May 8, 2011by Regina Chow6 CommentsUncategorized

Memories at Old Ford Factory

After breakfast, we visited Memories at Old Ford Factory. The former Ford Factory was where British General Officer Officer Commanding Malaya (which Singapore was then a part of), Lt.-Gen. Arthur Ernest Percival, surrendered to the Japanese Commander of the 25th Army, Gen. Yamashita Tomoyuki on 15 February 1942.

That fateful day signaled the end of the British empire in Asia and the start of the Japanese occupation in Singapore, which lasted 3 years and 8 months. This was the darkest period for Singaporeans.

One of the atrocities committed by the Japanese was the Sook Ching massacre (also known as the purging of Chinese), where at least 70,000 Chinese were indiscriminately killed by the Japanese because they were thought to be anti-Japanese.

In this museum, there are several war artifacts, documents and oral accounts of Singaporeans who survived the war. It was heart-wrenching to listen to the individuals’ accounts on how their family members were killed, leaving them to fend for themselves at a tender age. Having just suffered the loss of a friend, I can imagine how traumatic it must have been for them. The courage, tenacity and resilience demonstrated by these individuals are nothing short of commendable.

The Japanese occupation has changed the outlook of Singaporeans forever, and the British empire’s weakness was what prompted us to have our own independent government. We have certainly come a long way, and I am very proud to be a Singaporean, especially after witnessing the watershed elections this year.

On a lighter note, I’ll be concluding this post with my outfit for the day.
I am so in love with the current colour blocking trend.

Details:
Zara Red Jacket
Zara striped boatneck top
Mitju green ribbon wedges