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"Our soldiers are not as good fighters as their fathers were, we have so many men in Singapore, so many men - they should have done better."
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British troops crossing a pontoon. The mangrove is typical of the north-eastern coastline of Singapore; the sector the Japanese chose to attack.
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British artillery on the north-eastern side of Singapore, the causeway with Johore behind them. The imposing building in the top left corner is the Sultan of Johore's palace; this was used by Yamashita as an observation point.
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The US-made Thompson 'Tommy' sub-machine gun was unpopular as it was heavy and a hindrance in the jungle.
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The Japanese hoped to conquer Singapore by 11 February, the birthday
of their first Emperor Jimmu and a national holiday. On that day,
however, they had only just taken the Bukit Timah feature. They
hoped that with the fall of that strategic point, the British
would be pressured into capitulation. Surrender leaflets had been
air-dropped on the British but there was yet any word from them.
Yamashita's worst fears were materialising - the British were
digging in.
The original orders from 25th Army HQ had been to attack Bukit
Timah from the north and south. But during the battle, the 2-prong
attack was abruptly changed to an attack from all sides, causing
confusion. Tasting victory in the air, the 18th Division's 55th
Regiment, on standby as a reserve, got carried away and advanced
as far as a three-way road junction to the south. There its commander
wanted to dash down 5th Division's main trunk route of the Bukit
Timah and Dunearn Roads, but was rebuked for straying into another
division's sector. The 18th Division's soldiers were surprised
to be halted in their successful forwardmost engagement at a time
when the 5th Division had not yet appeared on the scene!
The British counterattack force - Tomforce and Masseyforce had
failed to recapture Bukit Panjang and were doing badly at Bukit
Timah. Percival decided to effect a close defence perimeter round
the city itself. His perimeter would run from Kallang airfield
to Paya Lebar airstrip, Woodleigh crossroads, Thomson Village,
Adam Road, Farrer Road, Tanglin Halt and edging out to the sea,
west of Bouna Vista. After a Japanese staff conference that night,
the 18th Division branched off west, away from the front, down
Reformatory Road (Clementi Road) to the southwest coast of Singapore
Island. Many men of the 18th Division could not understand the
division, believing that they would never be able to deal the
British the decisive blow as separating the two divisions would
only delay the fall of Singapore.
Many of the Japanese soldiers were now tired, some were sleep
walking as the division stomped along in the dark rubber forest,
seeing hardly anything ahead but fireflies.
A lot has been said about whether the British should have surrendered
at that point, or whether they should rather have risked an all-out
attack and house-to-house fight until the end as Percival seems
to have prepared to do. Whichever way one chooses to look at he
intriguing and sudden finale, the fact is that the Japanese were
down to their last supplies of ammunition.
Ochi Harumi recalled: "By 14 January, the machine-gunners of 5th Division's 11th regiment
had only four and a half cases of ammunition left. The total of
90 magazines available in the few boxes left would dispense 2700
bullets in 270 seconds. that meant that only 2 minutes 15 seconds
worth of bullets remained for each of their two heavy machine-guns.
At the latest their ammo would be gone early next morning. Machine-gunners
without bullets - ha, what clowns they were! But there was no
other way than to forge ahead. If only to see Singapore - even
if only with one eye left! Chikatan, chikatan, chikatan, their
steam engine pushed on."
Neither was it all plain sailing for the Japanese attackers. At
the eastern end of the MacRitchie reservoirs, British troops still
had lots of fight in them - and plenty of ammunition. Ochi records
how an entire company of his 11th Regiment was wiped out on Hospital
Hill, in the area of Mount Pleasant Road, in the final hours before
surrender. This was the area where the recently arrived British
18th Division was engaged in last-ditch defence. Caught in some
cross-fire, Ochi on arriving at the top of Hospital Hill, found
the platoon of 2nd Lt. Hamamoto in a half circle, some with fingers
on the trigger, eyes fixed upward on one particular spot from
where they must have been met with sudden machine-gun fire. No
one stirred, all were glaring at him and the stench of blood was
in the air. The bodies were positioned in their platoon formation
as if they were about to rise and make a dash before their sudden
dash in a hail of machine-gun bullets. There were others too,
two other platoons were poised left and right, with the command
group about to advance into the space between them. Commander
Tarouka must have been standing on top of a small crest directing
the attack of his company platoons when they all perished in that
withering storm of bullets. Ochi found the forward-most platoon
around the entrance of the inner building, which must have been
the barracks of the enemy machine-gunners. it too lay in a crescent
with its 2nd Lieutenant collasped in the middle; his sword in
one hand high above his head. Mouth half open, with clenched teeth,
the officers lay sidesways on the concrete of the entrance, blood
trickling from holes between his eyes and ears.
Many Japanese companies on this fateful day found their strength reduced to a third of its original fighting strength. It is interesting to note that while the Japanese 25th Army suffered 1793 killed and 2722 wounded on the Malayan mainland, it suffered 1713 killed and 3378 wounded in the mere few days fighting on Singapore Island.
The Cambridgeshires
Forming part of the 15,000 man-strong 18th British Division, the
Cambridgeshires was one of the seven battalions of East Anglian
Territorials, together with the Norfolk and Suffolk regiments.
Together with 51 crated Hurricanes, its 2nd Battalion sailed into
Singapore on January 13th in the midst of a Japanese air raid,
Their vessel, Mount Vernon, was meant to be the target; but a
sudden squall of heavy rain and low cloud providentially concealed
the vessel and the aircraft unloaded somewhere else instead. In
heavy rain the Battalion disembarked and proceeded to a makeshift
camp on the Bukit Timah racecourse, which consisted largely of
mud, expecting to spend some weeks re-organising and training
after a long voyage. However, owing to the critical situation
on the mainland, these illusions were rudely shattered and the
unit was rather unceremoniously pushed into battle on the 16th,
without having time to unpack. It was attachhed to 15th Indian
Brigade and dispatched to Batu Pahat in north Johore to relieve
a composite Leicester-Surrey Battalion (the “British Battalion”)
and prevent the enemy occupying the town and it’s airfield. Within
a few hours of arrival on the mainland, the first casualities
were sustained from Japanese dive bombing attacks.
The Battalion, which like all the Territorial Army battalions,
benefited from a core of regular sergeant-majors and sergeants,
cut its teeth during the intense Malayan battles up north of Singapore,
fighting in the Battle of Batu Pahat, with the assistance of two
companies of the 5th Norfolks, before finally withdrawing, fighting
their way and breaking out of Japanese encirclement to Singapore.
It was reported that the great majority of the Battalion, in companies,
platoons, sections and groups of every size and sort, under their
respective officers and N.C.O’s, managed somehow to break out
of the enemy ring and make their way back to Singapore, a distance
of 70 miles.
As the survivors returned, the Battalion was able to reorganise
and re-equip at a temporary camp on Serangoon Road. As the days
went by and more and more of the “missing” turned up, each with
stories of wild adventures to tell, the spirits of all ranks rose
high and the Battalion had it’s tail up as never before.
The rest of the Division had now arrived on the Island and after
five days, the unit found itself deployed to the north of Singapore.
It was once more in the line, taking over a sector of coast to
the east of the naval base. Here there was a complete lack of
any sort of defence works, and much digging and wiring was involved,
principally by night and often under shellfire from the enemy
batteries across the Straits; any movement by day drew artillery
and mortar attention. Here the Battalion returned to 53rd Brigade.
Japanese air attacks increased in intensity daily.
Shortly afterwards, as a result of the Japanese landings on the
west coast of the Island, the 53rd Brigade was ordered to carry
out a withdrawal in stages to the south, to conform with the movement
of the left of the general line. The Cambridgeshires, the Norfolks
and Suffolks and Foresters were learning fast and, as they were
mostly unaware of what was going on elsewhere, Divisional morale
was good. John Webb of the Northumberland Fusiliers recalled,
"I think we felt our division was all that was needed to put things
right."
Meanwhile the 1st Cambridgeshires, in house fighting in the tropical
tudor splendour of Adam Road near the vincinity of the Macritchie
reservoir, made good use of their Boy's anti-tank rifles, blasting
holes in outer walls of houses through which Thompsons and Brens
would deliver a withering fire. The huge .55 rounds similarly
did much damage as they recochetted around buildings like enraged
hornets. House clearing was slow, careful and deliberate work,
rooms and gardens were cleared with Thompsons and grenades, while
doors were kicked open and 2 inch mortars fired vertically through
windows. Japanese snipers brought forth the regiment's counter
snipers. Dead enemy snipers were laid out like exotic birds bagged,
so that everyone could admire the enemy's clever camouflage.
The battalion was later informed by Dalforce Chinese scouts that
a large party of Japanese had been observed encamped on the north-western
shore of the Pierce reservoir where they were lighting campfires,
starting the day with a swim and callisthenics. The Cambridgeshires
brought up a dozen or so Brens and some 2-inch mortars and began
their slaughter from the opposite bank at a range of about 400
yards. One of the ambushers, Private Jesse Adams, reported 'much
confusion' as those in the water tried to get out and those out
tried to get in.
But fortune favours the brave, regardless of which ever side they
are on. After securing the adjoining Race Course in their path,
one 5th Division unit was looking at the Golf Course on their
way to the MacRitchie Reservoir. Recalled Ochi Harumi, a machine-gunner
from the 5th Division:
"Close-cropped luxuriant acreage spread before them. Was it a
club house? Soldiers could be seen carrying things into a building
and coming out empty handed... A dangerous undertaking, across
800 metres of golf green! The house was heavily guarded, with
around 200 soldiers about and 6 armoured vehicles in the vincinity.
Ochi's side opened the attack, creating total confusion. "Forward!"
the Commander shouted. Grimy, in deep black soot, the Japanese
whirlwind uttered its beastly war cry, the beautiful English lawn
turning into a terrible killing field, with British and Australian
soldiers fleeing in all directions, each for himself. No, Ochi
thought, the British and Australians were not inferior, but in
the decisive moment, when faced with the only option, to show
spirit in the defence of Singapore, many were unable to pull the
trigger, and focused instead on escape. Amply rewarded, Ochi's
object turned out to be the provisions and fodder storage, that
General Percival had been so worried about."
Gen. Percival, who was nearby in his Sime Road HQ quickly decided
to withdraw to rear HQ at Fort Canning when told that a battle
was going on at the end of the golf course.
Further up Adam Road where the Cambridgeshires were, positions
were taken up on the evening of 13th February to the north of
Braddell Road, and the troops started digging in. Proper reconnoitering
of the vincinity however could not be carried out owing to darkness.
Soon after midnight, the Battalion line was attacked by the Japanese
in several places, and a force which outflanked the Brigade came
in from the left and swamped Battalion H.Q. Fighting back stoutly,
Battalion H.Q, mustering only 15 all ranks contained a complete
company on its own. Confused and bitter fighting ensued in the
darkness, and the Battalion found itself assaulted from all directions.
The C.C. was killed while manning an L.M.G., and the Adjutant
with several of the Battalion H.Q. met their deaths in a gallant
attempt to drive back the enemy with the bayonet. All communications
were cut, and part of the defence line was temporarily overrun,
but Major P.T. Howard took command of the Battalion, and at dawn
the line was reformed and gaps closed; the enemy withdrew into
cover and seemed to have exhausted his strength for the time being.
The following night further attempts were made by strong enemy
patrols to find a weak spot in the defences, but these were countered
and the line held. Throughout the 15th the Battalion continued
to hold its ground though its left flank was now in danger and
communication with the rear was no longer possible.
In the late afternoon, everything came to a sudden end when the
Brigade Commander came in person to deliver the order to cease
fire, lest this be disbelieved.
The fruits of Yamashita's victory were overwhelming. The Japanese captured 740 artillery pieces of all kinds, more than 10,000 vehicles, 3.38 million rifle bullets and a vast store of food and materiel. In addition they captured more than 130,000 prisoners of war. The price of the japanese victory, however, was no less light: 5,240 died and 9,528 were wounded during the campaign. Of these 1,713 died and 3,378 were wounded in the battle for Singapore. About two-fifths of those casualties were believed to have occured during the final assault landings.
A true account of what happened on Singapore
Arthur Bate`s Account
Written in Changi POW Camp