Singapore holds commemorative ceremony for end of World War II

Singapore, Sep 12 (PTI) Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday paid tribute to those who defended the country under the allied forces while the high commissioners of Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and the UK laid wreaths and paid respect to soldiers who lost their lives in World War II.

“The peace and prosperity we enjoy today rests on their sacrifices. We can never fully repay this debt,” Wong wrote in a Facebook post as Singapore held a ceremony for the end of World War II at the Kranji War Memorial on Friday afternoon.

“For many of us in the post-war generations, memories of that time live on through the voices of our parents and grandparents,” wrote Wong.

“The Occupation was a dark chapter – marked by fear, suffering, and the loss of innocent lives,” said Wong. Singapore was occupied by the Japanese from 1942-1945.

Lieutenant General (Retd) Winston Choo represented Singapore as a Guest of Honour at the ceremony at the Kranji Memorial, honouring sacrifices of all men and women in uniform who bravely fought to defend Malaya (now Malaysia) and Singapore, as well as civilians who lost their lives during the war.

On September 12, 1945, history was made in Singapore with the surrender of all Japanese forces in southeast Asia. It was the last major surrender ceremony, bringing an end to three and a half years of war in the Pacific, and in essence, the Second World War.

Japan, represented by its ambassador to Singapore, also laid a wreath at the ceremony in recognition of the fact that all nations suffered in World War II, and after 80 years, the former combatants have become firm partners in peace, said a multi-nation organising committee.

“This will be the fourth time since 2015 that former Allied nations, including Singapore, have worked together in a committee with Japan to organise a commemoration ceremony in the spirit of reconciliation and healing,” said the organising committee chairman Jeya Ayadurai, MBE, and director of Singapore History Consultants.

The Japanese invasion of 1941 led to the fall of many colonial powers in southeast Asia. It also led to the growth of nationalism and the road to independence for many regional countries, including Singapore, he said.

Senbazuru or one thousand paper cranes were released by the Japanese community. The Senbazuru were hand-crafted by students of The Japanese School Singapore, to reflect the universal wish to heal the wounds of war and to pray for peace for all nations.

Jeya said the Kranji War Memorial has the biggest list of Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting with the allied forces.

The memorial lists 67,000 Indian soldiers out of the 137,000 on its walls and has 4,458 Allied servicemen graves, 700 of which are of Indian soldiers who were cremated according to their religious rights.

The Memorial's walls inscribe over 24,000 names of Allied personnel, including 10,000 Indian soldiers, whose bodies were never found, Jeya told PTI.

British High Commissioner to Singapore, Nikesh Mehta OBE, said of the ceremony, “Today, as we gather at Kranji War Memorial to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, I am moved by the stories of all who fought selflessly for the freedoms we enjoy today.” “In our increasingly volatile world, it is more important than ever that we keep these stories alive as a reminder of the consequences of war and the importance of standing together,” he said.

Lt Gen (Retd) Choo said, “I am honoured to attend this ceremony to remember the sacrifices of the soldiers, airmen and sailors who fought bravely to secure the freedom of their nations. I salute their courageous devotion to duty, to lay down their lives for freedom." “The military personnel during WWII were duty bound to fight, many fighting in foreign lands. Japan’s presence reflects true diplomacy and the spirit of reconciliation. During WWII thousands fought and sacrificed with their lives to secure peace and freedom,” he added. PTI GS GSP GSP