1.
Fort Canning
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Fort Canning is a small hill slightly more than 60 metres high in the southeast portion of the island city-state of Singapore, within the Central Area that forms Singapores central business district. It is also a venue for music shows and concerts. The Malays called the hill Bukit Larangan or Forbidden Hill since olden times and this is due to the belief that it is the place where the kings of ancient Singapore were laid to rest, and it was believed to be haunted. It was also believed that a palace once stood on the hill, a settlement on the hill in the 14th century was named Ban Zu by the Yuan dynasty traveller Wang Dayuan. Later Sir Stamford Raffles built his residence there, which was used by other Residents. It became known as Government Hill until it was renamed Fort Canning in 1861 when a fort was built on the site, today it is the location of the Fort Canning Park. In around 1330, the Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan visited the island of Singapore, Wang described in his work Daoyi Zhilüe the two distinct settlements of Temasek, Long Ya Men, and Ban Zu. Ban Zu, located on a hill behind Long Ya Men, is thought to be todays Fort Canning Hill, in contrast to the inhabitants of Long Ya Men who were described as being prone to acts of piracy, the people of Ban Zu were described as honest. The people were said to wear their hair short, with turban of gold-brocaded satin and it is now believed that the Fort Canning Hill area was once occupied by a palace with various buildings of political, religious and commercial significance. Archaeological evidence suggests that the settlement on Fort Canning was abandoned around this time, in 1928, a cache of Javanese-style gold ornaments dating to the mid-14th century were discovered at Fort Canning Hill while workers were excavating for a reservoir. Ban Zu is likely a transcription of the Malay word pancur meaning a spring or stream, a spring used to exist on the west side of the hill, called pancur larangan or forbidden spring, where the women of the rulers household were said to bathe in ancient times. Raffles, impressed by the significance of the hill and the commanding view it offered over the colony he had established. The residence was used by other Residents and Governors of Singapore. A keen botanist, Raffles also established Singapores first botanical garden there in 1822,48 acres of land were set aside for experimental crop cultivation, but the experiment failed and the garden was then abandoned in 1829. A Christian cemetery used to exist on the hill, serving as the ground for early Europeans in Singapore. Later the cemetery was moved further down the hill, a Gothic gateways built by Captain Charles Edward Faber in 1846, two classical monuments, and some headstones placed along brick walls remain at the site. By 1859, increased security concerns led to the taking on a military role with the demolition of the governors residence, and the building of a fort with an arms store, barracks. The fort was completed in 1861, and was named Fort Canning after Viscount Charles John Canning, who was then Governor-General, the old fort was later demolished, and a military headquarters was built with underground rooms serving as operations centre
2.
Singapore
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Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, sometimes referred to as the Lion City or the Little Red Dot, is a sovereign city-state in Southeast Asia. It lies one degree north of the equator, at the tip of peninsular Malaysia. Singapores territory consists of one island along with 62 other islets. Since independence, extensive land reclamation has increased its size by 23%. During the Second World War, Singapore was occupied by Japan, after early years of turbulence, and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland, the nation developed rapidly as an Asian Tiger economy, based on external trade and its workforce. Singapore is a global commerce, finance and transport hub, the country has also been identified as a tax haven. Singapore ranks 5th internationally and first in Asia on the UN Human Development Index and it is ranked highly in education, healthcare, life expectancy, quality of life, personal safety, and housing, but does not fare well on the Democracy index. Although income inequality is high, 90% of homes are owner-occupied, 38% of Singapores 5.6 million residents are permanent residents and other foreign nationals. There are four languages on the island, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil. English is its language, most Singaporeans are bilingual. Singapore is a multiparty parliamentary republic, with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government. The Peoples Action Party has won every election since self-government in 1959, however, it is unlikely that lions ever lived on the island, Sang Nila Utama, the Srivijayan prince said to have founded and named the island Singapura, perhaps saw a Malayan tiger. There are however other suggestions for the origin of the name, the central island has also been called Pulau Ujong as far back as the third century CE, literally island at the end in Malay. In 1299, according to the Malay Annals, the Kingdom of Singapura was founded on the island by Sang Nila Utama and these Indianized Kingdoms, a term coined by George Cœdès were characterized by surprising resilience, political integrity and administrative stability. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burned down the settlement, which by then was part of the Johor Sultanate. The wider maritime region and much trade was under Dutch control for the following period, in 1824 the entire island, as well as the Temenggong, became a British possession after a further treaty with the Sultan. In 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements, under the jurisdiction of British India, prior to Raffles arrival, there were only about a thousand people living on the island, mostly indigenous Malays along with a handful of Chinese. By 1860 the population had swelled to over 80,000, many of these early immigrants came to work on the pepper and gambier plantations
3.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
4.
British Army
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The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom. As of 2017 the British Army comprises just over 80,000 trained Regular, or full-time, personnel and just over 26,500 trained Reserve, or part-time personnel. Therefore, the UK Parliament approves the continued existence of the Army by passing an Armed Forces Act at least once every five years, day to day the Army comes under administration of the Ministry of Defence and is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff. Repeatedly emerging victorious from these decisive wars allowed Britain to influence world events with its policies and establish itself as one of the leading military. In 1660 the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were restored under Charles II, Charles favoured the foundation of a new army under royal control and began work towards its establishment by August 1660. The Royal Scots Army and the Irish Army were financed by the Parliament of Scotland, the order of seniority of the most senior line regiments in the British Army is based on the order of seniority in the English army. At that time there was only one English regiment of dragoons, after William and Marys accession to the throne, England involved itself in the War of the Grand Alliance, primarily to prevent a French invasion restoring Marys father, James II. Spain, in the two centuries, had been the dominant global power, and the chief threat to Englands early transatlantic ambitions. The territorial ambitions of the French, however, led to the War of the Spanish Succession and the Napoleonic Wars. From the time of the end of the Seven Years War in 1763, Great Britain was the naval power. As had its predecessor, the English Army, the British Army fought the Kingdoms of Spain, France, and the Netherlands for supremacy in North America and the West Indies. With native and provincial assistance, the Army conquered New France in the North American theatre of the Seven Years War, the British Army suffered defeat in the American War of Independence, losing the Thirteen Colonies but holding on to Canada. The British Army was heavily involved in the Napoleonic Wars and served in campaigns across Europe. The war between the British and the First French Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte stretched around the world and at its peak, in 1813, the regular army contained over 250,000 men. A Coalition of Anglo-Dutch and Prussian Armies under the Duke of Wellington, the English had been involved, both politically and militarily, in Ireland since being given the Lordship of Ireland by the Pope in 1171. The campaign of the English republican Protector, Oliver Cromwell, involved uncompromising treatment of the Irish towns that had supported the Royalists during the English Civil War, the English Army stayed in Ireland primarily to suppress numerous Irish revolts and campaigns for independence. Having learnt from their experience in America, the British government sought a political solution, the British Army found itself fighting Irish rebels, both Protestant and Catholic, primarily in Ulster and Leinster in the 1798 rebellion. The Haldane Reforms of 1907 formally created the Territorial Force as the Armys volunteer reserve component by merging and reorganising the Volunteer Force, Militia, Great Britains dominance of the world had been challenged by numerous other powers, in the 20th century, most notably Germany
5.
Malayan Campaign
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The Malayan Campaign was fought by Allied and Axis forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 –31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The Japanese had air and naval supremacy from the days of the campaign. For the British, Indian, Australian and Malayan forces defending the colony, the operation is notable for the Japanese use of bicycle infantry, which allowed troops to carry more equipment and swiftly move through thick jungle terrain. Royal Engineers, equipped with demolition charges, destroyed over a hundred bridges during the retreat, by the time the Japanese had captured Singapore, they had suffered 9,800 casualties, Allied losses totaled 138,708, including 130,000 captured. By 1941 the Japanese had been engaged for four years in trying to subjugate China and they were heavily reliant on imported materials for their military forces, particularly oil from the United States. From 1940 to 1941, the United States, the United Kingdom, the object of the embargoes was to assist the Chinese and encourage the Japanese to halt military action in China. The Japanese considered that pulling out of China would result in a loss of face and decided instead to take action against US, British. The Japanese forces for the invasion were assembled in 1941 on Hainan Island and this troop build-up was noticed by the Allies and, when asked, the Japanese advised that it related to its operations in China. When the Japanese invaded, they had over 200 tanks, consisting of the Type 95 Ha-Go, Type 97 Chi-Ha, Type 89 I-Go, in addition, they had over 500 combat aircraft available. They had just over 250 combat aircraft, but half of these were destroyed inside the first few days of combat, between the wars, the British military strategy in the Far East was undermined by a lack of attention and funding. He predicted that landings could be made at Songkhla and Pattani in Siam and he recommended large reinforcements to be sent immediately. His predictions turned out to be correct, but his recommendations were ignored, a strong naval presence was also thought to act as a deterrent against possible aggressors. By late 1941, after Lieutenant-General Arthur E. Percival had taken over as GOC Malaya, in addition, Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed that in the event of war breaking out in the east, priority would be given to finishing the war in the west. The east, until that time, would be a secondary priority, containment was considered the primary strategy in the east. Planning for this offensive was undertaken by the Japanese Military Affairs Bureaus Unit 82 based in Taiwan, intelligence on Malaya was gathered through a network of agents which included Japanese embassy staff, disaffected Malayans, and Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese business people and tourists. Japanese spies, which included a British intelligence officer, Captain Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan, in November 1941 the British became aware of the large scale buildup of Japanese troops in French Indo-China. Thailand was seen to be under threat from this build-up as well as Malaya, British strategists had foreseen the possibility of Thailands Kra isthmus being used by the Japanese to invade Malaya. To counteract this threat, plans for a pre-emptive invasion of southern Thailand
6.
Battle of Singapore
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Singapore was the major British military base in South-East Asia and was the keystone of British imperial interwar defence planning for South-East Asia as well as the South-West Pacific. The fighting in Singapore lasted from 8 to 15 February 1942 although this was preceded by two months of British resistance as Japanese forces advanced down the Malaya peninsula and it resulted in the Japanese capture of Singapore and the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history. About 80,000 British, Indian and Australian troops became prisoners of war, the British prime minister, Winston Churchill, called it the worst disaster in British military history. During 1940 and 1941, the Allies had imposed an embargo on Japan in response to its continued campaigns in China. The Japanese were encouraged to choose war by their intelligence, in December 1940, the Germans handed over copies of the papers to the Japanese. As a part of process, the Japanese planners determined a broad scheme of manoeuvre that incorporated simultaneous attacks on the British. In addition, strikes would be made against the United States naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, as well as landings in the Philippines, and attacks on Guam, Wake Island and the Gilbert Islands. With this perimeter, it was intended to block Allied attempts to regain the lost territory, the Japanese 25th Army invaded from Indochina, moving into northern Malaya and Thailand by amphibious assault on 8 December 1941. This was virtually simultaneous with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which precipitated the United States entry in to the war, Thailand initially resisted, but soon had to yield. The Japanese then proceeded overland across the Thai–Malayan border to attack Malaya, at this time, the Japanese began bombing strategic sites in Singapore. The Japanese 25th Army was resisted in northern Malaya by III Corps of the British Indian Army, although the 25th Army was outnumbered by Allied forces in Malaya and Singapore, Japanese commanders concentrated their forces. The Japanese were superior in close air support, armour, co-ordination, tactics, prior to the Battle of Singapore the most resistance was met at the Battle of Muar, which involved the Australian 8th Division and the Indian 45th Brigade. At the start of the campaign, the Allied forces had only 164 first-line aircraft on hand in Malaya and Singapore, and these aircraft were operated by two Royal Australian Air Force, two Royal Air Force, and one Royal New Zealand Air Force squadron. Major shortcomings included a slow rate of climb and the fuel system which required the pilot to hand pump fuel if flying above 6,000 feet. Their fighter aircraft were superior to the Allied fighters, which helped the Japanese to gain air supremacy, Japanese forces quickly isolated, surrounded, and forced the surrender of Indian units defending the coast. They advanced down the Malayan peninsula overwhelming the defences, despite their numerical inferiority, the Japanese forces also used bicycle infantry and light tanks, allowing swift movement through the jungle. The Allies, however, having thought the terrain made them impractical, had no tanks, and only a few armoured vehicles, although more Allied units—including some from the Australian 8th Division—joined the campaign, the Japanese prevented the Allied forces from regrouping. They also overran cities and advanced toward Singapore, the city was an anchor for the operations of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, the first Allied joint command of the Second World War
7.
Arthur Percival
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Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO & Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL was a senior British Army officer. Percivals surrender to the invading Imperial Japanese Army force, the largest capitulation in British military history, Arthur Ernest Percival was born on 26 December 1887 in Aspenden Lodge, Aspenden near Buntingford in Hertfordshire, England, the second son of Alfred Reginald and Edith Percival. His father was the Land Agent of the Hamels Park estate, Percival was initially schooled locally in Bengeo. Then in 1901, he was sent to Rugby with his more successful brother. A moderate pupil, he studied Greek and Latin but was described by a teacher as not a good classic, Percivals only qualification on leaving in 1906 was a higher school certificate. He was a successful sportsman, playing cricket and tennis. He also rose to sergeant in the schools Volunteer Rifle Corps. Nearly one third of his fellow recruits would be dead by the end of the war, by November Percival had been promoted to captain. The following year he was dispatched to France with the newly formed 7th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, Percival took a regular commission as a captain with the Essex Regiment in October 1916, whilst recovering from his injuries in hospital. He was appointed a major in his original regiment. In 1917, he became battalion commander with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. During Germanys Spring Offensive, Percival led a counter-attack that saved a unit of French artillery from capture, for a short period in May 1918, he acted as commander of the 54th Brigade. He was given promotion to major, and awarded the Distinguished Service Order, with his citation noting his power of command. He ended the war as a soldier, described as very efficient and was recommended for the Staff College. Percivals studies were delayed in 1919 when he decided to volunteer for service with the Archangel Command of the British Military Mission during the North Russia Campaign of the Russian Civil War. Acting as second-in-command of the 45th Royal Fusiliers, he earned a bar to his DSO in August, during the enemy counter-attack from Selmenga on Gorodok he handled his men excellently. The enemy were repulsed with loss, leaving 400 prisoners in our hands. Percival proved himself an energetic and effective counter-guerrilla, noted for his aptitude for intelligence gathering, enemies in the Irish Republican Army and others accused him of brutality towards prisoners, among them Tom Barry, leader of the West Cork Flying Column
8.
Royal Navy
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The Royal Navy is the United Kingdoms naval warfare force. Although warships were used by the English kings from the medieval period. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century, from the middle decades of the 17th century and through the 18th century, the Royal Navy vied with the Dutch Navy and later with the French Navy for maritime supremacy. From the mid 18th century it was the worlds most powerful navy until surpassed by the United States Navy during the Second World War. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing the British Empire as the world power during the 19th. Due to this historical prominence, it is common, even among non-Britons, following World War I, the Royal Navy was significantly reduced in size, although at the onset of the Second World War it was still the worlds largest. By the end of the war, however, the United States Navy had emerged as the worlds largest, during the Cold War, the Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the GIUK gap. The Royal Navy is part of Her Majestys Naval Service, which includes the Royal Marines. The professional head of the Naval Service is the First Sea Lord, the Defence Council delegates management of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence. The strength of the fleet of the Kingdom of England was an important element in the power in the 10th century. English naval power declined as a result of the Norman conquest. Medieval fleets, in England as elsewhere, were almost entirely composed of merchant ships enlisted into service in time of war. Englands naval organisation was haphazard and the mobilisation of fleets when war broke out was slow, early in the war French plans for an invasion of England failed when Edward III of England destroyed the French fleet in the Battle of Sluys in 1340. Major fighting was confined to French soil and Englands naval capabilities sufficed to transport armies and supplies safely to their continental destinations. Such raids halted finally only with the occupation of northern France by Henry V. Henry VII deserves a large share of credit in the establishment of a standing navy and he embarked on a program of building ships larger than heretofore. He also invested in dockyards, and commissioned the oldest surviving dry dock in 1495 at Portsmouth, a standing Navy Royal, with its own secretariat, dockyards and a permanent core of purpose-built warships, emerged during the reign of Henry VIII. Under Elizabeth I England became involved in a war with Spain, the new regimes introduction of Navigation Acts, providing that all merchant shipping to and from England or her colonies should be carried out by English ships, led to war with the Dutch Republic. In the early stages of this First Anglo-Dutch War, the superiority of the large, heavily armed English ships was offset by superior Dutch tactical organisation and the fighting was inconclusive
9.
Admiralty
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The new Admiralty Board meets only twice a year, and the day-to-day running of the Royal Navy is controlled by a Navy Board. It is common for the authorities now in charge of the Royal Navy to be referred to as simply The Admiralty. The title of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom was vested in the monarch from 1964 to 2011, the title was awarded to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh by Queen Elizabeth II on his 90th birthday. There also continues to be a Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom, the office of Admiral of England was created around 1400 although there had already been Admirals of the Northern and Western Seas. In 1546, King Henry VIII established the Council of the Marine, later to become the Navy Board, operational control of the Royal Navy remained the responsibility of the Lord High Admiral, who was one of the nine Great Officers of State. In 1628, Charles I put the office of Lord High Admiral into commission, the office of Lord High Admiral passed a number of times in and out of commission until 1709 after which the office was almost permanently in commission. In 1831, the first Navy Board was abolished as a separate entity, in 1964, the Admiralty along with the War Office and the Air Ministry as separate departments of state were abolished, and re-emerged under one single new Ministry of Defence. Within the expanded Ministry of Defence are the new Admiralty Board which has a separate Navy Board responsible for the running of the Royal Navy. The Army Board and the Air Force Board, each headed by the Secretary of State for Defence, the Board of Admiralty consisted of a number of Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. The Lords Commissioners were always a mixture of admirals, known as Naval Lords or Sea Lords and Civil Lords, the quorum of the Board was two commissioners and a secretary. The president of the Board was known as the First Lord of the Admiralty, after 1806, the First Lord of the Admiralty was always a civilian while the professional head of the navy came to be known as the First Sea Lord. The first real concerted effort to organise the Admiralty was started by Henry VIII. Between 1860 and 1908 there was no study of strategy and of staff work conducted within the naval service. All the navys talent flowed to the great technical universitys and it was perceived by officials within the Admiralty at this time that the running of war was quite a simple matter for any flag officer who required no formal training. The new War Staff had hardly found its feet and it struggled with the opposition to its existence by senior officers they were categorically opposed to a staff. The deficiencies of the system within this department of state could be seen in the conduct of the Dardanelles campaign, there was no mechanisms in place to answer the big strategic questions in 1914 a Trade Division was created. In 1916, Sir John Jellicoe came to the Admiralty, he organized the staff as following, Chief of War Staff, Operations, Intelligence, Signal Section, Mobilization, Trade. This for the first time gave the naval staff direct representation on the Board, the would direct all operations and movements of the fleet, while the would be responsible for mercantile movements and anti-submarine operations
10.
Singapore strategy
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The Singapore strategy was a naval defence policy of the British Empire that evolved in a series of war plans from 1919 to 1941. The idea of invading Japan was rejected as impractical, but British planners did not expect that the Japanese would willingly fight a naval battle against the odds. Aware of the impact of a blockade on a nation at the heart of a maritime empire. The Singapore strategy was the cornerstone of British Imperial defence policy in the Far East during the 1920s and 1930s. By 1937, according to Captain Stephen Roskill, the concept of the Main Fleet to Singapore had, perhaps through constant repetition, a combination of financial, political and practical difficulties ensured that it could not be successfully implemented. During the 1930s, the strategy came under sustained criticism in Britain and abroad, particularly in Australia, the strategy ultimately led to the despatch of Force Z to Singapore and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and Repulse by Japanese air attack on 10 December 1941. The subsequent ignominious fall of Singapore was described by Winston Churchill as the worst disaster, the United States determination to create what Admiral of the Navy George Dewey called a navy second to none presaged a new maritime arms race. The two-power standard of 1889 called for a Royal Navy strong enough to take on any two other powers, in 1909, this was scaled back to a policy of 60% superiority in dreadnoughts. This decision was reaffirmed by Cabinet in August 1919 in order to preclude the U. S. Navys building program from becoming a justification for the Admiralty initiating one of its own. In 1920, the First Lord of the Admiralty Sir Walter Long announced a one-power standard, inferior in strength to the Navy of any other power. The one-power standard became official when it was announced at the 1921 Imperial Conference. The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 reinforced this policy, the most urgent issue was that of whether or not to renew the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which was due to expire on 13 July 1921. On one side were the Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes and the Prime Minister of New Zealand Bill Massey, the British Empire, declared Hughes, must have a reliable friend in the Pacific. As a result, no decision to renew was reached, the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922 provided for a 5,5,3 ratio of capital ships of the British, United States and Japanese navies. Throughout the 1920s, the Royal Navy remained the worlds largest navy, with a margin of superiority over Japan. The Washington Naval Treaty also prohibited the fortification of islands in the Pacific, the provisions of the London Naval Treaty of 1930, however, restricted naval construction, resulting in a serious decline in the British shipbuilding industry. Germanys willingness to limit the size of its navy led to the Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935 and this was seen as signalling a sincere desire to avoid conflict with Britain. In 1934, the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ernle Chatfield, the Singapore strategy was a series of war plans that evolved over a twenty-year period in which the basing of a fleet at Singapore was a common but not a defining aspect
11.
Singapore Naval Base
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After the Great War, the British government devoted significant resources into building a naval base in Singapore, as a deterrent to the increasingly ambitious Japanese Empire. Originally announced in 1923, the construction of the base proceeded slowly at Sembawang until the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and it was completed in 1939, at a staggering cost of £60 million – equivalent to £2½ billion in 2006. The base covered 21 square miles and had what was then the largest dry dock in the world, the third-largest floating dock and it was defended by heavy 15-inch naval guns stationed at Johore battery, Changi, and at Buona Vista Battery. Other important batteries of smaller calibre were located at Fort Siloso, Fort Canning, Air defence relied on the Royal Air Force airfields at RAF Tengah and RAF Sembawang. Winston Churchill touted it as the Gibraltar of the East, the base was subsequently captured, largely intact, by units of the advancing Japanese Army and remained in Japanese control through the end of World War II. Since 1972, part of the compound is now occupied by the Republic of Singapore Navys Naval Diving Unit. With the complete withdrawal of British forces from Singapore in 1971, the Naval Base has since handed over to the Singapore government. After the short term ANZUK arrangement was terminated, New Zealand Force South East Asia was created with the HQ being sited at the Stores Basin area adjacent to the current Sembawang Naval Basin and it should be noted this was the last major foreign military presence based in Singapore. Total military strength at the time stood at 850 with some 700 dependents and this security blanket covered the British, UK and Australian facilities and personnel. As part of a 1990 agreement between Singapore and the United States, American military forces have been making use of Sembawangs base facilities. Since 2002, Singapore has granted the Indian Navy in principle access to Sembawang Port, a large floating dry dock, the third-largest in the world at the time of its construction, was located at the base. The graving dock was completed in February 1938 and was more than 300 meters in length and was the largest dry dock in the world at the time. With the impending capture of Singapore by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, the dock was subsequently repaired and used throughout the war and was subjected to Allied air attacks to disable the dry dock in late 1944 and early 1945
12.
Royal Air Force
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The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdoms aerial warfare force. Formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as, at the time, the largest air force in the world. The RAF describe its mission statement as, an agile, adaptable and capable Air Force that, person for person, is second to none, and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the UK Defence Mission. The mission statement is supported by the RAFs definition of air power, Air power is defined as the ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events. Today the Royal Air Force maintains a fleet of various types of aircraft. The majority of the RAFs rotary-wing aircraft form part of the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command in support of ground forces, most of the RAFs aircraft and personnel are based in the UK, with many others serving on operations or at long-established overseas bases. It was founded on 1 April 1918, with headquarters located in the former Hotel Cecil, during the First World War, by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps, at that time it was the largest air force in the world. The RAFs naval aviation branch, the Fleet Air Arm, was founded in 1924, the RAF developed the doctrine of strategic bombing which led to the construction of long-range bombers and became its main bombing strategy in the Second World War. The RAF underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the Second World War, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan of December 1939, the air forces of British Commonwealth countries trained and formed Article XV squadrons for service with RAF formations. Many individual personnel from countries, and exiles from occupied Europe. By the end of the war the Royal Canadian Air Force had contributed more than 30 squadrons to serve in RAF formations, additionally, the Royal Australian Air Force represented around nine percent of all RAF personnel who served in the European and Mediterranean theatres. In the Battle of Britain in 1940, the RAF defended the skies over Britain against the numerically superior German Luftwaffe, the largest RAF effort during the war was the strategic bombing campaign against Germany by Bomber Command. Following victory in the Second World War, the RAF underwent significant re-organisation, during the early stages of the Cold War, one of the first major operations undertaken by the Royal Air Force was in 1948 and the Berlin Airlift, codenamed Operation Plainfire. Before Britain developed its own nuclear weapons the RAF was provided with American nuclear weapons under Project E and these were initially armed with nuclear gravity bombs, later being equipped with the Blue Steel missile. Following the development of the Royal Navys Polaris submarines, the nuclear deterrent passed to the navys submarines on 30 June 1969. With the introduction of Polaris, the RAFs strategic nuclear role was reduced to a tactical one and this tactical role was continued by the V bombers into the 1980s and until 1998 by Tornado GR1s. For much of the Cold War the primary role of the RAF was the defence of Western Europe against potential attack by the Soviet Union, with many squadrons based in West Germany. With the decline of the British Empire, global operations were scaled back, despite this, the RAF fought in many battles in the Cold War period
13.
William Dobbie
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Lieutenant General Sir William George Shedden Dobbie, GCMG, KCB, DSO was a British Army veteran of the Second Boer War and the First and Second World Wars. William was born in Madras to a civil servant father, W. H. Dobbie of the Indian Civil Service – and to a family with a long military lineage. When he was nine months old, his parents left him in the care of relatives in England. At thirteen, young William won a scholarship to Charterhouse School and became a classical scholar. Upon graduation, he proved to be qualified for a career at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, from which, in due course. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 6 August 1899. Dobbie joined the Second Boer War shortly after the funeral of Queen Victoria in February 1901 and he was wounded, and returned to the United Kingdom shortly after the end of hostilities, arriving in Southampton in July 1902. He later opined that the Second Boer War was a rather unjust war, following his return he was stationed at Chatham in late 1902, and was promoted to captain on 6 August 1908. Dobbie was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in November 1914, during the First World War, Dobbie happened to have been the staff officer on duty in November 1918 and his is the only signature on the cease-fire telegram that was sent to all troops. In later years, when asked what he did during the war, after the War Dobbie was appointed an Officer of the Order of Leopold on 21 August 1919. He was graded a temporary lieutenant colonel on 18 April 1920 and he was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 January 1925 and to colonel on 18 January 1926. On 29 June 1928, he was appointed commander of the Cairo Brigade with the rank of brigadier and he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1930 New Year Honours List. He reverted to his permanent rank of colonel and ceased to be employed from 15 July 1932, on 18 February 1933, he was promoted to major general and appointed Commandant of the School of Military Engineers. He was appointed General Officer Commanding Malaya Command on 8 November 1935, Dobbie, then holding the rank of major general, was informed that after Malaya he would be retired, because new War Office regulations deemed him too old for a further position. As acting governor-general, he was granted the rank of lieutenant-general on 27 April 1940. Promoted to temporary lieutenant general on 27 April, he was confirmed as Governor of Malta on 19 May and he remained Governor of Malta until May 1942, and retired with the honorary rank of lieutenant-general on 10 November 1942. When he arrived on Malta, its defensibility was in question because of the ease with which Italy could overrun it. There were only 4 planes on the island and these had probably been overlooked, few other than Churchill saw any strategic value in maintaining it and the commitment of the Maltese to the British cause was also questioned
14.
Central Area, Singapore
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The Central Area, also called the City Area, and informally The City, is the city centre of Singapore. The term Central Business District has also used to describe most of the Central Area as well. The Central Area surrounds the banks of the Singapore River and Marina Bay where the first settlements on the island were established shortly after the arrival of Raffles in 1819, surrounding the Central Area is the rest of the Central Region. The south-easternmost limits of the city is enclosed in by Marina Barrage, the Central Area is one of the most densely developed places in Singapore, with a large mix of commercial and residential developments packed into a space of only 1784 hectares. A great number of Mass Rapid Transit stations tend to be concentrated in this area as well, each of the districts within the Central Area have a heavy and dense commercial presence, especially in the Downtown Core, Orchard and Singapore River districts. Rochor, Newton, River Valley and Outram are commercially thriving, schools, condominiums and Housing Development Board apartments are located in these areas, albeit at higher prices. Since the 1970s, the Singapore government and the Urban Redevelopment Authority have reclaimed land portions from Marina Bay in an attempt to expand the Central Area, newly created portions of land surrounding Marina Bay have been organised and labelled into Marina East, Marina South and Straits View. Many construction projects have completed in these districts since their creation. Much of the area bounded by Telok Ayer Road, which has a high concentration of skyscrapers is built on reclaimed land. Therefore, the Thian Hock Keng Temple built in 1839 along Telok Ayer Road used to face the sea, prior to 1839, the temple served as a joss-house for the Hokkien immigrants. The clan’s office was housed there and this temple was used as a meeting venue. The temple comprises an architectural masterpiece of stone, tiles and wood, dragons and phoenixes, amazing cravings, sculptures, the Thian Hock Keng temple has been gazetted as a national monument in 1973. At Church Street is the Yueh Hai Ching Temple, one of the oldest Taoist temples and this temple was established by a group of Teochew settlers from Guangzhou in China when they dedicated a shrine to Tian Hou. This temple faced the sea and was therefore a place where newly arrived Chinese immigrants came to offer their thanks to the Goddess for their voyage across the seas. The renovation to the temple was undertaken by the Ngee Ann Kongsi and this temple served as a meeting place for the people of the Teochew community in the late 19th century when the Teochews became the second largest Chinese Dialect group in Singapore. The temple was honoured with an e, an imperial signboard from Emperor Guang Xu of the Qing Dynasty in 1907. In 1996 it was gazetted as a monument and it underwent repairs. This temple is a silent testimony to the faith and gratitude of many people in Singapore, the background contrast between the old temples and the new modern buildings indicate the juxtaposition and coexistence of new and old
15.
Stamford Raffles
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Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, FRS was a British statesman, Lieutenant-Governor of British Java and Governor-General of Bencoolen, best known for his founding of Singapore. He was also involved in the conquest of the Indonesian island of Java from Dutch and French military forces during the Napoleonic Wars. He was also a writer and wrote a book titled The History of Java. Raffles was born on the ship Ann off the coast of Port Morant, Jamaica, to Captain Benjamin Raffles and his father was a Yorkshireman who had a burgeoning family and little luck in the West Indies trade during the American Revolution, sending the family into debt. The little money the family had went into schooling Raffles, in 1795, at the age of 14, Raffles started working as a clerk in London for the British East India Company, the trading company that shaped many of Britains overseas conquests. In 1805 he was sent to what is now Penang in the country of Malaysia, then called the Prince of Wales Island and he started with a post under the Honourable Philip Dundas, the Governor of Penang. At this time he made the acquaintance of Thomas Otho Travers. His knowledge of the Malay language, as well as his wit and ability, gained him favour with Lord Minto, Governor-General of India, and he was sent to Malacca. Then, in 1811, after the invasion and annexation of the Kingdom of Holland by France during Napoleons war, Raffles had no choice and he mounted a military expedition against the Dutch and French in Java, Indonesia. The British, led by Colonel Gillespie, stormed the fort, janssens attempted to escape inland but was captured. The British invasion of Java took a total of forty-five days and he took his residence at Buitenzorg and despite having a small subset of Britons as his senior staff, he kept many of the Dutch civil servants in the governmental structure. During the relatively brief British rule in Java, Raffles negotiated peace, Most significant of these was the 21 June 1812 assault on Yogyakarta, one of the two most powerful indigenous polities in Java. During the attack the Yogyakarta kraton was badly damaged and extensively looted by British troops, Raffles seized much of the contents of the court archive. The event was unprecedented in Javanese history and it was the first time an indigenous court had been taken by storm by a European army, and the humiliation of the local aristocracy was profound. Under Raffless aegis, a number of ancient monuments in Java were systematically catalogued for the first time. The first detailed English-language account of Prambanan was prepared by Colin Mackenzie while Borobudur was surveyed and cleared of vegetation by H. C, under the harsh conditions of the island, his wife, Olivia, died on 26 November 1814, an event that devastated Raffles. In 1815, he left again for England shortly before the island of Java was returned to control of the Netherlands following the Napoleonic Wars, under the terms of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814. He sailed to England in early 1816 to clear his name and, en route, visited Napoleon, who was in exile at St. Helena, but found him unpleasant and unimpressive
16.
Straits Settlements
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The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Originally established in 1826 as part of the controlled by the British East India Company. The colony was dissolved in 1946 as part of the British reorganisation of its Southeast Asian dependencies following the end of the Second World War, the Straits Settlements originally consisted of the four individual settlements of Malacca, Dinding, Penang and Singapore. The Penang territory included Penang Island, formerly known as Prince of Wales Island, christmas Island and the Cocos Islands were also included. The island of Labuan, off the coast of Borneo, was incorporated into the colony with effect from 1 January 1907. Most of the territories now form part of Malaysia, from which Singapore separated in 1965, the Cocos Islands were transferred to Australian control in 1955. Christmas Island was transferred in 1958 and their administration was combined in 1996 to form the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. This resulted in the exchange of the British settlement of Bencoolen for the Dutch colony of Malacca, the Settlements were largely Chinese in population, with a tiny but important European minority. Their capital was moved from Penang to Singapore in 1832 and their scattered nature proved to be difficult and, after the company lost its monopoly in the china trade in 1833, expensive to administer. During their control by the East India Company, the Settlements were used as penal settlements for Indian civilian and military prisoners, the years 1852 and 1853 saw minor uprisings by convicts in Singapore and Penang. As there was little or no vernacular press in the Settlements, such an act seemed irrelevant, earlier, on 4 February 1867, Letters Patent had granted the Settlements a colonial constitution. Penang and Malacca were administered, directly under the governor, by resident councillors, the Dindings, which included Pangkor Island as well as the towns of Lumut, and Sitiawan, were ceded by Perak to the British government under the Pangkor Treaty of 1874. Province Wellesley, on the mainland opposite the island of Penang, was ceded to Great Britain in 1800 by the Sultan of Kedah, on its northern and eastern border, the boundary with Kedah was rectified by treaty with Siam in 1867. It was administered by an officer, with some assistants. About a tenth of the area was covered by low hills with thick jungle. Large quantities of rice were grown by the Malay inhabitants, the governor of the Straits Settlements was also High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States on the peninsula, for British North Borneo, the sultanate of Brunei and Sarawak in Borneo. Since the administration of the colony of Labuan, which for a period was vested in the British North Borneo Company, was resumed by the British government he was governor of Labuan. During World War II, the Japanese invaded Malaya and the Straits Settlements by landing on Kelantan on 8 December 1941, on 16 December Penang became the first Straits Settlement to fall into Japanese hands
17.
Major general
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Major general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the rank of sergeant major general. In the Commonwealth, major general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral. In some countries, including much of Eastern Europe, major general is the lowest of the officer ranks. In the old Austro-Hungarian Army, the general was called a Generalmajor. Todays Austrian Federal Army still uses the same term, see also Rank insignias of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces General de Brigade is the lowest rank amongst general officers in the Brazilian Army. AGeneral de Brigada wears two-stars as this is the level for general officers in the Brazilian Army. In tha Brazilian Air Force, the two-star, three-star and four-star rank are known as Brigadeiro, Major-Brigadeiro, see Military ranks of Brazil and Brigadier for more information. In the Canadian Armed Forces, the rank of major-general is both a Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force rank equivalent to the Royal Canadian Navys rank of rear-admiral, a major-general is a general officer, the equivalent of a naval flag officer. The major-general rank is senior to the ranks of brigadier-general and commodore, prior to 1968, the Air Force used the rank of air vice-marshal, instead. In the Canadian Army, the insignia is a wide braid on the cuff. It is worn on the straps of the service dress tunic. On the visor of the cap are two rows of gold oak leaves. Major-generals are initially addressed as general and name, as are all general officers, major-generals are normally entitled to staff cars. In the Estonian military, the general rank is called kindralmajor. The Finnish military equivalent is kenraalimajuri in Finnish, and generalmajor in Swedish and Danish, the French equivalent to the rank of major general is général de division. In the French military, major général is not a rank but an appointment conferred on some generals, usually of général de corps darmée rank, the position of major général can be considered the equivalent of a deputy chief of staff. In the French Army, Major General is a position and the general is normally of the rank of corps general
18.
Thailand
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Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, formerly known as Siam, is a country at the centre of the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia. With a total area of approximately 513,000 km2, Thailand is the worlds 51st-largest country and it is the 20th-most-populous country in the world, with around 66 million people. The capital and largest city is Bangkok, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy and has switched between parliamentary democracy and military junta for decades, the latest coup being in May 2014 by the National Council for Peace and Order. Its capital and most populous city is Bangkok and its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. The Thai economy is the worlds 20th largest by GDP at PPP and it became a newly industrialised country and a major exporter in the 1990s. Manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism are leading sectors of the economy and it is considered a middle power in the region and around the world. The country has always been called Mueang Thai by its citizens, by outsiders prior to 1949, it was usually known by the exonym Siam. The word Siam has been identified with the Sanskrit Śyāma, the names Shan and A-hom seem to be variants of the same word. The word Śyâma is possibly not its origin, but a learned, another theory is the name derives from Chinese, Ayutthaya emerged as a dominant centre in the late fourteenth century. The Chinese called this region Xian, which the Portuguese converted into Siam, the signature of King Mongkut reads SPPM Mongkut King of the Siamese, giving the name Siam official status until 24 June 1939 when it was changed to Thailand. Thailand was renamed Siam from 1945 to 11 May 1949, after which it reverted to Thailand. According to George Cœdès, the word Thai means free man in the Thai language, ratcha Anachak Thai means kingdom of Thailand or kingdom of Thai. Etymologically, its components are, ratcha, -ana- -chak, the Thai National Anthem, written by Luang Saranupraphan during the extremely patriotic 1930s, refers to the Thai nation as, prathet Thai. The first line of the anthem is, prathet thai ruam lueat nuea chat chuea thai, Thailand is the unity of Thai flesh. There is evidence of habitation in Thailand that has been dated at 40,000 years before the present. Similar to other regions in Southeast Asia, Thailand was heavily influenced by the culture and religions of India, Thailand in its earliest days was under the rule of the Khmer Empire, which had strong Hindu roots, and the influence among Thais remains even today. Voretzsch believes that Buddhism must have been flowing into Siam from India in the time of the Indian Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Empire, later Thailand was influenced by the south Indian Pallava dynasty and north Indian Gupta Empire. The Menam Basin was originally populated by the Mons, and the location of Dvaravati in the 7th century, the History of the Yuan mentions an embassy from the kingdom of Sukhothai in 1282
19.
Kota Bharu
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Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia that serves as the state capital and royal seat of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory or district in which Kota Bharu City is situated, the name means new city or new castle/fort in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the part of Peninsular Malaysia. The northeastern Malaysian city is close to the Thailand border, Kota Bharu is home to many mosques, various museums, the unique architecture of the old royal palaces and former royal buildings in the centre of town. Kota Bharu was founded during the late 19th century, prior to this, Kota Bharu was known as Kuala Kelantan. Before Kota Bharu assumed the role, the Kelantanese capital was divided into two which were Kota Kubang Labu and Kota Pengkalan Datu. During the 19th century, Kelantan was a prosperous and populous state which holds a population of around 30,000 to 50,000 people including a thousands of Chinese. One of the production from the state are gold, tin ore, black pepper, areca nut, rice, rattan, bamboo, agarwood, Kota Bharu act as entepot for goods due to its strategic location on the beside the Kelantan River. Besides that, there are also minority Tamil, Siamese and Orang Asli that resides in the city, the total population of Kota Bharu as at 2010 is 491,237. Ranking Population Kota Bharu District Kota Bharus population is 70% Muslim with the remainder consisting of Buddhists, the indigenous peoples that reside in the citys outskirts are generally practicing Christians. The predominantly urban local Chinese community mainly practices Buddhism, morality police are common and apprehend people who engaged in acts perceived as immoral. The Jawi script is used in names and restaurants. Social activities that do not contradict Islamic norms are allowed, government offices and many stores are closed on Fridays and Saturdays, but the vibrant markets remain open except for Islamic prayer times. The conservative Kelantanese state government under PAS has implemented some Islamic laws, however, these regulations apply only to Muslims. The Kota Bharu Municipal Council, the government authority, discourages the use of indecent attire by female employees in retail outlets and restaurants. Those who are caught for dressing indecently may be fined up to RM500, the definition of indecent dressing includes body hugging outfits which show off the body, blouses which show the navel, see through blouses, mini-skirts and tight pants. The Kelantanese culture is influenced by Thai culture because of its geographical proximity to Thailand. The Chinese are much more assimilated to local culture than those in parts of Malaysia
20.
Straits of Johor
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The Johore Strait, is an international strait in Southeast Asia, between Singapore and mainland Malaysia. The strait separates the Malaysian state of Johor on the mainland Malay Peninsula to the north, from Singapore and it connects to the Strait of Malacca on the west, and the Singapore Strait on the southeast. The mouth and delta of the Johur River is on its northeast side in Malaysia, there are currently two bridges crossing the strait. The Johor-Singapore Causeway, known simply as The Causeway, links Johor Bahru, the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link bridge is further west over the strait, links Gelang Patah in Malaysia and Tuas in Singapore. In 2003, Malaysia wanted to build a bridge across the strait to replace the existing causeway, but negotiations with Singapore were not successful. The main reasons cited for the change were, a bridge would allow flow of water across both sides of the strait which were artificially cut in two with the building of the causeway before. A bridge would help ease congestion in Johor Bahru, in August 2003, Malaysia announced that it was going ahead with a plan to build a gently sloping, curved bridge that would join up with Singapores half of the existing causeway. The plans included a bridge for the railway line. However, plans to build the bridge have been called off as of 2006, major tributaries which empty into the Strait of Johore include, In the Malay language, Sungai is the word for river. Pollution along the Johore Strait is notable, the area is also a source of environmental contention between Malaysia and Singapore, due to land reclamation projects on both sides of the Causeway. There have been suggestions that the land reclamation projects may impact the maritime boundary, shipping lanes. Environmental Impact Assessments are requested before any reclamation is carried out such as the Forest City project, reclamation projects may also endanger the habitat and food source of dugongs, which are native to the strait. The Johore Strait is the location of two Victoria Cross deeds, the award was for Lieutenant Ian Edward Fraser and Acting Leading Seaman James Joseph Magennis for the sinking of the 9, 850-tonne Japanese cruiser Takao on 31 July 1945. Former Wakefield professional heavyweight boxer Paul Sykes claims to be the person to have swum across the straits to avoid arrest. A well known tourist attraction of the Strait of Johores is Lido Beach, here, visitors can walk or cycle along the 2 km stretch of the beach. There are numerous restaurants and food stalls
21.
Battle of Sarimbun Beach
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The Battle of Sarimbun Beach was the first stage of the Japanese assault on Singapore in February 1942 during World War II. Sarimbun Beach, in the west of Singapore Island, was the area in which Japanese troops, under the direction of Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita. The main Japanese objective to the rear of Sarimbun Beach was Tengah Airfield. The terrain was primarily mangrove swamp and tropical forest, broken up by rivers, brigadier Harold Taylors 22nd Infantry Brigade, augmented by most of the Australian 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, was assigned a 10-mile wide sector centred on Sarimbun Beach. The Jind Infantry Battalion of the Indian States Forces, which was guarding Tengah, and a company from Dalforce, the 27th Infantry Brigade was assigned an adjoining 4,000 yard wide zone to the north, adjoining the causeway. The Australian 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion was distributed among the infantry units, at 8. 30pm on 8 February, Australian machine gunners opened fire on vessels carrying a first wave of 4,000 troops from the 5th and 18th Divisions towards Singapore island. The Japanese assaulted Sarimbun Beach, which was held by the 22nd Brigade, fierce fighting raged all day but eventually the increasing Japanese numbers — as well as their superiority in artillery, planes and military intelligence — began to take their toll. The Japanese exploited gaps in the thinly-spread Allied lines such as rivers, by midnight, the two Australian brigades had lost communications with each other and the 22nd Brigade was forced to retreat. At 1am, further Japanese troops were landed and the last Australian reserves went in. Towards dawn on 9 February, some elements of the 22nd Brigade had been overrun or surrounded, the 2/20th Australian Infantry Battalion, on the right flank was also heavily committed. At the same time, the 2/19th Australian Infantry Battalion, on the left, was being outflanked, percival maintained a belief that further landings would occur in the northeast and did not agree to reinforce the 22nd Brigade until Tengah Airfield itself was threatened. Tengah Airfield was taken by the Japanese at around midday on 9 February, shortly after dark on 9 February, three British Fairmile B motor launches were sent on a raid up the western channel of the Straits of Johor, adjoining Sarimbun Beach. Their objective was to attack Japanese landing craft and communications and they came under fire from enemy forces on both shores, but pressed on almost as far as the causeway. A few Japanese landing craft were sunk before the launches returned down the channel, reaching Singapore safely, some Allied soldiers saw this as an example of effective defensive tactics that were used too little and/or too late by their senior commanders. Malayan Campaign Japanese order of battle during the Malayan Campaign Lionel Wigmore,1957, Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Volume IV — The Japanese Thrust
22.
Battle of Kranji
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The Battle of Kranji was the second stage of the Empire of Japans plan for the invasion of Singapore during the Second World War. On 9 February 1942 the Imperial Japanese Army assaulted the front of the British colony of Singapore. Defending the shoreline between the Kranji River and the Johor–Singapore Causeway was the Australian 27th Brigade, led by Brigadier Duncan Maxwell, on 10 February the Japanese forces suffered their heaviest losses while moving up the Kranji River, which caused them to panic and nearly aborted the operation. The terrain around Kranji was primarily mangrove swamps and tropical forest intersected by streams, the shoreline between the Kranji River and the Johor–Singapore Causeway, nearly four kilometers long, was defended by the Australian 27th Brigade, led by Australian Brigadier Duncan Maxwell. They were supported by one company from Dalforce, a local Chinese militia consisting of Communists, Nationalist supporters, as the war intensified, the Dalforce volunteers were given only three to four days of training and sent to the war front with elementary weapons. Lacking uniforms, the improvised by wearing a red triangle on their blue shirts to avoid being mistaken for Japanese by the Australians. The Allied forces at Kranji were to be assaulted by the Imperial Guards Division led by Major General Takuma Nishimura. 400 Imperial Guards had landed and taken Pulau Ubin, an island in the north-east of Singapore, in a feint attack on 7 February, sultan Ibrahims palace was not fired upon by the British because any damage caused would have extensive repercussions for British-Johor ties. Once the leading wave of Japanese was safely ashore, the massed Japanese artillery switched their fire to the positions at Kranji. Telegraph and telephone communications were destroyed in the bombardment and communications between the front line and command HQ were broken, at 8, 30pm that night, the men of the Imperial Guards Division began the crossing from Johor in special armoured landing-crafts, collapsible boats and by swimming. In the early hours of 10 February, Japanese forces suffered their heaviest losses during the Battle of Singapore, while moving up the Kranji River, advance landing parties from the 4th Regiment of the Imperial Guard Division found themselves under heavy fire from Australian machine gunners and mortar teams. They also found themselves surrounded by oil slicks, which had created by Allied personnel emptying the nearby Woodlands oil depot. A scenario feared by Yamashita came to pass by accident, the oil was set alight by Allied small arms fire, sustaining heavy losses, Nishimura requested permission to abandon the operation. Maxwells force consequently withdrew from the seafront and this allowed the Japanese to land in increasing strength and take control of Kranji village. They also captured Woodlands, and began repairing the causeway, without encountering any Allied attacks, Japanese light tanks, which had good buoyancy, were towed across the straits to Lim Chu Kang Road where they joined the battle at dusk. With reinforced troops and tanks advancing down Choa Chua Kang Road, the 5th Division captured Bukit Timah village by the evening of 11 February. The troops were to defend this Line strongly against the invading Japanese force, the 15th Indian Infantry Brigade was re-positioned near Bukit Timah Road to guard the islands vital food and petrol supplies. A secret instruction to protect this area was issued to Percivals generals, Percivals secret orders to withdraw to the last defence line around the city only if necessary were misunderstood by Maxwell, who took this to be an order for an immediate withdrawal to the Line
23.
Gordon Bennett (general)
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Lieutenant General Henry Gordon Bennett CB, CMG, DSO, VD was a senior Australian Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II. As commander of the 8th Australian Division, he escaped while his men became prisoners of the Imperial Japanese Army, after this, Bennetts military career waned and, although he rose to command a corps, he never again commanded troops in battle. In 1945, his escape caused controversy and resulted in a Royal Commission and he retired from the Army after World War II and turned to farming in the Blue Mountains. He remained active in the world of business and as a military commentator, Bennett was born in Balwyn, Melbourne, on 15 April 1887, to George Bennett, a South African-born school teacher, and his Australian-born wife, Harriet. He was the sixth of nine children and attended Balwyn State School, where his father taught, and then Hawthorn College as a teenager having been given a three-year scholarship. While at Hawthorn, he did well at mathematics and in 1903, as a 16-year-old, in May 1908, just after he turned 21, Bennett volunteered to serve in the Militia, Australias reserve military force, joining the 5th Australian Infantry Regiment as a recruit officer. After completing a six-month part-time course, he was appointed as a second lieutenant. After a short period of training, the 1st Division began to embark for Europe, just prior to his departure overseas, Bennett became engaged to Bess Buchanan, who he had met at a dance in Canterbury. As an engagement gift, Bess bought her betrothed a miniature photo of herself, Bennett carried the picture in his jacket pocket while serving overseas and it later saved his life on the Western Front, deflecting a German bullet. The decision by the Allies to force a passage through the Dardanelles interrupted this process, during the landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, Bennett fought on the southern flank of the Anzac beachhead. He led 300 men of his battalion to a position on Pine Ridge. While directing the defence of this position, Bennett was wounded in the shoulder and wrist, when the Turkish forces counter-attacked in the evening, the 6th Battalion force on Pine Ridge was isolated and killed to the last man, including Bennetts younger brother, Godfrey. Instead of accepting evacuation on a ship, after having his wounds treated. In early May, the 2nd Brigade was selected to move to Cape Helles to reinforce the British forces for the Second Battle of Krithia, after being transferred by boat, on 8 May, Bennett advanced with his battalion in impossible conditions. He was knocked off his feet, but otherwise unharmed, with a handful of men, he achieved the furthest advance of the attack. He became commander of the 6th Battalion the next day, the battalion was then returned to Anzac by a trawler, and shortly afterwards, Bennetts command of the battalion was confirmed and he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Throughout June and July, Bennetts battalion occupied the front line during a period of reduced tempo fighting as a stalemate developed. On 7 August, when the Allies launched their August Offensive to break the stalemate, Two attempts to capture the trench failed
24.
Japanese occupation of Singapore
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The Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II took place from 1942 to 1945, following the fall of the British colony on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan occupied it after defeating the combined British, Indian, Australian, the occupation was to become a major turning point in the histories of several nations, including those of Japan, Britain, and the then-colonial state of Singapore. Singapore was renamed Syonan-to, meaning Light of the South, Singapore was officially returned to British colonial rule on 12 September 1945, following the formal signing of the surrender instrument at the Municipal Building. The Japanese captured all of Malaya during the Malayan Campaign in a more than two months. The garrison defending Singapore surrendered on 15 February 1942, only a week after the invasion of the island commenced, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the fall of Singapore the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history. The Kempeitai, committed numerous atrocities towards the common people and they introduced the system of Sook Ching, which means purge through purification in Chinese, to get rid of those deemed to be anti-Japanese. The Sook Ching Massacre claimed the lives of between 25,000 and 50,000 ethnic Chinese in Singapore and Malaya and these men were rounded up and taken to deserted spots around the island and killed systematically. Moreover, the Kempeitai established a network of informants around the island to help them identify anti-Japanese and these informers were well-paid by the Kempeitai and had no fear of being arrested. Japanese soldiers patrolled the streets and commoners had to bow to them when they passed by and those who failed to do so would be slapped or beaten and some people would be taken away. To remove Western influence, the Japanese set up schools and forced people to learn their language, every morning, children had to stand facing the direction of Japan and sing the Japanese national anthem. In the cinemas, only Japanese movies and propaganda films were shown and these films showed the virtues of the Japanese and made fun of the British. Going to the cinemas at all has its danger, since the Japanese might suddenly appear, sometimes, they would plant themselves in the cinemas and would listen secretly to conversations, hoping to overhear anti-Japanese remarks. The local Chinese and English newspapers had very little local news, most of what was reported was the Japanese version of the war and pro-Japanese speeches. Radio stations were controlled by the Japanese and radio owners could only to local broadcasts. Tuning in to foreign broadcasting stations was done at risk and those caught doing were severely punished or even killed. The Japanese stuck chopsticks into the ears of those who listened to British or American radio broadcasts. Resources were scarce during the occupation, the prices of basic necessities increased drastically due to hyperinflation. For example, the price of increased from $5 per 100 catties to $5,000 by the end of the occupation
25.
Singapore Armed Forces
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The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore, as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF has three services, the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy, the SAF protects the interests, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Singapore from external threats. The SAF relies heavily on a pool of conscripts in the active and reserve forces. It has a strength of around 71,600 personnel and is capable of mobilising over a million reservists. National Servicemen make up more than 80% of its defence system. The SAF was formed in 1966, Singapores military role stems from its strategic geographical location, an asset exploited by both local settlers and foreign colonists alike. Archaeological excavations have discovered remnants of fortresses and other forms of military fortifications in pre-colonial Singapore. Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of modern Singapore, chose Singapore in 1819 to establish a new British colony with the security concerns of the British in the Far East in mind against the Dutch. Thus, Singapore, which attained Crown Colony status, played a role in British military interests for decades, particularly in the years leading up to the First. The Motto of the SVA is In Oriente Primus, which is still in use today by the formations of the Singapore Army. In 1915 it helped to suppress the mutiny of the Sepoys in Singapore, during World War II, the SSVF took part in the Battle of Singapore but most of its members were captured on 15 February 1942 when their positions were overrun by Japanese forces. After the end of the war, the SSVF was re-constituted in 1948, subsequently in 1961, SMF was renamed to Singapore Armed Forces. When Singapore achieved independence in 1965, its military consisted of two infantry regiments, commanded by British officers and made up of mostly non-Singaporean residents. Britain pulled its military out of Singapore in October 1971, leaving only a small amount of British, Australian. The last of the British soldiers left Singapore in March 1976, the New Zealand troops were the last to leave Singapore, in 1989. At that time, Singapore enlisted the assistance of Israel. Trainings such as jungle warfare were jointly studied so that the Singaporean army may engage in possible combat conflict on the soils of neighbouring countries, the army procured battle tanks from Israel before neighbouring Malaysia acquired theirs, having an edge for a highly effective fighting armed forces. Singapore Armed Forces Day is commemorated by the SAF annually on 1 July, deterrence and diplomacy have been the fundamental tenets of Singapores military defence policy
26.
International Standard Book Number
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The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, the method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country. The initial ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering created in 1966, the 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108. Occasionally, a book may appear without a printed ISBN if it is printed privately or the author does not follow the usual ISBN procedure, however, this can be rectified later. Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number, identifies periodical publications such as magazines, the ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 in the United Kingdom by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108, the United Kingdom continued to use the 9-digit SBN code until 1974. The ISO on-line facility only refers back to 1978, an SBN may be converted to an ISBN by prefixing the digit 0. For example, the edition of Mr. J. G. Reeder Returns, published by Hodder in 1965, has SBN340013818 -340 indicating the publisher,01381 their serial number. This can be converted to ISBN 0-340-01381-8, the check digit does not need to be re-calculated, since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have contained 13 digits, a format that is compatible with Bookland European Article Number EAN-13s. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, a 13-digit ISBN can be separated into its parts, and when this is done it is customary to separate the parts with hyphens or spaces. Separating the parts of a 10-digit ISBN is also done with either hyphens or spaces, figuring out how to correctly separate a given ISBN number is complicated, because most of the parts do not use a fixed number of digits. ISBN issuance is country-specific, in that ISBNs are issued by the ISBN registration agency that is responsible for country or territory regardless of the publication language. Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture, in other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations. Australia, ISBNs are issued by the library services agency Thorpe-Bowker
27.
Tourism in Singapore
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Tourism in Singapore is a major industry and contributor to the Singaporean economy, attracting 16,402,593 international tourists in 2016, over thrice of Singapores total population. It is also friendly, and maintains natural and heritage conservation programs. Along with this, it also has one of the worlds lowest crime rates, as English is the dominant one of its four official languages, it is generally easier for tourists to understand when speaking to the local population of the country, for example, when shopping. Transport in Singapore exhaustively covers most, if not all public venues in Singapore and this includes the well-known Mass Rapid Transit system. The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 ranks Singapore 11th out of 141 countries overall, the report ranks Singapores business environment, international openness, also travel and tourism policy and enabling conditions as the best in the world. However, the nation scored rather low in natural and cultural resources sub-index. The Orchard Road district, which is dominated by multi-storey shopping centres and hotels, guns from the World War II era can be seen at Fort Siloso, from a mini-sized to a 16 pound gun. Steering is done by shifting the weight or pulling straps attached to the sleds runners, Singapore attracted 15,095,152 visitors in 2014, according to the Singapore Tourism Boards statistics, but which excludes Malaysian visitors who visited Singapore via the Causeway or the Second Link. This was a 3% decrease from 2013, due to a decline in arrivals from China, total visitor days was a record 56 million days, a growth of 3%, or an average of 3.7 days per visitor. 21% of visitors were day-trippers, while 79% stayed for a day or more,77. 5% of visitors arrived by air,10. 2% by sea, and 12. 3% by land. The largest age group of visitors was from 25 to 34 years old at 22. 9% of visitors, the visitors came from the five biggest markets, mainly Indonesia, Peoples Republic of China, Malaysia, Australia and India. But in 2016, Peoples Republic of China tourists number has overlapped Indonesian tourists number, medical receipts, representing the medical-tourism industry in the country contributed 4. 2%. Gazetted hotel room revenue was estimated at S$3.15 billion, the overall average occupancy rate was at 85%,0. 9% lesser than 2013, with the Upscale tier seeing the largest increase of 1%. Overall average room rate remained flat at S$258, while the revenue per available room was S$221. Their electronic destination displays were added since January 2006 to replace roller-blinds in stages, Singapore seeks to be the business hub of Southeast Asia and has an expansive shopping precinct located in the Orchard Road district. Many multistorey shopping centres are located at Orchard Road, the area also has many hotels, the local populace also use Orchard Road for shopping extensively. Sentosa is a large island of Singapore located to its south. Along with a beach-front resort, the islands tourist attractions include Fort Siloso, its museum, the Underwater World aquarium
28.
Jurong Bird Park
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Jurong Bird Park is an aviary and tourist attraction in Jurong, Singapore. The bird park, managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, covers an area of 0.2 square kilometres on the slope of Jurong Hill. It was reported by Wildlife Reserves Singapore on 1 June 2016 that Jurong Bird Park will cease operation, as for now, operation resumes normally. The idea of a permanent aviary was first conceived by the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, then Minister for Finance, during a World Bank Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Dr Goh visited its zoological garden and was impressed with its free-flight aviary. He set out to ensure that Singaporeans would have a place where they could escape from urban life, work on the aviary started in January 1969. A35 acre site, on the slope of Bukit Peropok in Jurong, was chosen for the project. The bird park was expected to be completed by the end of 1969, on 3 January 1971, Jurong Bird Park, built at a cost of S$3.5 million, was opened to the public. Jurong Bird Park is now a bird zoo where there are specimens of magnificent bird life from around the world. It is currently the worlds largest bird park in terms of the number of birds, there are 5,000 birds of 400 species in Jurong Bird Park, of which 29 are of threatened species. In 2006, Jurong Bird Park completed a S$10 million makeover, with the upgrading, the park boasts a new entrance plaza, a park-owned and managed Bongo Burgers restaurant, an ice cream parlour, a gift shop and a bird hospital. The African Waterfall Aviary is the second largest walk-in aviary in the world, covering 2 hectares, the aviary is named after the 30-metre tall Jurong Falls, one of the worlds tallest man-made waterfalls. Species include the starling, turacos and the hoopoe. In one corner of the zoo there is a full of flightless birds, ostriches, emus, rheas. Visitors can see the largest collection of Southeast Asian birds, which has over 200 species, there are large, central walk-in aviaries and peripheral aviaries housing the more delicate and territorial birds. A thunderstorm is simulated at noon day, followed by a cool. Territorial species are kept in cages, while species that can coexist with each other are left to roam freely in the aviary. About nine storeys high and covering 3,000 square metres, the ambience is similar to that of a rainforest valley in tropical Northern Australia. Visitors can offer the lories a special nectar mix, houses five species of penguins within 1,600 square metres
29.
Night Safari, Singapore
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The Night Safari is the worlds first nocturnal zoo and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Singapore. The concept of a park in Singapore was suggested in the 1980s by the former executive chairman of the Singapore Zoo. The Night Safari currently houses over 2,500 animals representing over 130 species, the Night Safari is managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, and about 1.1 million visitors visit the safari per year. The Night Safari received its 11 millionth visitor on 29 May 2007 and it is divided into seven geographical zones, which can be explored either on foot via four walking trails, or by tram. The animals of the Night Safari, ranging from Indian rhinoceros and pangolins to tarsiers, although it is brighter than full moonlight by a few orders of magnitude, it is dim enough not to disturb nocturnal and crepuscular animals behaviour. London based lighting designer Simon Corder created the lighting for Night Safari, the naturalistic enclosures simulate the animals native habitat. Animals are separated from visitors with natural barriers, rather than caged, instead of vertical prison-like cages, cattle grids were laid all over the park to prevent hoofed animals from moving one habitat to another. These are grille-like metal sheets with gaps wide enough for animals legs to go through, cultural performances are a regular feature at the safari, and include tribal dances, blowpipe demonstrations and fire eating displays. Creatures of the Night Show is a presented by the animals in the Night Safari. Food and beverage outlets in the Night Safari include Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant, Bongo Burgers, visitors can dine in the Evening in the Wild at Night Safaris only Tepee Tent. Also experience dining on the move with the Cocktail Safari Express, Singapore Tourism AwardsTop 10 Best Family Experience Best Leisure Attraction Experience Leisure Attraction of the Year Best Trail Marshall of the Year, Mohammed Munzir Aziz. Best Trail Marshall of the Year, Mohammad Ridhwan Shahril, Best Ground crew of the Year, Vijayeswaran Visvalingam. Best Animal Caretaker of the Year, Hadi Akmal Lin Xinyi, Night Safari, From trailblazer to tourism icon, The Straits Times,31 May 2007 Night Safari official website Map of Night Safari
30.
River Safari
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The River Safari is a river-themed zoo and aquarium located in Singapore. It is built over 12 hectares and nestled between its two counterparts, the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari, Singapore and it is the first of its kind in Asia and features freshwater attractions and river boat rides as its main highlights. The safari was built at a cost of S$160m, with an expected rate of 820,000 people yearly. The Giant Panda Forest was opened to the public on 29 November 2012, with an opening on 3 April 2013. This attraction is the zoo in Singapore, along with the Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park. The park was opened on 28 February 2014, and it was announced that more than 1.1 million have visited the River Safari since its soft opening in April 2013. Conceptualization of such as River Safari began in early 2007, the park is built within the current 89-hectare compound already shared by the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari and occupies 12 hectares, making it the smallest of the three parks. The park boasts a tropical rainforest setting along with as river theme with various attractions, theme park rides. The park consists of a total of 10 different ecosystems around the world, including the River Nile, Yangtze River, Mississippi and it features 5000 animals of 300 species, including numerous that are endangered. The Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit, which houses the manatees and various South American fish and its volume and the size of the viewing panel are both world records for a freshwater aquarium. The zoo grows its own 8, 000-square-metre plantation of special bamboo specially for the feeding of the giant pandas and these pandas are a sign of the twentieth anniversary of friendly Sino-Singapore relations. The park also received a donation from CapitaLand. The names of the two pandas were selected from entries of a naming competition organised in 2010. The pandas, which arrived in September 2012, are on a loan from China. The park features a ride called the Amazon River Quest. It was opened to visitors on 7 December 2013, tickets are priced at S$5 for adults and S$3 for children aged three to 12, on top of River Safari admission. Each cruise can take up to 50 passengers and runs at 15-minute intervals from 10. 30am to 6. 00pm daily, the ride opened on 1 August 2014. Underwater World, Singapore Marine Life Park Official website
31.
Singapore Zoo
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The zoo was built at a cost of $9 million granted by the government of Singapore and opened on 27 June 1973. It is operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, who manage the neighbouring Night Safari, River Safari. There are about 315 species of animal in the zoo, of which some 16 percent are considered to be threatened species, the zoo attracts 1.7 million visitors each year. From the beginning, Singapore Zoo followed the trend of displaying animals in naturalistic, open exhibits with hidden barriers, moats. It houses the largest captive colony of orangutans in the world, the conception of the Singapore Zoo dates from 1969. At the time, the Public Utilities Board decided to use some of its holdings around reservoirs for parks. The executive chairman of the PUB, Dr Ong Swee Law, in 1970, consultants and staff were hired, and in 1971, the construction of the basic 50 enclosures was started. Animals were collected from dealers and donated by sponsors, the director of the Colombo Zoo in Sri Lanka, Lyn de Alwis, was hired as a special consultant to work out the problems inherent in tropical zoos. On 27 June 1973, the Singapore Zoo opened its gates for the first time with a collection of 270 animals from over 72 species, and a staff of 130. By 1990,1,600 animals from more than 160 species lived in social groups, in 1987, the zoo began to display rare animals loaned by other zoos. The first animals displayed in this manner were the golden monkeys from China in 1987. This was followed by white tigers from Cincinnati Zoo in 1988, on 1 August 2000, Singapore Zoological Gardens, Jurong Bird Park and Night Safari were integrated under Wildlife Reserves Singapore, under the umbrella of Temasek Holdings. The zoo underwent a restructuring to improve its efficiency and branding which included merging of shared services, Night Safari, which began under the zoo, became a separate branding entity. The restructuring of the zoo was not without controversy, several key staff, including CEO Bernard Harrison, left as a result in 2002, citing differences in management style. In 2003, Wildlife Reserves Singapore launched a rebranding exercise. The name of the zoo was simplified to Singapore Zoo sometime by 2005, as a result of the restructuring, more facilities were launched, such as a S$3.6 million Wildlife Healthcare & Research Centre in 2005. Existing infrastructure was revamped to enhance the experience of visitors. The growth in revenue continued on an upward trend, animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures separated from the visitors by dry and wet moats
32.
Marina Bay Sands
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Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. At its opening in 2010, it was billed as the worlds most expensive standalone casino property at S$8 billion, the 20-hectare resort was designed by Moshe Safdie architects. The architect was Aedas, and they were responsible for employing all consultants, Engineering was provided by Arup and Parsons Brinkerhoff. The main contractor was Ssangyong Engineering and Construction, originally set to open in 2009, Las Vegas Sands faced delays caused by escalating costs of material and labour shortages from the outset. The global financial crisis also pressured the company to delay its projects elsewhere to complete the integrated resort, although Marina Bay Sands has been compared in scale and development costs to MGMs CityCenter, the latter is a mixed-use development, with condominium properties being sold off. The resort and SkyPark were officially opened on 23 and 24 June 2010 as part of a two-day celebration, the SkyPark opened the following day. The theatres were completed in time for the first performance of Riverdance on 30 November, the indoor skating rink, which uses artificial ice, opened to a performance by Michelle Kwan on 18 December. The ArtScience Museum opened to the public and the debut of a 13-minute light, the grand opening of Marina Bay Sands was held on 17 February 2011. It also marked the opening of the seven celebrity chef restaurants, the musical The Lion King debuted on 3 March 2011. Marina Bay Sands is one of two winning proposals for Singapores first integrated resorts, the other being the Resorts World Sentosa, which incorporates a family-friendly Universal Studios Theme Park. The two large-scale resorts were conceived to meet Singapores economic and tourism objectives for the decade and will have 30-year casino licenses. LVS submitted its bid on its own. Its original partner City Developments Limited, with a proposed 15% equity stake, however, Kwek was retained as an advisor for Sands bid. Las Vegas Sands initially committed to invest S$3.85 billion in the project, Las Vegas Sands declared the undertaking as one of the worlds most challenging construction projects and certainly the most expensive stand-alone integrated resort property ever built. It expects the casino to generate at least $1 billion in annual profit, half a million gamblers passed through the casino in June 2010. In the third quarter of 2012, the revenues of the Marina Bay Sands fell almost 28 per cent from a year earlier, the resort is designed by Moshe Safdie, who says it was initially inspired by card decks. The resorts architecture and major changes along the way were also approved by its feng shui consultants. The engineering for the project was headed by Arup and Parsons Brinckerhoff, Marina Bay Sands was originally planned to be completed in a single phase in 2009, but rising construction costs and the financial crisis forced the company to open it in phases
33.
Resorts World Sentosa
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Resorts World Sentosa is an integrated resort on the island of Sentosa, off the southern coast of Singapore. The key attractions include one of Singapores two casinos, a Universal Studios theme park, Adventure Cove Water Park, and S. E. A, Aquarium, which includes the worlds largest oceanarium. The S$6.59 billion resort was developed by Genting Singapore and it was the third most expensive building ever constructed. The resort occupies over 49 hectares of land and, when fully open, Resorts World Sentosa is a sister resort to Resorts World Genting, Pahang, Malaysia and Resorts World Manila, Philippines. The soft launch of the first four took place on 20 January 2010. The casino opened on 14 February 2010 on the first auspicious day of the Chinese New Year, the Maritime Experiential Museum opened on 15 October 2011 and the last attraction opened on 22 November 2012, The Marine Life Park. The grand opening of the resort was held on 7 December 2012. Resorts World Sentosa is also expected to hold large-scale exhibitions such as Valentino, Retrospective, construction of Resorts World Sentosa Singapore began on 16 April 2007 on the demolished plot of Imbiah Lookout. It opened in a time of 34 months of construction on 20 January 2010. Crockfords Tower, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Festive Hotel and Hotel Michael opened 20 January 2010, the whole park was opened but none of the rides were operational. Visitors had to pay SGD10 to get into the park, Park tickets for the week were sold out in 2 days. The park had its soft opening period from 18 March 2010 to 26 October 2010,10 October 2006 – Genting International and Star Cruises submitted its proposal, suitably named Resorts World at Sentosa to the Singapore government. 16 October 2006 – Genting International and Star Cruises unveiled its proposal Resorts World at Sentosa,8 December 2006 – Genting International and Star Cruises won the bid for the Sentosa IR.16 April 2007 – Resorts World at Sentosa broke ground on 49-hectare site. 7 November 2007 – Resorts World at Sentosa announced that it will be adding six new attractions to its resort, October 2008 – Resorts World at Sentosa announced new Transformers attraction for Universal Studios Singapore. September 2009 – Universal Studios Singapore unveiled Far Far Away and Madagascar,14 to 21 February 2010 – Sneak Peak week for Universal Studios Singapore. 14 February 2010 – Opening of Resorts World Sentosa Casino, late February 2010 – Opening of Link Bridge from Resorts World Sentosa to Imbiah Lookout. 24 April 2010 – MediaCorp and RWS presents the Star Awards 2010 Show 2,2 July 2010 – New Lake Hollywood Spectacular show on Friday and Saturday nights at Universal Studios Singapore. October 2010 – Opening of Candylicious, one of Asias largest candy store, late October 2010 – Opening of Waterfront Area
34.
Amusement park
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An amusement park or theme park is a group of entertainment attractions, rides, and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people. Theme parks, a type of amusement park, are usually much more intricately themed to a certain subject or group of subjects than normal amusement parks. Amusement parks evolved from European fairs and pleasure gardens, which were created for peoples recreation, Worlds fairs and expositions were another influence on the development of the amusement park industry. In common language, the theme park and amusement park are often synonymous. However, a park can be regarded as a distinct style of amusement park. A theme park has landscaping, buildings, and attractions that are based on one or more specific themes or stories. The amusement park evolved from three earlier traditions, the oldest being the periodic fair of the Middle Ages - one of the earliest was the Bartholomew Fair in England, the worlds oldest amusement park appeared in the Continent. Bakken at Klampenborg, north of Copenhagen, Denmark, opened in 1583, a wave of innovation in the 1860s and 1870s created mechanical rides, such as the steam-powered carousel, and its derivatives. This inaugurated the era of the modern funfair ride, as the classes were increasingly able to spend their surplus wages on entertainment. The second influence was the pleasure garden, one of the earliest gardens was the Vauxhall Gardens, founded in 1661 in London. By the late 18th century, the site had a fee for its many attractions. It regularly drew crowds, with its paths being noted for romantic assignations, tightrope walkers, hot air balloon ascents, concerts. Although the gardens were designed for the elites, they soon became places of great social diversity. Public firework displays were put on at Marylebone Gardens, and Cremorne Gardens offered music, dancing, prater in Vienna, Austria, was opened in 1766. The concept of a park for amusement was further developed with the beginning of the worlds fairs. The first World fair began in 1851 with the construction of the landmark Crystal Palace in London, the purpose of the exposition was to celebrate the industrial achievement of the nations of the world and it was designed to educate and entertain the visitors. American cities and business saw the worlds fair as a way of demonstrating economic. The Worlds Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, Illinois was an precursor to the modern amusement park
35.
Sentosa
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Sentosa is a popular island resort in Singapore, visited by some twenty million people a year. Attractions include a 2 km long sheltered beach, Fort Siloso, the name Sentosa translates as peace and tranquility in Malay, which was in turn derived from the Sanskrit term Santosha, meaning contentment, satisfaction. Sentosa was formerly known as Pulau Blakang Mati which in Malay means the Island of Death from Behind, the name Blakang Mati is rather old but may not have been founded in the nineteenth century as generally believed. In fact, there exists an island that was identified as Blacan Mati in Manuel Gomes de Erédias 1604 map of Singapore. Other early references to the island of Blakang Mati include Burne Beard Island in Wildes 1780 MS map, Pulau Niry, Nirifa from 1690 to 1700, and the nineteenth century reference as Pulau Panjang. However, early maps did not separate Blakang Mati from the adjacent island of Pulau Brani, the island has gone through several name changes. Up to 1830, it was called Pulau Panjang, in an 1828 sketch of Singapore Island, the island is referred to as Po. According to Bennett, the name Blakang Mati was only given to the hill on the island by the Malay villagers on the island. The Malay name for island is literally translated as dead back or behind the dead, blakang means at the back or behind or after. It is also called the island or the island of the dead or perhaps island of after death. Different versions of how the island came to such an unpropitious name abound, One account attributed the ominous name to murder. A second claimed that the island is the paradise of warrior spirits buried at Pulau Brani. A third account claims that an outbreak of disease on the island in the late 1840s almost wiped out the original Bugis settlers on the island. This event led to a controversy in medical circles at that time as to the causes of what was recognised in 1898 as malaria spread by the Anopheles mosquito. The governments malaria research station was located here. A fourth interpretation is that dead back island was so-called because of the lack of soil on the hills. However, since the island creates an area of water behind it with no wind it may be as simple as this — less romantic perhaps. In 1827, Captain Edward Lake of the Bengal Engineers in his report on public works, however, the island was seen as too unhealthy for habitation and his proposed name was never realised
36.
Imbiah Lookout
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Imbiah lookout is Singapores biggest cluster of attraction located in Sentosa Island. Built in the 1980s, Imbiah lookout was unnamed until 2003, the area originally covered 30% of Sentosas area. The Tiger Sky Tower is free-standing observation tower on Sentosa, at a height of 110 metres above ground and 131 metres above sea level, it offers visitors a panoramic view of Sentosa, Singapore, and the Southern Islands. On a clear day, the view extends to parts of Malaysia and Indonesia, at ground level, visitors enter a large disc-shaped airconditioned cabin fitted with glass windows all round. The cabin then revolves slowly as it ascends the column of the tower, the cabin has a capacity of 72 visitors. The Sky Tower used to sit at the spot of what was formerly known as the Dragon Court. It has a statue in the centerpiece with water spouting out from its mouth. In one of its claws, it holds a previous logo of Sentosa which was used in the 1980s and its tail ends at the dragon trail at the northern part of Imbiah Lookout. It was demolished a few months before the ceremony of the sky tower. It was opened on 7 February 2004, is situated in the Imbiah Lookout zone in the centre of Sentosa and can be reached by Cable Car, Sentosa Luge Chair Lift, by Sentosa Express or by bus. Images of Singapore, at 1. 2540°N103. 8176°E /1.2540,103. The attraction is housed in a military hospital known as the Sick Quarters. The museum is near the Singapore Cable Car stop at Sentosa and it offers a chronological history of Singapore from its earliest days to the present. Stories of the Sea, a new multi-sensory maritime experience was opened in 2002, the museum was closed in 2003 for a major upgrade. Award winning experience designer Bob Rogers and the design team BRC Imagination Arts, were tasked to undertake the retelling of the story of the melting pot of the islands citizens. The 2005 renovation won a prestigious Thea Award for Best Reinvention of a Cultural Heritage Center in April 2006, a restaurant and a souvenir shop is located inside and at the exit area of the museum. The attraction is housed in the premises as Madame Tussauds Singapore. The Butterfly Park is a garden with over 15,000 live butterflies. Housed in a cool outdoor conservatory, these range from the 25 millimetre Eurema sari to the 150 mm Papilio iswara
37.
Universal Studios Singapore
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Universal Studios Singapore is a theme park located within Resorts World Sentosa on Sentosa Island, Singapore. It was a key component of Gentings bid for the right to build Singapores second integrated resort, on 8 December 2006, the Singapore government announced that the consortium had won the bid. Construction of the park and the rest of the resort started on 19 April 2007. It is the second Universal Studios theme park to open in Asia, the official plans for the park were unveiled to the public when Universal Studios Singapore released a park map to the public on 20 October 2009. Universal Studios Singapore has since attracted more than 2 million visitors in the 9 months from its opening. Universal Parks & Resorts markets the park as a theme park in Asia. The construction of Resorts World Sentosa and Universal Studios Singapore began on 19 April 2008, after almost two years of construction, the park opened on 18 March 2010. Universal Studios Singapore was opened for sneak peek week in view of the Chinese New Year Celebrations, though visitors had to pay SGD$10 to enter the park even-though rides were not operating, tickets for the week were sold out in 2 days. On 5 March 2010, it was announced that the park will open its doors at 8,28 am on 18 March 2010, for a soft-opening phase. From 13 March 2010, the members of Resorts World Sentosa. The park had its soft opening period from 18 March 2010 to 26 October 2010, the official grand opening of the park was held on 28 May 2011, along with the grand opening gala being held on 27 May 2011 evening. It was an event with Asian superstars Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Zhao Wei. In October 2011, Universal Studios Singapore began their Halloween Horror Nights events, Universal Studios Singapore is 20 hectares in size, occupying the easternmost part of the 49-hectare Resorts World Sentosa. There are a total of 24 attractions, of which 18 are original or specially adapted for the park, the park consists of seven themed zones which surround a lagoon. Each zone is based on a movie or a television show, featuring their own unique attractions, character appearances. Universal Studios Singapore has over 30 restaurants and food carts, together with 20 unique retail stores, attractions premiering are marked Premiere and dining outlets that are certified Halal are marked with Halal. Hollywood is the entrance area of the park. Its only attraction, a theatre, is accompanied by several restaurants
38.
Marine Life Park
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The Marine Life Park is a part of Resorts World Sentosa, Sentosa, situated in southern Singapore. The 8-hectare park houses two attractions, the S. E. A, Aquarium and the Adventure Cove Waterpark, and features the largest oceanarium in the world. Aquarium was the worlds largest aquarium by total water volume until overtaken by Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Hengqin and it contains a total of 45,000,000 litres of water for more than 100,000 marine animals of over 800 species. The aquarium comprises 10 zones with 49 habitats, the centerpiece of the Aquarium is the Open Ocean tank with more than 18,000,000 l and 50,000 animals. Aquarium houses the worlds largest collection of rays, including the only giant oceanic manta ray in captivity. The main attractions include, Dining is possible at the Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora, the gift shop located at the exit of S. E. A. Aquarium sells a variety of souvenirs, the resort originally planned to include whale sharks, but conceded that it might not be feasible to house them and has dropped the plan. There is ongoing controversy over captures of wild dolphins from Solomon Islands, another appeal was made and the exports to Singapore were temporarily held. When the hold had expired, RWS exported the dolphins while the appeal was ongoing. On the flight to Singapore, one of the dolphins, Wen Wen and this brings to three the number of dolphins that have died prior to the opening of the Dolphin Island section within the park. The Adventure Cove Waterpark is situated in southern Singapore, the park features seven water slides, including the region’s first hydro-magnetic coaster, Riptide Rocket. It also features bay like Bluwater Bay, a wave pool, the 620-metre river, one of the world’s longest lazy-rivers, have 13 themed scenes of tropical jungles, grottoes, a surround aquarium and more. Rides and attractions include, The Bay Restaurant serves local favourites, Asian, Dining is al-fresco style and situated on a terrace overlooking the Waterpark. Reef ‘n Wave Wear is a destination for swim apparel, gifts. The park is accessible by MRT, bus, car and by foot, Wild Wild Wet Underwater World Official website Resorts World Sentosa Official website
39.
NTUC Downtown East
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NTUC Downtown East is an entertainment hub located in Pasir Ris, Singapore. It is 147,000 square metres in area and was opened on 5 November 2000. It provides leisure and entertainment for families and youths and it competes with the two IRs, especially Resorts World Sentosa. It has free wi-fi from 2006 onwards, various types of entertainment features are being provided in NTUC Downtown East. Such features are shopping, arcades and many others, the attractions include, E. hub, a five-storey leisure and entertainment hub. Wild Wild Wet, a water park, escape Theme Park, an amusement park. DResort @ Downtown East, a 5-storey resort and hotel combination that was opened in 2015, a five-storey leisure and entertainment hub, named E. hub, was developed at NTUC Downtown East sometime in 2008. E. hubs main features include, eXplorerkid, the largest indoor family park in Singapore nEbO City, 25-metre Ferris Wheel, sponsored by Cadbury. Wild Wild Wet is the water park in Singapore as of August 2010. Wild Wild Wet opened in June 2004,4 years after Downtown Easts official opening and it also has a 18+ metre slide called Torpedo. The riders would slide down at 11 metres/second, escape Theme Park was Singapores largest outdoor theme park which Universal Studios Singapore took its position in May 2010. Opened in 2000, it operates on Saturdays, Sundays and gazetted school and its slogan is 360 degrees of fun, and had a total of twelve operating rides. It closed on 26 November 2011 due to declining business and the site was used to make way for a bigger Wild Wild Wet and Costa Sands Resort. DResort Costa Sands Resort On the evening of 30 October 2010, four individuals, aged between 18 and 21 were arrested and charged with murder 48 hours after the incident. The Straits Times published a report on July 31,2012 stating that 5 of the accused pleaded guilty to the incident,12 in total were eventually charged and jailed for what was reportedly one of the most vicious gang attacks here in recent years
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Wild Wild Wet
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Wild Wild Wet is the largest water theme park in Singapore. It is located at NTUC Downtown East in Pasir Ris, Singapore, when the former Escape Theme Park ceased operation on 26 November 2011, the site was used to make way for a bigger Water Park and Costa Sands Resort. Wild Wild Wet was closed from 23 July till 1 November 2012 for renovations that includes new rides and attractions. Wild Wild Wet was expanded to 3.8 hectares, approximately the size of five football fields which double the original size and feature six new rides. NTUC Club said admission fees are expected to go up due to inflation. Thrilling Rides The Waterworks Torpedo Ular-Lah Slide Up Tsunami Gentle Rides Shiok River Jacuzzi Childrens Play Area Professors Playground Yippie,2012 Best Overall Water Theme Park by TimeOut Singapore NTUC Downtown East Escape Theme Park Official Website Official Facebook Page
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Escape Theme Park
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Escape Theme Park was an outdoor theme park located inside NTUC Downtown East, Pasir Ris in Singapore. It was opened in May 2000 and a park named Wild Wild Wet located adjacent to it was opened in June 2004. Its slogan is 360 degrees of fun, the theme park operates on Saturdays, Sundays, gazetted school and public holidays. It had been a park from 2005 until it ceased operations in November 2011 for redevelopment. In 2012, reports confirmed that the park would make way for an expansion of Wild Wild Wet, the Government of Singapore have planned to have a first integrated theme park in Singapore. So therefore they were placed a name called Escape Theme Park to be located at Pasir Ris, so they started construction in 1998 and were to initially opened in 2000. And later ot was opened in May 2000 with 17 rides, between 2005 and 2010,5 of the following rides have been removed from amusement park which cause problems from Singaporeans and as well as some accidents. Panasonic Alpha 8 have been closed due to an accident in 2005, the park featured an equal mix of thrill rides and family rides. Some thrill rides include a ship,2 go kart tracks,1 of which is catered to younger riders, fairground style rides. There used to be a roller coaster, but was closed to the public after an incident in 2005. There are also numerous family attractions such as boats, a family coaster, a Ferris wheel. On November 25,2005, two girls were injured after being thrown from the subsequently discontinued Alpha 8 Roller Coaster. The cause of the incident is thought to be a faulty safety restraint, with effect of November 26,2011, Escape Theme Park has ceased operations. NTUC Club, the parent company of Escape Theme Park said that the park will be redeveloped to meet the changing needs of guests. Details of the redevelopment plans, the first phase of a revamp for the entire Downtown East and this has been confirmed to be an expansion of the neighbouring theme park, Wild Wild Wet. Escape Theme Park had entertained more than four million people since it opened in 2000,2007 Accredited Pro-Family Business Wild Wild Wet Downtown East Escape Theme Park Website
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Oceanarium
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SeaWorld Aurora opened in 1970 near Cleveland, Ohio. SeaWorld Orlando was opened in 1973, SeaWorld was sold to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1976. They purchased Marineland of the Pacific in 1986 and closed the park and they had opened SeaWorld San Antonio in 1988. In 1989 they sold SeaWorld to Anheuser-Busch, the worlds largest brewer and owner of the Busch Gardens Safari Parks, in 2001, Anheuser-Busch sold the Ohio park which finally ceased its activities in 2004. Resorts World Sentosa has made research and education cornerstones of this attraction, modern marine aquariums try to create natural environments. A host of marine animals swim together in the cylindrical tank of the New England Aquarium in Boston. Since then, many new aquariums have sought greater realism. The richly endowed Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, which opened in 1984, is an outstanding example, manila Ocean Park Nordsøen Oceanarium, Hirtshals, Denmark. Dolphinarium Public aquarium UnderWater World Guam Lou Jacobs, Wonders of an oceanarium, a Photographic Journey Back To Marineland of the Pacific. The Ocean at Home, An Illustrated History of the Aquarium, Oceanarium — The Bournemouth Aquarium, UK Oceanarium, West Australia — suppliers of marine aquarium specimens Marine Life Park - Resorts World @ Sentosa
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Underwater World, Singapore
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Underwater World, also known as Underwater World Singapore Pte Ltd, was an oceanarium located on the offshore Singaporean island of Sentosa. Opened in 1991, it had more than 2,500 marine animals of 250 species from different regions of the world, the oceanarium was mostly underground and it was owned by the Haw Par Corporation. The Underwater Worlds ticket included admission to the Dolphin Lagoon at Palawan Beach, Underwater World was also involved in several environmental and educational projects, such as the Living in the Ocean Programme, Ocean Ambassador Programme and the Coral Club. The Underwater World also provided exclusive venues to host events, such as ocean-themed functions, the oceanarium was opened to the public on 13 May 1991. It re-opened on 23 February 2010 after a revamp of several attractions within the park, Underwater World Monorail Station used to serve this attraction, but it no longer does since the station closed in 2005. The Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon offered numerous adventures to the visitors, some of them included, Marine Discovery Dive With the Sharks Swim With the Dolphins The Dolphin Lagoon was home to several Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins, also known as the pink dolphins. Several Meet-the-Dolphins sessions were held daily that allowed visitors to enter the waist-deep pool, the ticket to the Underwater World & dolphin show did not include the direct contact with the dolphins, an additional photo-coupon had to be purchased. The lagoon also included a Dolphin Suite where visitors could watch the performance from within an air-conditioned area. In August 2014 the organizations Wildlife Watcher Singapore, in collaboration with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the pink dolphins have since been rehoused in Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, an oceanarium in Zhuhai, China. This was amid plans that were being proposed for Sentosas Integrated Resorts, a week later it was announced that Genting International won the bid
