Let’s face it: many of use serve NS simply because we need to.
While commanders sometimes plan trips to war memorials to remind us of what we’re training for, we would usually treat the trip as a respite from our training.
We might have forgotten the price of the peace we’re enjoying now and the sacrifices that have been made.
And given it’s Singapore’s bicentennial year (which is really, really important, as the Government says), what would make this better than remembering the brave soldiers of Singapore who fought for us to their dying breath?
We all know Total Defence Day falls on 15 February, which marks the day that Singapore fell to the Empire of Japan.
But do you know of the final battle that leads to this surrender?
Here’s a chronological order of what happened days before the surrender: and how brave soldiers held on to their last bullet before losing the battle, but definitely not their honour.
8 February 1942 (8.30pm)
This was the first stage of the attack by the Japanese, after all the defences in Malaya (Malaysia) failed.
The Allied Force (Singapore is part of it) set up defences around the country, primarily in the north and northeast.
A defence was also set up in the northwest of Singapore, but it was thinly spread out as they did not believe the Japanese would assault from there.
Unfortunately, they attacked from the northwest, and reinforcements were too late to arrive.
9 February 1942 (1.00am)
With the thin defence, the Japanese soldiers managed to land and attack through the northwest of Singapore.
By afternoon, they have occupied Tengah Airfield.
13 February 1942 (2.00pm)
By then, over 13,000 Japanese troops have landed in Singapore.
A brigade was deployed to stop the Japanese from moving into Pasir Panjang as the route would lead them to Alexandra, the main supply area for the British army.
The units defending the post was forced to retreat due to heavy fire from the Japanese.
During this period, the Japanese broke through the defence line and fought hand-to-hand with bayonets (a kind of knife used for fighting).
The Japanese eventually won and captured some POWs, and then moved onwards towards their destination: Alexandra.
14 February 1942 (8.30am)
The Japanese launched another attack, this time with more firepower. There were a lot of causalities from both sides, but soon, the Japanese finally gained an advantage with an attack that comprised both tanks and infantry troops.
The 1st Malay Brigade, who were then defending that position, withdrew and changed their defence position to Bukit Chandu. They would then be the final defence against the Japanese.
The Japanese, this time, however, used an unconventional tactic: they sent a group of Japanese soldiers in Allied Force uniform, hoping that they would be able to sabotage and launch an attack.
The commander of C Company, 2LT Adnan Saidi, from the regiment, uncovered the disguise as British soldiers usually march in line of three instead of four. C Company then fired at the soldiers—some escaped while some were killed.
Finally, after two hours, the Japanese soldiers charged forward in full force.
Outnumbered and outgunned with limited ammunition, 2LT Adnan Saidi and his men fought hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese soldiers, stalling their approach.
They lost the fight, and 2LT Adnan Saidi was allegedly captured, tortured and killed by multiple stabs.
15 February 1942
Singapore surrendered.
Here’s one most important takeaway: the soldiers might have lost the last battle, but they’ve gained our respect. If not for their bravery in defending Singapore, we might still be waking up with fear every single day.
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So while you worship and praise BTS’s singing talents, why not tell others about Adnan Saidi’s bravery as well?
