The north-western sector of Singapore, the first point of contact between the Allied and Japanese forces during the Battle of Singapore in WWII. Any mention of the fall of Singapore and one might recollect the first assault of the Japanese on this impregnable fortress of the British. Instead of an attack from the northeast, where the armed forces had been concentrated at based on predictions by British generals, the Japanese outwitted them and attacked Singapore from the northwest...
Battle of Sarimbun Beach
The Battle of Sarimbun Beach was fought as the first of four stages of the Japanese offensive on Singapore. First landings began on the night of 8 February 1942, where the Japanese launched their invasion under the cover of darkness. Despite success in repelling the first waves of the Japanese onslaught by raining machine gun fire on the barges that were crossing the strait, the 750 allied soldiers defending the shore-line at Lim Chu Kang and Sarimbun were outnumbered seven to one by the Japanese.
This, coupled with the thinly spread out defence lines, inadequate defence measures and disruption of allied communications by shellfire, left the defending forces with immense casualties and the need to retreat inland to re-consolidate their forces. Tengah Airfield, the first objective of Lieutenant General Yamashita, was captured shortly after on 9th February, allowing the Japanese to gain foothold of Singapore.
Battle of Kranji
The Battle of Kranji subsequently unfolded, but not as the Japanese had initially planned. During the assault, the Japanese encountered stiff resistance and an incident that not only impeded their advance, but also nearly made them withdraw their troops. As part of an ingenious move by the Allied forces, oil from petrol tanks located near the Sungei Mandai Kechil were released and set alight, leaving invading forces in a blazing inferno which halted the attack.
Yet, in an event of miscommunication that left Allied forces retreating inland, the Japanese eventually got themselves back together and established a beachhead. Due to this fatal error, Allied forces were pushed further down to the Jurong-Kranji defence line that had been set up should the Japanese forces overcome the coastal defences. Even though the line was supposed to be where the Allied forces were to be reinforced and counter the Japanese forces, another bout of misinterpretation of instructions left them retreating prematurely further towards the city and gave the Japanese headway without much resistance.
There is a common misconception that the Kranji Beach Battle Site is where the invasion of Singapore began. Sadly, this is not the case and fighting on this beach only began on Day 2 of the invasion...
Something you ought to know:
WARTIME KRANJI
With such carelessness in the defence of Singapore, the Crown Colony fell in a matter of days to the hands of the Japanese. The rest, is history...