachers last Friday at the Singapore Management University (SMU). During that session, NHB revealed the interesting heritage calendar of theirs.

I was there, supposedly to give pointers about heritage projects. However, my talk was preceeded by none other than the Pei Hwa Secondary students and teacher from the Jalan Kayu Trail. During their rehearsal I realised they were going to cover similar issues so I hastily amended my slides while watching them.

Indeed the Pei Hwa students and teacher did an excellent job of covered all the learning points the audience possibly needed to hear about. I enjoyed the presentation and could empathise very well with their experience!

By the time I went up on stage, the teachers had been listening to a lot of serious stuff since the first presentation about NHB activities. So asking them to to sit back and relax worked very well as the final element. I had decided to resort to pure story-telling about Pasir Panjang. By emphasising stories, I hope it would remind them about the core around which we build our activities.

I had actually been scratching my head right up to the moment as to the exact delivery method and point to emphasise. However, once I went up on stage, their faces provided the feedback I needed and we had fun.

The teachers responded very well and several came to say they enjoyed it. That was good to know and I thought even as they thanked me that the teachers probably knew everyone needs encouragement and positive feedback was an important thing to provide.

I also ran in to our friends from the National Archives - Stanley, Sujin and Eileen. We conspired as usual, and since I had worked out my annual plan for Toddycats, I was able to confirm the 2008 dates really early this time.

The next post will have it!

Penrod Dean (video) on NAS webpage

2008-01-22T23:49:00.001+08:00

In response to news of Penrod Dean's passing in 2006, the National Archive of Singapore posted a webpage called "A Tribute to Lt. Penrod Vance Dean (19 Nov 1914 - 16 May 2006)." This includes two short video clips of him honouring the memory of the Malay Regiment soldiers.

You can view the longer version of the clips at the shows screened at Reflections at Bukti Chandu and Memories at Old Ford Factory.

Thanks to Kenneth for highlighting this earlier.

Best read book this year - "Singapore Samurai"

2007-08-01T21:11:00.000+08:00

My friends have been reading Penrod Dean's "Singapore Samurai" in quick succession since Ladybug brought it back from Boston. This started when Simon Goh of Changi Museum alerted me to the existence of highly relevant content in Dean' book and the fact that it was no longer available in Singapore. Immediately I checked with Amazon.com and true enough a reseller had a copy. That delivery was delayed due to some mix up at VPost, so I ordered another and had it sent to our friend's place in Boston.

So now I have two books, and they happened to be different editions - the first edition (1988) and the second (1990) edition which I loan out - with its dramatic cover and compact size, its the better book to circulate. After I had read it with great relish, i handed it to fellow Pasir Panjang guide Kenneth Pinto. His hair was almost standing on end when he returned it to me with bright eyes. Roused out of his blogging hiatus, he penned a review that would inspire at least one librarian to high browse it and another to promise to read.

Next was senior Pasir Panjang guide Kok Oi Yee, who laughed loudly in great delight at Dean's honest style. Next was Daphne Fautin, a busy visiting academic who I had come to find out had a great interest in the war. She agreed that it certainly was a fast read that she had enjoyed. Next was Teuteberg returned the book yesterday afternoon. As he waited for me to join him for lunch, he read aloud the part in which Dean and friends meet an English officer from the Malay Regiment trying to recruit the feeling soldiers to join them in holding the line.

I had already incorporated some of Penrod Dean's stories into my account of the Battle of Pasir Panjang during our commemorative walk in February. You see, his inspiring account of how "The Malays" fought off the Japanese at Reformatory Road (later Clementi Road) still makes my hair stand - you can hear his account in a 20 minute feature called "The Malay Regiment," which is screened regularly at the Memories at Old Ford Factory. Thankfully the Oral History Department of the National Archives of Singapore had conducted a series of interviews with the old boy before he passed on last year. I am told there is lot more in National Archives beyond the clips we saw and I rub my hands in anticipation of viewing them one day.

Having just read Singapore Samurai, many more aspects from his stories reverberate in my mind right now: his account of the battle, of course, from yet another perspective, it fits in like one of many more pieces of a jigsaw I will never complete. Images of a "Buena Vista" littered with bodies and body parts conjured up by his words. His immediate plans to escape from Changi when others were too accepting, and I think of John Larkin who says his father talked about'choko soldiers,' poor buggers.

He sabotaged rubber plantations that the Japanese had got working and an opportune destruction of a railway, meeting Chin Peng, evading capture, racial attitudes, the water torture, the horror of Outram Road goal (which Oi Yee's mum used to point out to her in horrified remembrance of war time torture), an incident of unlikley relief involving a sword and scathing views of almost everyone which leaves only a few characters and the Malay Regiment emerging with honours.

Penrod Dean was also very contemptuous of the War Crimes Trials in Tokyo, emphasising sad impressions I had gathered elsewhere only recently. His conversational tone throughout makes the book a one-sitting read. Kenneth and I agreed that he ad his mate were exceptional soldiers and to bear that in mind in relation to his assessment of others.

Many of his stories were incorporated during's last Saturday's Pasir Panjang guiding that we had done in conjunction with the Singapore Heritage Fest '07. I just wished I could have handed out copies of his book as a parting gift - I think my well-read participants would have appreciated it.

The book is available National Library.

In the midst of writing this, Kenneth pointed to "Not Just a Foreigner's War: A Review of "The Battle of Pasir Panjang Revisited," by Edgar Liao. Citizen Historian, 31 July 2007. He highlights other relevant literature and a pertinent issues we actually discuss during the walk! Hmm..we should recruit Edgar for the Pasir Panjang guides next engagement: the Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk in February 2008.

First posted to Otterman speaks, 01 Aug 2007.

Battle of Pasir Panjang layered over Google Earth

2007-07-14T21:35:00.000+08:00

Kenneth (inspired by SingGeo) sent the Pasir Panjang Guides a kmz file of Dol Ramli's "Map showing the Japanese advance on Pasir Panjang from 12 to 15 Feb 1942." It was published in Ramli, D., 1965. History of the Malay Regiment 1933-1942. JBRAS, 38 (1): 234.

The black did not stand out well against the heterogeneous background so curious, I tried colouring the roads, which are thick black lines, yellow or red instead. The roads form a bisected rectangle and it is sprinkled with permanent markers that allow everyone to orientate themselves - I try to convey a sense of geography during the walks as it then allows everyone to tie together the various elements of biology, history and military action.

Adjusting the contrast of the image brought out the roads the best. We should link the layer to a transparent file whose roads and battle fronts are brightly coloured. Next time perhaps.

Meanwhile, at least this highlights the rectangle I'm talking about. For my next talk.

First posted at Otterman speaks, 14 Jul 2007.

Kenneth Pinto reflects on Penrod Dean's "Singapore Samurai"

2007-07-06T07:01:00.000+08:00

See "Penrod Dean, the True Survivor," by Kenneth Pinto. Deadpoet’s Cave, 05 Jul 2007.

MIA 2007- Plunge into Darkness....

2007-05-26T23:34:00.000+08:00

The MIA Trail 2007 was made up of 2 sessions, one at 5.30pm and another at 6.30pm. The revision of timing was made as the last year's event ended rather late (12-1am!) and both the participants and the guides were worn out. Manpower, however, was more of a problem this year. With many of the guides unavailable for various reasons, Ooi Yee, Airani, Wendy and I set out bravely to bring a total of 80 participants on a trail that they (hopefully) would not forget!

Ooi Yee and Airani took the first session while Wendy and I took the second session. Being the man and all (just kidding, last year it was done by Airani!), I took up the role of the Bus Guide, who is in charge of introducing the Trail on the bus by using the on board microphone. Being a poor karaoke singer, the fear of handling the mike coupled with my rusty guiding technique spelled for a rocky introduction. As I silently swore under my breath, I prayed that the guiding session at the Raffles Museum would go much more smoothly.

When we reached the Raffles Museum, which is home to more than 500,000 specimens from all over the region, we caught a glimpse of the guides and participants of the earlier session. They have overshot the supposed timing! Well it wasn't surprising as the Museum gallery, with it's multitude of amazing specimens, has a wealth of interesting stories to be told.

Now it was my turn to give a tour around the Museum! With a time limit of an hour (which seemed very long to me), I secretly hoped that the previous year's training, my secret cheatsheets and hours of Discovery channel would help me spin interesting and realistic stories of the various exhibits. And that is what I did!

Amongst other things, I talked about the various types of natural habitats found in Singapore, how to handle a live tree climbing crab (with alcohol-preserved specimens), King Cobra Encounters "Do's and Don'ts", ultra environmentally destructive Facai harvesting, man eating sharks... Wendy managed to do it too! It seems that as long as you have a passion for nature and willingness to learn, you can tap the treasure trove of information of the Museum Gallery! Hence guiding is a piece of cake, so do come join us if you are interested. You'll have a swell time too!

Next stop: Kent Ridge Park. The view of the Pasir Panjang port, ships at sea and the Southern Islands from Kent Ridge Park was stunning. So many lights!

The participants were brought through the "Tembusu Grove", where the enchanting scent of the flowers of the Tembusu filled the air. Participants would be more at ease with the aromatherapy if only the guide hadn't linked the fragrance to the female vampire, the Pontianak, of Malay Mythology. A little mischief on our part :-)

But it seemed that the park was up to some mischief itself, for when I tried to find cicada moults on the rough tembusu bark to show the participants, I had no luck. It must have been the recent rain that washed the moults away.

And when I tried to look for graffiti on the barks of the Eucalyptus tree bark, I too had a problem cos they were all MIA. I guess the park was trying to fit into the night's theme as well.

Then came the final straw. The bats were all MIA too! Oh well, except for one, which gave me face by flying over our heads while we were on the broadwalk. The rain does seem to affect life in the forest in many ways, most of which I have yet to learn.

We then headed to Reflections at Bukit Chandu, which is an interactive visitor center which is focused on the Battle of Pasir Panjang. There, the National Heritage Board (NHB) guides gave an in-depth description of the events leading up to the Japanese invasion of Singapore and the valor of the Malay Regiment who fought bravely to defend the island during the Second World War.

I took a break at this point, and slipped into an uneasy repose as the "Sounds of Battle" interactive show raged on. My unease was quite expected as the realistic explosions and screams tend to switch us into a reflective mood, as we remember the horrors of war and the value of living in peaceful times.

The final stop was at Memories at Old Ford Factory. As there were NHB guides too at this location, Wendy and I said our goodbyes to our charming participants who were very engaging and inquisitive. I hoped that they had as much fun as we had guiding them. See you next year!

Quick recce in the morning

2006-07-13T21:53:00.000+08:00

I rode up to Kent Ridge Park to survey the place in order confirm the routes for the Pasir Panjang Heritage Trail on Sun 23rd July 2006. Site visits are always necessary and biking up made it all that more enjoyable.

SACA is having the competition rather soon after prepping the trail and I decided to make things easier by minimising the crossings with the new mountain bike trail.

Next year we can plan better. For now, if both walkers and riders are alert on the trails, we'll manage.

A section of the forest was stripped, possibly for the plantings NUS will be doing, as its next to our plot. Looked scary though, whole place stripped down like that. Better find out as our visitors are sure to ask. But at least I got to take some profile pictures on Adinandra dumosa.

My bag was laden with computer, camera, documents and spare clothes and this was heavier than I thought! The blazing sun didn't help. Though I survived, my poor shape made competing with the bus out of the question this year.

First posted on Otterman speaks, 13 Jul 2006.