Some 68 NUS staff
and students participated in this visit down memory lane.
As we have been advised by the curator of the centre and
manager of NParks to keep our group manageable for an
enjoyable visit, CGC decided to divide the participants
into two separate groups. The first group went to the
World War II Interpretative Centre and then to Labrador
Park and the second group (led by Toh Yong Soon) traveled
in the reverse direction.
Labrador
Park
is a 16.8-ha site
facing the sea in the southern part of Singapore.
It is one of our least known parks but has a
rich variety of flora and fauna. Nature aside, it is
better known for having been one of the British navy
strategic defence sites meant to protect the harbour of
Singapore in World War II. We were met by 2 enthusiastic
NParks gudies (Ms
Ooi Soo Fern & Mr Ho Kwang Teik)
who took us on a
walk along the history trail and
did a wonderful job
explaining the significance of the various defence
casements and the park itself.
The trail is punctuated
by storyboards, that gives
an idea of the battles bravely fought here before the fall
of Singapore to the Japanese. Formerly known as Labrador
Battery, the park contains ruins of command posts,
machine-gun posts, observation positions and ammunition
storage compartments, all of which are concealed partly by
the thick vegetation. For those interested in WW II, one
of the monuments along the way is an imposing 6-inch naval
cannon pointing out to sea. It is the only remaining site
in Singapore where damaged relics of the Second World War
is frozen in time. The park also has an underground tunnel
opened to visitors, which was constructed, as a storeroom
for guns and ammunition. The park is largely
made up of secondary forest with some rather ancient
trees. The tour ended at the side of a cliff for a
magnificent sea view of the Singapore harbor. From here,
it leads down to a walkway staircase to a 372-m-long
jetty, where fishing is allowed. The seafront reminds me
of the old esplanade waterfront. Due to its location, it
is a shame that despite its beauty, Labrador Park is one
of the most forgotten and secluded public parks in
Singapore.
The World War II
Interpretative Centre (Reflections at Bukit Chandu)
at 31-K Pepys Road is set amidst the lush greenery of Kent
Ridge. This is a rather small war museum housed in a
pre-war
double-storey colonial bungalow
to commemorates the
gallantry and sacrifice of men of the 1st and 2nd
Battalion Malay Regiment who desperately defended the
western part of Singapore in February 1942. During WW II,
the British defence forces used this bungalow to store
military and food supplies and it was around here that one
of the fiercest &
bloodiest battles was fought just before the fall of
Singapore to the Japanese Imperial Army. We strolled along
the exhibits of old photographs, maps, dates and
information detailing life in the Malay Regiment (whose
motto is “Ta’at Setia” written in Jawi meaning “Loyal and
True” ), the defence of Malaya and Singapore. At the
Audiovisual room, participants relive the battle of Pasir
Panjang through an unique “binaural sound” presentation as
they experience how the Malay Regiment soldiers led by Lt.
Adnan Saidi fought to the last – choosing death over
dishonour. We pondered over their heroism at one of the
arches, a poem by our
Poet-Laureate Professor Edwin Thumboo “Adnan &
Comrades At Bukit Chandu”. There is also a “Hands on
room” for visitors to inspect the equipments & weapons
used in the battle. As we left, looking at the “Pool of
Reflection” one but can’t help but pondered & empathized
upon the deeds of these soldiers who valued honour and
strength of character above their own lives.
