|
Survival:-
Retreat to Singapore
At midnight on the 8th February 1942, what remained of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Gordons crossed the causeway to Singapore, some high ranking officers using Red Cross ambulances for their retreat over the causeway before it was blown up by the Royal Engineers. It was the world's worst military campaign and many fine infantry men died covering the retreat to Singapore. Without air support, there was to be no chance of opposing the Japanese who could bomb at will.
Fort Canning became the prime target and the Japs kept up a barrage of shelling and bombing of the military headquarters and I still remember the whistles as the shells came over and praying it did not have my name on it. This was a very frightening period as we had nothing to fight back with-just an old army rifle pre-1914.
A cease-fire was proclaimed on the 14th February 1942 and the Japanese Commander entered Fort Canning on the 16th.
Next Chapter
March into Captivity
|
