This year’s annual Battle for Singapore by National Heritage Board (NHB) goes off the beaten track.
The line-up features a host of special access programmes in commemoration of the 82nd anniversary of the Fall of Singapore. Cycle to World War II (WWII) landmarks, makan with seniors and hear their stories, and immerse yourself in a theatrical experience that transports you to one of the most significant moments of Singapore.
Happening from Feb 17 to Mar 3, participants get to explore the sites and stories of Singapore’s war-time past. Sites featured include one which witnessed some of the first landings of the invading Japanese forces, and the bunker where the decision to surrender to the Japanese was made.
Here are some of the highlights.
Cycling Buona Vista: The guided tours ($35 per person) are led by historian Dr John Kwok and heritage researcher and writer Lee Kok Leong. Cycling down the Buona Vista defence line, participants will learn of the strategies employed by both the invading Japanese forces and the defending Allied forces as they trace the final battles for Singapore that erupted in the southwestern region spanning Pasir Panjang, Gillman Barracks, Alexandra Military Hospital and other military sites.
Cashin House: Witness to Invasion: Here’s a chance for participants to visit Cashin House at Lim Chu Kang Nature Park which is only accessible through the National Parks Board’s specially curated programmes and activities. Built on a pier overlooking the Johor Strait, it witnessed some of the first landings of the invading Japanese forces during the initial wave of attacks launched by the Japanese army on 8 February 1942. Admission is free but registration is required.
No Question Of Surrender: Three Days Before the Fall: Presented by Battlebox (the former Fort Canning Bunker), This 110-minute immersive theatrical experience ($48 per person) written and directed by Jonathan Lim transports audiences to the final days before the fall of Singapore in February 1942.
Makan with Seniors: World War II edition: This edition focuses on second-generation war memories and the legacy of WWII in Singapore. Participants will be paired up or grouped together to converse while having a meal together. It is presented by the National Museum of Singapore, in partnership with Ms Eleanor Yap, the founder of Ageless Online.
Hotel Aporia: Artist Tour and Conversation with Ho Tzu Nyen and Dr Ma Jung-Yeon: Artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s Hotel Aporia confronts the complex ideological and historical backdrops that plagued the 1940s. Get firsthand accounts on the installation and development of the work, and the research that went into its production. Admission is free but registration is required.
Other programmes include Twinned Tours with visits to the Singapore Navy Museum and Changi Chapel and Museum; a cooking demonstration to learn about the ingenuity of wartime cooks; Peace Blossoms display at Fort Siloso; and vintage toy tour with fighter plane making.
Kids aged nine to 14 can join a specially curated tour at Battlebox, and uncover bite-sized secrets and stories of the historic site with historian Tan Teng Teng. After the tour, participants can enjoy an author’s talk and conversation with Sim Ee Waun, the author of We Shall Remember: The Story of Singapore at War. Hear little-known stories about the war in Singapore, and learn about the intricacies, conundrums and surprises that came with writing the book.
The entire programme line-up will feature more than 25 programmes and over 70 tour runs covering various formats and collaborations.
Visit www.museums.com.sg for more information and to sign up for Battle for Singapore 2024 programmes. Registration for tours and programmes commences Feb 15, 10am, on a first-come first-served basis.
