Dismissed workers of the Hock Lee Amalgamated Bus Company went on strike from 25 April 1955. Joined by supporters and Chinese middle school students, these strikers picketed the bus depot and disrupted bus services. Police were called in to disperse the crowds ...
In 1966, Singapore celebrated its 9 August National Day for the first time. It was a week-long string of festivities that included a big parade, fireworks displays, cultural shows, and dinner parties. It was actually Singapore’s second National Day. The very first ...
It was the practice in British Commonwealth countries to conduct a census of population at the beginning of each decade. However, the onset of World War II in 1939 had meant the cancellation of the 1941 census in Malaya and Singapore. As part of the post-war reconstruction, ...
Japanese forces invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941 and drove the British troops from the Malayan peninsula after just 70 days of fighting. By early February the following year, the Japanese were poised to strike their final blow on Singapore, the bastion of the ...
The Maria Hertogh riots were a severe outbreak of violence that took place in Singapore between 11 and 13 December 1950 over the custody lawsuit of Maria Hertogh. The riots left 18 dead and 173 injured, as well as a reported 72 vehicles burnt, 119 vehicles damaged, ...
The Japanese surrendered to General Douglas MacArthur on board an American battleship, Missouri, at Tokyo Bay at 9 am on 2 September 1945 – officially ending WWII. Two weeks later, on 12 September 1945 at 11.10 am, local time, another Japanese surrender ceremony ...
The battle of Opium Hill took place on 14 February 1942 during the Japanese invasion of Singapore. Part of the wider battle for Pasir Panjang, the battle of Opium Hill is remembered for the heroic last stand of 2nd Lieutenant Adnan Saidi and the soldiers from C ...
On 12 March 1927, a clash in the Kreta Ayer neighbourhood between police and Kuomintang (KMT) supporters revealed the strength of leftist influence on the local Chinese population. A memorial service to mark Sun Yat Sen’s death was followed by a procession of Chinese, ...
On 27 September 1943, during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore (1942–45), seven Japanese shipping vessels were destroyed in Singapore waters. Although the saboteurs escaped unnoticed, the Japanese suspected that prisoners interned at Changi had been responsible ...
On 18 July 1967, Britain announced that it would withdraw its troops from Singapore by the mid-1970s. Six months later, the deadline was brought forward to 1971. The sudden pullout of British forces presented serious problems to Singapore’s defence and economic ...
In the midst of World War I, on 15 February 1915, the Right Wing (Rajput) of the 5th Light Infantry (Indian Army) which was stationed in Singapore, revolted, killing more than 40 British officers, British residents and local civilians. The mutiny was originally ...
Operation Sook Ching was a Japanese military operation aimed at purging or eliminating anti-Japanese elements from the Chinese community in Singapore. From 21 February to 4 March 1942, Chinese males between the ages of 18 and 50 were summoned to various mass screening ...
The Double Tenth trial was conducted from 18 March to 15 April 1946 involving 21 members of the Kempeitai in Singapore for atrocities committed against 57 civilians who had been interned at Changi Gaol.
Centenary Day was celebrated on 6 February 1919 to commemorate 100 years since Singapore’s founding by Stamford Raffles. On 6 February 1819, Raffles signed the treaty that allowed the British East India Company to set up a trading post in Singapore. The Centenary ...
The Federation of Malaysia was formed following the merger of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak on 16 September 1963. Then Prime Minister of Malaya Tunku Abdul Rahman was initially resistant to the idea of Singapore joining Malaysia. ...
On 30 May 1959, a General Election was held to elect 51 members for the Legislative Assembly. A total of 194 candidates from more than 10 political parties contested for the seats. In the end, the People’s Action Party (PAP), led by Lee Kuan Yew, was voted into ...
On 2 April 1955, a general election was held to elect 25 out of 32 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Singapore. The landmark election was the first time a majority of legislators was elected by popular ballot rather than appointed by colonial authorities. The ...
On 13 February 1875, the Singapore Criminal Prison located between Stamford Road and Bras Basah Road was the site of a serious breakout led by about 60 prisoners trying to escape from the prison. In the violence that ensued, 16 warders and numerous prisoners were ...
On 6 February 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, Temenggong Abdu’r Rahman and Sultan Husain Shah (also spelt as Hussein Shah) of Johor signed a treaty that gave the British East India Company (EIC) the right to set up a trading post in Singapore. In exchange, Sultan Husain ...
On 27 June 1964, 52 students were arrested in a massive pre-dawn crackdown at Nanyang University, on grounds of their involvement in "communist subversive activities". It was the last of a series of anti-communist actions conducted by the Federal government in ...